First Witness: Kira Pennock
Prosecution:
P: How old are you?
A: 25
P: Occupation
A:Own a horse farm; it has boarded horses - people pay them to take care of the horses. Also offer training services.
P: How does it generate income?
A: The boarding side covers expenses the feed, the in water, and necessities and the care. They have a lot of horses. Located in Mettamorrow
P: Do you know Jennifer and James Crumbley.
A: Yes. Witness identifies both.
Kira knows Jennifer better, and she met her a few years ago and met her through the horse world. She doesn't recall the exact year. But she doesn't believe it was more than 3 years ago. She didn't have the business but she had friends at the barn JC had the horse at. Crumbleys started with one horse, and the second horse was purchased was made earlier in 2021. It was an online purchase, the horse was shipped to Michigan. JC wanted a new horse to do some jumping on as the first horse, Shorty, had an injury. So JC bought Billy. One night JC was drinking and told Kira that she bought a horse that cost $5,000. Kira said that the horse showed up in February.
At some point both horses were borded with Kira in June-July 2021. Kira has borded their horses and giving lessons to both Crumbleys and the horses. The board price is $400 per month per horse. Eventually she only had lessons with Crumbley as she didn't sepcialize in western riding. The lessons were 45-60 minutes, 3 times a week, and it cost $35.
Crumbley's would groom their horses, ride them, groomed them and put them away. This took about 3 hours. Kira said that they did have jobs, but she doesn't know what they were or what their hours were. Crumbleys would come around 5pm on the weekdays, and on the weekends they came between 9-11am. Kira has not seen their son at her farm. Kira said she's seen him maybe once or twice at the previous barn.
Crumbleys did provide the fairier (horse pedicure) for their horses and it's $130 each horse. It is the owners responsibility to pay for the vet care if it is needed. James and Jennifer made sure their horses vet care was paid for.
Does Kira know why Ethan didn't come to the barn? Jennifer told Kira that Ethan didn't want to do anyting with the horses. Kira considers Jennifer a friend.
Jennifer had mentioned that she thought James was cheating on her, with looking up singles online. This was around summer of 2021. Jennifer was very upset. She confronted James, and he said that he didn't cheat. Ethan came forward and admitted that it was him that was looking this up.
General Impression of Jennifer - liked how dedicated she was to the horses. She had aspirations of doing competitions. Jennifer always treated Kira and everyone with respect.
Jennifer didn't really talk about her son. Kira doesn't remember anything super positive about Ethan. Jennifer did express concerns: he didn't have any friends, or only one friend, he spent a lot of time online playing games. She thought it was weird he wasn't out doing things like a normal kid. Jennifer did call him weird.
Jennifer didn't consider Ethan normal - she didn't talk about him and when she did, it was about how he didn't do normal kid things.
Kira had contact with James/Jennifer on Nov. 30. James went to the barn to put ointment on Billy's legs - he had mudfever - it's a fungus and it causes scabs. They were concerned about Billy's legs. Kira did not see him, but other workers saw him there. James was there sometime in the morning. She noticed the ointment on Billy's legs around noon.
Kira was in contact with Jennifer via Facebook Messenger.
People's Proposed Exhibit 6: They are the messages that morning of November 30. They are messages between Kira and Jennifer. The messages start at 10:18am and they end Thursday. The messages came from her phone. Kira had sent screenshots of the messages becuause they asked her to. Jennifer did have a lesson planned on the 30th. It was supposed to be around 4:30pm.
Mudfever isn't super serious, but it does need to be taken care of. Billy's legs became swollen, all 4 legs when the mudfever was only on 2 legs.
Jennifer: Had to go to her son's school to meet his counselor. "*advertiser censored* day." Kira asked if everything was okay.
Jennifer said that Ethan is having a rough time because the dog passed, a friend went away and he drew a picture on a math worksheet. Kira said this was not normal - all the violence over the sheet.
Kira was aware that they had guns, but didn't know that the gun was bought for her son. Kira did see the post about the gun being a christmas present, but she wasn't sure when she saw it.
The conversation was then about the horses and Kira said that Ethan may need some horse therapy. Ethan was supposed to go with Jennifer to the lesson that night because Ethan couldn't be left alone.
Jennifer said that Ethan needs something. Kira said "let's make him a cowboy."
Kira heard about the shooting when she got a call from one of her student's moms in the early afternoon. Kira knows people/kids in the school.
When she heard about the shooting it wasn't public who was responsible for it. Kira thought it was Ethan.
Jennifer said at 2:36pm that she won't be there tonight.
Kira was texting Jennifer a photo of Billy.
That day - Jennifer said that she needs to sellher horses. Stat. On Tuesday, Nov. 30. She didn't say why she needed to sell her horses.
Kira is trying to help sell the horses.
People's Proposed 7: The math sheet with the drawing.
Kira was compassionate in the beginning. She wanted more information. Kira told her to just be honest about anything and everything.
Conversations with Jennifer were fewer and far between.
Jennifer never talked about taking Ethan to the doctor; same with James. Neither talked about getting their son thearpy.
The cell coverage at the farm is better than other areas, but there are areas where the service is spotty. The Crumbley's did have cell phones with them.
Defense
Kira has verizon. Kira doesn't know about service for other companies. There are some areas people get service, and other areas that they don't.
The farm is on 51 acres.
Groveland was the barn where Kira and Jennifer boarded their horses.
Horses and training is a majority of what they talk about. Jennifer doesn't talk to her about when she goes to the doctor herself, or if James went to the doctor. Jennifer never gave details about her work, but said James had been through a few jobs. Kira talks to Jen more about horses than Ethan.
Jennifer never talked to Kira about the comments on the math sheet. She only sent the picture. Kira was concerned Ethan may be suicidal, but not before November 30.
Kira didn't think Ethan was homicidal. Kira didn't have reaon to believe Ethan needed medical help.
Kira could see Jen would want her son at the barn and riding. But a lot of boys don't like to ride horses, so Kira didn't think it was serious. Kira and Jen do kid back and forth.
Some come to the barn once a week, or everyday. It's not unusual to be at the barn 3 times a week.
Kira and Jen communicated about Kira buying both Billy and Shorty and other horse related items. They were discussing how the horses would need to be signed over. Kira could tell Jennifer was upset.
Jennifer said that her son ruined so many lives today - Kira understood that to mean Ethan was the shooter.
Kira agrees it sounds like Ethan was a troubled kid. Kira said that it wasn't Jennifer's fault. Kira never got the feeling that Jen and James had issues with their son. Kira tried to reassure Jennifer - to get rest, to stay calm.
Jennifer messaged "I wish we had warnings, he's a good kid." Kira thought there were some times of signs esp since Jen said in the past that Ethan didn't go out.
Kira wrote there were probably warnings that was missed, and hindsight is 20/20.
Kira was aware that Ethan had one friend he was close to. Kira could see Jen's facebook about the family spending time together - going camping and places on the weekend.
Kira understands he plays a lot of video games but she didn't think it was problematic.
After Kira was aware that it was Ethan who was the shooter, Kira and Jen attempted to talk to each other on the phone. Jennifer uses a trac-phone.
Kira was concerned with Jennifer coming to the farm because she didn't want Jennifer to take things that were owned by other borders or herself. Kira was concerned for the safety of others if the Crumbleys came to the farm, because Jen showed her the threatening messages she received.
Jen said that they were headed to a safe place for a couple of days - a hotel or motel. Kira says that she did care about Jennifer and she would take care of the horses.
Kira didn't follow up with her about anything other than seen in the texts. The friendship was limited to horses and some friendly chit-chat. There was nothing that alarmed Kira to have to contact law enforcement about Ethan. Jennifer appreared to be concerned about what was going on.
Defense on behalf of James
Kira didn't speak to James very often, and if she did it was about horse related matters. James didn't tell her if he or anyone else went to the doctor. Communications were about horses and horse related matters.
Kira didn't reach out to James after Jen showed her the picture. Kira wasn't concerned about Ethan's mental health.
REDIRECT
Kira kept the conversations to friendly chit-chat, but Jennifer did mention that she had a feeling that her James having an affair, that Ethan was weird, about how Ethan didn't like horses.
Did both parents have to go to the barn together 3 times a week for 3 hours at a time.
Jennifer was very concerned, but she still had time to text about mudfever, and the lesson.
At the time Kira said don't worry - Kira didn't know that the gun was bought for ethan, Kira didn't know that the school said he needed therapy; Kira didn't know about the text to Ethan about the bullet search; Kira didn't know that James called 911 saying he thought his son was the shooter.
