GUILTY MO - Kara Kopetsky, 17 in 2007; Jessica Runions, 21 in 2016; found deceased - *ARREST* #2

[Dre]

WOW, defense is doing TERRIBLY! Not very surprised at all, given what they're working with.
How do they sleep at night, anyway?
This is all just so much info, its overwhelming and all so disgusting.
I am really feeling for Kara and Jessica's families right now in enduring and experiencing all of this.
I have a very strong feeling we're looking at LWOP
Thank God for moments of justice.
Thank you again @Vail I wish I could send you gift basket

 

[Niner]

Guessing that SODDI is not working for the defense!

And Yes - thank you @Vail for reporting on this trial!

 

[Niner]

Wednesday, April 14th:
*Trial continues (Day 9) (@ 8:30am CT) – MO – Kara Elise Kopetsky (17) (last seen at Belton High, May 4, 2007, Belton; found by a mushroom hunter in rural Cass County near East 223rd & State Route Y on April 3, 2017) & Jessica S. Runions (21) (missing Sept. 8, 2016, Raymore; her car was found burned near Bannister & Blue River Rds. on Sept. 10, 2016. Found by mushroom hunters in rural Cass County near East 223rd & State Route Y on April 4, 2017) – *Kylr Charles Yust (18 in 2007/29/now 32) indicted (3/1/18) & arraigned (6/18/18) on 2 counts of 1st degree & 2 counts of abandonment of a corpse. Plead not guilty. $1M cash only bond. Originally charged with felony arson for burning Jessica’s car was dismissed on 10/5/17. Charges of 2 counts of abandonment of a corpse-dismissed on 3/4/21).
Trial began 4/5/21. Jury Selection started on 3/29/21 & ended on 3/31/21. Court will be held on Saturdays also. Held in Cass County & jurors from St. Charles County. Jurors will be sequestered throughout the trial (expected to last 3 weeks). Jury: 12 jurors & 3 alternates (12 women & 3 men). One alternate was released on 4/5/21.
Court info from 3/1/18 thru 3/11/21 & jury selection (3/31/21) & Day 1 thru Day 7 of trial (4/5 – 4/12/21) reference post #248 here:
MO - Kara Kopetsky, 17 in 2007; Jessica Runions, 21 in 2016; found deceased - *ARREST* #2
4/13/21 Tuesday, Day 8 of Trial: Defense witnesses: 11) (64) Matthew Bauchle, Assistant General Manager at Ignite Medical Resorts. Bauchle explains records are purged every seven years. 12) (65) James Trainum, an expert witness with consulting experience in investigative failures. Lead defense attorney raises the issue of KCPD officer Joshua Meierer's involvement with the investigation. Trainum said the initial issue he identified with Meierer's involvement was what he called failure to document investigative activity. 13) (66) Michael Strong Belton Police Dept. now on the stand for an offer of proof, away from the jury. 14) (67) John Mogilnicki, KCPD, now on the stand for an offer of proof for a traffic stop he made in 2007. Judge Collins *excludes* testimony of the two officers in the case regarding testimony about seeing Jessep Carter near the car in 2007. This is after the prosecution argued Jessep Carter is not the suspect in this case. Court resumes however jury is not in the room. Right now, Judge Collins is hearing arguments on whether Trainum could testify on possible alternative suspects. Jury brought back in. 15) (68) Judy Young, called LE on 9/11/16 about a car matching Jessica Runions' she saw on 9/9/16. Two other offers of proof are denied, one of them from Michael Strong with the Belton Police Department. Jury is not present. 16) (69) Anthony "Tony" Armstrong (already testified for Prosecution). His son is Carter's cousin. Talked about reviewing surveillance video from his property. Jessep stopped at Armstrong's house in Lone Jack with Yust, Crystal Taylor. Ben Butler: "This witness himself fails in the form of credibility. Let alone this tape, which we have not seen." Collins: Video has been handed off to multiple people (Russians?). Collins is not going allow Anthony Armstrong to testify about video. Judge called Armstrong back to stand & asked about what he observed that day (9/9/16). Armstrong is excluded as witness. 17) (70) Lisa Taylor Austin, expert in gang/prison code culture; hearing "offer of proof" testimony from Lisa Taylor Austin, away from the jury. She is a psychotherapist, gang expert & counseling expert. Taylor Austin said she cannot tell definitively what the coded message meant. Judge Collins says Austin doesn't meet the reliability test based on their testimony during offer of proof. She is excluded. The jury is back in courtroom. 18) (71) Dr. Rick Snow, forensic anthropologist. Testified about how investigators can make mistakes in recovering human remains. 19) (72) Kevin Winer, KCPD Crime Lab director. During the Runions case, he was supervisor of trace evidence section of crime lab. 20) (73) Nicole Blackwell, KCPD Crime Lab DNA Analyst. Blackwell looks for samples that would be good for DNA analysis. She was asked to review Yust's clothing collected on 9/11/16. 21) (74) Brianna Bennett Moore, "casually" dated Kylr in late Aug 2016. 22) (75) Sandee Schneider, property manager of the Apple Creek Apts where Yust lived. Jury sent out. 23) (76) J.S., drug dealer & accuser of Billy Bayes, another drug user. For an "offer of proof" hearing away from the jury. J.S. testifies the missing girl was doing drugs. They were getting high. Bayes shot her up & "they flocked." Flocked = overdosed. J.S. failed a polygraph regarding the "admission" that Bayes killed Kara. Judge Collins rules he will NOT allow J.S. to testify before the jury due to reliability issues. Trial continues on 4/14/21.

 

[Jewels53]

HARRISONVILLE, Mo. — In the Kylr Yust double murder trial, the defense is working to get more witnesses on the stand, but few of the key witnesses got past the judge.

For weeks, the defense hoped to get information to the jurors about the possible alternate suspects, but Tuesday, Judge William Collins halted some of the bombshells they hoped to pose.

Pieces of evidence, and testimony, picked away one by one by Judge Collins and overwhelming objections from the state.

“She had – she was interviewed by Officer Mierer who had is own theory” a witness said.

“JUDGE! Can we approach please?” Lead prosecutor Julie Tolle said.

Jury won't hear much on Kylr Yust's half-brother in murder trial

 

[Vail]

At this point, the only thought I am left with from the defense, even knowing more than the jury, is that Jessep helped dispose of evidence, and he likely killed himself because LE weren't going to cut him a deal and he knew he as going to go to prison for a long time and already lost his wife and kids, was probably suffering withdrawal, was being threatened by Kylr (who was in the same jail, not sure why they couldn't explain that to the jury). I think it is pretty disgusting that they spent all their time smearing him post mortem. He wasn't the greatest guy, but he had a conscience and clearly wanted to do the right thing for his family and it backfired on him in a really tragic way. What that phone call with Mom showed me was how Kylr and Jessep had a complicated relationship at best and Jessep was probably bullied by Kylr (or why on earth would he go to KC on demand that night ) We have to ask ourselves, why didn't Johnine testify? If Kylr told her what he did and she called Jessep begging him to go help Kylr, she would incriminate herself.

I hope the closing arguments are put on youtube. I am disappointed in the media thus far not putting all of the video online after fighting to get cameras in there.

 

[Vail]

Day 8
https://twitter.com/MattFlenerKMBC
https://twitter.com/NorthCassHerald
https://twitter.com/AndyAlcock2
https://twitter.com/EmilyRittman

THE TRIAL OF KYLR YUST: Will Yust testify in own defense?

2h
YUST TRIAL DAY 9: Kylr Yust's defense team is expected to call more witnesses today. Closing arguments could happen, too.

2h
The jury can deliberate several charges. 1st/2nd degree murder. Voluntary/involuntary manslaughter. Not guilty. The jury will get separate verdict forms for each case, according to the instructions Judge Collins is reading before the court.

2h
CONTEXT: I am unsure if the jury will be able to deliberate all the charges for both girls. It was hard to hear the judge and keep up with the instructions on count two.

2h
After jury instructions, Kylr Yust's lead defense attorney Sharon Turlington approaches the bench to talk to Judge Collins with the prosecution there, too. I cannot hear the arguments or conversation.

2h
It sounds like there was an argument about Tony Armstrong's testimony on Tues. Judge Collins reiterates he excluded Armstrong and any surveillance video Armstrong would reference. Collins says he allowed defense to include the video in evidence for an appeal.

2h
Defense is trying to argue again to include Lisa Taylor Austin, the psychotherapist who tried to decode the message found in Jessep Carter's jail cell. Judge Collins said he had reliability and relevance issues with her testimony, so he excluded her.

 

[Vail]

77th Witness Jon Thomas. Works for Jon Thomas and Associates, crime scene/fire investigation
Experienced Forensic & Fire Consulting

1h
Defense calls Jon Thomas. Works for Jon Thomas and Associates. Thomas has a specialty in crime scene/fire investigation

1h
Thomas talks about his forensic, crime scene investigation business worked in law enforcement since 2004 as crime scene technician in Dothan, Alabama

1h
Thomas said the defense paid him for his opinion. Not paid based on his testimony. "I am going to state the facts that I see and that's it," Thomas said. Thomas reviewed Jessica Runions' SUV fire. He wrote a report.

1h
Vehicle was not processed on scene of fire, Thomas said. Thomas said there is no documentation of the SUV on scene, Thomas said. There is no documentation that anyone from law enforcement stayed with the vehicle from when found to when processed.

1h
Thomas testifies that there is no documentation any investigation occurred in connection with Jessica Runions' burned vehicle on the scene of the fire, near Blue River Road and Bannister Road in South Kansas City

1h
He said the vehicle was towed to an impound lot before any investigation of the vehicle began, which causes issues with evidence preservation. The vehicle fire was ruled arson, but procedures required to rule a fire an arson weren't followed properly, he said.

1h
Prosecutor Julie Tolle asks on cross if Thomas had been made aware of the fact that the owner of the vehicle was missing, the last person she was seen with is a suspect in a past murder, "you would be less inclined to believe the fire was electrical, right?"

1h
Thomas testified Runions' burned out vehicle should've been left at the scene for processing instead of towed to another location, could compromise evidence he said.

1h
It's important to document the SUV on scene because there was glass that could've melted. "There is documentation showing that fire debris was not collected correctly and placed in arson cans," Thomas's report says.

1h
There is no documentation that anybody looked at the electrical in the vehicle to rule that out, Thomas said.

1h
Burn barrels evidence, fire there aerosol cans some of them appeared to have exploded, part of Yust alibi, no testing done for accelerant Thomas testified

1h
Thomas said he had concerns with how investigators processed evidence from the scene.

1h
Thomas said he saw no pictures or evidence of glass on the ground at the SUV site in south Kansas City. Thomas now talking about how a fire puts itself out. Thomas said he could not determine if the fire put itself out due to documentation issues.

1h
Crosps examination earlier testimony puddles of gasoline found in vehicle prosecutor says clear indication fire was set

1h
Thomas said he cannot testify to Yust's injuries. "I am not a doctor," he said.

1h
Injuries to Yust burn marks to his face. Opinion of Yust closing collected after he was arrested for arson in the Runions' vehicle fire. Need to package to see if accelerant on clothes, doesn't add up with timeline, Thomas testified.

1h
"As a fire investigator, you'd agree that a fire is a pretty good way to get rid of evidence, wouldn't you?" asks Tolle. "Yes it its," Thomas replies. Thomas steps down from the stand

 

[Niner]

So - no more witnesses for the defense? Jury instructions already? No closing? I think I'm lost...

 

[Niner]

Ah - missed your post there @Vail sorry!

But the arson charge was dismissed - maybe that's why - it wasn't processed correctly.

 

[Vail]

78 Dr. Ronald Hanson (def)
Dr. Ronald E. Henson | Beron Consulting & LabWorks

1h
Dr. Ronald Henson with Beron Consulting now testifying for the defense.

1h
Henson an expert in drugs, alcohol and narcotics, testing in the work place in particular

1h
Henson testifies about reviewing a toxicology report for Jessica Runions. They found nicotine and caffeine but no THC.

1h
Henson said he would "expect" to see THC in Jessica Runions' brain tissue.

1h
Dr. Henson THC can be found days and months after post-mortem

1h
Henson cannot say whether THC was in Runions' system. He testifies there could've been a lack of availability for testing.

1h
Defense now done questioning. Asst. Prosecutor Julie Tolle now saying he has no degree in toxicology. Tolle points out he is speculating since Jessica's body was found seven months later. Tolle has done her research. You can tell by her line of questioning.

1h
Dr. Ronald Henson, a defense expert witness, is on the stand. Assistant prosecutor Julie Tolle is now questioning him about his opinions about Jessica Runions' toxicology report.

1h
Prosecutor Julie Tolle cross-examines, kicking off questioning by asking Henson to agree he is not, in fact, a toxicologist

1h
Henson agrees that his degrees (he has a doctorate) do not include toxicology

1h
Tolle: "There's not a single study connected to the existence of THC in 7-month-old decomposed brain tissue, correct?" Henson scrambles, citing study on pigs that had been dead 9 months. Tolle responds he is confusing the issue. "I'M NOT," Henson responds loudly

1h
The decomposed bodies/decomposed brain tissue issue got very tense. Tolle was going after Henson for his expertise and how he is able to testify about THC found in decomposed bodies or brain tissue. This was a powerful moment in court.

1h
Short redirect. Cross/ex. Tolle: You can't say whether THC was present in Jessica Runions' brain tissue, right? Henson: You can't tell that it was there, Henson said.

 

[Vail]

79 Tim Riplinger, an employee for the Missouri state public defender's system.

1h
Riplinger testifies he was able to get in a car and calculate the drivetime from Kylr Yust's house (grandfather's house) in South KC and the location the mushroom hunter found human remains in Cass County.

1h
Riplinger answers a question from Turlington about drive time. State has no questions, he steps down. Court recesses for morning break after an active first session, compared to yesterday

1h
Riplinger said he plotted the route in his phone. He used the most direct route, then drove the route. It took him 32 minutes to drive from south KC to the remains location.

80 Eric Grabsky digital expert on cell phones
Digital Forensic Analyst in Columbia, SC | Envista Forensics

37m
Defense calls Eric Grabski. Digital forensic analyst w/Envista Forensics. He has experience in analyzing cell phones/phone records.

37m
Here is defense expert witness Eric Grabski testifying on 4/14/2021 on Day 9 of the trial of Kylr Yust.

35m
Grabski got discovery documents of phone records. He said it was difficult to analyze since not a lot are in digital format.

32m
A lot of detail here about what type of records he analyzed w/ Kopetsky's records. Call detail records, voice, text, cell site records.

13m
Grabski testifies @YustTrial after 9:25 am phone call from Kylr to Kara, a couple more phone calls.

25m
Yust attorney Matt Vigil just asking a lot of questions about records here. Waiting for him to make the point.... OK, there's the point. Sounds like Grabski is testifying about the lack of location data in records.

20m
1:03 p.m. on Kara Kopetsky's phone records. Data transaction. A network number. A stamp to show there was data usage on the phone. The way data was recorded back then it's much different than now.

20m
AT&T records data sessions today defined as bytes up/bytes down. Not necessarily chronologically. In 2007, data usage wasn't nearly as common. It was recorded similarly to a text message, chronologically.

20m
1:03 transaction. Does that indicate the phone was being used? Can't testify for sure, but more than likely being used. A Motorola Razr. "Chances are it was a user initiated data transaction," Grabski said.

20m
Did you actually have to open phone up to use data, Vigil asks? Grabski: Yes.

15m
The 1:03 p.m. transaction for Kara's phone happened just north of the transactions for Kara's phone at 10:25 a.m. and 12:17 p.m. from a tower near Belton High School, Grabski testifies.

13m
Vigil: Do we know where Kylr was during the day of 5-4? Grabski: No Vigil: That's because of the lack of location data? Grabski: Yes.

13m
Grabski testifies there is no way to see if Kara and Kylr were in the same location via phone records on 5-4-2007.

12m
Grabski testifies impossible to know where Kylr was the day of Kara's disappearance on 5-4-07 because location data not available for Yust phone

11m
Grabski testifying about analyzing Runions and Yust phone records.

1m
Grabski testifies #YustTrial about 2016 phone records 2:57 am 9-9-16 Yust phone in Cass County while Runions phone event in Kansas City
@41actionnews
but can't guarantee the tower's accuracy.

42m
Yust's phone was active from 12:58 am to just past 6 a.m. in the morning on Sept. 9. Last Network Event Location System activity was 2:57 a.m. from Runions phone on Sept. 9 on a tower in Belton. NELOS does *not* mean phone was used but a network event occurred.

42m
Can't tell an exact location. But, a phone call made on Sept. 8 was made from same tower from Runions' phone. Grabski testifies NELOS records are often difficult to interpret.

39m
Vigil: On 2:57 a.m. were the phones belonging to Runions and Yust in the same location? Grabski: No it does not appear that way. Vigil: Did Mr. Yust's phone ever go to the area where the remains were found?

36m
Cross/ex. Julie Tolle now questioning Grabski about May 4, 2007. Calls between them just after 9:13 a.m. Kara is active on the phone up until 10:25 with voice calls. No outgoing calls after that.

35m
Julie Tolle now questioning about Kylr Yust's phone records. Tolle: A lot of communication between Yust/Kopetsky in the weeks before 5-4-2007. Tolle: He never makes a call to Kara again after 5-4-2007, right?

32m
Tolle questioning about Yust's phone records. 5:58 a.m. Kylr Yust to Kara Kopetsky text. Incoming text at 9:02 from Kara. 9:03 incoming text from Kara. 11:08 outgoing to Kara 11:4x?? outgoing to Kara a couple other times that afternoon, Tolle establishes.

32m
Tolle: Is it feasible that someone would send texts to a victim to kind of create an alibi? Grabski: That's possible, yes.

28m
Now, to Yust's phone on Sept. 9, 2016., even though phone is on and active 12:56:55 a.m.-2:06:28 a.m. no outgoing/incoming phone calls text messages, Tolle establishes.

24m
One wonders how the jury is processing this cell phone location data discussion. "It can, it just depends," seems to be the most oft-reported answer to specific questions related to pinpointing activities of those involved with this saga at various times over the years

20m
Grabski steps down, attorneys approach the bench for private discussion. Judge releases jury for lunch, to return at 12:45. What's on tap after lunch? Maybe we'll find out in the next few minutes.

 

[Vail]

24m
Yust's defense team laid a foundation in opening statements about rogue KCPD cop Joshua Meierer conducting his own targeted investigation of Yust despite being told by Belton PD to stop. It doesn't appear defense will call Meierer as a witness.

((amazed he has avoided testifying))

30m
Will Yust testify? That answer will come at 12:30 p.m. Judge Collins will reconvene for discussion on that topic before bringing jury back

 

[Vail]

81 Kylr Yust

2m
BREAKING: Kylr Yust ****WILL**** testify.

50s
Kylr Yust tells Judge William Collins he will testify in his double murder trial.

1m
Defense calls Kylr Yust. "I'm Kylr Yust." Turlington: Kylr how old are you? Kylr: 32.

2m
Kylr describes his grandparents as his parental figures.

1m
Yust takes the stand, discusses growing up in his grandparents' household under direct examination

1m
#YustTrial pic of him with his grandparents at 14 shown to jury.

17s
#YustTrial Yust said his Aunt Karen was like his mom, his mom not really in his life, Aunt Karen died when he was about 12.


45s
Yust looking at defense exhibit R. A picture of him and his grandparents for the church directory.

51s
Yust testifies he had a half brother Jessep Carter.

1m
#YustTrial Yust said his Aunt Karen was like his mom, his mom not really in his life, Aunt Karen died when he was about 12.

55s
Yust testifies his aunt Karen got him interested in music. "My mom wasn't really in my life," Kylr said. He says he sang a lot when they were together.

21s
Kylr Yust is testifying about his family. He says his aunt got him interested in music. After she died it was traumatic, says then he listened to "more negative music." Yust says he met Kara Kopetsky at a QuikTrip in 2006.
1m
First met Kara at QT in Belton after walking to the store with friends after leaving the skate park, which had been in Memorial Park.

41s
#YustTrial Yust testifies met Kara at a Belton Quik Trip in 2006. Kara said "hey you're hot, can I get your number" Yust testified.
@41actionnews
Kara outspoken, really pretty, great person, he was 17 and she was 16
2m


told him she was going to go out withanother guy. He said he grabbed her arm and pulled her into the car and drove 15-20 minutes before letting her out a Dominos

21s
#YustTrial explains kidnapping rough patch of relationship arguing seeing her on break smoked cigarette together Yust testified, grabbed her and put her in truck drove for 15 minutes and dropped her off.
3m


RE: The kidnapping of Kara Kopetsky before protection order. Yust says he did not have a weapon. "We were through a rough period of an on and off kind of relationship.

3m


Kara was really responsible. She always had a job. I didn't have one, Yust testifies. We were arguing over that. I was trying to patch things up, smoke a cigarette. I took her chocolates.
3m


I wanted to talk to her. I was backed into a parking spot. I grabbed her. Put her in the car, Yust testifies. Drove down/back 71 highway for about 15-20 minutes and dropped her off at Dominoes.

2m


Defense asked Yust to describe the kidnapping that was described in the order of protection filed by Kara Kopetsky against him, "I pulled her by the arm, pulled her in his truck, drove for 15-20 minutes then dropped her off at Dominos.

1m
Now, Kylr Yust directly denies conversation w/ Kara's friend Amy Clark who testified after a fight between Kara and Kylr, Kylr called Kara's phone and Amy answered, and told her "If I can't have her no one can." He says he never called and never said that

3m
Re: Amy Clark testimony Turlington: Did you say, "If I can't have her no one can" Yust: "No."

1m
Allegations that Yust held a knife to throat: Defense: "Did you ever hold a knife to her throat?" Yust: "No." Defense: "Did you ever say I'm going to slit your mother f-ing throat?" Yust: "Absolutely not."

4m
Yust: "We never stopped contacting each other," after the protection order.

4m
Confirms the night he picked up Kopetsky from work at Popeye's, says they were having problems in their relationship. Said they drove for about 15 minutes, he dropped her off at Domino's

4m
Yust says he won't deny he and Kopetsky had fights. Denied holding a knife and threatening her. Yust says he did talk to Kopetsky on the morning of her disappearance May 4, 2007. He did pick her up. He says Jessep Carter was with him

4m
Yust talked to Kara May 4, she wanted him to pick her up at school, would skip school and come to his apartment #YustTrial
@41actionnews
Jessep Carter with him Yust testified.

4m
Yust says they talked on the phone on May 4, 2007. "She wanted me to pick her up from school," Yust said. He told her he would be there between her classes.

5m
Admits picking Kopetsky up from school between classes on May 4, 2007. "At first I said no, but then I did," he said. She wanted to smoke weed, he said, but I hadn't disclosed that I didn't have any pot.

5m
Turlington: Did you go pick her up? Was there anybody with you? ******Yust testifies Jessep Carter was with him as he picked up Kara Kopetsky******

3m
Yust all went inside his apartment May 4 the day Kara disappeared. Carter was driving Yust claims, wanted to smoke weed but didn't have any Kara went to call Kyle Reynolds to see if he had any

3m
He says his friend Nick Yeates and him started talking about a band. They joined the band Seraphim.

5m
Yust testifies Kara came out of school and left with him and Jessep. They went back to his apartment. "After I picked her up, I disclosed the information I didn't have any weed yet."

3m
#YustTrial Yust said asked Kara if she wanted to go with him to Kansas City to see his aunt in rehab, claims left alone the day Kara disappeared went to Reynolds' house after left Kara. Left Kara with his half brother Jessep.

3m
Yust said Kara called Reynolds (the friend who testified earlier in trial that Kara called and asked if they could come over the day she disappeared.) Yust says he went to visit Aunt, he left and Carter (half-brother) was going to drop Kara off at the skate park.

2m
Yust says he drove back sooner, went back to Belton changed back into jeans and a t-shirt, went bk to Kyle Reynolds to see if he'd gotten any weed. He says they hung out there for a couple hours, smoked weed, went to band practice and was there a couple hrs.

1m
Went to his friend Kyle Reynolds' house to "smoke cigarettes and play video games" along with Kara. Reynolds didn't have any weed, but was planning on getting some later, he said

46s
#YustTrial Yust said drove separately from his grandparents after visiting his aunt at Carondelet Manor ((a point former Belton detective Mike Clark testified he failed to verify) arrived at 2:45 p.m. back home.
@41actionnews
then went back to Reynolds house to see if he had pot, hung out there smoking to band practice.

3m
When he got back, he went to Kyle Reynolds house to see if he had pot. He hung out at Reynolds house to smoke pot and hang before brand practice. Band practice was at Nick Yeates house. At least a couple of hours. Went back to Belton apartment.

3m
Yust testifies a friend called asking if he'd heard from Kara, said Kara's Aunt and Uncle showed up at his house asking if he'd seen her, says he let them into his apartment. Said at that point he wasn't that concerned, said Kara had not wanted to go home before

3m
#YustTrial later on May 4 found out Kara was missing.
@41actionnews
aunt and uncle went to his apartment, he let them in and Yust testified they were concerned.

1m
#YustTrial Yust testified he spoke to the police a few days after Kara's disappearance May 7 willingly went to police, didn't tell police the truth because ex parte order and could get him in trouble

1m
Yust is speaking softly into the microphone during his testimony. He testifies he did not tell police the truth on May 7. He didn't want to get in trouble because of the ex-parte order. I was just more worried about getting in trouble because of the ex-parte.

1m
Yust said he continued to not tell the truth, because he was afraid about getting in trouble.

58s
Yust said rumors started flying. He said people wanted to start to get to know him because they thought he did something. He said his friends started to not contact him.


34s
said he hung out with people who gravitated to him, because some of his old friends moved away or distanced themselves from him, getting tired of defending him all the time.

41s
could get info, or because they thought it was cool he might've done something. Then, said they were some people who thought he did it and hated him. He said he became extremely depressed and started drinking more and using different types of drugs, hanging out w/ unsavory people

1m
Said in the following days and weeks, there were two types of people: "Those that thought I did something to her and it was really cool," and "those that hated me so much they wanted to kill me.

1m
Yust said he became depressed. "Kara didn't show back up. I think I started drinking more and using different kinds of drugs." Yust said he started hanging out with more people who gravitated toward him because he was a suspect in the case.


1m
Asked about incident w/ Nick Yeates, bandmate who claimed Yust confessed in Burger King parking lot. Yust says he was very drunk at time and was spiralling downward, vented to people, and sometimes did things to get attention. Says he doesn't remember exactly what he said.

18s
Said while she was in NC she was still texting/contacting him, then messages turned sexual. Yust claims Farris started asking him about what happened to Kara Kopetsky. He was about to share what she allegedly said, but defense and State approached the bench to discuss....

((Shoutout to Caitlin Knute who has stepped up to the plate with some very detailed tweeting))

1m
RE: The Katelynn Farris Hidden Wire FBI recording. Turlington establishing how Yust gave her a tattoo. Yust testifies that Farris moved to NC for a contract marriage for $450/mo. He testifies he wasn't happy because, "We were seeing each other at the time."

1m
Yust said Farris started texting asking about what happened to Kara.

1m
Yust says Kaitlynn Farris and he had a relationship, but that she abruptly decided to move to North Carolina for a "contract marriage." She "told me she was going to be making $450 a month to be married to the guy."

1m
Yust said former girlfriend Katelyn Farris entered into a contract marriage to get $450 a month, wasn't happy about it.
then she began sending sexual messages to him expressing her displeasure with the guy she moved to North Carolina with.

1m
Yust testified Kaitlyn told him having the hands of a killer on my body would be so sexy so Yust claims he fed her fantasy.

1m
Later, when she came back to town, she "asked me if I had anything to do with Kara's disappearance. I was surprised because we'd been over this years before, and I'd told her I had nothing to do with it.

1m
Defense is asking Yust about his many confessions. Asked if he was "spiraling" and "making statements to get attention." Defense asked Yust about Katelynn Farris taped FBI confession. Yust said Farris said, "Having the hands of a killer on my body would be so sexy."

59s
She said "that's too bad, because I think having the hands of a killer on my body would be sexy," Yust said. So, he said, I went ahead and played the part

35s
Yust testified he didn't do anything to Kara wasn't worried about saying anything

 

[Niner]

Oh I definitely will be back - bed time for me over here! Can't wait until tomorrow to read what he has to say!

 

[Vail]

Kylr Yust Testimony (cont)

Apologies if this is slightly disjointed as the tweets are compiled because some of them were tweeting different details at different speeds

35s
Yust testified he didn't do anything to Kara wasn't worried about saying anything

7m
Yust says he was at a really low point that day, and really wanted to impress Katelyn Farris. Said they went near park he used to go to as kid. Didn't worry about saying anything, because he knew he didn't do anything to Kara.

7m
Yust said, “I was at a really low point and wanted to impress Katelynn." (Farris) Defense: "Were you really worried about saying anything? Yust: "No because I didn’t do anything to Kara.”

7m
Yust says the day after that wiretapped conversation FBI came to talk to him, and he showed them the texts from Farris, and told them he was just trying to fullfill her sexual fantasies.

5m
Yust testified Farris texted him the following: "Well it's too bad because having the hands of a killer on my body would be so sexy....That's when I started feeding into her fantasy."


5m
Yust testifies he knew the plan was to go out to a field where Kara was buried. Did you think there might even be something up that whole day? Yust said he had his suspicions. "I was just at a really low point in my life and I wanted to get her attention."

5m
Turlington: Were you really worried? "No. Because I didn't do anything to Kara."

5m
The next day the FBI came to the house. He pulled out the cell phone and showed FBI Agent Hauger the text messages. Yust said he just wanted to fulfill Farris' fantasy.

5m
Turlington: What did she say in the text? Yust: "She asked if I had anything to do with Kara's disappearance and I told her no."

5m
Yust testifies he did not confess to Seth Duncan.

5m
Yust testifies he did not confess to Candice Matthews (St. Clair). He testified he did not choke Candice Matthews (St. Clair) or punch her in the legs. Yust pleaded guilty after he restrained her after she hit him, he testifies.

5m

#YustTrial Yust testified didn't choke or punch Candice Matthews, restrained her after she attacked him, pled guilty in municipal court. Six months probation.



5m
Denied choking Candice Mathews. Says instead that she attacked him and he physically restrained her. "I pleaded guilty because they told me that since I restrained her, that qualified as domestic assault. So what could I do?

4m
Yust now testifying about being arrested for drug charges in 2013. DEA, Swat, FBI arrested him. Served 45 months. ((How nice of you to bring this up, Kylr))

4m
Yust testified bought stimulant on the internet, figured out it was illegal when went to post office to pick it up, received package DEA, SWAT and FBI told him to get on ground with guns drawn

4m
Served a 45-month prison sentence in connection with that incident.

4m

Describes being arrested at the Hickman Mills Post Office on drug charges after ordering a stimulant online

5m
RE: Testimony from Aaron Caponetto and Nick Kirkbride. Yust testifies Candice Matthews broke up with him right before he was to go to prison on the drug charges. He got a fifth of Jim Beam and started drinking.

3m

got drunk after Candice told him she was breaking up with him three days before going to prison, got drunk, rambled on about past troubles.
4m

In connection with "confessions" to two witnesses that testified earlier in the trial, said Mathews had just broken up with him and he had "hit the Jim Beam.
​

6m
Asked about friends who said Yust confessed. Yust says he was upset, very drunk, rambled about everything from his Aunt dying when he was young to Kara going missing and the rumor mill ruining his life. Warning, possible trigger statement in attached tweet:

5m
"I remember ranting," Yust said. He rambled about Aunt passing away. Kara going missing. The gossip mill, and getting hounded out of every job he got. I remember saying I want to get up on stage and kill myself because my life was horrible, Yust said.

4m
CrimeWatchers Daily with Ofcr. Joshua Meirer showed up at his door after he got out of jail. Yust testifies he started hanging out with Jaxon Mallett. Jaxon's girlfriend was Jessica Runions.

4m
Confirms story about "suicide on stage" plan. "My life was just horrible, with Kara's disappearance and the rumors around that," Yust said

4m
said he loved animals as well. Yust admits he was seeing other ladies at time but developed real feelings for Jessica

4m
and says friendly hanging out led to a relationship. "Jessica was.... she was just so cool. She knew how to cook. She seemed like she knew how to everything.. like the kind of person you just trust.. very responsible, very fun, joking, she really loved cats and her dog Zoe,"

6m
After getting out of prison, his friend Jaxson was dating Jessica Runions
claims didn't want to get involved with Jessica because Jaxson was a good friend, didn't plan for it, friendly hanging out led to more involved relationship.

5m
Now talking about Jessica Runions, says he was friends w/ her then-boyfriend. Said at time he didn't have many friends supporting him, and initially he didn't want to get involved w/ Jessica to hurt Jaxxon. He said "I don't think either of us planned for it to go as far as it did

10m
Yust testified really did care about Jessica yes, even though also seeing other women at the time.

5m
and some days she would come stay with him. Yust: "I really did care about Jessica, yes.

5m
Yust said one night Jessica had been at his place, he woke up and she was gone, he went to the place she shared w/ Jaxxon (her ex bf) and Jessica told him to go home and he said he did. He said some days Jessica said she was done w/ Jaxxon, some days she said she was done w/ Yust

4m
Yust testifies he didn't want to get involved with Jessica because of his friendship with Jaxon. But, "I wanted affection. I wanted attention. I just got out of prison," Yust said

4m
"Jessica was.....(pause) she was just so cool." She knew how to cook, she knew how to do everything. Very responsible. She was fun, joking, Yust said. *Interesting thing to notice: The tamber of Yust's voice raised when he started to talk about Jessica.*

56s
Admits to getting very drunk the night of Alan Alvarado's party. Says Alvarado wanted it to be "just Jessica" to see if she would be a "good fit" for him.

37s
Now, Sept. 8, 2016, the day Jessica went missing. He testifies Jessica texted him and said "Do you want me to come by and pick you up." He agreed. Turlington: How much do you think you drank that night? "Too much," Yust said.

52s
Turlington: Do you remember anything from that night? "Certain parts of it are more like snapshots," Yust said.

4m
But, he said, "Jessica texted me and asked if I wanted her to pick me up for the party, so I said yes."

4m
Now asked about the night he went to party at his friend's house, the last time Jessica Runions was seen. He said his friend Allen wanted to have a night w/ just some of the girls to get to know Jessica better to see if she was a good fit for Kylr. Yust said Jessica called and

3m
offered to come pick him up and he said he'd like that. He said he was drunk and remembers snapshots. He said he thought he'd been locked out of house at one point and was "drunk and obnoxious" and "overreacted.

1m
Yust testifies he was apologetic for hitting Allyn Alvarado's car after he left the party. He testifies Jessica was trying to get him into his grandfather's house. "That's when I saw my brother's white Durango show up."

3m
After leaving party, Yust says he doesn't remember seeing his half-brother Jessep Carter, but does remember hearing his voice. Then, he said he remembers Jessica helping him get out of the car onto a front porch, and he remembers seeing Carter's suv drive up

7m
Yust claims she tried to help him get into his grandfather's house because he was so drunk, night of Jessica's disappearance

2m
Didn't remember much about the trip back to his grandparents' house, but recalled Jessep Carter and Jessica Runions both being with him, then leaving when they got him home

6m
Yust texted her the next day to see if Jessica had spent the night, no response, said he was hung over and had to come home early.

1m
Yust testifies he got up early the next day. He used the restroom. Capone our cat was standing there. He liked to be let out to do his business in the bushes each day. Yust noticed Jessica's car was still out front.

1m
He looked through his grandfather's house to see if she spent the night. Yust testified he texted her. He didn't get a response. He went to work, hungover. He was in rough shape. His grandfather picked him up. He went home. (All Yust's testimony) hungover. Said he felt sick and had his grandpa pick him up from work. He said when he got home Jessica's car was gone. He said he stayed there most of the day, called his Mom trying to get ahold of his half-brother Jessep Carter

3m
When he got back, Yust noticed Jessica's car was gone.

40s
"Was there some plan for that weekend that you had?" Kylr said he had plans to go to the lake that weekend for his bday, then his transmission went out on his car, so his brother was coming to pick him up. Said Carter was w/ his longtime gf Crystal Taylor.

6m
Yust testified tried to get in touch with his mother to get in touch with Jessep.

5m
Yust testified was planning on going to the lake for his birthday that weekend. Jessep driving up to the city to get him
4m
When Jessep Carter arrived on Sept. 9, 2016 he noticed Carter was drinking, Yust testifies. Carter was with his wife, Crystal Taylor. They left his house, went to uncle Paul's. Yust testifies Carter had a room at uncle Paul's.
2m
brother with his long time girlfriend Crystal went to his Uncle Paul's house. Jessep lived there had a room there. Received a phone call from Allen Alvarado asked if he'd seen Jessica, told him to make a police report because nobody had heard from her

8m
Yust said Carter's demeanor was confusing at uncle Paul's. Yust testifies he was outside with Crystal. He was sitting in the seat of the Durango with the door open. Allyn Alvarado called and said Jessica was missing. He told Yust to make a police report.

9m
Turlington: After 2007, did you ever have any reason to believe that your half brother had done anything? "I'm starting to get worried. I'm starting to get very concerned." "Several times throughout the night...I asked him where's Jessica, are you with Jessica?" ((this is not an answer to the question))

2m
Describes increasing efforts to get Jessep's attention and get him "to tell me what happened to Jessica." Was feeling "like the world was crashing."

9m
As for the burn barrel, Yust testifies Carter had his fists clinched. Yust asked to deescalate. "Is this Paul's burn barrel?" Yust said Carter poured some gas in. Yust tried to light it, he leaned in, and he got burned, he testified.

1m
Yust asked his brother where is Jessica, where's Jessica, burned stuff in burn barrel at Uncle Paul's house.
was burned trying to light it with lighter he testified.

4m
Yust says they threw stuff in a burn barrel, he was trying to get Carter to be serious with him, Carter had fists clenched at sides, cheeks were tensing, seemed like he was going to snap. Yust tried to light stuff in the burn barrel, leaned over with his lighter and got burned.

10m
From uncle Paul's he went to his grandfather's house for about a half-hour to an hour. Kylr said he and Jessep went to garage to talk. He said Carter left. Yust stayed in the garage, smoking cigarettes, feeling"like the world was just...I was just very upset."

10m
He says Carter was gone 30-45 minutes. Yust said they left for the lake. They went to cousin Anthony's house.

1m
Describes stop at Lone Jack and Jessep's cousin's house in the middle of the night. West to rest room and "Jessep was upstairs pounding on Anthony's door." Said Jessep broke down Anthony's door, then asked him to carry door outside

15m
Yust says Carter broke down his cousin Anthony's door. Yust has obviously been warned he can't share things Carter said, because remember, Carter can't be questioned because he died by suicide in jail. Yust says he fell asleep in backseat of Carter's vehicle.

16m
He recalls Crystal Taylor had a gun.

10m
They left Anthony's. Yust got woken up by police lights. Yust said an energy drink spilled on his pants. He didn't pee his pants, he testified.

12m
Was asleep in the car when Jessep was pulled over by the officer en route to Edwards. "When I woke up, I spilled my energy drink, which is what was on my pants," Yust said.

11m
When you were pulled over, did you think you should tell the police anything about Jessica? "No, I did not. Not at that point." Said because he didn't know what was going on with her, "and I figured I'd encounter Jessica when we got to the lake

10m
"And I figured after what happened to Kara, I'd be blamed," Yust said

16m
After the traffic stop, Crystal drove. They stopped at a Casey's, then Jessep Carter started driving, he said.

15m
Yust testifies he thought he was going down to the lake "to encounter Jessica," he testified. Yust said he thought he would get blamed based on what happened to Kopetsky.

14m

"I knew something weird was going on," Yust testified. "When I got dropped off at the trailer I was afraid." He testified he got an aluminum baseball bat and a hammer. He testified it was weird after he got dropped off at the trailer.

14m
He testified he slept a long time because of his burns.

13m
Yust testifies he heard a noise outside. He saw a state trooper vehicle. "I remember there was a command for me to come out with my hands out, so that's what I did," Yust said.

5m
Yust testifying about his recorded jail phone call with his mom. He testified he thought he would get blamed for Jessica's disappearance. Turlington: How did you feel? Yust: Just like giving up. Yust testified he had thoughts about life being a nightmare.

8m
Tells about being dropped off at the abandoned trailer that had been owned by a friend of Jessep's.

6m
Eventually heard a sound outside the trailer. "I thought (Jessep) had come back, but when I looked outside, it was a state trooper's vehicle." Was arrested and taken to jail in Warsaw


10m
Why didn't he go to police? He says he wanted answers and wanted solid evidence on what happened to Jessica. That's when State Trooper pulled up to the house and he was arrested.

9m
Yust said he had a court date coming up, he knew the allegations were serious, he didn't have an attorney that he trusted, he thought he was going to get blamed for Jessica's disappearance after being blamed for Kara's disappearance for a decade. He said he felt like giving up.

5m
Said he doesn't know if he felt suicidal, but "but I figured I might as well be famous, I've got nothing else.

5m
He testifies he blamed his mom because "at that point in time I felt really alone," and the only people I wanted to turn to were my grandfather and my mom" He felt like they would be there.

3m
On his mother, since the phone call: "I have not talked to her again," in a hushed voice. Turlington: "Has she tried to contact you?" "No," Yust said.


2m
"Looking back now at the decisions I made then, I know I made the wrong ones. I know my actions and statements affected others. And I'm sorry." Did you kill Kara? "No." Did you kill Jessica? "No.

6m
When she started accusing me, I just kind of snapped, and sarcastic, smart allecky, jerk kind of way, said this is your fault, Yust said. "I was just trying to hurt her feelings because I was really hurting inside," Yust said.

6m
And that's when he talked to his Mom on that jailhouse recorded call we heard earlier. Asked why he said some of the things he said, Yust said he felt really alone. He thought his Grandpa and Mom would be there and support him, but when she started accusing him he snapped.​

6m
He says he was speaking in a "smart-alecky" way to get back to her and hurt her because he was hurt. He says he was being sarcastic. Remember, that audio captured his mom asking "So that's why you killed those girls" and Yust said "that's part of it."

6m
Yust didn't address that line directly, but his defense is clearly trying to suggest he was being sarcastic and saying things only to hurt Mom. Now he says he said things out of fear, spite, insecurity, hopelessness in past... at times I wanted attention

6m
"At times, I just felt like it was pointless and I just wanted to give up, and thought I wanted to be famous for something, right?"
·
6m
"Looking back now, at the decisions I made then. I know I made the wrong ones and my actions and choices affected other people and myself, and I'm sorry," Yust said.

7m
Turlington: "Did you kill Kara?" Yust: "No." Turlington: "Did you kill Jessica?" Yust: "No."

 

[Vail]

Kylr Yust Testimony (Pro Cross)

1m
Julie Tolle steps up for cross-examination. "Quite a story you have there. Just a couple of little things I want to go over with you

1m
Tolle: May 4, 2007. Tolle: Up until this very minute. You have always denied having contact with Kara on May 4, 2007. It becomes crystal clear to the jury. You're communicating all morning long with Kara. Yust: Yes.

6m
Admits after picking Kara up at Popeye's, "I had a hold of her arm and kept her in the truck.

4m
Yust said not happy he was hanging with other boys, still hung out after car incident had agreed to be friends. Admits to having been with Kara May 4

4m
Also admitted "it made me really angry when (Kara) said she was going to move on with other guys." Quietly agrees after a moment of sparring about the wording

1m
Tolle now confronting Yust about strangling Kara Kopetsky. Yust: "No." Tolle: You drive out there to Tre Monteil's property. Yust: I hadn't met Tre until much later.

4m
Denies telling Amy Clark if he can't have Kara, no one will. "She's lying," Yust said.

4m
State: She wanted to see other people and "you were enraged." Yust: "I wasn't happy." State: "You left bruises on her arm, gave her a fat lip... and told Amy Clark if you couldn't have her no one could." Yust: "No," and "Amy Clark was lying."

4m
State asks were there times you got physical with Kara? Yust: No. Asked about alleged kidnapping, State says you dragged her into truck. Yus says he grabbed her arm and pulled her to keep her from leaving.

2m
Tolle now confronting Yust about strangling Kara Kopetsky. Yust: "No." Tolle: You drive out there to Tre Monteil's property. Yust: I hadn't met Tre until much later.

4m
Yust denies being friends with Trey Monteil (who lived near 233rd and State Route Y) before 2009

3m
Tolle describes the scenario of Kopetsky's murder in excruciating detail. Yust says "no," multiple times throughout the scenario.

1m
last time Kara's voice heard, took her last breath, no. My buddy Trey Monteil lives there place to dump body Tolle said

53s
Tolle took body and took clothes off figure out alibi for today, Not going to see great aunt to see alibi

1m

Tolle, you needed to create an alibi to see your great aunt. Yust said no.

3m
Tolle describes the scenario of Kopetsky's murder in excruciating detail. Yust says "no," multiple times throughout the scenario

1m
Regarding visiting his great aunt: Tolle: You knew that you needed to create an alibi, because you had just killed Kara. "That has nothing to do with it," Yust said.

2m
Admits he hadn't had a close relationship with his great aunt. "I heard she was in the rehab facility so I wanted to go see her.

2m
Admits he hadn't had a close relationship with his great aunt. "I heard she was in the rehab facility so I wanted to go see her.

2m
Regarding visiting his great aunt: Tolle: You knew that you needed to create an alibi, because you had just killed Kara. "That has nothing to do with it," Yust said.

45s
When a mutual friend called him to ask if Kara was with him, "at the time, I wasn't that concerned, because I knew she had tried to run away before and it hadn't been that long.

3m
Yust testifies that he didn't know it was a serious situation. Kara's parents and aunt show up to her apartment later that night. "I didn't get concerned at that point...because she had tried to run away from home before."

5m
Yust remains civil and stone-faced throughout aggressive cross-examination by Julie Tolle, but answers become more brief and clipped - almost like spoken through a clenched jaw.

7m
Yust under cross-examination Tolle said you knew exactly what you had done with Kara? Yust said, no she had run away before, might be hanging out with somebody else. Day of May 4, contact waxed and waned between him and Kara, Yust claims

6m
Tolle presses Yust to admit today first time he's admitted to being with Kara on May 4, the day of her disappearance.

5m
don't tell law enforcement about what actually happened, the man who's dead is responsible, why he killed himself.

4m
said his half-brother Jessep took the easy way out by committing suicide in jail.

Tolle told many law enforcement officers lies and only now telling a different story.
2m
Pins Yust down on blame of Jessep for Kara's death. "I think he killed himself because of this." Tolle asks why he didn't take any of the multiple previous opportunities to tell detectives of this theory. "I told Molly Hastings this years ago.
10m
"When you were sitting there being interviewed by law enforcement about a missing girl you said you loved... you didn't say anything about what you thought happened?" "No." Asked about pinning this on his half-brother, Jessep Carter, "I think that's why he killed himself."
1m
Yust: "In fact, that's why (Hastings) is handling my case for free, because she believes in me so much." Tolle is beginning to break through. ((Does he not know what a public defender is?))

2m
Tolle, you decided to torture the parents of a missing girl by putting Find Kara signs in their yard.

6m
Tolle: "This is the very first time that you have ever said your brother Jessep Carter was with you when you picked up Kara?" Yust said he told his attorney years ago.

53s
Tolle: On phone with mother "out of spite, you confess, to killing people you love." Yust: "Because I was basically just trying to make her feel like a failure as a mom.

6m
You want the jury to believe that the man that is dead is the one who is responsible? Strong interaction here, but I missed the exact quotes. "I think he killed himself because I said I wasn't guilty," Yust said.

7m
State says you waited to share that till today in this trial? Yust says no, he told Hastings (his attny,) years ago, and she is representing him for free because she believes him.​

5m
Yust: I told Ms. Hastings years ago. "That's why she's doing my case for free now, because she believes in my defense," Yust said. "How thoughtful of her," Tolle said.

3m
"At one point I had a whole lot of resentment toward Kara's family because of the way they treated me," Yust said.

3m
Yust admits he loved Jessica, was pretty lonely at that time. Had problems with attention and affection.
3m
State: "So your relationship w/ your mom was pretty troubled" "Yes I guess you could say that." "And as you grew up you grew more and more resentful toward her." "I started to not care as much." "I think that call from the jail disputes that."

1m
On the recorded jail call to his mom. Tolle: Out of spite you confessed to killing a girl you proclaimed to love? I don't know that was a confession because I wanted to make my mom feel like crap, Yust said.

3m
State: "So out of spite you confessed to killing a girl you loved?" Yust: "I don't know if that was confession, I was just trying to make my mom feel like crap.

2m
On the recorded jail call to his mom. Tolle: Out of spite you confessed to killing a girl you proclaimed to love? I don't know that was a confession because I wanted to make my mom feel like crap, Yust said.

2m
Asked about when and where Kara died. State says, "Your words say where, when and how." Now she wants to bring up the many confessions we've heard witnesses say he made over the years

1m
Tolle is really going after Yust here. Now onto the confessions.


15m
State asks about him lying about talking to Kara the day she disappeared. State: "The last call that's ever made, the last time Kara's voice is ever heard, you're with her." Yust: "Yes."

13m
State notes day before Kara went missing Kylr called/texted her all day, then suddenly went hours without trying to get ahold of her later on the day she went missing.

 

[Vail]

Kylr Yust Testimony (prosecution cross cont...)

1h
Yust is talking about the day with Farris. Back/forth between Tolle Yust about this day. "I was trying to fulfill her fantasy, yes." "You spend six hours trying to manipulate that girl into having sex with you," Tolle said.

1h
In all of these years, the past four years, you haven't ever come to know where Kara and Jessica were found? Yust says he has never been to the location.

1h
#YustTrial Yust claims never been to location where girls remains found. Yust admits to telling Katelynn two things I regret in my life Killing Kara and cheating on you, but cheating on you more.

1h
Regarding the statement about cheating on Farris and killing Kara w/Yust saying he regretted cheating on Farris more. "I did say that, yes," Yust said. Silence from Tolle.

1h
Tolle going after the statement Yust made to Seth Duncan. Now onto confession to Aaron Caponetto. Tolle going over each of the confessions with Yust one by one.

1h
Tolle said Yust told Seth Duncan he restrained Kara and escalated and before you knew it he choked her out. Seth came forward in 2012

1h
Have you ever loved someone so much you'd rather than see her dead than with anyone else? Told another friend killed Kara and not only person he killed

1h
friend Nick testified Yust said "I remember I was the devil when I strangled the life out of her.

1h
Talks about Nick Yeates "So, I think we're up to four confessions at this point?" Tolle said. Now to Candice Matthews (St. Clair). "I did restrain her," Yust said. Later: "I pushed her back onto the bed and restrained her there as she tried to hit me," Yust said.

1h
Yust: "I think (Yeates) embellished quite a bit," the story of his confession at Burger King. "They're stories change quite a bit over the years." Tolle: "Just like your stories change over the years, right?" Yust: "After all this pressure from the family, police, media, yeah."

1h
up to four confessions at this point, friends testified Yust would kill them if he told anyone.

1h
Tolle: In wiretap, "you say to Kaitlynn, if there are two things in life I regret, it's cheating on you and killing Kara, right" Yust: "I said that, right.

1h
Tolle grills Yust about each of the witnesses that testified about "confessions." Yust agrees only that "they said that, right."

1h
Yust told detective about how he "restrained" Candice. 'I believe so" can kill someone in a minute and a half by strangulation.

1h
Tolle questions Yust about Candice Mathews assault. Yust insists he "restrained" her while she was assaulting her. Tolle: "Are you aware that your interview with (the detective) in that case is on video?" Yust seems taken aback.

1h
you know you're strong enough to squeeze the life out of a young girl when these girls are fighting you like crazy. Tolle you decided to use your weapon of choice your hands, Yust "No"

1h
night of party at Alan Alvarado's house, was locked out of house Yust said was angry with Alvarado. Back and forth relationship with Yust.

1h
This is a 10-round heavyweight slugfest. Tolle's pacing is unrelenting, her voice is authoritative and she uses sarcasm and tone effectively. Yust, on the other hand, continues to bend but not break

1h
Tolle: You must be the most unlucky guy in the world, right? Yust: Why? Tolle: Because the both of your girlfriends went missing and were killed. "Anyone who has a brother who's a serial killer is unlucky," Yust said.

1h
Now onto Jessica. Kylr talking about scratches on his face. Quick back/forth. Tolle: It's consistent with someone digging into your face, right? I missed what Kylr said here, but this was a powerful moment, as Kylr remained silent for a few seconds.

1h
Tolle you were burned when you douse Jessica's car with gas right? Yust, No. Tolle asking for empathy because you burned yourself torching Jessica's car, Yust, No.

1h
Yust now goes on the offensive, accusing Tolle of "making up" portions of Jessep's interview with police. "He never said that, look it up. You can't just make stuff up. Just like me peeing my pants.

1h
Tolle: "You're pretty sensitive about that peeing your pants, aren't you? Four different witnesses to try to prove you didn't pee your pants. What's with that?"

1h
Tolle first time in 14 years decide to put the blame on Jessep? Yust, no told attorneys many times don't trust police didn't tell police his brother did it.

1
Yust: "I don't trust police." Tolle: "So you would rather sit in jail for years charged with two counts of murder rather than tell law enforcement during countless interviews that your brother committed these crimes."

58m
Yust: "Actually, I did reach out to Scott Parks
, the local radio host when he was doing a show on wrongfully convicted people and he just made fun of me."

1h
Tolle and Yust going back/forth over him peeing his pants. Yust gets frustrated. WOOOOOOW>>>>> This is a massive back/forth. Approach the bench. Yust takes a deep breath and looks toward the jury.

57m
Now back/forth between Yust/Tolle. This is such a powerful cross examination. Tolle: So you wait until a jury is sitting here deciding your fate, to tell them your truth? Yust: "I mean this is the only chance I have right? Tolle: You had so many other chances.

56m
Yust said he reached out to local radio host Scott Parks to tell his story, show his discovery, and "he kind of made fun of me," so he didn't talk any more.

1h
Yust I have absolutely no idea what happened to Kara.

55m
Tolle and Yust going back/forth more. She talks about how Yust rehearsed today's testimony with his defense team. Yust is done at 3:02 p.m.

((I am going to post Caitlin Knute's @CKnuteKSHB notes here async to the above because she posts them in an odd order so they are best read together)

Yust: "If someone was going to try to scratch someone's face wouldn't there be multiple marks, scratching down their face, not just one?"

Talks about former friend who said Yust threatened to kill friends if they said anything about them. Yust is very careful, to every question, he responds, "They did say that, yes." Now asked about allegedly assaulting former GF Candace. Yust claims he "restrained her." He says,

1h
that night Candace found out he was cheating on her, she hit him, he restrained her to stop it. State says after denying it for 3 hrs, Yust is on video showing police he tried to grab Candace (gripping near throat) and shook her.


1h
State recalls something Yust said on wiretapped convo w/ ex gf Katelyn Farris. State, "You said 'If I regret two things in my life, it's cheating on you and killing Kara, but I regret cheating on you more.'" Yust: "yes." He claims he was "feeding into her fantasies."

1h
Yust: "I was acting.." State: "Just like you're acting right now."


1h
"You make it seem like Katelyn is solicitating you for sex?" "The text messages didn't lie." "Ok we sat through six hours of that conversation... you were really angry." "I was super upset about where my life was at" "So you lose your temper easily?"


1h
Yust: "I don't think I lost my temper." later.. State:So your statement today is you were making up things you thought she wanted to hear? Yust: "Yes." State: What's interesting, everything you've told her is consistent w/ where she was found.
State: "You must be the most unlucky guy in the world. You have two girlfriends go missing and the last person they see is you?" Yust: "I think it's extremely unlucky, but anyone who has a serial killer for a brother..." is unlucky.

1h
State: "You've told other friends that your hands are important to you... and you're proud of how strong they are." State: "When you decided you weren't going to let Jessica be with anyone else, you were going to use your weapon of choice." State notes Yust had scratch on face..


1h
he says he doesn't know where it came from. State notes he had scratch on his hand. He says he worked at Lumber Automative (didn't quite catch that.) State says scratch on Yust's face was consistent w/ someone fighting for their life while being choked.
Just to recap, Yust is basically pinning all of this on his half-brother, Jessep Carter who hanged himself while in jail. State notes it's strange Yust never told police/fbi all those 14 years, only his attorney. Yust: "I don't trust police."

1h
State: "You told Jessep you couldn't drag Jessica's body as far as Kara's." Yust: "You're lying that's not in the statement, where in his statement does it say he said that? You lied about that like you lied about me peeing my pants." (Not exact) And we are backed to the pants

State has finished its cross of Kylr Yust, no redirect for the Defense, so Yust is done. He put his mask bk on, sat next to his attorney, who wrote a note to him. He just shook his head at something. Jury is in recess. That should have been last witness.


1h
Now we will see if both sides give closing arguments today, possibly giving the jury the case.

1h
Yust says at one point he did reach out to a radio host who was doing a segment on people who were wrongfully convicted, says radio host just made fun of him, and declined to come see the evidence Yust said he had, says he stopped sharing after that.

 

[Vail]

Prosecution Closing Arguments
Julie Tolle

Coverage by
https://twitter.com/SarahPlakeTV
https://twitter.com/MattFlenerKMBC
https://twitter.com/NorthCassHerald
https://twitter.com/AndyAlcock2

THE TRIAL OF KYLR YUST: Closing statements begin after Yust takes stand in own defense


26m
The jury will consider if Yust is guilty of manslaughter or involuntary manslaughter. The state says he is not guilty of those, he's guilty of 1st degree murder.

2m
Tolle reminds jury of 1:14 p.m. "data hit" showing on Kara Kopetsky's phone, with location data suggesting the phone was moving toward Kansas City (just as Yust was heading toward his grandfather's house according to his own testimony).

26m
Tolle: "Not only is he the kind of guy that puts 'Kara missing' signs in the victim's parents' yard, but he's also the kind of guy that gets a tattoo of hands around his neck.
6m
"He's the man that puts the missing persons posters in the parent's yard whose 17 yr old daughter has been missing for 10 yrs. That's who he is. He's the man who murders his 17 yr old gf because he doesn't want anyone to have her," Tolle says.

11m
Tolle tells jury Yust's testimony today admitting for the first time in 14 years he was with Kara Kopetsky the day of her disappearance and didn't tell police because he didn't want to break his protection order against him is not credible or reasonable

27m
"He in theory held on to this information until very moment when he sits in a jury trial .. because he didnt want to get in trouble for communicating with Kara..? That's not reasonable. Use your common sense when thinking about his credibility," State says

25m
"Yust was a jealous, obsessive, controlling, pathetic boyfriend that couldn't stand the thought of being dumped by Kara," Tolle continues.

41m
Tolle is going over each person who testified.. Seth Duncan, Aaron Caponetto, Nick Yeates, Candice Mathews, Katelyn Farris. Of Farris: "When she wore that wire that wasn't the first time the defendant confessed to her," state says.

20m
One of the very first things he said in the car with Katelynn Farris: "We're going to the death spot of my ex-girlfriend. The only reason I told you was to get time with you."

24m
Tolle: "He expects you to believe that the six people who described to you his confession all made it up?"

36m
State tells jury that the reason Yust's friends didnt come forward is because they were scared of Yust.

34m
State says Yust went to prison around 2012.. no confessions since he was away. Then 8 mos after he got out, Runions is dead

37m
State says Yust was manipulating Farris, calling himself a failure, a douchebag.. But that he admitted to strangling Kara, throwing her body in the woods, hoping that it would amount to something someday. State says Yust can't keep his mouth shut, wants attention

18m
Tolle is recounting what Yust told Katelynn Farris on the FBI wire while they were at the restaurant on Feb. 11, 2011. "I strangled the f' out of her and threw her in the f'ing woods."

30m
State says that when you are strangling someone, you know that what you're doing can cause death. State says they proved that Yust deliberated when he killed Kara and Jessica

17m
State telling jury that Jessica's situation is the same w/ Kara's - no blunt force trauma on the bones, both skeletal remains were consistent w/ strangulation. "We know the defendant's preferred method of attacking girls is strangulation," State says.

31m
"All recovered from girls was 50 bones each, but here's what we know: We know what defendant told us, we know his hands are his tools, he's proud of strength of his hands, we know he uses his hands to strangle girls.. That's what he does," State says
15m
Tolle: "He dumped the girls in his spot. In a place that they weren't found -- for Kara for ten years, and for Jessica seven months."
13m
"Strangulation is deliberation," Tolle said. Tolle said it takes a minute and a half to strangle someone. The defendant is guilty of murder in the first degree for Kara, Tolle said.

10m
Tolle now speaking about Jessica Runions said Yust was obsessed with Jessica and pounded on her boyfriend's door to see her.

11m
Less than 24 hours after Jessica Runions went missing, her car was found burning not far from where he left? Tolle said. "She fought. We know she fought because he had that scratch down his face."

5m
Tolle: "That scratch on his hand is absolutely consistent with (Jessica) trying to pry his hands off her neck."

15m
"He can't handle rejection from a girl, and we know that these girls he professes his love to that are going to leave him - he can't handle rejection. We know when the defendant killed Jessica, he did so w/ deliberation," Tolle says

9m
Tolle said not reasonable to believe Yust burned his face on a burn barrel the same night Jessica's car is torched.

8m
Tolle claims Yust burned evidence in the Jessica's vehicle and burn barrel.

10m
Regarding his blame for Jessep Carter today. "He in theory held onto this information until this very moment" because he wanted you to believe he didn't want to violate an order of protection for Kara? Use your common sense, Tolle told the jury.

4m
Jessep told police about Kylr, too bad he can't be here to defend himself Tolle said in her closing argument.

13m
Tolle continues, "Jessep is the one that knew what the defendant had told him that he did to Jessica, including that he couldn't drag Jessica as far --" Defense objects, approaches bench

1m
Tolle tells jury law enforcement corroborates all the information Jessep Carter told them, told them where to find Kylr

3m
"The confessions he's made... including admissions he made after he was arrested. Y'all remember the jailhouse call he made to his mom. He wants to say he made those statements out of spite?" Tolle says

3m
Tolle: defendant more worried about testimony he peed his pants when law enforcement pulled him over than telling law enforcement the truth about the girls.


5m
Tolle calls Yust a monster, to which the defense objects saying it's an improper argument.

10m
Tolle tries again to mention what Jessep said, defense objects again. Tolle continues, says Yust was hiding out in a trailer w/ no working utilities. Again mentions how Yust peed his pants

4m
Defense now objects (3 times) in the past five minutes of prosecution's closing statement.

2m
Tolle: "And the cops pull them over in the middle of the night and he's nervous and shaking and white...and he's peed his pants. And for some reason, that is the hill that he wants to die on.

1m
Tolle: "The defense has the nerve to ask Keith Todd if he was trespassing when he was mushroom hunting. You know who else was trespassing? That monster right there," she said, pointing at Yust. Objection from Turlington. "I'll move on, judge."


1m
Thank God for the mushroom hunter, Tolle said. Otherwise we wouldn't be here right now, she said.

Yust told mother he killed Jessica, mother in phone call, it was 50% her and 50% his father.

33s
The pattern of making confessions and then recanting them is crystal clear, Tolle said.

16m
"He's never going to take responsibility for anything in his life, always going to put it on someone else," Tolle says. Yust was heard saying he did it 50% bc of his mom, 50% bc of his dad


17m
Find him guilty of killing Jessica/Kara of murder in the first degree, Tolle said.

 

[Vail]

Defense closing arguments
Sheron Turlington

Coverage by
https://twitter.com/SarahPlakeTV
https://twitter.com/MattFlenerKMBC
https://twitter.com/NorthCassHerald
https://twitter.com/AndyAlcock2

Take 10 deep breaths

18m
Sharon Turlington bringing visual aids out in preparation

18m
Yust's attorney said we've heard a lot about what Kylr said, I'm going to talk to you about evidence, talk is cheap

18m
"I'm going to talk to you about what the evidence says," defense says. Says she's gonna talk about DNA, toxicology, phone records. "What does the evidence say? ..There isn't any," defense says.

17m
"Somehow Kylr is supposed to have pulled off two murders without leaving a trace.. There have been implications of physical evidence but there is not," defense says.

19m
Turlington defending Yust on evidence "there isn't any" there is no physical evidence

18m
Points out that Runions' dna wasn't found on Yust's clothing. Says he let Kara's family look in his apt and didn't find anything.

17m
Talks about red high top sneakers worn at the get together nite Runions went missing, when he was arrested, nothing found on bottom of his shoes. "It rained the night of Sept 8 into 9. If Kylr was going to go into woods w/ those shoes on.. there should've been mud..

17m
Turlington nothing on Yust's shoes, same ones he was wearing. Rained the night of Jessica's disappearance, no mud, no nothing on those shoes if he dragged her body into the woods

((earlier witness testified there was blood on his shoe, actually))

18m
Turlington: "The state would have you believe there is physical evidence somewhere that would link him to these crimes. There is none."

17m
Defense says they care so much about the Yust peeing his pants story because it's not true. Says the pants were tested by the lab and didn't find any pee

16m
Turlington: "We don't care that they're saying Kylr peed his pants because it's humiliating. We care because it's not true." She cited the forensic scientist that tested the jeans and found no urine. "Why are they telling you that?

15m
Turlington on phone records, Kara's location data, didn't get Kylr's location data...very, very important she told the jury.

14m
Turlington we found out last Tuesday what happened to Yust location data in 2007 why did we get an answer after the trial has started she asks the jury, had 14 years to find it and didn't try.

11m
Turlington, if we had location data, could prove where Kylr was, but we don't. I have to trust you to do the right thing. He was in Kansas City. He lied to police because he was scared she told the jury.

10m
Turlington: "We've heard about his 'kidnapping.' It was bad behavior. He shouldn't have done it. But to call it 'kidnapping?' It was 15 minutes. Don't you think that's blowing it out of proportion just a little bit?

((she is not going to get sympathy from the female jurors with that angle))

9m
Turlington asks jury if Kara was so afraid of Kylr why did she call Yust to pick her up May 4?

4m
Turlington phone records evidence in Jessica's case show Kylr at home after leaving party, 32 minute drive one way to woods where girls remains found

3m
Turlington, Jessica's phone hits in Belton and Kylr is at home at the time. Everyone agreed good enough to try to find somebody, although not accurate.

2m

Turlington, just looking at the timelines, nothing about this works she told jury.

58s
Turlington no way this story about Kylr burning the car and then being in Kingsville, MO 45 minutes away not feasible

((he was with Jessep, so how did Jessep do it?))

1m
Defense says fire dept got to Jessica's burning car around 1:42ish. A tracking device (?) shows Kylr in Kingsville at 1:30, which is over 45 mins away. Says unless the fire goes out, reignites at the time the state "wants it to" this can't happen

54s
Defense said Yust was burned from the burn barrel, that Uncle Paul testified he found a fire in the barrel after Yust, Carter, Taylor left his house

42s
Defense said Jessica smoked weed the nite she disappeared. She's presenting toxicology reports.

1m
Their expert testified that THC would be in brain tissue 3-5 hrs after smoking it. Runions left friend's house around 11, 11:30 after smoking. Defense said records show Yust is home, texting at 2-2:46am. Says Jessica was alive until at least then. When did she die?

54s
Defense says Yust didn't have an opportunity to kill her if he's at home and Runions phone is pinging at 3am in Belton. And toxicology report would have showed THC.


41s
Defense shows jury a pic of the hair found near Jessica's remains, that it's brown but that she'd just dyed her hair strawberry blond. "Did she dye her hair between 12 and 1am?" Defense says

43s
When Jessica Runions disappeared, she had just died her hair strawberry blonde, Turlington said. There is a photo of the hair at scene. How did it turn brown? Did she have enough time to dye it? She said.


29s
"Looking at the science, there's a problem w/ the state's case, problem w/ the investigation.. We should be very suspect of all the evidence presented in this case," Defense says


3m
"Looking at the science, there's a problem w/ the state's case, problem w/ the investigation.. We should be very suspect of all the evidence presented in this case," Defense says

3m
Says police focused too much on Yust's paintings, his tattoo, his song lyrics. "Tattoos are not the same as DNA or phone records or toxicology, are they? Why are they spending their time on tattoos instead of timelines?" Defene says

3m
Turlington: "Why are they spending their time talking about tattoos instead of timelines?

7m
We should be very suspect of all the evidence in this case, Turlington said. She is now getting into the botched investigation.

7m
Tattoos are not the same as DNA or phone records or toxicology, are they, Turlington said. Why are they spending time talking about tattoos instead of timelines?, Turlington said.

7m
Tattoos are not the same as DNA or phone records or toxicology, are they, Turlington said. Why are they spending time talking about tattoos instead of timelines?, Turlington said.

7m
Tattoos are not the same as DNA or phone records or toxicology, are they, Turlington said. Why are they spending time talking about tattoos instead of timelines?, Turlington said.

6m
Turlington: "I know that Kylr didn't tell the police the right things. He was a 19-year-old kid."

6m
"In 2016, they already knew what they wanted to believe," Turlington said. "They thought, great we got him," Turlington said. "They didn't do any investigation then, either."

7m
Defense says another possible phone number Carter had was never analyzed.

5m
Said many witnesses changed their statements over time. Led to an environment where everyone knew each other and talked to each other. Says the rogue cop Meirer told them things that weren't true, created "toxic environment, poisoned the investigation."

5m
Kylr Yust speaks with his defense attorney Molly Hastings during closing arguments.



3m
Says Amy Clark, Kara's friend, only told police about Yust saying if he can't have her no one can - when Meirer spoke with her. Says the investigation should have been handled by objective people & that it wasn't.

3m
"I do not want to blame the victim's family in this case," Turlington said. "I understand why they would've thought Kylr was involved, but that doesn't mean they should've been handling the investigation," Turlington said.

3m
Defense saying that Kyle Reynolds has a charge against him for lying to the police about this case, so he's not credible. Says Yeates isn't credible bc he said he thought Yust's confession was a dream, that he figured it out with police.

2m
Defense closing arguments are on going: Yust's defense said, “Somehow Kylr supposedly pulled off two murders without leaving a trace.” On Yust not reporting information to police over the years, “He lied to the police, he was a scared kid.”

1m
Defense says Katelyn Farris testified she never felt uncomfortable w/ Yust that day of the wiretap, then MOVED IN WITH HIM six months later.

2m
Defense says Farris wiretap is not compelling evidence.

3m
Defense: Candice Mathews didn't report her alleged assault to the police, instead posted on a Find Kara page, then got back with him. "If someone really tried to kill you.. choked you, punched you in the legs.. Would you get back together w/ them for 2 yrs?

2m
Says that Mathews was part of a group who was obsessed w/ death metal, sexualized death. That people were hanging out w/ him because he was on the news, he was a 'twisted local celebrity' in this culture.

5m


Defense says Seth Duncan's statement is not credible. He's the friend remember who OD'd on heroin so he was pretty soft spoken on the stand.

5m
Defense asks if the jailhouse call to Yusts's mom was really a confession or "was it a cry for help?"

4m
On Yust's multiple confessions: "All of these statements were with people in this "goth death metal sub culture where sexualized violence were cool." Defense called Yust a "weird, twisted, local celebrity" in that culture.

4m
"This is not evidence of murder in the first degree," Defense says about Yust's lashing out at family, friends, saying drunken things. Defense attacks state's argument about the spot in the woods being "his spot."

4m
Defense says the only argument the state has is that Yust is the unluckiest man in the world, which is not proof beyond a reasonable doubt.

"Lashing out at family members and ranting when you're drunk? That's not evidence of murder in the first degree." - Kylr Yust's defense attorney. "The state says Kylr Yust is the unluckiest man in the world. Is that proof beyond a reasonable doubt? I think not."

4m
Defense talking about unanswered questions, saying we dont know how Kara actually died.

4m
Turlington: "There's no evidence of any real weight in this case at all. The best real evidence the state can come up with is the Kylr is the unluckiest man in the world."

3m
Said we also don't know when Kara died, brings up Brett Bishop who claims he got a phone call from her nite she went missing but that the police never looked at his phone records. Police never checked the QT where someone claimed to see her.

2m
Turlington argues we don't know what caused Kara Kopetsky's death. We don't know when she died, she said. We don't know how/when Jessica died, Turlington said.

1m
“You can’t rule out death by natural causes” ((Yes, those two women just keeled over while walking in the woods.))

1m
Wondering what Carter was doing after they dropped Yust off at the trailer, said that they didn't call the police until 2pm that day. "What was going on for those 6 hours? We don't know, we're never going to know."

36s
Defense says police never went to Anthony Armstrong's (the cousin). "They just jumped to the conclusion, hey we've been after Kylr Yust for years, must be him."

1m
"There are 2 young beautiful bright girls who are gone," defense says. "And that's horrible & their families have suffered. But your job is to look at the evidence. The evidence is not based on emotion."


1m
"Maybe Kylr is the unluckiest man in the world, but that's not proof beyond a reasonable doubt... Look at the evidence in this case and find Kylr not guilty on both counts," Turlington finishes up now.

50s
There are a lot of emotions that we all have in a situation like this, Turlington said. All of you are going to have to talk about this in your deliberations, Turlington said.


1m
"I ask that you look at the actual evidence in the case When you look at phone records, toxicology, how long it takes to drive somewhere, trace evidence, pants, shoes, Kylr's house. There's none of that. None of it." Turlington said.

 

[Vail]

Prosecution rebuttal
Julie Tolle


1m
Tolle: Let's talk about evidence. The phone records of K Kopetsky show her last call was at 10:25am, evidence is that her phone never recovered.

1m
State: Kara's phone is hitting off a tower in KC area, which is where Yust was heading to supposedly visit his aunt. Yust's phone shows he's not making phone calls, texts from around 9-11ish am

1m
State tries to tear apart Deborah Heflin's testimony that she saw Kara that day. Says Heflin is not credible because we know Kara was already dead, never made another phone call after 10:25am

10m
Lady who said she saw Kara walking home from school when car of boys drove by and a scream was heard? State says that witness not credible.

6m
State reminds jurors of testimony from Ryan Talley, one of the first witnesses called, who said he saw Yust's truck near the scene where the bodies would later be found the day Kara disappeared. And, he told police that, BEFORE anyone knew that's where the bodies were.

3m
Julie Tolle on Kara and Jessica: "Those two girls didn't know each other in life, but they will be forever united in death.

12s
Prosecutors in #YustTrial : "He didn't get those burns from a burn barrel! Like I said when he was on the stand, what an unlucky guy... to suffer those burns the same night his girlfriend's car is torched." (Last part slightly paraphrased.)

1m
"Now, he's trying to manipulate you all," Tolle said. "Today is the day it ends."

52s
Yust's defense finished their closing arguments. Prosecutor during their final closing arguments: "Today is the day it ends." To demonstrate deliberation she is letting a clock run from 1:30 seconds.

Tolle now going to have the jury spend a minute and a half in silence thinking about the case. A minute and a half is how long it takes for someone to strangle someone to death, she said. There is a timer counting down on the big screen in the courtroom.

1m
"That's deliberation," Tolle said as the timer was up. "Put the pieces of the puzzle together, find defendant guilty of murder in the first degree... for killing Kara.. Jessica."

We're now in verdict watch