Good morning from Pike Co. murder trial - I was in courtroom for testimony of Randa Hughes, the common law wife of Angela Wagner's half-brother Chris Newcomb. Next up is BCI analyst Julia Eveslage - then Angela's mother Rita Newcomb - who has opted out of video.
Some highlights from Hughes - said she was there when her husband Chris met George to buy a .40-caliber Glock. Also that Angela, Jake and George asked she and her husband to get custody of Sophia and Bulvine after they were arrested.
She also says Chris was enraged and despondent and almost violent when hearing Jake Wagner had confessed to everything. They hired a lawyer to try and get custody but dropped it after meeting Bulvine's mother Tabitha and seeing Sophia was happy in environment as well.
Also remembered when Rita Newcomb - Angela's mother - admitted to lying to authorities. Rita had lied and said she had signed custody documents - when Angela had actually forged her signature. Said Angela asked her to lie - although that was stricken from the record.
She also says Chris was enraged and despondent and almost violent when hearing Jake Wagner had confessed to everything. They hired a lawyer to try and get custody but dropped it after meeting Bulvine's mother Tabitha and seeing Sophia was happy in environment as well.
Change in order - former BCI agent Bryan White returning to the stand next on video. Then Rita - probably after lunch.
Hughes also said George and Chris Newcomb would talk on phone even after arrests when George was in prison - but that has tapered off. Also that George was protective of his entire family, including Sophia and his son and brother Jake.
She was concerned about Jake and George after they dyed their hair black - match characters from Walking Dead and Boonedock Saints. This happened before the murders, but she wondered about it after the murders. She only expressed concerns to her mother.
Now onto Bryan White, former BCI agent. Talking about the search warrants of Wagners' house in 2017.
They wanted to go back yet again to search around barn of Wagner former house on Peterson Road. New owners very cooperative in June 2017.
So search was allowed without a warrant on June 14, 2017.
This was more intrusive including excavation and digging. Used Bobcat etc. and backhoe and ground penetrating radar to move dirt and gravel.
Not diving into the well/cistern on this date yet.
At least 5 people there for search. Sifters also used - very tedious work.
Was a two day search - also had Matt White from BCI gun lab out there. Leads to objection and bench conference.
Objection overruled - White would look at casing or bullets separate them by caliber or characteristics.
Comparing the list HH2 - list from Jake's phone. He now has a packet of ballistic evidence .45 caliber casings. Comparing it to - there is a .45 caliber weapon on there. Defense objects everytime the list is raised and overruled.
More evidence .40 caliber casings compared with the list from Jake's phone - there is a .40 caliber weapon listed on that document.
They found a lot of shell casings out there that matched the caliber of guns on the list from Jake's phone.
More .223 caliber casings - there is a .223 firearm on the list
More envelopes - .357 caliber casings then .22 caliber. Both match calibers on the list. Defense objects and overruled everytime
The last one is .22 long rifle casings (the kind found at crime scene) and matches caliber on list
Search took 8 hours a day over 2 days. Went 4-6 inches on driveway and went down foot in dirt around barn.
Done with direct - cross examination up next. But defense asks to approach bench before that starts.
Breaking for lunch until 1:30 p.m.
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