GUILTY FL - Megan Todt 42, Alek 13, Tyler 11, Zoe 4, & dog Breezy, murdered, Celebration, Jan 2020 #2

[Marysmith]

His testimony made me so angry. Looking at jury like he is an expert witness. Wanting to tell his ‘story’, shame his family didn't get a chance to tell theirs. Unbelievable.
Their hate runs so deep to continually want to tarnish the victims.

I saw some too and wow… he is a monster.

 

[Countem]

For the latest updates, please follow reporter Monivette Cordeiro on Twitter at the following link.

https://twitter.com/monivettec

Wednesday, April 13, 2022
Note: All names outside of defendant and victims abbreviated by me.

Detective CM briefly undergoes cross-examination and then the prosecution rests its case.

Todt's defense chose to defer its opening statement until after the prosecution rested its case. They have talked about presenting one witness, a pharmacist who was supposed to talk about Todt's Benadryl overdose during his first confession.

The judge excluded the confession but was going to allow prosecutors to present to jurors a written portion. But prosecutors told him yesterday they weren't going to do that anymore and asked to exclude Todt's pharmacist witness.

OK, a lot just happened. Orange-Osceola Public Defender RW tells the judge they were "caught off guard" by prosecutors resting their case. The defense says they need more time to argue a judgment of acquittal and prepare Todt to testify. Their one witness is not here.

RW also accused prosecutors of withholding journals found in the home. "That is incorrect," Assistant State Attorney DP says. There seems to be some confusion, but prosecutors say they're against the defense introducing Megan Todt's medical records.

Judge tells the defense they've had evidence for years at this point and gives them until 10 a.m. to figure it out. "We have 14 members of the community that are present and have been present for each stage of the trial," he says."... We’re going to resume trial.

Important to note: Judge banned prosecutors from bringing up the federal investigation into Todt for health care fraud allegations. That case has been dismissed while this trial plays out. Todt's defense has said it had no part in the killings.

Todt's attorney AS is arguing he should be acquitted because his confession to detectives contradicts testimony from the medical examiner and toxicologist. Todt said he stabbed his sons when they were alive and that the kids were not given medication to sedate them.

Judge C denies the judgment of acquittal, says prosecutors have met their burden. Todt's defense will be doing their opening statement.

Anthony Todt is about to testify after his attorney gives a very brief opening statement. The jury is out of the room as they begin placing him on the witness stand.

Todt's attorney is asking how he met his wife Megan Todt. He said he met her in high school in Connecticut.

Todt says his wife had Lyme disease and heart conditions before he met her but was healthy when they got married. He tears up as he describes her beginning to get sick in 2011. He says she had drug-induced hepatitis.

"My wife was — she went from a very strong vibrant woman to barely holding on at 90 pounds," Todt says. "She couldn't keep weight on. She couldn't breathe."

"Before she got sick we were blessed with two wonderful boys," Todt tells jurors. "She went from a mom who provided for everything … to a person who could barely walk stairs on certain days."

As Megan Todt's disease progressed, she turned toward alternative medicine and Eastern religions, Todt says. She got depressed after a miscarriage in 2011, he said.

She had another miscarriage in Sept. 2019, Todt says. We lost the baby and it affected her big-time," Todt says. "Obviously affected me. She went from singing, humming, a dancing person, to days she didn’t even get out of bed."

Todt says his wife believed in reincarnation and if they "burned the family karma" in their current life, they would be reincarnated to a better life.

"I came home and my kids were dead," Todt says. "It was the most horrible day of my life. What made it more horrible was my wife died in front of me also."

Todt says his wife told him she killed the children with a poisoned pie. He says he told her he would take the blame. Todt says he doesn't remember the confession at all. "I was covering for my wife. Obviously unsuccessfully. I had no clue how my kids died."

Todt says he tried to kill himself 10 times, including with a knife but he tells jurors it was hard to stab himself. "I chickened out, yes," he said. "I tried other means. I tried at least three episodes of Benadryl."

W: "Mr. Todt, what could have prevented Megan from killing her children?" Todt: "I have no idea. We woke up that morning she was pain-free. Everything was good. ... That’s the biggest thing that affects me. I didn’t see this coming."

W: "Mr. Todt, did you kill your family?" Todt: "No."

Under cross-examination, Todt says his wife was fragile and had trouble walking but on the day of the murders she was fine and "had woken up pain-free." "She said the light had interceded and allowed her to do so," he says.

Todt says the night before his children died, they ate dinner together but he only had a shake. He says he didn't see if they ate dessert because he went to their condo to do maintenance. He came back later and played basketball with his kids.

Todt says he then left back to the condo but never went inside. He needed to charge his phone in the van and fell asleep in the van and woke up the next morning.

Todt says when he arrived, Megan told him she had killed the kids. The first one he went to see was Zoe, 4. "Zoe was my little angel," he says. "That’s the first one I went to. There’s a pillow on her head."

Todt says he couldn't call for help because his phone wasn't charged after all and Megan had the phones.

Todt says when he went to check on Alek his eyes were open and his mouth was slack. He says he took a washcloth and closed his eyes, same as he did with Zoe. "He looked uncomfortable," he says. "I was just providing them comfort."

Todt says he saw his wife on the bed stabbing herself. When the prosecutor asked if he went to get help, he said no, he just kept asking her where the phones were. "My loyalty is to my wife," he says. "She did not want to be alone."

Todt says he bought a pellet gun after failing to buy a real gun because of the three-day wait limit. "What kind of gun were you trying to buy?" Pinnell asks. "Any gun they would sell me." "Are you aware the wait period doesn’t apply to shotguns?" Todt says no.

Todt says he went to several stores, including Publix, CVS. However, he says he was in no condition to drive to Sarasota. He told detectives in the confession that he left his phone at a Starbucks in Sarasota.

Todt says he gave a suicide note he "edited" to his mother to read. "Your mother was there?" Todt says his mother and two dead relatives were with him. "Quite a few people were there," Todt says.

The prosecutor asks Todt if he's denying everything he told detectives. "My testimony today is that Megan killed her kids and killed herself," he says. "... I said things that have been proven incorrect."

Pinnell asks Todt when Tyler's birthday is: 12/30/2008. Todt says he was dead before his birthday and Christmas. P: "Do you remember cashing a check that was for Tyler’s birthday?" Todt: "No, I do not."

On redirect, W asks Todt who killed his family. "My wife," Todt says.

Todt's defense attorneys say they're planning to rest their case. We're waiting for the jury now so they can rest in front of them.

Prosecutors say they have no rebuttal case. The judge says the jury will be recessing for the day to give attorneys time to work on jury instructions. He's going to tell them to come back tomorrow at 10 a.m. for closing arguments.

 

[legalmomma]

I am under the belief Todt was not adequately prepped by his counsel for him to show that much hostility while testifying. Defense was caught off guard when the State rested so soon. Todt was painful to listen to.

 

[Kecharaeq2]

I am under the belief Todt was not adequately prepped by his counsel for him to show that much hostility while testifying. Defense was caught off guard when the State rested so soon. Todt was painful to listen to.

All, I know is that if I were a defendant and showed even 1/2 of the anger and hostility that he showed on the stand, my mom would probably ask for a recess so that she could pull me aside and tan my butt… and I’m 51 years old. I don’t want to sound like an old woman going into ‘well, when I was a kid’ stories but it’s true. There was a certain level of respect for LE and the courts that seems to have been lost. You can kind of tell by Todt’s reaction that misogyny and narcissism are both alive and well. The best thing the prosecution could have done was to put a female prosecutor up in front of him and let him hang himself. I loved her responses. Whenever he was starting to try to make a point, she’d simply say ‘okay’ and move on. No anger or combativeness on her part, and it seemed that by not engaging with him and frustrating him, she only made him angrier… and you get the impression that he insisted on taking the stand against counsel advice. It was pretty brilliant but the whole thing was bizarre.
We’ll see what tomorrow brings.
Moo

 

[Niner]

Thursday, April1 4th:
*Trial continues (Day 4)-Closing Arguments (@ 10am ET) – FL – Megan Denise Gula Todt (42), Aleksander (13), Tyler (11), Zoe (4) & dog Brezzy (last heard from Jan. 6, 2020, Celebration; found Jan. 13, 2020; LE believe they have been dead since Dec. 29, 2019) - *Anthony John Todt (44/now 46) arrested (1/15/20), charged (1/16/20), indicted (2/25/20) & arraigned (2/28/20) with 4 counts of premeditated murder & 1 count of animal cruelty. Charges changed (1/29/20) & arraigned (2/28/20) with 4 counts of 2nd degree murder & animal cruelty charge. Plead not guilty. Held without bond. DA will seek DP & has changed mind on 1/4/21 will not seek DP.
Trial began with jury selection on 4/4/22 & ended 4/6/22. Trial began on 4/11/22 & ended on 4/14/22; 12 jurors & 2 alternates (8 women & 6 men). Assistant State Attorney Danielle Pinelle, Public Defender Robert Wesley & defense attorney Alicia Smith.
Confession & court info from 1/15/20 thru 3/31/22 & Jury Selection Day 1-3 (4/4 to 4/6/22) & 4/8/22 & Trial Day 1-2 (4/11 to 4/12/22) reference post #393 here:
Found Deceased - FL - Megan Todt 42, Alek 13, Tyler 11, Zoe 4, & dog Breezy, Celebration, 6 Jan 2020 *ARREST* #2
4/13/22 Wednesday, Trial Day 3: State witness: Cole Miller, lead detective on cross exam. Interrogated Todt at the hospital 3 times.
State rested their case.
Defense arguing for judgement of acquittal & it was denied. Defense gives their opening statements. Defense witness: Anthony Todt.
And the defense rests.
for more info see post #402 here:
Found Deceased - FL - Megan Todt 42, Alek 13, Tyler 11, Zoe 4, & dog Breezy, Celebration, 6 Jan 2020 *ARREST* #2
and for more info see post #422 here:
Found Deceased - FL - Megan Todt 42, Alek 13, Tyler 11, Zoe 4, & dog Breezy, Celebration, 6 Jan 2020 *ARREST* #2
Defense again asked for a judgement of acquittal. Judge court finds State’s has met their burden, so denies acquittal. No rebuttal by State. Judge sends jury home. They will discuss jury instruction & regarding lesser offenses. Jury back at 10am for charge of the jurors & then closing arguments. Trial continues on 4/14/22.

 

[CHEL]

Jury is deliberating now.

 

[wyome]

I missed closing arguments. Would appreciate opinions on how well both sides did.

 

[Niner]

I missed closing arguments. Would appreciate opinions on how well both sides did.

Me too - or is there a link we can watch? TIA!

 

[Niner]

Never mind - I found this

WATCH: Nancy Brophy murder trial continues, stepson expected to take the stand | Day 8 morning session - KOBI-TV NBC5 / KOTI-TV NBC2

 

[Niner]

Never mind - I found this

WATCH: Nancy Brophy murder trial continues, stepson expected to take the stand | Day 8 morning session - KOBI-TV NBC5 / KOTI-TV NBC2

Oops - sorry wrong day...

well - can't find anything from this morning Day 9

 

[Niner]

DBM

 

[Niner]

Never mind - I found this

WATCH: Nancy Brophy murder trial continues, stepson expected to take the stand | Day 8 morning session - KOBI-TV NBC5 / KOTI-TV NBC2

Oh geez - if I had the right thread - it would be better... sorry -

 

[Niner]

Too make up for it - I'm going to grab a bunch of tweets...

 

[Niner]

for April 14th:

Monivette Cordeiro
@monivettec
·
3h
Jurors will hear closing arguments from attorneys this morning at 10 a.m. in the trial for Anthony Todt:

Circuit Judge Keith Carsten is going through jury instructions with jurors now before attorneys begin closing arguments.

"The reason why we’re here today is control," ASA Danielle Pinnell tells jurors. "The defendant wanted control."

Todt used his wife and sons' phones to tell his extended family they were all sick. After his sister requested a wellness check, Megan Todt texted her about the apocalypse.

"How did she learn about this information? From the defendant. Because we already know Megan’s dead.”

Prosecutor says Todt was still trying to be deceptive after law enforcement found the bodies. He told a detective "they bring their children into this world, they get to decide when they leave."

"[Todt] wanted control over the lives of his kids and over the life of Megan."

Pinnell says defense will likely point to autopsy conflicting with confession.

"But how [Todt] describes ... killing each of his children is consistent with all of the evidence found on the scene," she says. "The only inconsistency is the stab wound and when it occurred."

Todt "came to the conclusion that his 4-year-old daughter decided she wanted to die with mommy and daddy," Pinnell says.

Pinnell says in both Todt's confession + testimony, he described taking care of Zoe after suffocating her. He said after discovering his dead daughter, he took a wet cloth to close her eyes.

"Because it’s the fatherly thing to do to make sure that she’s comfortable," she says.

Pinnell said Todt shed tears when questioned by defense but was angry with her, even when she was asking him about his dead kids.

"Something interesting that he said is 'Megan killed her kids.' Not our kids. Not my kids. Her kids."

Pinnell says Todt claimed to be getting the courage to kill himself over the three weeks while living with his dead family.

"He had the courage to kill his 4-year-old daughter," she said.



Todt's defense attorney Alesha Smith says prosecutors have not met their burden in Todt's case.

"There are holes. There are gaps. There is reasonable doubt," Smith says.

Smith says the ME found Todt's family died of unspecified violence but could not say for sure if they were smothered or to what extent the Benadryl overdose played a role.

"If the medical examiner can’t give you the true cause of death, that goes to reasonable doubt."

Smith said the medical examiner found no signs of extended trauma to the knife wounds or the victims' mouths, indicating signs of a struggle.

"There was none of that here," she says.

Smith says the veterinarian who did the autopsy on Breezy could not tell jurors if the dog was strangled or how she got the hole in her chest.

"Dr. Stern couldn’t tell you how Breezy died," she said.

Smith said the toxicologist who testified only said the levels of Benadryl in the Todt family were "remarkable" but couldn't say if it caused their deaths.

"While we have an unnatural death, we can’t even say what caused the death," she says.

Smith says the forensic technicians processed many things, including a suicide note with fingerprints, but prosecutors didn't present any of that.

Detectives also did little to corroborate Todt's initial confessions, she says.


"We don’t see any phone searches. We don’t see any Google searches," she says. "... Det. Miller took Mr. Todt at his word and decided, 'Hey, my job is done.'"

Smith points to a lack of evidence in Tyler's killing. Todt told detectives there was "blood everywhere" when he killed his youngest son.

But Smith says they found no blood in the area and no blood on the stairs when he carried Tyler's body upstairs.

"That lack of evidence and that conflict in the evidence doesn’t make sense," she says.

Smith says prosecutors want jurors to believe Todt killed his family but now how he did it because it conflicts with the medical examiner.

"The state is essentially picking and choosing when they want you to believe Mr. Todt and when they don't."


Smith is trying to explain Todt's behavior on the witness stand yesterday with Pinnell.

"He told you he’s waited two years to be able to tell his story and now she’s cutting him off," she says.

Smith asks jurors to find Anthony Todt not guilty of all the charges.


Pinnell says the medical examiner couldn't be more specific in the cause of death because of their state of decomposition.

"You know why?" she asks. "Because the defendant kept them in the house for over three weeks as they slowly decomposed while he was there."

"There is no reasonable doubt," Pinnell says. "... The state is confident you’re going to convict the defendant for the crimes that he has committed."

We're on a five-minute recess.

Judge Carsten just released the jurors to begin deliberating in the Anthony Todt trial.

Two alternates are excused.

UPDATE: Jury begins deliberations in case against Anthony Todt in killing of family

link: https://twitter.com/monivettec

 

[legalmomma]

 

[Trebor5591]

I saw Todt's testimony. In my opinion, he's an evil, scary guy, and that's the way he comes across IMO. He deserves the death penalty, but since that is off the table, I hope he rots in jail forever. MOO

 

[Kecharaeq2]

@ 3:10pm Correspondence from jury- regarding laptop sound issue and need scissors for packaging.

 

[meanmaryjean]

Florida jury deciding fate of man accused of killing family

 

[Kecharaeq2]

5:38pm Correspondence from jury - deadlocked at this point.
Bringing jury back in
5:42pm Judge asked jury foreperson if they were decided on any of the counts
Upon an affirmative answer, the judge requested that they go back and fill out the paperwork for each count that had been decided on.
Jury back in jury room

Edit: 5:49 After sidebar, judge stated that he would reiterate to the jury that the verdict is not final until it is published in court.

 

[Trebor5591]

5:38pm Correspondence from jury - deadlocked at this point.
Bringing jury back in
5:42pm Judge asked jury foreperson if they were decided on any of the counts
Upon an affirmative answer, the judge requested that they go back and fill out the paperwork for each count that had been decided on.
Jury back in jury room

Deadlocked! Oh no! But if they have to be deadlocked, please let it be on the animal cruelty charge only!