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Colorado license plates and items seized as evidence were submitted as the double-homicide trial of Afton D. Ferris continued Thursday.
Defense attorney Jerry Crisel asked Judge Barry Vaughan to include Internet reports when giving instructions to jurors.
On Wednesday, Vaughan had cautioned the panel of jurors not to discuss the case outside the courtroom, with one another or listen to others discussing the case.
Vaughan repeats the instructions numerous times during the proceedings that include not reading newspaper articles, listening to radio or television broadcasts about the case or searching for evidence.
Jurors are also not to talk to family and friends about the case of the people of the state who accuse Ferris of double murder on Oct. 18, 2009, in West Frankfort.
Vaughan said jurors would only discuss the case after all of the testimony had been presented and they were sent to the jury room to deliberate their verdict.
At the close of testimony on Thursday, the judge reported “good news” to the jury panel saying the state is proceeding ahead of schedule.
The trial, expected to take until July 15 could conclude earlier next week, Vaughan said.
One by one numerous law enforcement personnel from Colorado took the witness stand loaded with evidence bags and boxes taken from residences where Ferris and co-defendant Michael A. Schallert allegedly stayed after fleeing the state.
Authorities began the search for the couple after blood was discovered on the inside of the front storm door and interior door of a residence at 213 N. Douglas Street.
Family members of Terri Ann Seibeck and Kandis R. Majors became concerned after the two did not show up for work or school.
Earlier in the week, family members testified that they thought something was out of the ordinary when neither of them could be reached by cell phone.
A deputy with the U.S. Marshal Service and member of the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office in Ft. Collins, Colo. said he received a call on Oct. 20, 2009 and “was made aware of the homicides.”
Franklin County Assistant State’s Attorney Phillip Butler questioned the officer, asking if he was supplied photos of the suspects.
When asked, the deputy said Schallert had ties to Wyoming and Colorado.
He said he developed leads in the case and talked with Schallert’s mother. The co-defendant’s mother stated that she and her husband owned a cabin outside Ft. Collins, Colo., he said.
Colorado license plates and items seized as evidence were submitted as the double-homicide trial of Afton D. Ferris continued Thursday.
Defense attorney Jerry Crisel asked Judge Barry Vaughan to include Internet reports when giving instructions to jurors.
On Wednesday, Vaughan had cautioned the panel of jurors not to discuss the case outside the courtroom, with one another or listen to others discussing the case.
Vaughan repeats the instructions numerous times during the proceedings that include not reading newspaper articles, listening to radio or television broadcasts about the case or searching for evidence.
Jurors are also not to talk to family and friends about the case of the people of the state who accuse Ferris of double murder on Oct. 18, 2009, in West Frankfort.
Vaughan said jurors would only discuss the case after all of the testimony had been presented and they were sent to the jury room to deliberate their verdict.
At the close of testimony on Thursday, the judge reported “good news” to the jury panel saying the state is proceeding ahead of schedule.
The trial, expected to take until July 15 could conclude earlier next week, Vaughan said.
One by one numerous law enforcement personnel from Colorado took the witness stand loaded with evidence bags and boxes taken from residences where Ferris and co-defendant Michael A. Schallert allegedly stayed after fleeing the state.
Authorities began the search for the couple after blood was discovered on the inside of the front storm door and interior door of a residence at 213 N. Douglas Street.
Family members of Terri Ann Seibeck and Kandis R. Majors became concerned after the two did not show up for work or school.
Earlier in the week, family members testified that they thought something was out of the ordinary when neither of them could be reached by cell phone.
A deputy with the U.S. Marshal Service and member of the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office in Ft. Collins, Colo. said he received a call on Oct. 20, 2009 and “was made aware of the homicides.”
Franklin County Assistant State’s Attorney Phillip Butler questioned the officer, asking if he was supplied photos of the suspects.
When asked, the deputy said Schallert had ties to Wyoming and Colorado.
He said he developed leads in the case and talked with Schallert’s mother. The co-defendant’s mother stated that she and her husband owned a cabin outside Ft. Collins, Colo., he said.
The deputy said a good friend of Schallert’s resided in Colorado.
He testified that law enforcement personnel were assigned the task of checking out the cabin located at Red Feather Lakes located north of Ft. Collins.
Officers observed a green pickup truck outside the cabin that had license plates missing from the vehicle. After running the plates, they learned that they belonged to the truck owned by Schallert’s mother and step-father.
A copy of the truck’s vehicle registration was submitted as evidence, with no objection from co-defense counsel Crisel and Matt Vaughn.
Another witness who is part of the U.S. Marshal Service task force and Larimer County Sheriff’s Office testified that he interviewed Schallert’s mother who stated that she had not seen or heard from her son “in about a month.”
The witness stated that Schallert’s mother had shown him Ferris’ facebook page and indicated the couple might be staying with Schallert’s friend in Colorado.
The officer said he did not see any vehicles outside the cabin with the exception of the pickup truck. He also observed a window broken out of the rear of the cabin.
Schallert’s friend was contacted, who said the couple might be staying at his brother’s home in Ft. Collins and the staging area was set up to view what if anything was going on inside and around the Ft. Collins residence.
Butler introduced photos of the 2003 Chevrolet Impala that was found parked in front of the trailer located in Ft. Collins. The officer testified that the co-defendants were there.
The state then called the owner of the pickup truck to the stand who testified that he kept the truck parked outside the cabin adding he went there frequently both during the summer and winter months.
The man testified that everything was locked up when he left the cabin. Shown copies of the vehicle title and license plate number, he said it looked like the title to his truck.
He testified that Schallert had lived in the cabin but to his knowledge was not there in October 2009.
The man testified that he went to the cabin after learning that the window had been broken and discovered a number of items missing, the gas tank empty and the vehicle tags gone.
Schallert’s friend testified that he lived between 10 and 15 miles from Ft. Collins. He said he had known Schallert since they “were best friends since we were 10 years old.”
The friend stated that he was at work when he received a phone call from his wife telling him that Schallert was at their home with his girlfriend.
He testified that the couple “stayed one night.” When questioned, he said nothing seemed out of the ordinary adding Schallert said he “was tired and had been traveling.”
The friend said he left for work the next day with instructions to Schallert to lock up the house when he and Ferris left.
He said law enforcement officers contacted him the next day. He was told to go to the police department adding he was told they wanted to “collect items left at my house.”
Schallert’s friend testified that officers took clothes and hair left in the bathroom sink.
When questioned, he said Schallert had apparently shaved his head while in the home and left hair in the sink.
Questioned further, the witness testified that the hair was short and black, adding no one in his household had hair that color.
Another item missing from the home was a black purse thatSchallert’s friend identified through photos. He said his wife collected that particular type of purse and said he had purchased it for her birthday.
Co-defense counsel Vaughn questioned the witness during cross examination who said he had not met Ferris before she and Schallert were in his home but had spoken with her on the phone a couple of times.
Vaughn also questioned the witness about Schallert shaving his head asking if he thought it would change his appearance.
A member of the Windsor, Colo., police department testified that he took a police report from Schallert’s friend. The officer said the man reported the theft of a wedding ring, items of clothing and an old debit card from his home.
Another Windsor, Colo. police officer testified that he had collected items left by Schallert and Ferris, including clothing and dried hair scrapings from the bathroom sink.
A criminalist with the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office and forensic specialist testified that he was a “sniper with the SWAT team” at the time of the case. He said he responded to the staging area and looked at photos “of the male suspect.”
Photos of the trailer where Ferris and Schallert stayed were admitted into evidence, along with the trash can outside the trailer.
The criminalist testified that he observed both subjects inside and outside the trailer carrying white plastic trash bags.
He said trash bags were dropped into the trash can outside the trailer adding it appeared that the subjects were “clearing out the car.”
A sergeant with the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office testified that he was involved with fugitive apprehension. He said he coordinated the drafting of a search warrant and assisted with the execution of that warrant.
More photos were entered into evidence, some with the objection of defense counsel as photos of what appeared to be clothing stained with blood and shoes were submitted.
A police deputy with the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office testified that he took Schallert into custody, with a female police deputy testifying that she conducted a pat-down search of Ferris subject to arrest.
The female deputy said she handed Ferris’ clothing and two handwritten notes found during the search to an investigator.
A deputy sheriff testified he transported Schallert to the Larimer County Detention Center, conducted a pat-down search and collected the contents of his pockets.
He said he removed a credit card, a total of eight white pills, a bottle cap, two sheets of handwritten paper and a set of keys from the co-defendant.
During Vaughn’s cross examination, he asked the deputy if Schallert had made a verbal statement. After being allowed to review the police report labeled defendant’s exhibit B, the deputy said Schallert said, “I’ve committed enough crimes in the last few days.”
An investigator with the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office testified that he looked inside the black purse and discovered a Ruger semi-automatic handgun, a small case that contained two Wyoming identification cards belonging to Schallert and Ferris and a social security card belonging to Schallert.
The investigator said he unloaded the firearm, a 22-caliber pistol nine 22-long round rifle bullets in a magazine and another in the chamber. The rounds of ammunition were later admitted into evidence with defense counsel objecting.
An evidence technician testified he collected evidence including photos of the Impala.
Officers with the West Frankfort Police Department testified they took possession of the Impala that was in the impound lot of the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office an brought the vehicle back to Illinois.
More evidence was introduced including pipes used to smoke cannabis, pocket knives, make up accessories, a wallet, a cigarette case, an open deck of playing cards and a pocket notebook.
When asked to read what was inside the notebook, a captain with the West Frankfort Police Department said the name Michael had been scribbled out and the words Washington, Oregon, Mt. Rushmore and other words were read to members of the jury.
Forty-eight short rounds of ammunition and eight rounds of long ammunition were admitted into evidence, along with a Chase Visa debit card belonging to Schallert’s friend without objection from defense counsel.
A crime scene technician with the West Frankfort Police Department testified after being permitted to review the police report. He stated that a man had reported the Ruger and a box of hollow point bullets as stolen from his West Frankfort home.
Photos of the interior and exterior of the vehicle were admitted along with items taken from the Impala.
Receipts for fuel and food purchases were also submitted, along with two pairs of shoes.
Brown sandals and white tennis shoes were entered as evidence found inside the vehicle, along with more clothing, notebooks, a duffle bag and more rounds of ammunition.
Before jurors were excused for the day, a forensic scientist with the Illinois State Police Crime Lab in Carbondale testified about the DNA analysis conducted on items of clothing, shoes and fingernail scrapings from the both victims.
She said she obtained DNA profiles that matched the victims adding the fingernail scrapings matched the DNA profile of Majors.
Clothing and shoe samples were found to belong to Majors and Seibeck.
The forensic scientist testified that samples matched the victims but not Schallert, Ferris or the owner of the firearm.
Testimony continues on Friday.
