Recordings of all the previous 5 trial days have now been added:
Day 1 – Day 2 – Day 3 – Day 4 – Day 5
So far, we’ve learned that TA is officially dead, and that they found blood in the bathroom. Yup. Ain’t that the truth.
We also had to contend with the one-man-sideshow Esteban Flores… Arizona’s very own version of Yuri Melich… going out of his way to make it up as he went along and impeach himself at every opportunity. So much for the prosecutions “star witness”.
Following that, we had multiple viewings of TA’s bedding, shorts, socks, t-shirts & towels – all apparently washed together, even though only a few of them had bleach marks. Interesting to say the least.
Throw in a handful of Martinez meltdowns, countless sidebars, recesses, lunch breaks & gas receipts – coupled with enough reasonable doubt to sink several ships – and overall it was a pretty good week for the defense, especially going on the limited number of witnesses they’ve called to date… dont’ya think?
Make no mistake… progress might be slow, but we are winning… and we will be victorious.
You can mark my words on that.
Your thoughts?
SJ
PS. What’s actually in the picture below, and where was it taken?
Is this the same pic from the 3/13/2009 Supplement Narrative where it’s states – “Upper part of body pulled off the ground by an unknown suspect… only right leg/foot visible… dark colored pants… picture taken in hallway between master bedroom & master bathroom…” – ?
UPDATE: Here’s an image of the above picture generated via 3d modeling software, and kindly provided by Michael L:
To be honest, I can’t make out what is in the pic.
I think it’s the same picture. In session showed and explained that but I can only see an arm, not a head. Perhaps, it looks different on the overhead?
What if his arm his not folded across his chest, as the 3D recreation suggests, rather, it is extended out almost above him from someone standing to his left holding his right arm in an attempt to pull him so that he is facing to the left instead of the right? The crease of his shoulder where it appears his bicep touches his chest is too pronounced for the position implied in the 3D image. If you look at the 3D model, who is in roughly the same position as Travis in the photo, you can see there is no shoulder crease on the 3D model where there is clearly one on Travis. The only thing that would cause the shoulder to crease like that would be if the arm was raised so that the elbow was not near the rib cage. Just a thought.
I’m confused. If he was this great idol why was he having all this sex and bondage. Do Mormons kick u out of the church for a sin like that? Also where were his roommates for all those days? He was at the house dying? They all are supposed to be so close! Well to me that looks like they don’t care. Being missing days while he is dying. Were they a part of it? See what I’m saying?
Jodie wasn’t looking good yesterday. I am concerned that she is going to have a meltdown and lose her composure. She needs to stop swallowing so hard, and allowing Martinez get to her. She needs to pay more attention to what her defense team is telling her to do. She has a tendency to go off on he own and explain everything in detail. It does not look good when her lawyer is obviously trying to rein her in.
In session just showed the ME testimony again. He clearly said he couldn’t say what came first with regard to the bullet coming first or last. He said the lack of bleeding and what not MAY show he was dead first.
Can the defense keep refering to the detective saying that? To stick it in the jurys head about if giving not true facts without getting the judge to yell at them.
In session lawyers just talked about that and how flores may have really screwed up the case by making those statements. He said the defense can now use that to prove that there was a rush to judgement in trying jodi of 1st degree murder.
I think I can see where the back of the head now; I’ve been trying to understand this photo, its like one of those puzzles that you have to stare at forever before you see the right thing.
The large dark blob furthest to the top right of the photo, near the arrow, is the head. Its kind of cocked to the side. Its just the back of the head I think.
However, I do not see a foot, or a leg, of the person doing the lifting or dragging. That part I am not understanding. How can this be entered as evidence, it seems like total speculation to me. If you cant see it, and you aren’t 100% sure of what you are seeing, it needs to be thrown out. Can they really just make things up as they go on pure speculation?
And I know Jodi’s confessed to the murder, but I keep getting this feeling that someone else was involved. I just keep telling myself that Jodi has already said she did this and that’s all the most we may ever know.
I hope the defense brings up the information about her finger. It would be nice if Jodi’s past friends would come forward and vouch for her. I think it’d be extremely helpful if someone would give their experience with her character, since everyone seems to just believe whatever Travis’ friends say.
I agree that she was not alone , I also think she is protecting whomever it was with her.. unfortunately if this is true it could prove pre-meditation… I am anxious to see the defenses case.. If Travis grew up in a drug addicted violent home.. he could be predisposed to violence himself and Travis’ sister looks like she could be a pretty rough Character as well… I hope the defense can prove it’s case… with their sequence of events..
His sister has that “faces of meth” look for sure. I was also thinking that growing up in a violent home could have predisposed Travis to being abusive.
They were adopted by the grandparents at what age? Does anybody know?
CJ, according to Travis’s book introduction, he left his mother’s home permanently at age 10.
What was wrong with jodi’s finger? Do you think she has a good defends team? They seem ok at this point! Whatcha think?
Shannon, Matt McCartney (a former boyfriend of Jodi’s) posted here that Travis had broken Jodi’s finger but she didn’t go to the hospital to get it set because she didn’t want to get him in trouble. As a result, her finger has a permanent deformation that is detrimental to someone who works as an artist.
Thanks kira for telling me what happen. I hope the defense does bring it up. What do you think of her defense team?
I don’t see a foot either. I see a puddle if blood on the floor. I also do not see a zipper, I see what looks more like a camera strap. I do see the dark clothes that appear to me to be the bottom of someone’s warm up jacket and darker pants. Like the person is kneeling. If that’s a foot sticking out from his shoulder , he had to have baby sized feet and dislocated joints to get his foot up under the shoulder like that. If it was his foot it would also be further down as the 3d image shows.
This is a tricky photo to make out, for sure. Remember that the camera is on the floor, and Travis is lying on the floor, which is leading to a very, very odd perspective. Also, LE has stated that the original photo was very dark and had to be enhanced – I would guess in Photoshop – which causes some discoloration.
Looking at the photo, 2/3 of the left side of the photo are taken up by Jodi’s leg with dark pants on. From the looks of things, it’s most likely just the ankle and lower shin area. It is in the EXTREME foreground of the photo – her foot was probably right in front on the camera lens, and her bumping the camera with her foot is most likely what caused the shutter to “click” and take this photo.
The right 1/3 is Travis, lying on his back, his head and shoulders towards the camera and his feet stretched away from the camera into the background. His head is lifted up and tilting to his right slightly and the top half is cropped out of the photo. So what we are seeing is back of his neck, back of his head, and the top of his right should. His right arm is down his side, but then bent at the elbow and across in front of his stomach. His broad shoulder mostly obscures the upper part of his arm – the bicep area above the elbow – but you can see his forearm bent up and across.
The weird shape sticking out of the side of his shoulder at the far right is his right foot, which is much further away from the camera. Most of his body and his leg on the right side is obscured by his shoulder and arm. The entire left side of his body is obscured by Jodi’s leg in the extreme foreground, between him and the camera.
I am an artist, so I will do a quick sketch that should make it easier to see, and I will email it to SJ to see if it can be posted here.
That would be great Michael. Thanks for all your help with this.
I forgot to add that we can see blood running back and down his right shoulder, most likely from his neck.
I was wondering if you ever made that sketch? I would really like to see it. j
I have. I actually used some 3d software to quickly recreate the photo, and am emailing it to SJ right now.
Am interested to see this and appreciate you doing this. I’ve been trying to figure out the part where you can see Jodi’s – or someone’s leg/foot. Must just not be looking at this correctly.
Hope SJ puts it up on the site for all to see; I think a lot of people are trying to figure it out!
Yeah, I can’t really tell much of that part either. I think it’s too close to the camera to get a good idea. The only thing I can pinpoint is the light blue stripe – I read somewhere that she is wearing dark pants with blue stripe down the leg, which you can see.
Hi Michael,
Thanks for the pic. I’ve now added it to the bottom of this post.
I’ll email you later today or tomorrow.
SJ
Great job.
Its still seems like his foot is really tiny in the original photo. I’m probably over thinking this though.
Thanks for the 3D image, helped a lot!
Good job on the pic Michael!
Thanks Michael. Your image now helps me see it in the picture. This is great.
This is the picture I have been talking about over and over> Look at the top right corner of the picture… is that not the knob for the shower? That “foot” that people seem to be seeing looks like a pool of blood to me. It makes sense with all the blood running down his back that it would be pooled underneath him, in my not so always humble opinion LOL. By looking at other pictures of him in the shower, I have compared them and still think that the dark colour on the lower left is his bathrobe. I could be wrong, but it makes sense. The only thing I can not make sense of is where the camera was located… the shower is not very big and I am not sure there is glass there.
I too wonder about a cover up of some kind even though JA admitted to it. In the courtroom we are hearing snippets of a phone conversation between JA and detective flores…. is there a part that he tells her he knows she did it because they have all this evidence against her??? We do not know this. He said at the outset that he thought it may have been a robbery and was done by two or three people… maybe he was right. Maybe Jodi’s second story is true. He was pretty quick to say that the room mates had nothing to do with it yesterday when he was on the stand. No explanation of where they were or anything though, or if they had been home during the five days, how they never noticed the blood all over the place.
I hear you about her second story sounding plausible too. She should have stuck with that one LOL. NO seriously, looking at the camera being present, this is what I come up with: she could have dropped the camera, he could have lunged at her like the defense said – thus hitting the shutter. Then they fight about her dropping the camera, calling each other twenty different kinds of bwords and somehow, this camera becomes the focus of the entire fight hence the accidental pictures. I think travis was fighting her. I dont think he went down quick. The medical examiner said loss of strength would depend on the person’s health etc. Travis was a bodybuilder and by all accounts a very healthy young man.. No way do I think he went down with like the prosecution says.
Thanks Michael L. for the pic… It is quite confusing, and much easier to make sense of it with an aid.
Overall, a pretty good week, however, I do take issue with one reoccurring theme that makes me want to pull my hair… Stalking. Every time these shows focus in on Jodi as a stalker, and putting on their “experts” to dissect it, I have to change the channel. Not before I throw out a few choice words, however. Hasn’t it become pretty darn obvious to these quacks that Travis was calling her a stalker to his friends to keep them from learning, or suspecting, they were still having relations. She was still coming over, and we’ve all seen, with our own eyes, evidence that she was invited! She was coming over, and although it was late when Travis made his booty call, I’m sure she’d been spotted, and Travis made the stalking claims to explain her presence. To me, that’s consciousness of guilt. He was major sinning, according to him, and rather then fess up, and tell the truth, he falsely claimed stalking to protect his career, church standing, etc… All superficial reasons, mostly financially related, I’m sure… I really don’t understand how knowing what we know, facts from the testimony of State witnesses, so many still believe she was actually stalking him??? They’re flat out telling us she was invited, and have shown that he was even initiating it, and, simultaneously, explaining her presence as stalking!!! Uber frustrating!
He probably slashed his own damn tires to further his stalking claim… Is there proof Jodi followed him on his date with Mimi, or is it just based on his word alone? Anytime his friends are asked what they think of Jodi, and to give examples of her “psycho” behavior, they have nothing concrete. Absolutely nothing, other than what Travis told them. The worst I’ve heard is she was quiet, and didn’t make much conversation. Wooo, that’s really crazy!!!
Starsky, I, too, am sick of the stalking accusation. She was NOT stalking him if he was calling her. People who are stalked do NOT call their stalker. I was stalked by the same ex-bf I have mentioned in other posts.
He would call and hang up several times per day, tracked me on vacation – a vacation that only two people knew about (not him), and I had gotten a restraining order against him and a detective involved from my local police department. Trust me, if you are being stalked, it scares the hell out of you and you’re not in contact with that person!
I agree with you that he told his friends she was stalking him to cover up their continued sexual relationship. Further, it seems he dated so many women, how does he know it was Jodi that supposedly slashed his tires?
Finally, I cannot believe that his friends are so “vocal” about what a great person he was when he LIED to them for over a year! I would feel betrayed by him! But, that is just me.
IMO, His friends act like they are elite and above reproach when in fact they are very transparent. Take the head muppet friend as SJ calls – he minimizes everything by saying he takes note of who said ie the defense. Nevermind, his friend calling her names in an email, sex tape etc. It’s as if they will not even acknowledge any wrong doing on Travis. They were enablers IMO even if he did manipulate them. They were unwilling to see what was right in front of them. Maybe, because his tithe was large?
Wow CJ, your last sentence hit the nail on the head! Makes you wonder, huh?
Here is the deal. Travis had to continue the lie of being really successful with friends. They all followed him around like puppy dogs.
Not to be judgmental, but most of the “friends” that Travis had (oh, and they’re all his BEST friend) were kind of dorky. They appear to me to be easily manipulated into believing things. He had EVERYONE he knew on a string – including Jodi.
BUT, did you notice during Jodi’s conversation with the detective that Travis borrowed money from the Hiatts? That was only a few months before his death. I think it was about $6k.
So, I guess he wasn’t as successful as everyone proclaims he was – at least toward the end. Perhaps he was stressed out and was losing it all the time? Perhaps he got scared that he would go back to being poor like his childhood?
Further, Travis was very materialistic. He had every luxury a person could buy – a BMW, suits embroidered with his name, a big house, trips everywhere, etc. That is VERY contrary to his religion and the bible. You’re not supposed to be outwardly boastful – yet, he was.
BTW, I live here in Phoenix and have several Mormon friends. Not ONE of them even knew about this trial. You would think the tight-knit group that they are, the members here would know.
Perhaps Travis is their “dirty little secret.”
There is NO proof that Jodi slashed his tires. Travis’s friends seemed predisposed to hate her from the very beginning, probably because she didn’t fit in with their idea of whom Travis should be dating/wanting to marry.
Nicole, I agree, he doesn’t fit the profile of a typical stalking victim. They just don’t typically call and initiate contact with their stalker on a regular basis. They certainly don’t sleep with them… I’m very sorry to hear what you’ve gone through with your ex. From what I’ve heard from stalking victims, and as you described, it’s quite terrifying. I can only imagine how awful that must be for you, and I certainly hope he’s moved on and out of your life. You know, just dawned on me… So many are angry with Jodi, saying she’s making a mockery of “actual” victims of domestic violence and those with “actual” claims of self defense, etc… But, isn’t that what Travis did? Made a mockery of actual victims of stalking? Which, imo, is a fact…there’s evidence Travis was lying about her stalking him. I’ve yet to see factual evidence that Jodi was not a victim of domestic violence. To the contrary…
Kira, I definitely think his friends prejudged Jodi… Lots of judging going on with this group. Very arrogant, superiority too, imo.
Oops, hit replay on accident…Jodi was clearly not going to be accepted, and I think Travis knew this. Sometimes I wonder how Travis truly felt about her? Would it have been different if she fit the “good Mormon girl” mold. How much of his friends opinion of Jodi was due to their superior mindset, and how much was due to what Travis told them about her? Probably both… One thing I do know, Travis was very influenced by status… Would love to know more facts surrounding the tire slashing, and where the claim about Jodi following Travis and Mimi came from???
Starsky, thanks for the kind words. He did actually move on – thank goodness! He got married to some woman. I feel sorry for her. BTW, he had everyone believing that I was stalking HIM! Even though I disproved it in court and he didn’t have a leg to stand on. So, that is WHY he reminds me so much of Travis. Very manipulative and having friends that believed anything he said – even when it was proved in court that he did horrible things to me. Amazing, Huh?
Wouldn’t what Travis told his friends be inadmissable in court as hearsay? After all he is not here to ask and third party evidence is inadmissable as hearsay,
I would think so except during opening statements. Yet mimi was able to answer that Travis had told her Jodi had slashed tires. However, I think that was because she also said that in the 911 call, which was also played in court. Do you think that’s why it was allowed on the record Debbie?
These quacks need a narrative the sheep want to hear. The sheep cant think for themselves like we can. Yes I cuss at them too.
I am sick of Nancy Grace questioning Jodi’s glasses. Seriously?
Does anyone know when the defense will state their side of the story? I’m ready to hear from them and hopefully from some people who actually knew Jodi rather than hear say from Travis’ besties.
Cases like this really scare me. What people will believe just because some nim rod said so. Sad.
Oh, I know what you mean about the morons discussing Jodi wearing glasses in court. I heard Politan sounding off about it the other day when I was flipping through channels. Did it ever occur to these idiots that maybe Jodi normally wears contacts and something might have happened that caused her to switch to glasses? No, it must be some conspiracy!
I heard Vinnie too and even Beth ( i think that’s her name) said that SHE wears glasses yet has NEVER taken a pic with them on. Same with me for the most part. I think people hate it because they want to see her eyes in order to then spout off about her looking like a psychopath.
If I were a defense attorney and everyone was saying my client’s eyes look like that, I’d sure put glasses on the client for court too! Even if the client didn’t wear them. Least they can’t drone on about her eyes anymore.
Oh yes, the “Jodi has the dead eyes of a sociopath” crap that the haters flung at Casey too. It’s such garbage. Both women have pretty and warm eyes.
Yeah, I think both Jodi and Casey look completely normal to me. Including their eyes. The ridiculous things people will focus on just to create some kind of hate club.
I too have heard that she does wear glases, for real, can you believe it! (sarcasm)
Her name may have been Beth, but she’s some woman who was going to interview Jodi whe Jodi’s new lawyers prompty cancelled it. However, Beth said Jodi was wearing glasses when she met with her before the cancelled interview.
Sounds legit to me. God forbid Jodi wears glasses sometimes!
Here is a good article I found on CNN on what to do when a friend is abused by their loved one.
http://www.cnn.com/2013/01/10/living/friend-domestic-abuse/index.html?hpt=hp_bn11
The only thing I don’t like is one of the comments at the end where one woman’s church told her to stay in the marriage and fix it. Then the pastor told her “Now wasn’t that worth the beatings” What the hell? I don’t know how he could be a pastor.
Great article Jon thank you very much 🙂
Someone mentioned the whole stalking thing and how his new girlfriend
supposedly witnessed it. I remember testimony
where one girl (Mary?) said Travis later told her Jodi had followed
them on their date. Is she the girl they are talking about or did someone else
actually see her follow them? Nothing seems confirmed independently.
Mimi said Travis told her Jodi was stalking him. Everything I’ve heard about her stalking, came directly from Travis…
Nicole,
Your observations make a ton of sense to me. Is the church large in Arizona? I would think they had heard of him as well.
I was reading a website made by former Mormons and found it to be very interesting. I’m in no way bashing the church itself because every religion has it’s drawbacks.
http://www.exmormon.org/
When I first heard about this murder, my first instinct was naturally like everyone else. While I do not believe he deserved to be killed (by whomever it was) I think he did at least emotionally abuse and manipulate her. (and, in all actuality, the whole world would be a better place if everyone like him were not on the planet. users and two-faced hypocrites)
From what I can see, like others on here, the stalking claim is all hearsay. The defense attorney needs to jump on that.
The comment that Travis made claiming Jodi was only using him as a dildo, classic emotional blackmail! Perhaps he said that trying to get her to come see him again.
I would like to see the emails and text correspondence between the two of them to get a better idea. does anyone know if it is available?
Mesa, Az has a HUGE LDS % of the population. I find it interesting that TA borrowed money before he was murdered and that is the exact time that the Phoenix market hit rock bottom. Everyone who at one point made great money in Phoenix all of a sudden was scrambling to pay bills, keep their homes etc.. What if he got involved with the wrong people? He was living a double life. I lived in that area, I know guys like TA. They were living the high life in Phoenix and then everything crashed and they Had to figure out what to do next. Lots of shady stuff people were getting involved with during that time, including the scam companies trying to help people save their homes, a lot of MLM companies etc. During that time It was rock bottom for a lot of previous high rollers.. He could have gotten involved with some bad people..
That IS interesting Lisa.
These guys made A LOT of money at a very young age! Then all of a sudden it stopped. These guys were slick and could talk and manipulate anyone. I can see where JA would have been very easily manipulated by TA. I can also see a slick talking TA telling his buddies “oh yeah dude, she’s stalking me, the girl is crazy” when the whole time he’s calling her when he’s lonely for booty calls. Of course he is going to tell a new GF he’s being stalked bc if JA happens to show up on the wrong “booty call night” then how else would he be able to explain it to his new GF.
I would like to read the emails between JA and TA. Does anyone know if they will release those? I would like to know how they argue or fight via email. To see how mean they are to each other. Would help explain how things the night of the murder escalated to such violence then murder.
I too was involved in an abusive relationship and yes it totally messes with your head. I know I sat up nights thinking of horrible things I could do to my abuser just to be free of it. Never had to resort to violence thank god. I just had a good attorney.
This case interests me. I don’t like how they are painting TA as being so perfect. He was a lying, cheating, player who manipulated people out of money and manipulated girls and friends to get what he wanted.
And f course his childhood being violent played a part in him being violent. You think people are just normal after being raised the way he was? That guy had MAJOR issues and I can promise he had a horrible temper!
“That guy had MAJOR issues and I can promise he had a horrible temper!”
I was with someone once who was living a double life, the stress of a double life brings the temper out BIG time. At that time, anything would set the person off and I couldn’t figure out why until I found the secret life. (yes, true story).
BeeCee exactly! This guy had one hell of a temper but was a master at concealing it for his persona and was controlling to the point of being OCD I’m sure. If you dropped his new camera and that set him off then can see him going major “sleeping with the enemy” crazy on her!!!! Even if the fight they had over the camera was before he got in the shower. I can see then her grabbing the gun out of her car while he was the in the shower and bringing it upstairs walking into the bathroom and while he was sitting on the shower floor shooting him. A mind can only take so much abuse until it snaps.
Obviously, she did kill him. I wonder though about the neck cut. Either there were two people there or he did that part on his own to put himself out of misery when he realized his wounds were so bad and he was going to die. I think it was a bloody battle moment she shot him in the face in the shower to the bedroom hallway then back to the bathroom with him leading the way which explains her going after him stabbing him in the back. I saw on NGrace where she said JA had bathed TA. No she didn’t bath him, the shower was most likely still on with hot water. This all happened in a min and 38 right? This all happened and the shower was still going. She just put him back in the shower. I just don’t think she was alone. There are still things that do not add up.
I think Travis was shot last, the stabbings first. I think the shot was for Jodi to ensure Travis was dead. I agree there was a struggle, with Travis bleeding but still able to move around.
I think it became a fight or flight situation and Jodi kept stabbing and stabbing and stabbing because Travis wasn’t going down.
I don’t exactly understand the neck wound, but when you’re in a situation like that and the adrenaline is pumping you’d probably do some pretty drastic things to make sure you were no longer at risk.
I too keep feeling as if Jodi wasn’t alone, but I don’t think it was pre-meditated so my thoughts are contradicting themselves…
So is this the only pic they have of Jodi supposedly dragging him?
To my knowledge. Its the only one I’ve seen on Huffington Post and on news channels. I could be wrong though – I try to ignore most coverage concerning this trial since it all seems very biased.
CJ,
Was the prosecution’s claim of her dragging him based only on a photo, or were there drag marks?
If there were drag marks, I would assume the logic of the prosecution would go like this:
Jodi admitted to killing him in self defense-so she was there and is in the photo.
A photo shows her lifting him–although it doesn’t show motion
We are saying she didn’t just lift him, and set him back down.
We are saying she did this for a purpose.
We are saying the reason was to drag him … not just lift him up and set him down
How could she have dragged him back and forth by herself?
I read she shot him in the cheek. That sounds like a panicked reaction, not a calculated murder. If he’s been stabbed, throat slit, you could take time to make it a decent shot. It wasn’t thought out. So, why the rush? Why would you not clean up the crime scene? Why hurry everything and leave behind your own hand print? None of it adds up
Travis borrowed money from Jodi too, he was not financially stable, he had taken out mortgages on his house for much more than it was worth. The house went into foreclosure after he died. Travis had been trying to loose weight and build up his body, especially before his Cancun trip. It is possible he was taking stimulants or steroids and they can alter your personality and make you prone to violence. There is a video on utube that Jodi had put on the internet of one of his talks at a meeting and he was overweight and not in shape in that video. He had a big butt and big legs and his arms were not the 16 1/2 inch biceps he boasted of.
I thought of the steroid angle, too.
I am sure he gave a ton of money to the LDS; they are tithed at 10 percent I believe. Working for an MLM isn’t all that great. He wasn’t making that much money, not as much as the media wanted you to think he was making. After all, he had to have roommates share in the expenses.