Trials & Sentencings - Week of Monday, January 27th thru Friday, January 31st:
Monday, January 27th:
*Sentencing Hearing – (@ am PT) - AZ – Patricia Henson (8 mos.) (Jan. 24, 2019, Tucson, possible puncture wounds from dog) - *Breanna Elaine Henson (30) “mom” arrested & charged (1/24/19) with 1 count of felony child abuse. $25K Bond.
1/24/19 was arrested & charged her with child abuse. Henson appeared before a judge Thursday (1/24/19) night and was then released. Back in court on Feb. 6.
2/6/19 Update: Case Management hearing on 3/22. 3/22/19: Next Pretrial hearing on 6/10. 12/18/19 Update: Henson agreed to a plea deal on Wednesday, Dec. 18. Henson pleaded guilty to a felony charge of endangerment & to an undesignated class six felony. She will be sentenced on Jan. 27.
*Trial continues (Day 5) (@9am ET) – FL –
Voncile Smith (77),
Richard Thomas Smith (49) &
John William Smith (47) (July 28, 2015, Pensacola) - *Donald Wayne Hartung, Sr. (63 in 2015; now 69) arrested & charged (10/27/15) with 3 counts of premeditated 1st degree murder. Plead not guilty. Held without bond. DA will seek DP.
All three bodies were found beaten with claw hammers. All three had their throats slit, & Richard Smith was found with a gunshot wound to the head. Authorities have evidence that led them to believe witchcraft was somehow involved in their deaths, saying it was a ritualistic act. Investigators noted that their murders occurred on the night of a blue moon, which is heavily referenced in witchcraft lore. Motive-DA says – money.
Trial began on 1/13/20 with Jury selection thru 1/17/20 when jury is completed. Trial began on 1/21/20.
1/21/20 Day 1: Opening statements. State witnesses: Special Agent Andrew Smith (with FDLE). Hal McCord (Dept of Homeland Security). Daryl Singleton (Former Officer). Christine Rollins (Former crime scene tech). Trial continues on 1/22.
1/22/20 Day 2: State witnesses: Christine Rollins (Former Crime Scene Tech). Lindsay Eliopulo. Sgt. Rusty Bjorensen. Lawrence Masita (Crime Scene Unit). Rachel Smith (Latent Print Examiner). Tammy Dunkin (DHS). Kevin Pallamino (FPS Employee). George Jacobi (DHS). Brandon Garrison (Walmart Employee). Diva Holland. Daid Flatt (Friend of John's). Trial continues on 1/23.
1/23/20 Day 3: State witnesses: Jurors watched Hartung's police interview this morning. The first video is about 1.5 hours. This interview was conducted on the day the bodies were found on July 31, 2015. Special Agent Matt Infinger (with FDLE; did 1st interview w/defendant). 2nd interview on Aug. 1, 2015 shown to jurors. Special Agent Christopher Williams. Brad Gordon. Trial continues on 1/24.
1/24/20 Day 4: State witnesses: Marlin Purifoy (jailhouse informant). Recalled Special Agent Matt Infinger. Jessica Bohon (Probate). Wayne Right. Seaborn Rodenbury, Jr, (Attorney). Mark Bailey (Defendant's Co-worker). Donald Hartung. Jr. (defendant's son). Trial continues on 1/27 when the State will rest their case.
*Trial continues (Day 5) (@ 8:30am CT) - TX – Christian Welborn (2 mos.) (Dec. 21, 2018, Samson Park, Fort Worth; beaten by father) - *Joseph Matthew Welborn (26) arrested & charged (12/21/18) with capital murder. Plead not guilty. No bond.
Christian had 2 complex skull fractures & maybe a 3rd. 3 other children in state custody (boys 7, 6 & 2); 4 yr old did not live there. Tried to blame the 4 year old.
Trial began on 1/21/20.
1/21/20 Day 1: No info available. Trial continues on 1/22.
1/22/20 Day 2: No info available. Trial continues on 1/23.
1/23/20 Day 3: No info available. Trial continues on 1/24.
1/24/20 Day 4: No info available. Trial continues on 1/27.
*Trial continues (murder charges) (Day 9) (@ 9am MT) - CO -
Makayla Victoria Roberts (10) &
Hannah Elizabeth Rosaline Marshall (8) (June, 2017, Norwood; found Sept. 8, 2017) –
for *Madani "Ama" Ceus (37) (from Haiti) charged with 2 counts of 1st degree murder, criminally negligent homicide & 2 counts felony child abuse causing death, no bond. Plead not guilty.
Trial began on 1/13/20. Trial moved from San Miguel County to Gunnison County & will run to 2/7/20. 9 women & 5 men ranging in age from 20s to 60s or 70s with 2 alternates.
Trial info from 1/13/20 (Day 1) thru 1/17/20 (Day 4) reference post #253 here:
CO - Makayla Roberts, 10, & Hannah Marshall, 8, slain, Norwood, June 2017 *Arrests*
7/26/19 Update: Next re child Pretrial conference hearing on 3/13/20. Termination of Parental Rights hearing on 4/28 thru 5/1/20.
1/21/20 Day 5: State witnesses: River Young (Alec Blair’s friend). San Juan County Sheriff’s Office investigator Dan Covault. Trial continues on 1/22.
1/22/20 Day 6: No info available. Trial continues on 1/23.
1/23/20 Day 7: State witnesses: Hannah Joy Sutherland (Daughter of Eden). Laura Tanner, Pastor befriended group in Princeton, Ill. Peggy Murphy of Whitewater, CO. testified about her chance encounter with the group in Westwater, CO. No other info available. Trial continues on 1/24.
1/24/20 Day 8: State witnesses: DNA analyst Cynthia Kramer of the Colorado Bureau of Investigation. San Juan County Sheriff’s Office Inspector Dan Covault, who conducted the investigation. No other info available. Trial continues on 1/27.
*Ika Eden – Found incompetent to stand trial. Next Status hearing on 3/13/20.
*Ashford Nathaniel Archer aka Nathan Yah aka Nathanyah Nitchitu (50) – found guilty & sentenced to 24 years in prison.
*Nashika Leonie Bramble (36) – Jury verdict guilty of 2 counts of 1st degree murder. Sentenced to two consecutive life in prison without parole.
*Frederick "Alec" A. Blair – Plead guilty. Sentenced to 12 years in prison.
Tuesday, January 28th:
*Sentencing Hearing (@ 9am MT) - CO – Kelsey Berreth (29) (last seen Nov. 22, 2018, Woodland Park; phone pinged 800 miles away in Gooding, Idaho on 11/25/18 @ 5:13pm, reported missing Dec. 2, 2018; not found) –
for *Krystal Jean Lee (Kenney) (32) charged (2/4/19) with tampering with physical evidence.
Court info from 2/19/19 thru 6/24/19 reference post #65 here:
GUILTY - CO - Kelsey Berreth, 29, Woodland Park, Teller County, 22 Nov 2018 - *Arrest* #70
12/2/19 Update: Judge Scott Sells ordered a pre-sentencing investigation (PSI), & Kenney will report to that today. He says it usually takes them about eight weeks to complete their report. Kenney will be sentenced Jan. 28 @ 9am. Prosecutors say she faces up to 3 years for evidence tampering. Defense attorney asked for at least two hours to call witnesses & show a video. Defense attorney Nielsen also says she’ll plan a legal challenge toward the “aggravated” part of the evidence tampering charge, aiming to keep Kenney out of prison for the maximum 3-year sentence. Nielsen has two weeks to file that motion. Prosecutors will have two weeks after that to respond.
*Patrick Michael Frazee –Trial: GUILTY on all counts. Sentenced to life without the possibility of parole plus 156 years, plus 5 years with parole for solicitation. Child: Termination of Parental Rights Hearing on 1/31/20.
Wednesday, January 29th:
*Sentencing Hearing (@ 1:30pm ET) – OH – Shannon Elizabeth Graves (28) (missing Feb. 2017, Youngstown; found in freezer July, 2017) –
for *Katrina L. Layton (34/now 36) charged with aggravated felony murder, felony murder, 3 counts of tampering with evidence (F3), obstructing justice (F3) & abuse of corpse (F5) & had 2/9/18 pretrial hearing &
plead guilty in deal to abuse of corpse & obstruction of justice; will get probation as long as she cooperates & testifies against Novoa at trial. She is out of jail (3/28/18) on a $20K bond own recognizance. Judge sets bond (1/3/20) at $20K Cash bond. Back in jail (1/6/20).
Court information from 4/24/18 thru 12/12/19 reference post #218 here:
OH - Shannon Graves, 28, found in freezer, Youngstown, Feb 2017
1/3/20 Update: On 12/12/19 prosecutors argued Layton violated the conditions of her bond by talking to her co defendant & boyfriend, Novoa, even though she was ordered not to. Judge Anthony Donofrio set her bond at $20,000 cash & she must turn herself in until it is posted. 1/6/20: Layton gave herself up on Monday; Judge Anthony Donofrio ordered Layton be jailed until she can post a $20,000 dollar bond. Motions hearings on 1/9 & 1/10/20. 1/9/20: Motion hearing continues on 1/10/20.
1/10/20 Update: Defendant plead guilty to all charges. Sentencing on 1/29/20.
*Andrew A. Herrmann (27) – Next Plea hearing on 2/27/20.
*Michelle Lee Ihlenfeld (27) – 1/17/20: Plead guilty. Sentencing on 2/25/20.
*Arturo Novoa (31) – Plead guilty. 6/14/19: Sentenced to 48 years to life in prison.
Thursday, January 30th:
*Sentencing Hearing (Murder charge) (@ 9:30am PT) – NV – Daniel Theriot (3) (Sept. 2, 2018, Las Vegas, found Sept. 3, 2018) –
for *Cassie Renee Smith (20) “mom” arrested (9/3/18) & charged (9/5/18) with 2nd degree murder & 1 count of child abuse or neglect (2 yr. bro). $100K bond.
Both confessed to hiding Daniel’s body. 2 year old removed from home.
Court hearing from 9/4/18 thru 9/6/19 reference post #294 here:
GUILTY - NV - Daniel Theriot, 3, Sunset Park, Las Vegas, 2 Sep 2018 *ARRESTS*
9/19/19: Smith: Abuse charge on 11/20, murder charge bound over for trial. Next Arraignment hearing for murder charges on 11/13. 11/13/19: Smith: Murder: Media’s request for cameras-granted. Arraignment hearing continued on 12/3.
11/20/19 Update: Abuse charge: continued for status check on dismissal per negotiations on 12/20. 11/26/19 Update: Murder: Guilty plea entered. Sentencing on 1/30/20.
12/20/19 Update: Abuse charge: Abuse charges were dismissed.
*Joshua Lee Oxford (40) BF - plead guilty to 2nd degree murder & child abuse or neglect. 11/13/19: Sentenced to 16 to 45 years in prison.
