UPDATE: 5:16 p.m. – Three witnesses briefly took the stand Tuesday afternoon before Justin Thurber’s murder trial was recessed so jurors could be taken by sheriff’s vehicles to a number of sites investigators believe played key roles in the brutal murder of a popular Arkansas City girl in January 2007.
Jodi Sanderholm was just 19 years old when she disappeared following a routine practice of the Cowley College dance team. A number of her friends have said the 25-year-old defendant stalked them – and seemed particularly interested in members of the dance team – before Sanderholm was kidnapped, raped and strangled.
Thurber could face the death penalty if convicted.
Lori Legleiter said Tuesday afternoon she saw Thurber in a college parking lot as she and Sanderholm were arrived on Jan. 5 2007 for practice. The girls were to meet later that day to help a friend. Legleiter said she called several times when Sanderholm didn’t show up but couldn’t reach her on the phone. Sanderholm’s mother also called looking for her daughter.
Jurors will see the parking lot this afternoon as well as the Cowley State Fishing Lake where Sanderholm’s car was found submerged and the Kaw Life Area where Sanderholm’s body was found. They will also see bathrooms at the lake where clothing and mail was found that belonged to Sanderholm.
Testimony is to resume at 9 a.m. Wednesday.
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UPDATE: 2:21 p.m. – Jurors are being taking by van to points of interest at Cowley College and the Kaw Wildlife Center. Few, if any, of the media organizations will be going along.
The audio feed will not be available during this time. Check back with NewsCow for updates on the afternoon session when available.
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Several friends of Jodi Sanderholm took the witness stand Tuesday morning to describe how the man accused of brutally killing Sanderholm frightened them in the days before Justin Thurber allegedly kidnapped, raped and murdered ?their 19-year-old friend.
Both girls attended Cowley College when Sanderholm did and were members of the same college dance team. One of the two said Thurber left a note and rose on the window of her car while the other said Thurber followed her one night after she got off work at the Sirloin Stockade. Lori Legleiter said she called several people to tell them what was happening and even parked at the police station for a while because she was afraid of Thurber.
Their testimony was presented during the second day of the capital murder case being tried before a jury in?Cowley County District Court in Winfield. At least nine witnesses were called to the stand by Kansas Assistant Attorney General Vic Braden before the luncheon recess. Several were barely on the stand a minute as Braden led jurors through the events involving Thurber on the days before Sanderholm disappeared on Jan. 5, 2007.
Several of the girls who felt Thurber was stalking them asked for police escorts. Lt. Mark McCaslin of the Arkansas City Police Department reviewed the security video from the Subway restaurant where several of Sanderholm’s friends worked.
The video recorded employee Megan Malloy leaving a note on the counter for her supervisor when she closed up on Jan. 2. The video also shows Nicole Hays arriving early on Jan. 3 and answering the back door when?Thurber allegedly knocked and then asked Malloy to drive him home?because his car had broken down.
She told him she had to do inventory and didn’t have time to give him a ride.
The video continued, showing Hays arriving at work on Jan. 4 with a police escort. Sanderholm appeared on a video Jan. 4 picking up a sandwich. That was 24 hours before she was kidnapped. Thurber also worked there until late December when he was fired because other employees didn’t want to work with him.
Bill Nicely, the grandfather of Thurber’s ex-girlfriend, testified he saw Thurber at McDonalds on Jan. 3 and again on Jan. 5 around 10 a.m. Nicely said he and Thurber had "a rocky relationship" that month over his granddaughter.
He did not say what in particular caused the problem but she testified Monday that Thurber became more violent during sex during the weeks before they broke up – even choking her.
Police?Officer Travis Stroud said he stopped Thurber around 11 a.m. on Jan. 5 near?Cowley College for?failing to yield the right of way at a stop sign. That?was approximately one hour before authorities believe Thurber kidnapped Sanderholm?after she finished a dance rehearsal and headed home.
Her family?notified police of her disappearance. An aerial and ground search was conducted?Jan. 6. Her bruised and battered body was found Jan. 9 11 miles from?where her car had been submerged in the Cowley State Fishing Lake. Braden described the girl’s injuries and said ground leaves and debris had been stuffed in her mouth and ears.
He also believes Thurber strangled Sanderholm?would ease up to let her get a breath and then tighten his grip again for between five and 12 minutes.
Defense attorneys have asked few questions of witnesses. Thurber, 25 could receive?the death sentence if convicted. Testimony was to resume Tuesday afternoon.
