After multiple delays, the trial of a former Wisconsin Badgers football player charged with the 2020 murders of two Janesville women got underway in Rock County Tuesday.
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JANESVILLE, Wis. — After multiple delays, the trial of a former Wisconsin Badgers football player charged with the 2020 murders of two Janesville women got underway in Rock County Tuesday.
Police officers responded to the two women suffering from gunshot wounds on the side of the road in the early morning hours of Feb 10, 2020. Both died from their injuries.
After seating a jury, prosecutors and defense attorneys laid out their opening statements for the court Tuesday afternoon. Prosecutors allege Winchester was growing more afraid of Randle El after being involved in drug dealings with him and that he became paranoid she was stealing drugs.
Those factors came to a head on the night of the murders, attorney Gerald Urbik said.
“It’s clear that the cause of death was the firearm that the evidence will show that the defendant had when he brutally executed, basically, Seairaha and Brittany,” he said.
Prosecutors argued Randle El running out of gas in Cook County, Illinois, was what led to his arrest. His defense attorneys, however, argued Randle El turned himself in quickly to clear his name.
“Within hours of the deaths of Ms. Winchester and Ms. McAdory, the social media rumor bill was buzzing (with) people talking about Mr. Randle El as a suspect and that took on a life of its own,” attorney Craig Powell said.
Four other witnesses also took to the stand Tuesday, recalling what they heard from their homes or places of employment. Among them was taxi driver Michelle Edwards-Horton, who called 911 after finding the two girls on along the road. She testified tearfully testified Tuesday in between recordings of her 911 call.
“When I pulled up, Seairaha was laying on her stomach,” she said, ” I asked, ‘Baby is you okay, are you alright, what happened?'”
“I grabbed [Brittany McAdory] and I’m like, ‘I don’t know who you are, but baby,’ I said, ‘You’re okay,’ I said, ‘You ain’t alone,’ I said, ‘There’s two of us out here.’ I said, ‘What happened to your arm? Can you talk to me?’ Bri turned to me, and she opened up her mouth like she wanted to talk and she pointed to the apartments.”
Police officers are expected to testify in the case on Wednesday, and body-worn camera footage is expected to be presented. The trial is scheduled to run for two weeks.
