The defense in the Christian “Kit” Martin triple murder case called witnesses to the stand Monday as they began to present evidence and their version of the events on and around November 18, 2015.
The prosecution rested its case Thursday after six days and 26 witnesses. They claim Martin had a motive to kill Calvin Phillips because he was scheduled to appear as a witness in Martin’s court-martial two weeks before Phillips was killed.
The defense has offered Martin’s ex-wife Joan Harmon as a suspect in the killings of Calvin and Pamela Phillips and their neighbor Ed Dansereau in Pembroke. Calvin Phillips was found shot in his home, while Pamela Phillips and Dansereau were discovered a few miles away in the charred remains of a car.
During questioning by defense attorney Tom Griffiths Monday, Martin’s daughter McKenzie Bennett said she overheard an argument between Martin and Harmon in 2014 at their home in which Martin said he was seeking a divorce from Harmon.
click to download audioBennett, Martin’s daughter from a previous marriage, said Harmon removed Martin’s property from their Pembroke home in the days after the argument and said things were never the same in their relationship from that point forward.
click to download audioBoth the defense and Commonwealth subpoenaed Harmon and her son to testify in the case. Both invoked their Fifth Amendment right against potential self-incrimination and have not taken the stand.
The defense also called a cell phone expert that analyzed data from both Martin’s and Pamela Phillips’ phones on the day of the murders. He testified that Martin’s phone showed him in the area of his step-daughter’s school on the south side of Hopkinsville that afternoon and then headed south toward the Fort Campbell/Clarksville area where she had horse riding lessons.
The expert said Pamela Phillips’ phone began to move east and transmitted from the Elkton cell phone tower during the day.
click to download audioIn their opening argument, the prosecution said Pamela Phillips was heard screaming while on the phone with a friend around 5:30 pm.
The expert said Phillips’ phone did not appear to be near Martin’s phone between 10 am and 6 pm.
click to download audioDuring testimony last week, a state forensic pathologist said Pam Phillips and Ed Dansereau died as a result of multiple gunshot wounds. However, a state firearms expert said they couldn’t match the bullet fragments recovered from the victims to guns owned by Martin.
Testimony will continue Tuesday in Hardin County Circuit Court with Senior Judge John Atkins presiding.
