ASHLAND — ASHLAND -- Witness testimony continued on the third day of the Shawn Grate murder trial in Ashland, detailing the timeline of events on the day one of the victims was reported missing.
Prosecutor Chris Tunnell introduced surveillance video to identify the timeline of events on the day Stacey Stanley, also known as Stacey Hicks, went missing on Sept. 8, 2016 when she stopped at a BP gas station with a flat tire. The prosecution has identified Stanley as Grate's second victim who was killed after Grate allegedly raped her over the course of multiple days.
Shawn Grate is facing murder charges in a 23-count indictment for the murders of two women, Elizabeth Griffith and Stacey Stanley, and the rape and kidnapping of a third woman identified as Jane Doe.
The prosecution stated Grate had helped Stanley with a flat tire. A former employee at the gas station took the stand on Wednesday morning to testify that he had noticed Stanley with a man helping to fix the flat tire on her vehicle. He noted that Stanley had bought Grate a cup of coffee to show her "gratitude." He said the two had walked out together towards her vehicle.
An asset protection associate at Walmart and the owner of a nail salon also took the stand to describe surveillance video that showed Stanley whereabouts before she stopped at a gas station with a flat tire.
Joanna Smith, identified as a resident on 9th Street, testified that a man had walked out of Stanley's vehicle when it parked in front of her home. She said she now believes it was Grate after viewing a picture of him in the newspaper. The defense team cross-examined the witness, questioning whether Smith could identify Grate simply based on a side profile of his face. Smith held onto to her belief that it was in fact Grate who stepped out of the driver's side of the vehicle.
On Tuesday, photos of the bodies of Griffith and Stanley, covered by piles of trash and clothing, were shown to the jury.
The prosecution ended today with a list of witnesses today related to burglary and breaking and entering charges connected to a local park and flea market.