CLEVELAND — After closing arguments were held on Friday, a Cleveland jury will now decide the outcome in the murder trial of Tirrell Edwards.
Jury deliberations began Monday as Edwards is accused of murdering his fiancée Amanda Williams last year in Warrensville Heights. Edwards, who took the stand as a witness in the trial, claims that he was acting in self-defense when he fatally shot Williams last October.
“I just shot rapidly. I was scared. She had me so scared with that knife,” Edwards told attorneys on the final day of the trial in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court on Friday.
According to Edwards, he and Williams started dating in 2017 and he moved into her home in 2019. The couple became engaged in 2022 and Edwards described their relationship as “pretty good” before October 9, 2023, when an argument over phone texts boiled over.
Following an argument in which Williams allegedly told him to leave the house, Edwards began the process of removing his items. He said that when he reentered the house, Williams grabbed a kitchen knife and held him in their room -- a claim prosecutors denied.
Edwards claimed he was attempting to deescalate the situation and that he got a hold of Williams' gun on her side of the bed as he was trying to get away from her and the knife. He testified he had only two choices: get stabbed or shoot, although prosecutors argued Williams didn’t know he had the gun and he gave her no warning before opening fire.
“I’m trying to run to get away. That’s when she cut me off and she lunged at me with the knife. I had no other choice,” Edwards testified.
According to the medical examiner, Edwards shot Williams six times, including at least once in the back. Defense attorneys said Edwards called 911 within a minute and the defendant testified he didn’t render aid because he thought she was dead and he didn’t know how to provide aid.
Pressed by prosecutors why he didn’t allow Williams' grown daughter Tyler to see her mom and help her, Edwards got emotional.
“She kept on trying to get over there. I didn’t want her to see her mom like that,” he said.
Previous Coverage of Edwards Trial:
- Day 4 of Tirrell Edwards murder trial: Edwards says he killed Amanda Williams in self-defense; case in hands of jury
- Day 3 of Tirrell Edwards murder trial: Jurors shown footage of suspect's interrogation, cell phone video from night of Amanda Williams' death
- Day 2 of Tirrell Edwards murder trial wraps: Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner takes stand
- Murder of Amanda Williams in Warrensville Heights: Trial begins for suspect Tirrell Edwards