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The murder trial of Larry Whaley continues in Cerro Gordo County, Iowa. Whaley is accused of shooting 19-year-old Samantha Teeter on December 2, 2016. Authorities say Teeter was shot in the head in the hallway of an apartment building, dying two days later. Whaley is charged with second-degree murder. Court is expected to resume at 10:00 am ET/9:00 am CT.
Police say they found a bullet hole in the wall across from Whaley’s apartment, and a revolver with three used rounds and two live rounds under Whaley’s couch. When officers first responded to the scene, they found Whaley talking to himself, saying what sounded like, “They were trying to break in,” police papers said.
Deb Ewing was with Whaley in his apartment the day of the shooting, and she took the stand on Tuesday. She said that at the time, she was afraid she was being stalked by Jason Bendickson, with whom she had a prior relationship. Ewing said that the day before the shooting, Whaley had rented a hotel room for the two of them. She believed that he did this to try and protect her.
“He wanted to go to the hotel because he didn’t want to kill anybody tonight … that’s his words.”
Instead of going to the hotel that night, they stayed in Whaley’s apartment, with Ewing on the couch. She recalled being awoken by Whaley, who then fired repeatedly at the door.
Teeter’s boyfriend, Kalab Van Scyoc, also testified. He said that he and Teeter had been at Whaley’s apartment the night before the shooting, and had returned in the morning. Van Scyoc said Teeter knocked on the door, but no one answered. She then tried to enter using a key, but the door barely moved because knives had been stuck into the doorjamb. He then noticed a hole in the door, before turning and seeing that Teeter had been shot.
Van Scyoc then called 911 and moved Teeter to the first floor. Responding officers testified that they found the couple inside, with Teeter on the floor, struggling to breathe.
After Teeter was taken away, police went to Whaley’s apartment, where Whaley showed them where he had left his gun.
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