Opinion ID: 2543856
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Defendant's activities after the murder

Text: Defendant's friend Robert Leach testified that defendant arrived at his house around 11:30 a.m. or noon on April 19, 1995. Defendant was in good spirits and was better dressed than usual. Defendant asked Leach to help him remove some items from his truck, including a .12-gauge shotgun and a large Sparkletts water bottle containing change and paper money. They counted the money from the bottle, which totaled about $1,200. The two men then had dinner, after which defendant left Leach's house. Defendant left behind the items from his truck, saying he would return the next day. Detective Wisberger testified that, in an interview conducted about 8:45 p.m. on April 19, 1995, defendant mentioned getting a ride to the gas station with Vaughn and thereafter leaving home around 11:00 a.m. to visit his friend Leach. Defendant denied any knowledge of Ernestine Campbell's murder. After the interview, Wisberger saw a full gasoline can in defendant's truck. That same evening between 11:00 and 11:30 p.m., defendant telephoned Leach and said the police had questioned him for two hours about a neighbor who had been killed earlier that day. After telling Leach that he had given the detectives Leach's name, address, and telephone number, defendant asked Leach not to tell the police about the money or the gun that Leach had earlier helped remove from defendant's truck. The next day, Leach took the gun and some of the coins to his friend Christopher Floyd's house and stored the items in Floyd's garage. Leach told Floyd that the gun belonged to defendant. After leaving Floyd's house, Leach encountered defendant on a nearby street. When Leach inquired about the money and the gun, defendant assured Leach they were legit. Several days after the murder, Leach and two female companions exchanged some $780 worth of coins from the Sparkletts water bottle for paper currency. Defendant then picked up the money from Leach and gave him about $100. On April 21, 1995, defendant came to the house of his former girlfriend Michele Leathers to visit their young daughter. According to Leathers, defendant gave his daughter approximately twelve $2 bills; he gave her half sister one or two. Defendant told Leathers that he got the money legally. Leathers recalled that defendant appeared calm during the visit. Defendant's cousin Pamela Baker testified that, on April 22, 1995, defendant attended a family barbeque. Baker was surprised that defendant had bought meat for the barbeque because he usually did not have money, but she did not ask where defendant had gotten the money. Defendant's female friend Peggy Moseley testified that in the latter part of April, defendant took her to a park where he gave her a small bottle of cologne, a watch, a diamond pendant, and three $100 bills. A few days later, defendant gave Moseley five silver dollars and some loose change. Moseley described defendant as being his normal self during this period. On May 2, 1995, the police interviewed Leach, and he told them about concealing the shotgun and the money in the Sparkletts water bottle for defendant. He said that defendant had assured him the property was legit. Leach gave the detectives a bag of dimes and other property belonging to Billy Campbell and his murdered wife Ernestine, and he took the detectives to Floyd's house, where they recovered the shotgun. About 2:30 a.m. on May 3, 1995, defendant appeared at Peggy Moseley's house ranting and raving. According to Moseley, defendant was very emotional and asked her to come outside to talk. She did so while her fiance, Edward Moseley, called the police. Defendant said something had happened. According to Peggy Moseley, defendant was babbling but saying nothing in particular. Peggy Moseley got into defendant's car to talk to him and he started driving. Defendant drove to a hotel and got a room where they spent the night. Throughout the night, defendant repeatedly said he wanted to go away with Moseley. The next morning, he was not as agitated and they spent the day driving around. Defendant did not mention the murder. Detective Wisberger testified that on May 4, 1995, he saw defendant's truck parked across the street from the home of Kenneth Reedus, defendant's cousin. Wisberger and his partner Detective Isaac Aguilar spoke to Reedus. During their conversation, Reedus received a telephone call from defendant. Aguilar spoke to defendant and they agreed to meet at the Baker residence at 8:00 p.m. The detectives waited until 9:15 p.m., but defendant did not arrive. Leach testified that approximately two weeks after the murder, defendant showed him a gold bracelet with diamonds; he would not tell Leach where the bracelet came from.