The defense has now rested its case in the Pembroke triple-murder trial against Christian “Kit” Martin, following testimony from Martin himself Tuesday afternoon.
The testimony began with Martin denying any involvement in the killings of Calvin and Pam Phillips and Ed Dansereau.
The issue of a phone alarm being set for 1 a.m. on the night the murders occurred was addressed by Martin during the testimony—he says he had a brand new kerosene heater that he didn’t know well, and wanted to be sure it was functioning properly during the night.
Multiple guns were taken into police custody throughout the investigation into the murders, many of them belonging to Martin, and when prosecutor Barbara Whaley pushed that any of the three .22 firearms could have been the guns that fired the bullets that killed the three neighbors, Martin says they weren’t.
Martin was questioned extensively about his relationships with his prior wives, both his first wife and Joan Harmon, and his relationships with his neighbors. When the prosecution accused him of trying to discredit Calvin Phillips’ testimony during a court martial proceeding against him, Martin denied that, saying he needed that testimony for his own defense.
He also rebuffed a prior witness that stated they saw Martin in the field where the burned out vehicle containing the bodies of Pamela Phillips and Ed Dansereau would be found, the Saturday before the murders occurred, saying he doesn’t know who they saw but it wasn’t him.
Other witnesses included ballistics specialist Eric Warren, Kentucky Department for Public Advocacy Investigator Ross Littlepage and Christian County Sheriff’s Deputy Eddie Frye.
With the defense resting its case, the jury will receive their instructions when they return to the court room Wednesday morning, and then will hear closing statements from both the defense and the prosecution.