Trial got underway Monday morning in the Christian Circuit Courtroom of Judge John Atkins in the murder case against Terrence Stepp, the man accused in the 2018 murder of Tamara Dragoo.
Stepp is represented by defense attorney Michael Thompson, who entered their final not-guilty plea before proceedings began that morning, and Judge Atkins read the indictment against Stepp aloud to the potential jury members.
After seating a jury, Commonwealth’s Attorney Stephanie Bolen and Thompson followed with opening comments in the afternoon.
Bolen shared with the jury photos of the crime scene and how Dragoo’s body was found as well as the presence of the Stepp’s DNA at the scene which was found under Dragoo’s fingernails and on a cup in the motel room she was found in.
Thompson says there is not enough evidence to prove that Stepp is guilty of murder only that he gave Dragoo drugs and had sex with her. He also claims that his DNA wasn’t the only one found under her nails.
After opening statements concluded, Forensic Pathologist, Christopher Kiefer was brought to the stand as the first witness. Kiefer was responsible for conducting an autopsy and medical examination on Dragoo’s body.
Bolen questioned Kiefer about the primary cause of Dragoo’s death to which he says was asphyxiation due to compression of the neck.
Along with asphyxiation, Kiefer says Dragoo suffered from blunt force trauma and had meth and cocaine in her system. Bolen further asked about bruising on Dragoo’s body and what it could indicate.
Further concerning Dragoo’s injuries, Thompson questioned if Dragoo had any prior health conditions that could have caused asphyxiation, but Kiefer specified again that there was evidence that pointed to physical compression of the neck resulting in asphyxia.
Judge Atkins says a week has been set aside for the trial to take place, but it is possible it will not take that long.
Story by Hannah Hageman and Dionte Berry