Trial begins for Jefferson City teen accused of 2018 murder

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The murder trial against Jahaun Whirley began Tuesday in Cole County.

Whirley, who was 16-years-old at the time, is accused of robbing and shooting Justin Kammerich and Alex Meyers on December 12, 2018. Kammerich died from his injuries. Meyers was shot three times and survived.

Whirley is charged with first-degree murder, first-degree assault, first-degree robbery, first-degree attempted robbery and armed criminal action.

During opening statements, prosecutors say Whirley shot and killed Kammerich in 2018 on W. Atchison Street after finding several pieces of evidence and witness testimony.

They say Whirley shot a handgun 13 times and his DNA was found on the weapon.

"That extended magazine will show 13 spaces where the 13 shells could have come from, those 13 spaces in that extended mag will also show the type of ammo that was found at the scene and other ammo of that type will be found in that weapon. Ultimately the defendant's own DNA will be present upon that extended magazine," says Scott Fox, assistant Cole County prosecuting attorney.

Alex Meyers told police that Whirley was wearing a ski mask with his hood up with his hands in his pockets as he approached him and Kammerich.

Police searched Whirley's home and his identification was in a bag along with several other pieces of evidence.

"Primary gunshot residue was on the defendant's clothes, that the identification of the murder weapon was done, that the defendant DNA was found on a black ski mask also found near the bag where the officers found the other items and the defendant's DNA is on the extended cartridge found on the murder weapon," Fox says.

The defense claims that Whirley wasn't the shooter and on December 12, 2018, Whirley went to school, then worked at Burger King in the evening then came home and played video games.

Defense Attorney Justin Carver says, "This is Jahaun, he didn't rob anybody he didn't shoot anybody."

In opening statements, Carver says that Whirley had gun residue on his hands due to him shooting a gun with his brother in the past.

"Police didn't tell him like how long it stays on a person's hands, would it still be there from when he shot a gun a week, a month previously," Carver said.

The defense says that how DNA transfers will prove Whirley is guilty.

"What we call primary transfer, as in if I touch something right now with my hand. Then there is something called secondary transfer where if I touch something leaving my DNA and that item comes in contact with something else, my DNA would end up on that something else even though I never touched it." Carver said.

Carver told the jury that the serial number of the gun will be very important during the trial and to keep that in the back of their minds.

The prosecution says they have 18 witnesses set to testify.

The trial is expected to last two weeks and resume Wednesday at 9 a.m at the Cole County Courthouse.