TYLER (KYTX) - The former Texas College football player accused of killing a transgender woman was found guilty of murder.
The jury came to a verdict at 4:35 p.m. They began deliberations at 2:45 p.m.
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TYLER (KYTX)- The trial of accused murderer Carlton Champion continued Wednesday. Champion is charged with killing transgender woman Ty Underwood in Tyler in January of 2015. Investigators believe the 2 were dating when Champion shot and killed Underwood near Texas College where Champion played football.
The first witness for the state on Wednesday was Dr. Hastings who prepared the autopsy report for this case. Hastings said Underwood had 4 gunshot wounds; one in the left hand, one in the right forearm, one in the left shoulder and the gunshot that killed her was in the back of her right arm and went through her lungs. During his testimony, Dr. Hastings said the shooter had to be at least 3 feet away.
DNA analyst Jennifer Smith also testified for the state. Her findings showed Champion had been in Underwood’s car. The analysis of the passenger seat belt buckle in Underwood's car shows the major DNA contributor was Champion and the DNA on the inside door latch handle on Underwood's car matched Champion as well.
Defense attorney Melvin Thompson asked if the lab got a DNA sample from George Thomas to see if he was a contributor to the DNA in car. Thomas is the other person who the defense says was "luring Underwood to N. Tyler,” but Smith said she was not given a sample of Thomas to test.
The important part of Smith’s testimony is that she has no way of telling when someone's DNA was deposited somewhere. That means Champion’s DNA could have been there for hours or days.
Much of Wednesday’s testimony focused on text messages between Underwood and Champion. Investigator Tarrant with Tyler PD was able to download messages from a messaging app called Kik on Underwood's phone. Much of the conversations focused on pills Champion is asking Underwood to bring to him. In one text, Underwood is coming to see Champion and Champion says "park in the usual place."
There are texts from Champion on the day before the murder where he said "tomorrow I will spend the night." Hours before the murder, Champion said “meet me on 25th” and around 2AM Underwood texts Champion "I'm here.” At 2:06AM, Champion said "I'm leaving now." Investigator Tarrant said those messages “put Champion in the same area at the same time.”
Underwood’s roommate and longtime friend Kendrick Darks also testified on Wednesday. Darks testified that the last time she saw Ty was the night of the murder at their apartment and when the police knocked on her door, she said, "I thought it was a joke. I had just seen Ty."
Darks gave the jury insight about Underwood and Champion’s relationship, saying they met around Christmas of 2014. "This guy made my friend happy. I thought they would work. I didn't think it would end like this,” Darks said.
Ladarius Harris, an inmate who is in the Smith County jail with Champion also testified Wednesday. "I asked him, did you kill Ty? And he said yeah," Harris said. Harris knew Underwood through his brother.
The defense attorney repeatedly asked Harris if he was testifying because the prosecutors had cut him a deal on his case. “I’m not doing this for the state, I’m doing this for justice and for Tyrone’s family because I know Mr. Tyrone,” Harris said.
Testimony resumes Thursday morning with the state expected to rest sometime Thursday.
