Day one in the books for State of Texas vs. Routh

By JESSIE HORTON

TheFlashToday.com NEWS & SPORTS – FREE & LOCAL

STEPHENVILLE (February 11, 2015) — Today would have been Chad Littlefield’s 38th birthday. Instead of celebrating with him, his family joined Chris Kyle’s family in the 266th District Courtroom for the State of Texas vs. Eddie Ray Routh, who is charged with the men’s murder.

And the afternoon in court was not for the faint of heart. Erath County District Attorney Alan Nash and Assistant AG Jane Starnes presented evidence, namely photographs taken at the long range at Rough Creek Lodge of Chris Kyle and Chad Littlefield’s bodies, while questioning Rough Creek Lodge staff, EMTs and other first responders.

They weren’t talking about war in the courtroom today, but an onlooker wouldn’t know that by the evidence presented by the prosecution Wednesday. Nash showed more than 30 pictures of blood, bodies, dirt, weapons including handguns and automatic rifles and ammunition.

Those witnesses reported discovering the bodies at approximately 4:40-4:50 p.m. on Saturday, February 2, 2013, and the attempt to save their lives. According to reports, Kyle was face down in the dirt and a pool of blood with a revolver nearby and his cap still on his head, while Littlefield was discovered on his back on the shooting deck, with an arm in the air as if asking for help, finger streaks in the blood near his body. Nash reported both men were shot, with different weapons, in the back several times. Littlefield was shot in the forehead with a 9 mm handgun, and Kyle in his cheek with a .45.

Littlefield’s mother, Judy Littlefield, took the stand following Kyle’s widow, Taya Kyle. Both women described the men as honorable and having experience with guns who enjoyed being out in nature. Both witnesses said the men enjoyed helping veterans. Judy even sited a story about Chris and Chad leaving a family vacation on the Texas Coast to spend the afternoon visiting with a vet in San Antonio.

During cross examination, Warren St. John for the defense asked both women if Chris or Chad would take someone who’d been drinking alcohol shooting. Both said no.

Just before recessing for the day, Nash brought a high school friend of Littlefield’s to the stand. He testified his wife and Chad’s were also friends and when his wife told him how worried she was and that no one could reach Chad, he called his friend’s phone.

“Someone picked up and when I heard a voice I was so relieved I didn’t realize it wasn’t Chad,” Chet Kelley said. “I said something like, ‘Oh God Chad, what’s going on?’ and the voice said, ‘It’s not Chad. It’s Eddie.’ And so I said something about sorry and having the wrong number and hung up.”

Nash and Starnes will continue calling witnesses for their case at 9 a.m. Thursday morning. Road closures will continue throughout the week from 6 a.m. until 6 p.m. each each, with others being closed throughout the evenings and weekends until the trial concludes.

There will be lots of great ways to keep up with the trial locally without fighting the traffic, closed streets and security, including online right here on The Flash, by listening to KWBY or on either of our Facebook or Twitter accounts (FB – Flash || KWBY; Twitter – Flash || KWBY).