Thursday is day four in the Greene County double murder trial of Jordan Allen.
During a third interview with investigators on Wednesday, Allen admitted to being responsible for the deaths of his grandmother and brother.
The admission was heard on an audio interview between Allen, Gerald Ray and Blake Ketron of the TBI and Jeff Davis with the Greene County Sheriff’s Department.
The interview, the third of the day played in open court, was conducted after investigators were notified of a hammer being found in Jordan Allen’s bedroom.
While the sometimes inaudible audio was being played, jurors had been given a transcript to read along. Judge John F. Dugger, Jr. notified jurors the transcript itself was not evidence, but only to be used for the purpose of giving clarity to the audio being heard. A copy of transcripts for the last two interviews was also given to the defense team after Public Defender Todd Estep had entered into the record prior to the first interview this was the first time he was seeing the transcript.
The audio only interviews were played as the state presented evidence. The defense began cross exam of Agent Ray around 1:45 pm.
Earlier in the afternoon, screen caps from Jordan Allen in an area convenience market on the date of the deaths showed the defendant apparently wearing the boots which both the state and defense have debated ownership, either Allen or his grandfather Bill Cole.
Speaking of Bill Cole, he took the witness later in the afternoon following TBI Agent Ray. Cole began testimony with the state identifying photos of the victims in happier times, responding that’s “Little Jesse” as the photo of his grandson appeared and “she was my sweetie” after the Sherry Cole photo was shown.
Bill Cole would later testify “I didn’t do it. Why would I? I had nothing to gain. I still don’t got nothing to gain. I sit in that little old house. I lost my whole family. No, I didn’t do it.”
Cole had said earlier he still lives in the same home to this day, where he and his wife had lived for several years.
Jesse and Jordan Allen had been living with the Cole’s, their grandparents, for about three years prior to the murders.
Testimony will continue Thursday. The defense apparently still plans to call a “false confession expert” to the stand no doubt as a means of helping offset the recorded confession.
