KJCT8.com - Grand Junction, Montrose - Weather, News, Sports | Witnesses paint scene on day 2 of Helmick trial

Witnesses paint scene on day 2 of Helmick trial

DON COLEMAN
DCOLEMAN@KJCT8.COM

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KJCT) -- Prosecutors continued to paint the crime scene for the jury Thursday in the murder trail of Miriam Helmick. Helmick sat quietly for most of the day listening to law enforcement testimony.

Prosecutors took the jurors on a tour of the crime scene. They took them step-by-step through the Whitewater home in the moments after the shooting in June of 2008.

Two deputies, a sheriff's office detective , and a CBI investigator took the stand, giving their various accounts of interaction with helmick and the crime scene.

Prosecutors admitted over 200 pieces of evidence, including clothing Alan Helmick was wearing the day of the his death.

But soon the focus shifted to the mood and demeanor of Miriam Helmick at the crime scene.

Investigators testified Miriam seemed very calm despite the circumstances.

 "Typically when I deal with people who've lost family members, which I have to deal with quite a bit in this job, that's not the reaction you get," said Mesa County Sheriff's Deputy Josh Quigley. "And quite frankly, that's more of a detailed account than what I can remember of my day yesterday."

The defense council heard Quigley's remarks to questions by the prosecution and came back on the offense. They prodded at Quigley's experience.

"And have you dealt with a wife of a husband that was killed on every homicide," asked Defense Attorney Steve Colvin.

"No sir," responded Quigley.

"Okay. So you have limited experience dealing with wives whose husbands have been killed and the wife has had performed CPR on them," asked Colvin. 

After being cross examined by the defense, Quigley admitted he's been on three homicide cases in his time with the sheriff's office.

The prosecution is expected to take several weeks to lay out the case against Miriam.

They're also expected to call several hundred witnesses.