Graphic Testimony Sparks Outburst Outside Turner Trial

INDIANAPOLIS -- Graphic testimony sparked an outburst of emotion from family members outside court Friday during the trial of Desmond Turner, 31, accused of killing seven people in an east side home in 2006.

Some family members had to leave the courtroom Friday afternoon during testimony from Dr. Stephen Radentz, who performed the autopsies on the seven victims, 6News' Derrik Thomas reported.

Uncut: Trial Updates

Radentz described, in detail, the injures each of the four adults and three children suffered in the slayings.

He said Alberto Covarrubias Sr. sustained four gunshot wounds, including one to the head.

Radentz said Magno Albarran was shot five times, a handgun touching his temple when it was fired. Albarran also had a defensive wound on his wrist, likely from throwing up his hand to protect himself, he said.

Several family members left the courtroom during the testimony, crying in Spanish in the hallway.

As painful as Friday's testimony was, Marion County Prosecutor Carl Brizzi said it could have been much worse.

"If this were a jury trial, we would go through and explain, in great detail, the number of gunshot wounds, which wounds actually caused the death, that sort of thing," he said. "I expect the testimony, hopefully, will be much quicker today because Judge (Robert) Altice is very familiar with Dr. Radentz and how autopsies are performed."

Earlier Friday morning, four members of a family who lived across the street from 560 N. Hamilton Ave., where the slaying happened, testified about what happened that night.

Frank Dodson, 53, testified that he heard other people in the neighborhood discuss "something about to go down at the house where the Mexicans live."

Dodson said he dismissed the talk, but that it all changed when he heard one of the residents scream, "Oh no, not my baby."

Shortly thereafter, Dodson testified that he heard 15 to 20 gunshots. Dodson's wife, Fay, told essentially the same story, along with daughter, Frankie, 23, who said she's haunted by the fact that she didn't call police before the shootings.

"I think they're incredibly credible witnesses. They don't have any reason to fabricate any of their testimony," Brizzi said. "I think they're genuine."

Brizzi said prosecutors could wrap up their case by Tuesday or Wednesday.

The trial was expected to last about two weeks.

Editor's Note: In Thursday's story, a video may have implied that a person seen briefly near the beginning of the clip was Brandon Griffith, a prosecution witness in the trial. TheIndyChannel.com regrets that inference.