An Austin Peay student and eyewitness to the crime also took the stand. The student told the jury he saw a man fire seven to ten shots into the apartment and then eight more rounds when he was inside. Police are confident that man was Wright's newlywed husband and fellow Fort Campbell soldier, Nicholas Durant.
Joshua Day, an Austin Peay State University student, testified he heard the shooting and saw a man he later identified as Durant, firing several shots into the apartment.
"I was at Building 7 . . . there was a party going on and I was in the commons area of the stairs," Day said. "All of a sudden, I heard gunshots . . . a man was standing in front of the door and began to shoot."
Day said he saw the side of the man's face, saw smoke and saw flashes. He said he heard seven to eight shots and then heard three to five muffled shots, and then saw a man running away.
"I waited 15 to 20 minutes and saw no one else," Day said. "I knocked on the door and the frame of the door was busted. I pushed it and asked if everyone was OK. There was no response. I was on the phone with police."
Day said he walked halfway into the living room, saw a door with a hole in it and exited the apartment.
Detective DeMone Chestnut testified police found Wright in the bathtub, in the fetal position with multiple gunshots and an emptied firearm underneath her head.
The gun, a Tek9, was identified as belonging to Durant, who was observed holding the gun on his public Facebook page, Chestnut said. A carrying case matching the gun was found in the stairwell. . . .
Chestnut testified Wright lived in Unit B of the apartment and was found in the bathroom of Unit C. Blood was found in various places.
A woman who witnessed the shooting was not present Wednesday to testify. Chestnut said the woman was in a medical facility because of the trauma of the shooting.
As a former grove employee I asked numerous times to have a security officer at our community and was told no because it cost too much. I asked for half rent off in return for a patrol (security actually walking property from 10pm-4am 7 days a week and was told no that security is up to the residents to make sure they are not being followed to their apartment and if there is an issue they can call police themselves or the after hour phone. Guess what after hour phone is kept by an employee which is a college student and most of the time doesn't answer it because they are partying or asleep. Go figure issues within the groves. The owners are VERY quick to point blame on onsite management when onsite management is scrutinized daily and are told no no no to every idea given to improve the property because it might take away from the funds they need to throw their annual 300k party for management.
March 29, 2012 2:47 PM
