Posted 11:09 pm Friday, August 17, 2012
Send to Kindle
Son of confessed killer takes stand
By Dayna Worchel
dworchel@tylerpaper.com
The 18-year-old son of a man who confessed to shooting and killing his wife’s boyfriend in November 2010 cried on the witness stand Thursday as he testified about how much he loved his father.
dworchel@tylerpaper.com
The 18-year-old son of a man who confessed to shooting and killing his wife’s boyfriend in November 2010 cried on the witness stand Thursday as he testified about how much he loved his father.
Ricky Jay Reynolds, 47, who pleaded guilty to the killing on Tuesday, has opted to have a Smith County jury in the 7th District Court decide his punishment. The jury is expected to decide on a sentence today for Reynolds after prosecutors and defense attorneys finished presenting their cases.
Reynolds pleaded guilty to killing Chad Jones, 39, and faces up to life in prison. Reynolds saw his wife, Ava Reynolds, kissing Jones through a window inside of one of the homes on the property the two owned on County Road 21. Jones, who was staying in the home temporarily until he could find a job, was involved in a sexual relationship with Mrs. Reynolds, according to Mrs. Reynolds’ testimony.
After he confronted the two, Reynolds left and his wife followed him as he returned to their home on the same property, she said. Reynolds then returned to the home where Jones was staying and shot him through the head and killed him, according to the prosecution.
Jesse Reynolds began to cry after defense attorney Brett Harrison, who called the son as a witness, asked the younger Reynolds to describe his father.
“He was a great dad, never violent or aggressive. I wouldn’t ask for another one,” the teenager said as he described the close relationship he had with his father.
The younger Reynolds said he never saw his father point a gun at his mother in August 2010 as Mrs. Reynolds alleged in her testimony Wednesday. Jesse Reynolds told the jury that his father and mother were arguing about Jesse and his father leaving to spend the weekend at a deer lease.
As they argued, Ricky Reynolds held a shotgun and Mrs. Reynolds grabbed the barrel of the gun, which was unloaded, Jesse Reynolds testified. “They argued and mom started slapping Dad; he grabbed her by the arms and told her to calm down,” the son told the jury. Jesse Reynolds, who said he was 16 at the time, testified that the police came to the family’s home, but did not interview him then.
Harrison, who gave his opening statements to the jury on Thursday after he reserved making one on Wednesday, said his client would waive his 5th Amendment right and testify on his own behalf. “Ricky will tell you what happened and why,” he told the jury.
Harrison called numerous friends and relatives of Ricky Reynolds, who all testified the defendant would give anyone “the shirt off of his back.”
After he confronted the two, Reynolds left and his wife followed him as he returned to their home on the same property, she said. Reynolds then returned to the home where Jones was staying and shot him through the head and killed him, according to the prosecution.
Jesse Reynolds began to cry after defense attorney Brett Harrison, who called the son as a witness, asked the younger Reynolds to describe his father.
“He was a great dad, never violent or aggressive. I wouldn’t ask for another one,” the teenager said as he described the close relationship he had with his father.
The younger Reynolds said he never saw his father point a gun at his mother in August 2010 as Mrs. Reynolds alleged in her testimony Wednesday. Jesse Reynolds told the jury that his father and mother were arguing about Jesse and his father leaving to spend the weekend at a deer lease.
As they argued, Ricky Reynolds held a shotgun and Mrs. Reynolds grabbed the barrel of the gun, which was unloaded, Jesse Reynolds testified. “They argued and mom started slapping Dad; he grabbed her by the arms and told her to calm down,” the son told the jury. Jesse Reynolds, who said he was 16 at the time, testified that the police came to the family’s home, but did not interview him then.
Harrison, who gave his opening statements to the jury on Thursday after he reserved making one on Wednesday, said his client would waive his 5th Amendment right and testify on his own behalf. “Ricky will tell you what happened and why,” he told the jury.
Harrison called numerous friends and relatives of Ricky Reynolds, who all testified the defendant would give anyone “the shirt off of his back.”
