Opening statement: Members of the jury, on March 26, 1993 a sixteen year old girl did not return home from her job, Pine Lake Animal Hospital, in La Porte Indiana. Her shift had finished at 6 PM and she was a very responsible young lady. As hours passed, her family members never received a phone call. Today, the facts and evidence will show that Jason Tibbs is guilty for Rayna Rison’s death. Tibbs and Rison dated when they were in middle school and remained good friends up until March 26, 1993. She was only a sophomore in high school and already had a boyfriend, but Tibbs ignored those factors and wanted to get back with her. Several pieces of evidence will be presented as well witnesses who were present during Rison’s strangulation. A fisherman will speak about what he found, Rickey Hammons who was an inmate at Washbash Valley Correctional Facility is also here because he was a major help towards the investigation, and Eric Freeman who was involved in such tragedy is also here, but will not be charged because he was given immunity from prosecution for his recent testimony. With the proof collected, you will also agree that the innocent 16 year old girl lost her life due to someone who was filled with anger and jealousy, and who should now face the consequences.

Rickey Hammons: At that time, my sister had been going out with Eric Freeman. The body was covered with some type of blanket or cloth, but the face was visible. At that instant I did not know it was Rayna. When I started seeing pictures and hearing stories about her disappearance and death in the newspaper, I was sure that the girl in the trunk was Rayna.

Rickey Hammons: At some point they had opened the trunk where her body was and they began to argue. Freeman kept asking Tibbs why he killed her.

Me: Your honor, in 2008, the police had interviewed Freeman but he refused to talk. After he was promised immunity from prosecution, Freeman told the police that he saw Tibbs kill Rison. Freeman is actually here to testify what happened that night with Tibbs and Rison.

Eric Freeman: Jason and I passed by where she worked around 6 pm because that’s when her shift finished. They had been arguing because he wanted to get back together with her but she had a boyfriend at the time. Then they both got into the car and we drove to Fail Road which was north of the city. Then they got out of the car and they kept arguing. They began hitting each other and then I saw him strangle her. After he strangled her, I helped him throw the body in the pond nearby.

Fisherman: I was just out in the water like the usual and then I see a body in the water. I called the police it was the body they had been looking for. Rayna’s body was found after a month!

Me: An autopsy revealed that the cause of death was “asphyxia due to cervical compression” and the manner of death was homicide, according to what the police had said.

Cross examination: Carmen calls Tibbs to the stand.

Me: You went out with Rayna in middle school, correct?

Tibbs: Yes.

Me: Were you jealous that Rayna already had a boyfriend in high school?

Tibbs: answers

Me: Then why did you keep going after her?

Tibbs: answers

Me: You were with Freeman that evening of March 26, 1993?

Tibbs: Yes.

Me: Why did you pass by her job strictly at 6 PM?

Tibbs: answers

Me: If you needed to talk to her so badly, why couldn’t you just go to her house?

Tibbs: answers

Me: Can you tell me what she was wearing that night when she left work?

Tibbs: answers

Me: Was she wearing a high school letter jacket? (if answered no, show the picture of where the jacket is evident)

Tibbs: answers

Me: Were you guys fighting once she left work and when you guys got to Fall Road?

Tibbs: Yes.

Me: So you admit that you went to Fall Road, north of the city, where there’s a pond?

Tibbs: Yes.

Me: At that moment, when the argument escalated did you or did you not strangle Rayna?

Tibbs: Yes.

Me: So you and Rayna had driven to Fall Road along with Eric Freeman but he was not standing by your side during the time of the argument. You agreed that she was wearing a Letter Jacket and soon after strangled her as the argument escalated? Hm *nods head* I am done questioning your honor.

Evidence:

There also were letters from Tibbs to Rison seized from her bedroom that stated he would "go to almost any extreme" to be her boyfriend again. (ask Maldonado if I can write a random letter but with the exact words Tibbs used “go to almost any extreme”)

Picture of the pond where she was found. The video. PDF file: http://lpcitypd.com/Press%20Releases/Rison%20Homicide.pdf Picture of timeline of events

Closing argument: Rayna will never be able to become a veterinarian as she wished to one day be. Her parent won’t be able to hold her in their arms anymore. Her life came to an end at such a young age and no one will be able to bring her back. As a result of an angered man’s action, Rison is no longer alive and the murderer should face his consequences. I am confident that at the end of the day, there’s one conclusion that you can make, and that is that Jason Tibbs is guilty for Rayna Rison’s death. Thank you for your time and patience.