Damon Bethea Day Two

In Georgetown, Del. Damon Bethea appeared for day two of his trial. Bethea is charged with a double homicide and home invasion from 2014.  

According to the state of Delaware Bethea was part of a massive organized crime ring that specialized in targeting drug dealers and performing home invasions.

William Hopkins  and Cletis Nelson were murdered in a home invasion in January of 2014. Tuesday afternoon two people close to Nelson took the stand in the trial against one of the accused trigger men Damon Bethea.    

The first was Ed Cannon, Nelson's good friend.    

Cannon who is currently serving time on unrelated charges took the stand and when he was asked his first question politely said that he would not be providing any testimony out of his own safety and would not answer any questions.   

Cannon didn't budge so the judge called for the jury to leave.    

She informed Cannon that he would need a legal reason to invoke his fifth amendment right.Cannon pleaded saying he would be assaulted when he returned to prison.    

The judge ordered Cannon to talk or be held in contempt, he complied.   

During his testimony he told of how it was his trailer that Nelson lived in with him. He knew Nelson dealt heroin and knew Nelson's girlfriend Rachel Rentoul used the drug.   

Cannon said the night they were murdered he walked into the house and as he was turning on the lights he stepped on a shell casing.   

He recalled the smell of gun smoke and then the sight of his friend and Hopkins shot up.  

A sight that he says sent him backing out of the house and into tears.  

Rentoul's testimony was not as emotional. 

Unlike Cannon she is serving time for her role in the home invasion and is working with the state in hopes of a reduced sentence. 

She told the court the night of the murders she met the suspects at a hotel party.  

The only one she knew by name Steven Kellam.

She explained at the party she called Nelson to order heroin. The suspects overheard and shortly after she began conspiring with them to rob him. 

Rentoul said one of the suspects Shamir Stratton had a vendetta against Hopkins because of a previous assault.

She claims never in a million years did she think anyone would be murdered because guns were never discussed.