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Defense Begins Case in Fatal Calif. Arson Trial, Wildfire Claimed Five Firefighters
RIVERSIDE, Calif. (AP) -- The man charged with setting a deadly 2006 wildfire that killed five federal firefighters was at home when the blaze broke out, according to testimony from the man's sister.
Joanna Oyler testified Tuesday that she called her brother, Raymond Oyler, 38, at his Beaumont apartment during the early morning hours of Oct. 26, 2006, and that he answered the phone and talked to her.
The fire was reported about 1:10 a.m. that morning.
Cell phone records shown to the jury by defense attorney Mark McDonald showed calls made by Joanna Oyler to her brother's apartment extended from 11:26 p.m. Oct. 25 through 2:54 the next morning.
Also testifying for the defense Tuesday was Shawn M. Martin Jr., a Shell station clerk who said he was the stocky figure shown in several photos at a Banning station talking to a fuel-truck driver.
The driver, James Carney Jr., had testified earlier that he had talked to Oyler about the fire as both men watched it from the station parking lot.
Oyler has pleaded not guilty to five counts of first-degree murder and using incendiary devices made of wooden matches and cigarettes to set nearly two dozen fires.
Oyler has claimed he was watching his 7-month-old baby at home and then went to a casino when the deadly October fire began. Five members of San Bernardino National Forest Engine 57 were overrun by flames while defending an unoccupied, isolated home in the San Jacinto Mountains about 90 miles east of Los Angeles.
The former auto mechanic faces the death penalty if convicted.
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Information from: The Press-Enterprise, http://www.pe.com
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Joanna Oyler testified Tuesday that she called her brother, Raymond Oyler, 38, at his Beaumont apartment during the early morning hours of Oct. 26, 2006, and that he answered the phone and talked to her.
The fire was reported about 1:10 a.m. that morning.
Cell phone records shown to the jury by defense attorney Mark McDonald showed calls made by Joanna Oyler to her brother's apartment extended from 11:26 p.m. Oct. 25 through 2:54 the next morning.
Also testifying for the defense Tuesday was Shawn M. Martin Jr., a Shell station clerk who said he was the stocky figure shown in several photos at a Banning station talking to a fuel-truck driver.
The driver, James Carney Jr., had testified earlier that he had talked to Oyler about the fire as both men watched it from the station parking lot.
Oyler has pleaded not guilty to five counts of first-degree murder and using incendiary devices made of wooden matches and cigarettes to set nearly two dozen fires.
Oyler has claimed he was watching his 7-month-old baby at home and then went to a casino when the deadly October fire began. Five members of San Bernardino National Forest Engine 57 were overrun by flames while defending an unoccupied, isolated home in the San Jacinto Mountains about 90 miles east of Los Angeles.
The former auto mechanic faces the death penalty if convicted.
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Information from: The Press-Enterprise, http://www.pe.com
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Jason Koontz on
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Let him suffer the same fate the same way as those that died by his actions.
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