Yoder Murder Trial Underway

Testimony began Tuesday afternoon in the murder trial of Charles Yoder.

The 53-year-old Yoder is charged with three counts of first degree murder in the May 7, 2013 stabbing death of Ted Debany outside the house they shared with Yoder's sister in Effingham.

In opening statements, Effingham County State's Attorney Bryan Kibler and Public Defender Scott Schmidt took different approaches.

Kibler said the evidence would prove that Yoder took a kitchen knife and stabbed Debany in the abdomen. He said that Debany eventually bled to death.

Schmidt in his opening statement attempted to discredit Elizabeth Walters, Yoder's sister and the person who shared the house with Yoder and Debany. Schmidt suggested to the jury that Walters changed her story several times in statements to authorities after the incident. He also suggested that Debany was heavily intoxicated and at some point during the early morning hours of the 7th "went into a rage" and started striking another man at the scene with a flashlight, and that Yoder tried to intervene on the other man's behalf.

Considerable scientific testimony is expected to be part of the trial, which could take much of the week to complete.

Kibler has indicated he would seek a sentence of natural life in prison if Yoder is found guilty of any of the murder counts.

As an aside, Kibler mentioned in his opening statement that this is the first murder trial in Effingham County since 2000.