Chance Loftis
Travis Hayes Jenkins told a Criminal Court jury on Wednesday that it was Chance Loftis who attacked a man in a boat on April 24, 2012, and killed his little dog, Braxton.
Jenkins said Loftis became irate when 46-year-old Don Rogers was so drunk he could not find his campsite and he got the small fishing boat stuck on a log.
Both Jenkins and Loftis are charged with murder and aggravated cruelty to animals, but only Loftis is on trial in the courtroom of Judge Don Poole.
Mary Sullivan Moore, attorney for Loftis, told the jury that Rogers was extremely drunk and driving the boat wildly on water near Birchwood. "He would not let them out," she said.
She said Rogers pulled a knife at the start of a fight in the boat. She said he was still alive when Jenkins and Loftis left the boat.
The attorney said a medical examiner's report showed the cause of his death to be a blow under his neck. She said that could have happened if he tried to stand up in the boat to urinate and drunkenly fell on the side of the boat. She noted that his pants were loose and unzipped when he was found.
Prosecutor Jason Demastus said that Loftis went through the victim's pockets after hitting him about the face multiple times with his fists.
Jenkins said he only met Loftis a few weeks prior to the incident. He said he came to live with him on Greendale Drive just down from where Rogers sometimes stayed with his mother and step-father. He said he met Loftis because he was friends with Jennifer Bales who knew a Jenkins acquaintance, Crystal Wilson.
Jenkins said on the day prior to the incident there was an uproar at his home when his girlfriend and mother got into a fight and the girlfriend was arrested. He said Rogers had often invited him to spend time with him on the river so he decided to take the opportunity to do so to get away from the family turmoil.
He said Rogers sent him a text saying it was okay for Loftis to come along.
Jenkins said they got at least two cases of beers with 24 per case and had Ms. Bales drive them to a meeting spot with Rogers.
Jenkins said Rogers was high when they arrived at his boat. He said he had pills on the boat and he offered a joint of marijuana that they all smoked. He said Rogers seemed excited to show them points on the river.
The witness said Rogers collected Indian relics and he wanted to learn how he found them.
He said it was "a beautiful day" and they enjoyed cruising the river, but he said it got dark and Rogers was having trouble finding the campsite. He said Loftis became disgruntled after the boat hit a stump and it "freaked everybody out."
After the boat got lodged on the tree and the motor stopped, Loftis screamed at Rogers, it was testified. Jenkins said he was in the middle of the boat. "I was trying to keep everybody calm."
He said when Rogers got a knife that he had previously displayed to them that Loftis "bolted toward him."
He said Loftis hit Rogers in the face 4-5 times, then got the knife away from him. He said Loftis handed him the knife and he threw it in the river, cutting himself in the process.
Jenkins said Loftis resumed hitting the boat operator until he was no longer resisting. He said he told Loftis, "Hey, stop. It's over."
Jenkins said he grabbed Rogers, who was hanging over the boat. He said he was "making a mumbling, snoring sound. He was not really responsive, but he was breathing."
Jenkins told the jury, "I thought he was OK. I just thought he had his a-- whupped."
He said it was then that Loftis went through Rogers' pockets.
The witness said he was looking the other way when he heard a cry from Loftis and a "pow." He said he turned and saw that Loftis had hit the Yorkshire terrier with the boat paddle.
He said, "The dog was not moving. He grabbed it by its hair and threw it in the river. That was the end of the dog."
Jenkins said they then took turns paddling until they got to shore.
Charles Bellamy, step-father of Rogers, told of taking him and his boat to Grasshopper Slough in Meigs County on the day before he died. He said he watched as Rogers drove off in the boat toward the Tennessee River.
He said Rogers would sometimes stay out on the river for a month at a time, moving from campsite to campsite.
He said Rogers did not drink in front of them, but he could sometimes smell it on him and his speech would be slurred.
He said he and Braxton "were inseparable" and he would always take him on the river jaunts.
Judge Poole did not allow testimony that Rogers had picked up some 46 arrests and several orders of protection had been taken against him for pulling knives on young people.
Loftis was 24 and Jenkins 28 at the time of the incident.
Travis Jenkins