A homeless man stabbed a Community Kitchen worker multiple times because he was angry that she had another boyfriend, District Attorney Bill Cox told a Criminal Court jury on Wednesday morning.
The state is seeking a first-degree murder conviction against Edyson Rafael Arias in the trial being conducted by Judge Doug Meyer.
The body of Jennifer Jill Henderson was found at her Soddy-Daisy trailer on April 10 of last year.
Arias pleaded not guilty. His attorney, Cynthia Lecroy-Schimmel, said it was not unusual that his fingerprint was found inside the trailer, saying he had been there on a number of occasions.
District Attorney Cox said Arias came to Chattanooga in January of 2003 and met Ms. Henderson at the Community Kitchen. The prosecutor described her as "a good-hearted, happy, generous person."
He said the two had a relationship. He said he did not know if Arias "genuinely cared for her or if he was just hustling her for his own motives."
District Attorney Cox said Arias became upset "that Jill Henderson had a real boyfriend - Monty Flanigan." He said Arias told a caseworker that she "was going down."
He said on March 8 that Arias had a buddy drive him to the Henderson trailer "to get some money." He said Arias waited on her all night long, then the next morning he "fulfilled his rage. He taught Jill Henderson a lesson. He stabbed her time and time again."
But he said Arias "made some mistakes." He said his fingerprint was found inside the trailer as well as his phone card.
The prosecutor told the jury that Arias took her Isuzu Rodeo and went to New Orleans. He said when he was arrested there a spot of blood was noticed on a cheap watch he was wearing.
District Attorney Cox said, "Guess whose DNA the blood matched - Jill Henderson."
He said police were able to capture Arias at the Superdome in New Orleans after tracking him through a number of calls he made to former girlfriend Kimberly Birdsall, of Vermont. He has a son by her. She began cooperating with police.
Brother Ron Fender, a friar who works with local homeless people, said Arias began staying at the St. Matthew's shelter on Pine Street. He said at first he was "extremely charming," then he turned argumentative and had to be asked to leave.
He said Arias would talk about a girlfriend at the Community Kitchen, referring to her as "the fat b--" or the "blonde b---."
He said Arias said she had started seeing someone else and said, "The fat b---" is coming down."
Monty Flanagan said he dated Ms. Henderson, calling her "very outgoing, happy all the time, always smiling."
He said that Saturday night they went to dinner at Ruby Tuesday's, then spent the night at the Days Inn in Ringgold. He said he asked if she wanted to go home, but she didn't.
He said they left about 7:30 a.m. the morning of Sunday, March 8, and she dropped him off at his house in Rossville before she headed home. Her body was not found until the next day.
Dr. Stanton Kessler, assistant medical examiner, said she had 15 stab wounds. He said most were superficial, but one went very deep into the neck and was the fatal blow.
He said a serrated knife was used as she was stabbed in the head, chest, abdomen and shoulder.
Guillermo Colle said he stayed at homeless shelters here and got to know Arias. He said Arias said of his girlfriend in Spanish the equivalent of "I'm going to unload on her."
He said he drove Arias in his pickup truck to Soddy-Daisy after Arias said he would get some money so they could get a motel room. But he said they did not find her there or downtown. He said he drove Arias back to Soddy-Daisy parking at the rear of New Salem Baptist Church on Dallas Hollow Road - near her trailer. He said he waited a long time on him, and finally police told him to leave.
Ms. Birdsall said Arias called her in Vermont numerous times, asking her to check the Chattanooga papers to see if there was mention of a murder. He said he told her that "Jill is dead." She said it was on Sunday before the body was found on Monday.
She said she called Chattanooga Police and asked if a woman's body had been found. She said County Det. Robert Starnes later called her back. She began cooperating with him.
She said Arias also asked her to find out if Tennessee has the death penalty.
She said she and a friend flew to Chattanooga and drove with the detectives south toward New Orleans. She said Arias at first would not say where he was, warning her repeatedly, "Don't screw me over."
She said she has no regrets about turning him in.