A woman who had an affair with a homicide defendant testified March 2 in front of DC Superior Court Judge Jason Park that she lied to the police in order to conceal her affair.
Christopher Tyler, 48, is charged with first-degree murder while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior conviction greater than a year, first-degree burglary while armed, and attempt to commit robbery while armed. These charges come from his alleged involvement in the shooting of 34-year-old Nolan Edwards on the 4100 block of Ames Street, NE, on July 7, 2023. Edwards sustained four gunshot wounds.
Defense attorneys Kevann Gardner and Elizabeth White continued their cross examination of the woman who was engaging in an extramarital affair with Tyler.
She said she was not aware of the crime, but did spend both the morning and the evening with the defendant on the day of the shooting. She said she did not notice anything in his behavior to indicate that he was involved in that afternoon’s shooting.
The woman said she dropped Tyler off at Edwards’ apartment building, where Tyler also sometimes lived, to pick up some of his belongings.
She remained in the car when he went inside and allegedly shot Edwards. After returning to the car, she said they spent the rest of the day together
The woman confirmed that Tyler was moving with “no urgency” after exiting the apartment building, and that he was “walking like he normally would.”
She also confirmed that Tyler did not change his shirt throughout the day, including between when he entered the building where the shooting occurred and when he exited the building.
Gardner asserted that the woman felt hesitant to give her phone to the police because she had private, personal information on her phones.
She confirmed, while getting emotional, that she would never commit a crime or lie to the police, a grand jury, or a lawyer about a crime for Tyler.
During the prosecution’s redirect, she described how she felt “intimidated and manipulated” by the detective.
The prosecution provided the woman with a document that she identified as a consent to search form, which she claimed she did not see until after the detective confiscated her phone, and when the prosecutor pointed out her signature and the date on the document, indicating that she signed it on the day her phones were confiscated, she said it was “backdated” and that the signature was “not (her) handwriting.”
A month after the shooting, the woman was interviewed by the lead homicide detective when she went to pick up her confiscated belongings. In the interview, she failed to identify Tyler correctly, instead referring to him as “Henry,” and told the detective that she was no longer in a relationship with him, which she later testified was false.
The witness admitted that she was not forthcoming in the interview, not because of “that heinous crime,” but because she realized what she was doing “morally wasn’t right with regard to her husband and Tyler.” She testified that the only thing that she lied about in the interview was Tyler, because she “was scared, (her) dirty laundry was spilling.”
The defense objected to the admission of text messages between the woman involved and the defendant, arguing that many of the messages were not from the day of the incident and were therefore irrelevant. Defense counsel also argued the messages could unfairly prejudice the jury.
However, the prosecution argued that certain messages about money and being “ready to do a move,” sent shortly before the shooting, were relevant to motive and intent.
The judge ruled the messages admissible, finding them relevant and not prejudicial.
Jurors were shown text messages in which the woman referred to the defendant as “Chris” and “Black A**.” In one message she wrote, “I don’t care where the money come from atp.” Other messages reflected concern about her husband discovering the communications.
Additional messages included a statement sent the day before the shooting that read, “I’m ready to do a move.”
The prosecution indicated that they intend to call three more witnesses, two civilians and a medical examiner. The prosecution is slated to rest their case on March 4.
Trial is set to resume March 3.
