On the second day of a 2016 murder trial, the decedent’s 13-year-ol daughter testified that she was sure Hairston killed her mother.

The daughter, who was 11 at the time, told the jury that she was 100 percent certain that she saw Donald Hairston  pass in front of her door after allegedly killing her mother. The daughter is the only eyewitness in the case.

Hairston, 51, is charged with first-degree murder for the alleged shooting death of Stephanie Goodloe on June 18, 2016, at her home located on the 700 block of Kentucky Avenue, SE. Apparently, a motive for the killing was the fact that Hairston couldn’t control Goodloe, according to the prosecution.

During her testimony, the daughter, who was asleep in the bedroom next to her mother’s, told the jury that she was wakened by shooting noises and her mother’s screams. She said that while she lay in her bed, peaking out from the covers, she saw Hairston pass-by.  “I was scared,” she said.

The girl said she believed she didn’t move for about 10 minutes because she was afraid Hairston was going to come back and kill her.

She said she recognized Hairston even though he was wearing a hoodie. She said she could see the left side of his face and noticed Hairston’s tall and wide build. She also told the jury that Hairston stopped in front of her bedroom door.

“I closed my eyes because I thought I was dreaming and when I opened them he was gone,” the daughter told an aide who works with children involved in traumatic events. According to the daughter, the shooter did not use the front door because she did not hear it open or close. The house contained three doors: a front door, back door and basement door.

However, the defense poked holes in the daughter’s testimony, questioning whether she actually saw Hairston pass in front of her door, referencing the 911 call when the daughter said, “I think it might have been my stepfather. I didn’t see anything.”

The defense also questioned the daughter’s testimony since she told the jury the murderer was wearing a gray sweatshirt and pants, but later said she didn’t actually see if he was wearing sweat pants or shorts. The defense pointed out that the daughter was most accustomed to seeing Hairston in sweat pants.

Defense attorney Lauren Johnson questioned whether the daughter was trying to make Hairston seem guilty because he moved on to caring for another family and another little girl. The daughter acknowledged that she felt jealous Hairston wasn’t paying her as much attention as he did before he started dating another woman who had a little girl.

Hairston was Abusive

According to the daughter, towards the end of Hairston and her mother’s relationship they began to argue a lot. The daughter said Hairston would threaten her mother. She also said she was sent to her room sometimes when they began arguing, but at other times left the house with her aunt.

In addition to the daughter’s testimony, a longtime friend of Goodloe testified  that Hairston  was physically and emotionally abusive in the months leading up to Goodloe’s death.

According to the witness, Goodloe kicked Hairston, who was 49 at the time, out of her home after the two broke up because Hairston was dating other women. Hairston stalked and harassed Goodloe, the friend said.

Johnson cited an occasion where Hairston showed up at Goodloe’s work,  asking why she hadn’t answered his calls. When Goodloe explained she couldn’t answer her phone on the job, Hairston allegedly pushed her to the ground and spit in her face.

Then, about a month before the murder, Johnson said Goodloe called her after Hairston showed up at her home and asked “where the f*** have you been.” He allegedly banged on her door for several hours. The following morning, Goodloe’s tires had been slashed.

Goodloe filed a restraining order against Hairston after the incident.

Johnson is expected to be cross-examined by the defense on April 25.

Owen Meech contributed to this article

A 2016 murder trial recently began with the prosecution’s admission that forensic evidence would not be provided.

Donald Hairstonis charged with first-degree murder while armed for allegedly shooting his ex-girlfriend, Stephanie Goodloe, while she slept in her bed at her home located on the 700 block of Kentucky Avenue, SE.

The prosecution said that even though they believed they had a strong case against Hairston, who was 49 at the time, they were not going to be able to provide finger prints, bullet shell casings, cellular location tracking or DNA evidence.

Instead, the prosecution opened April 23 with the victim’s 11-year-old daughter’s 911 call. The daughter told the operator, in a frantic voice, that she believed the man who shot her mother was her stepdad.

The daughter said she heard her mother screaming and loud bangs. She said she saw a man wearing a hoodie, who she believed was her stepfather, walk out of her mother’s room , passing her’s as he exited the house.

The prosecution is expected to present around 40 witnesses, including experts, Metropolitan Police Department employees, and Goodloe’s family and friends. The prosecution said they will also present recordings, text messages, emails and phone calls made by Hairston to show guilt.

Apparently, Hairston had been harassing Goodloe, 40, and her child after the two parted ways. Goodloe filed a restraining order against Hairston days before the shooting because he allegedly slashed her tires and stole her keys.

According to the prosecution, one of the motives was that Hairston wished ill-will on Goodloe because he couldn’t control her.

“All she wanted was freedom,” the prosecution told the jury.

During the defense’s opening statement, attorney Lauren Johnson pointed out that the daughter couldn’t be sure it was her stepfather who shot her mother.

“The government has it wrong,” Johnson told the jury.

The defense pointed toward the absurdity of Hairston killing Goodloe feet away from her daughter, who he also claimed as his own. Hairston had been in the girl’s life since she was a toddler and continued to care for her after he and Goodloe ended their relationship.

“He did not do it,” Johnson said. “Convicting an innocent man for a terrible crime who did not commit it will not undo the tragedy, but add to a terrible injustice.”

The defense said the police failed to investigate properly, pointing out that a woman who made $30,000 on Goodloe’s death was not investigated.

Even though defense attorney Mani Golzari has made several motions to dismiss the case, continuously saying that it has been conducted in bad faith, Superior Court Judge Danya Dayson has denied the requests.

The prosecution is expected to continue arguments on April 24.

Counsel in a 2016 homicide case argued April 17 over the introduction of a witness’ 911 call regarding a prior domestic altercation between Donald Hairston and Stephanie Goodloe.

According to Hairston’s defense attorneys, Mani Golzari and Lauren Johnson,  the testimony should not be allowed because the prosecution didn’t find any police records to corroborate the allegation.

Hairston is charged with first-degree murder for allegedly shooting Goodloe on June 18, 2016, on the 700 block of Kentucky Avenue, SE. 

The prosecution said they were also planning to introduce evidence showing Hairston’s controlling behavior and consistent stalking as a motive to kill Goodloe.

Apparently, Hairston showed up at Goodloe’s work unannounced on multiple occasions and was often violent. The prosecution told Superior Court Judge Danya Dayson that Hairston allegedly stole Goodloe’s keys and physically assaulted her.

The trial is expected to move forward on April 19 after jury selection is completed.