Testimony from the state’s fifth witness opened Tuesday morning’s proceedings in the murder trial of Cash Feenz defendant Kemar Johnston.
Day two began with a detective from the arson bureau of the State Fire Marshal’s Office testifying about what she saw at the industrial park crime scene and what she discovered in the course of her investigation. Det. Lisa Brower told a Lee County jury that she determined that the vehicle fire was arson and the fire began at the rear of the vehicle.
“The vehicle was very heavily damaged by fire in the rear,” she said. “I believe this was an intentionally set fire.”
Alexis Sosa, 18, and Jeffrey Sosa, 14, were hog-tied, beaten and tortured at a Cape Coral duplex in October 2006 during a birthday party. The two were then driven to an industrial park off of Andalusia Boulevard, where they were fatally shot and the body of Alexis was burned in the trunk of a car. Fire units discovered the scene when they responded to a call about a fire at the industrial park.
Ten people were arrested and charged in connection with the double murder.
Johnston, 23, faces two counts each of first-degree murder, kidnapping and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. If convicted, he faces life in prison without parole or death.
Following almost two weeks of jury selection, a 12-member jury that includes two alternates listened to opening arguments Friday in the first day of Johnston’s trial.
The group listened to testimony from four of the state’s witnesses Friday, including a Cape firefighter who responded to the industrial park, the Cape police detective who was in charge of the homicide investigation and two members of the CCPD’s forensic unit who were assigned to the case.
Testimony continued today at the Lee County Justice Center before 20th Judicial Circuit Judge Thomas S. Reese. Assistant State Attorneys Bob Lee and Marie Doerr are prosecuting the case, and attorneys David A. Brener and Terry Lenamon are defending Johnston in his trial.