Cold Case Murder Trial: Carla Walker's boyfriend testifies about 1974 attack
FORT WORTH, Texas - Opening statements and testimony began Friday morning in a 1974 Tarrant County murder case.
A witness recalled, in court, the details of being attacked before his girlfriend was abducted and killed 47 years ago.
The now 78-year-old murder suspect, Glen McCurley, is on trial in Tarrant County for the death of 17-year-old Carla Walker. Police said McCurley confessed to killing Walker during an interview last year.
RELATED: Trial begins for 1974 murder of Fort Worth teenager Carla Walker
First on the stand was Walker's boyfriend, who described, in detail, what he remembered from that night.
Walker was with her boyfriend, Rodney McCoy, in the parking lot of a Fort Worth bowling alley when she was abducted at gunpoint, sexually assaulted, and then strangled.
Prosecutors said McCurley pistol-whipped McCoy and knocked him out. Photos of his injuries were shown Friday in court.
"We were going to a Valentine’s Day dance and it was at the high school," he recalled. "This happened so fast. This was so fluid that it’s like to me it was less than two minutes from start to finish and Carla was out of the car."
Rodney McCoy is now 65. His testimony focused on the night of the attack.
Prosecutors held up photos taken that night, while McCurley, the man charged with Walker’s murder, sat stoically across the courtroom with his attorneys.
"Oh yeah, the parking lot was full of just high school students, most not even eating anything or just grabbing a taco or something, just hanging out," McCoy said during his testimony.
McCoy told jurors he and Walker were inside a car at a Fort Worth parking lot, which was a popular teen hangout. He said the attack happened after most people had left and they started kissing.
"I was in the driver seat and Carla had put her back against the passenger door," he recalled.
The next moment was sheer terror, when McCoy said a man suddenly yanked open Walker’s door.
"Carla falls out of the car a little bit," he said.
[ATTORNEY: "You fall with her?"]
"I did, I grabbed her and we were kind of both falling forward, but my head was covering hers," McCoy recalled. "I’m not sure how many times I got hit."
[ATTORNEY: "You were aware you got hit more than once?"]
"I believe it was more than once, according to Carla‘s reaction," he said.
[ATTORNEY: "And why do you say that?"]
"Because she screamed, ‘Stop hitting him,’" McCoy testified.
Evidence, including photos, showed McCoy’s injuries from being pistol whipped.
He also recalled Walker trying to frighten away the attacker by telling him her father was close-by. Mccoy then became emotional.
"Carla turned her face to me and I can visualize, and said, ‘Rodney, go get dad. Go get my dad,’" he said.
[ATTORNEY: "Is that the last thing you recall her saying?"]
"The last words I heard from Carla," McCoy said.
Walker was kidnapped, raped, and murdered. Her body was found near Benbrook Lake three days later.
After more than 46 years of investigations, advanced DNA technology identified McCurley.
During opening arguments, his attorneys downplayed a previous confession.
"The confession, you have to remember this is a 77-year-old man who’s been taken into custody. He’s got diabetes, cancer, he’s sick, and he’s questioned for four hours," defense attorney Steve Miears said.
While he’s charged with capital murder, prosecutors are not seeking the death penalty.
He has entered a not guilty plea.
RELATED:
Prosecutors won’t seek death penalty for Carla Walker’s accused killer
Fort Worth police make arrest in 1974 cold case murder of Carla Walker
Handwritten letter rekindles interest in 1974 Fort Worth cold case