Crime scene tech testifies in capital murder trial of Burleson man

BURLESON, Texas - Jurors got a better look at crime scene evidence involving a deadly crime spree that ended with a woman killed and a Burleson police officer shot.

Jerry Elders is on trial for capital murder. In 2021, police say he shot an officer before carjacking and murdering a woman.

The jury in the capital murder trial heard hours of testimony Thursday from the crime tech who processed the scene and other evidence. 

Pictures from the crime scene were shown, and jurors got an up-close look at the weapons used in the crime. 

Back in 2021, prosecutors say Elders shot Burleson Police Officer Joshua Lott three times at the start of a deadly crime spree. 

On day two of the trial, jurors saw grainy surveillance video. You could see Officer Lott approach the passenger side of the vehicle. He jumped back after being shot and called for help.

Officer Lott took the stand Monday. 

"He seemed to be in a panicked state. So I tried to get his attention by knocking on the window," he recalled. "I knocked three times, and he shot me three times."

After the shooting, investigators say Elders carjacked 60-year-old Robin Waddell outside her home. 

Elders allegedly panicked and shot Waddell twice, pushed her out of the truck and kept going. She was found at the back door of the Joshua Police Department and died from her injuries. 

An autopsy technician testified about bullet fragments removed from Waddell’s body.

If Elders is found guilty, he could face life in prison or the death penalty.