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Prosecution Rests In Trial Of Triple Murder Suspect

GREENSBURG (KDKA) -- Prosecutors have rested their case against Kevin Murphy.

Murphy is facing three counts of first-degree murder and could be sentenced to death if convicted.

He is accused of shooting his mother, Doris Murphy; his sister, Kris Murphy; and aunt, Edith Tietge.

The final witness for the prosecution countered claims by the defense that three men in camo had walked into an Avonmore bar on the day of the murders and asked for directions to Ferguson Glass.

The first witness for the defense was Roy Martin, known to family and friends as "Sonny." Martin is Kevin Murphy's uncle. He is the brother of Doris Murphy and Edith Tietge.

Martin found the women's bodies inside Ferguson Glass after returning from a cattle auction on the afternoon of April 23, 2009.

He initially saw his sister Edith, and thought she may have fallen.

"Then, I stepped through and saw my niece and other sister and I was just dumbfounded," Martin said. "I couldn't figure out what happened; I was dumbfounded. All three couldn't fall down, you know?"

Martin also considered that the women could have suffered carbon monoxide poisoning, so he opened the doors before beginning CPR.

He called Kevin Murphy, who was feeding cattle at the time, for help. Murphy was so shaken, he couldn't even call 911.

"He [came] through the main door and they were all laying there and he just lost it," Martin said. "He was a basket case."

"He was shaking, just out of it," Martin continued. "He wasn't under control. I thought he was going to have a heart attack. I thought I was gonna have instead of three down, four."

Martin said Murphy's business partner, Don Shondelmyer, who testified for the prosecution and is currently living with Murphy's former girlfriend, was also on the property. Two hunters were somewhere on the farm.

Also testifying Tuesday was a paramedic who responded to the scene.

He said Murphy appeared to be on the borderline of a breakdown. Murphy was so distraught, the paramedics gave him sedatives by IV -- something done in only the most extreme situations.

Another paramedic is expected to take the stand in the morning.

Martin will be back on the stand for cross examination this afternoon.

Follow KDKA's Trina Orlando on Twitter for the latest updates from this trial.

RELATED LINKS:
Wecht Testifies In Loyalhanna Triple-Murder Case (4/29/13)
More Reports on the Murphy Trial
More Westmoreland County News

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