Monday, jurors hearing the Cameo Pettaway case will see evidence collected from the crime scene. Pettaway is accused of killing Johnny Clarke and Lisa Straub. The couple was found dead in Straub's parents home.
It's possible Clarke's father could be called as a witness since investigators say he kicked in the front door and found the bodies.
"He rips opens the plastic bag that's been duct taped over his sons head he touches his sons head and realizes his sons neck is stiff and he's been dead for some time. and he rips of the bag of Lisa's head," said prosecutor Tim Braun
Prosecutors say the couple had an addiction to the common pain medication percocet. They planned a get together with friends to snort the pain drug that night, but someone killed the couple.
Prosecutors say a cigarette butt puts Pettaway and his co-defendant Samuel Williams at the scene.
"When that butt was analyzed there were two people that smoked that butt and that's something the state of Ohio can prove scientifically because there's DNA from two separate men on the cigarette butt, " said Braun
Investigators arrested Williams first. Prosecutor Tim Braun says one key piece of evidence is a phone call made by Williams to Pettaway.
"The first call Sam Williams made from the county jail after his arrest was to Cameo Pettaway. The defendant in this case. and you'll here that call," said the prosecutor.
The case is built on circumstantial evidence and prosecutors believe other people could also be involved.
"We also know there was the DNA of an unknown male on the duct tape on the back of Johnny Clarke's neck. We know that there was DNA left on the duct tape around Johnny Clarke's ankles by a woman who's never been identified."
Pettaway's defense team will argue investigators have no idea who killed the couple. They claim sheriff detectives botched the case due to their lack of experience in homicide investigations.
As for that cigarette butt found by the garage door the defense says there were other cigarettes found at the scene. Those cigarettes contained other DNA.
"There's none of Cameo Pettaways DNA found at the crime scene not on the bags not on the duct tape not on any of the other physical items found in the crime scene area. What the prosecution can not prove is Cameo Pettaway's DNA got on that cigarette butt in connection in the commission of these homicides," said defense lawyer Mark Geudtner.
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