FIRST WEEK OF ARGUMENTS WRAPS UP IN MICHAEL DIXON TRIAL

  

A busy opening week of arguments concluded today (Friday) in the capital murder trial of Michael Dixon.

Dixon, along with three other suspects, is being charged with the murder of Blinn College student Trey Kurtz, on October 30, 2014.

Several Brenham Police officers and forensic scientists testified today. Officer Hunter Andras and Investigator Joe Merkley spoke, along with Joshua Wright, brother of suspect J.B. Wright III and cousin of Michael Dixon.

Andras talked about his work on a burglary case in August of 2014, where a firearm was stolen out of a vehicle.

No one was officially charged in the case, but Joshua Wright testified he saw Dixon stealing the firearm from the vehicle.

Serologist Matthew Julian, who worked in the DPS Crime Laboratory in Austin during the investigation, spoke on his examination of on-site evidence submitted by Investigator Todd Ashorn.

Julian’s work included the study of blood and other bodily substances found on items at the scene. Some of these items included two .45 caliber casings, one which was found underneath Kurtz’s body.

According to firearms examiner Ryan Mudd, also from the Austin DPS Crime Lab, these casings were determined to have been fired by the same firearm, of the same caliber as the one reportedly stolen by Dixon.

The trial will resume Monday morning. Washington County District Attorney Julie Renken says she expects three witnesses to come forth on Monday: former Brenham Police Officer Justin Schiller, the girlfriend of Dixon at the time of the murder, and potentially the father of Trey Kurtz.