(COLORADO SPRINGS) — It has been more than a week since the trial of Joshua Johnson began, the 29-year-old man accused of killing his Walgreens co-worker, Riley Whitelaw.
Throughout the past several days, the prosecution called multiple witnesses to the stand to share their evidence in the Walgreens murder trial. On Wednesday morning, Oct. 4, the defense took less than two hours to call their witnesses to the stand.
During closing arguments, the prosecution reiterated that Johnson allegedly killed Whitelaw with intent and walked the jury through a timeline of events that day. The jury was also shown surveillance video of Johnson stacking red crates to block the surveillance camera.
The prosecution also showed footage of Johnson leaving the break room with a black hoodie, which was later discovered by authorities to be covered in blood. The prosecution presented to the jury that the defendant had a motive and acted with intent to kill Whitelaw.
To wrap up closing arguments, the prosecution said, “There is no reasonable doubt that on June 11, 2022, the defendant waited… waited until his path was secure and waited to kill her.”
The defense started closing arguments telling the jury that Whitelaw was with two other individuals in the break room and that another individual was responsible for attacking Johnson and Whitelaw.
The jury heard from the defense that Johnson was traumatized by what he saw and that is why he left the scene. The defense also showed the jury a timeline of events of the interactions between Whitelaw and Johnson, specifically referencing Whitelaw switching shifts as she felt uncomfortable working with Johnson.
The defense addressed the evidence with fingerprints and DNA, and the jury was told Walgreens is a high-traffic place and there is a lot of activity. Furthermore, the jury was shown a photo of Johnson’s hands with no cuts done by the multi-tool.
The jury also heard from the defense on Johnson’s scratches when he was found, referencing the terrain of the area. The jury also saw a video of Johnson sharing his account with authorities in which he says he heard a cry for help from the break room. Johnson also said when he went inside he saw another man in the break room with blue eyes.
The defense closed by stating the jury should take into consideration the evidence and that Johnson is not guilty.
In rebuttal, the prosecution told the Jury, “This is somebody who wanted Riley to feel something awful.” The prosecution asked the jury to consider the testimony of all the witnesses who spoke on the behavior of Johnson toward Whitelaw.
The Jury is now in deliberation and FOX21 will continue to update this story.