In day 2 of trial, witnesses say Cary woman predicted own death before she was strangled by ex-boyfriend
WAKE COUNTY, N.C. (WTVD) -- The second day of trial got underway Thursday for the Cary man accused of keeping his mother's body on ice in her bathtub for nearly a week before confessing to murdering her and his girlfriend in 2015.
Brandon Lee is facing murder charges for the deaths of his mom Christa Lee, 58, and his girlfriend, Krystal Hylton, 28.
The first day of the trial included opening statements from the prosecution and defense teams. The trial is not to determine if Lee killed his mom and girlfriend, as Lee's own defense team admits he did, it's to determine if he premeditated, first-degree murder.
On the first day of trial, prosecutors showed Lee's phone call to police and video interview with investigators. They say it showed he had a "cool state of mind," which is an element of first-degree murder.
Prosecutors continued calling witnesses Thursday, including a co-worker of Hylton.
Derik Stephens, Hylton's coworker described her as 'smart.'
"She was beautiful inside and out," Stephens said. "She was good at her job. She was really big on giving advice on how others could be successful at the job. She had a lot of great qualities."
Stephens says she told him and other friends they had broken up because Lee was abusive. Stephens said Lee even began to threaten him and other friends of the woman, she became worried about what he would do to her.
Jurors heard a murder victim's friend say Hylton predicted her death.
"She told me that he would kill her at any moment," Stephens testified.
Stephens even warned Hylton to not go back to her apartment alone.
"I would hate for something to happen to you," Stephens said he warned Hylton. "Just, you know, just don't go there. If you do take somebody with you. Don't go by yourself."
But she did, and in Dec. 2015, Lee admits he broke into the apartment and strangled her to death. Lee also admits to killing his mother, 58-year-old Christa Lee, the same way a week earlier.
Police said they found her at the Cary apartment she shared with her son. Thursday morning, a crime scene investigator testified about what she found saying she found Christa covered in ice.
"The trash can contained Harris Teeter ice bags, some plastic bags, as well as alcohol aluminum cans for alcoholic beverages," said Wake County Investigator Tara Sheehan.
Lee told the officers when he was arrested "that women made him crazy."
