Jonathan Sander's confession tape finally entered as evidence in Wake County triple murder trial
RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- "I know it was me." That confession was one of the last things jurors heard Wednesday in the triple murder trial of Jonathan Sander.
Thursday morning, prosecutors continued playing the confession tape for the jury.
"I started to scream and bang on the bed," Sander said in the confession tape when describing what happened prior to the March 2016 killings. "This isn't fair. I worked my whole life--my family--and then I just went blank."
Sander: "I don't know all the details. All I said is my life is over and now I'm going to get even."
Investigator: "What did you do then?"
Sander: "I grabbed my gun and snuck out of the house, because I didn't want to scare my wife and my kids, and I saw that (explicit) out there."
When the trial started, Sander pleaded not guilty to killing three of his neighbors: Sandy Mazzella, Stephenie Mazzella and Elaine Mazzella.
In an outburst earlier in the trial, Sander now claims Sal Mazzella, the patriarch of the Mazzella family who escaped the house without being harmed, is the person who committed the violent crime.
Thursday marks the ninth day of the trial.
After the prosecution rested its case, Sander's defense team began to call witnesses, starting with Sander's wife.
The defense previously indicated that Sander himself would take the stand, but he told a judge Thursday that there was no need for him to testify.
ABC11 will continue to stream the trial live on its website Thursday.
Wednesday, April 3, prosecutors unleashed their strongest piece of evidence yet: Sander himself confessing to the murders.
Tuesday, April 2, a bevy of witnesses testified about Sander's drinking habits, relationship with the victims, and his actions the days before the murders.
Monday, April 1, childhood trauma experts testified that Mazzellases' daughter, who was 14 at the time of the killings and is now 17, reported in the days before the crime that Sander had molested her. The experts said the daughter had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Friday, March 29: Tears fell as witnesses and friends testified about the victims of the murders
Thursday, March 28: Jurors see gruesome but critical evidence in the case
Wednesday, March 27: Dashcam audio recorded Sander saying he was 'a dead man' shortly after the murders
Tuesday, March 26: Jurors heard 911 calls from the night of the murders
Monday, March 25: Sander has to be escorted out of the courtroom following a dramatic outburst
