TEMPLE, Texas — From text messages to home photos. Day four of the Cedric Marks trial was a whirlwind of questions and analyzations of different aspects of this case.
Marks is accused of killing his ex-girlfriend Jenna Scott and her friend Michael Swearingin, who were both reported missing from Temple on Jan. 4, 2019. Their bodies were found days later in Oklahoma.
After reporting Scott and Swearingin missing, both of their families met up at Swearingin's home to help with search efforts.
Temple Police officer James Lewis was one of the first officers to arrive at the home.
Lewis said the Swearingin family told him items from the home were missing and/or out of place. So Lewis decided to take photos around the home.
In these photos, three knives from the knife block in the kitchen were missing. Also in Swearingin's garage, items his family said could usually be found in the trunk of his car were found inside of his garage to the side.
No forensics were taken of the items in the kitchen or garage to collect any DNA.
Swearingin's girlfriend, Rachel Foster, also took the stand and examined the text messages she sent to family and friends when she found out Swearingin was missing.
In those messages, Foster mentioned the "crazy ex" Jenna was with and how he was "dangerous,".
Foster said Marks texted about "cutting Michael's head off" in 2018.
She also mentioned how she had always heard of what Marks had done to Scott but never saw him do anything with her own eyes.
There was also mention of a Facebook post where Swearingin expressed his love for someone. Foster says Marks assumed it was about Scott.
Foster was very emotional when reading what she sent to Swearingin and friends who had been looking for him. A brief recess was taken for her to regain her composure.
Owners of the businesses outside of where Swearingin's car was found days after he and Scott went missing also took the stand.
Surveillance video of where the car was found is expected to be shown in court.
Trial resumes Friday, April 21 at 9 a.m.