DAY TWO TELLIS TRIAL- Prosecutors hint at hitchhiker near crime scene

BATESVILLE (WCBI) –  Testimony in the Quentin Tellis murder trial is shifting to a man picked up by a resident near where Jessica Chambers keys were found in the days after her murder.  Sherry Flowers says she gave a ride to a man from Main Street to an area near where Quentin Tellis family members  live.  The man, who was never identified as Tellis, said he needed to get a ride to check on reports that family members home had burned earlier that day.  The home is the one prosecutors have said had a minor fire just before they Courtland Fire department was called to the scene of Jessica Chambers death. The owner of that home is a distant relative of Quentin Tellis but she says she is not close to Tellis.

Wednesday morning testimony was heavily centered on the autopsy and pictures of jessica Chambers taken during that autopsy.

Forensic pathologist Dr.Erin Barnhart told jurors that Jessica Chambers died from smoke and soot inhalation and thermal heat exposure.  Jurors saw autopsy photos one of which showed soot on the vocal chords.  Barnhart testified that Chambers tongue was swollen and covered in soot but added there was no muscular damage to the tongue.   She also told jurors the autopsy did not show any type of blunt force damage to Chambers body.