Witness Says Suspect Threatened Murder Victim In '99
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
Jurors heard direct testimony from four witnesses and the depositions of two others in the third day of the Jason Ryan murder trial Friday.
Ryan is on trial for the murder of Jill Phillips, whose body was found June 10, 2001, in Turkey Creek, west of Syracuse.
Rick Bedell, president of Miller Building Systems Inc.; Todd Sautter, Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department; Rachel Ryan, Jason Ryan's sister-in-law; and Pam Pierpont, Jason Ryan's ex-wife answered questions on the stand.
A video of a deposition with Joe Garland, the person who purchased the red Geo Tracker formerly owned by Jason Ryan, was shown to the jury. Excerpts from a deposition of Allen Castalucci, a friend of Jill Phillips were read.
In the most emotional testimony to date, Rachel Ryan, who is married to Jason Ryan's half brother Mike, told the jury that Jason Ryan, Jill Phillips and Phillips' daughter Cheyenne showed up at her door in Kingman, Ariz., in 1999 and stayed in her guesthouse for a few weeks. She said Jason Ryan and Phillips told her they planned to get married and find jobs in Kingman. At the time, Mike Ryan, who is a Marine, was stationed in Uma, Ariz., about three hours from Kingman.
Rachel Ryan said that until the day Jason Ryan and Phillips arrived at her house, she had never met Phillips. Rachel Ryan then testified that on May 26, 1999, she awoke and saw Jason Ryan in her living room waving a board around.
"He told me I needed to shut her (Phillips) up or he would f-ing kill her," said Rachel Ryan.
When she went outside to check on Phillips, Rachel Ryan said Phillips and her daughter were very upset so she tried to calm them down. Then Jason Ryan went outside where he and Phillips exchanged words. Jason Ryan grabbed Phillips and threw her 10 to 12 feet, according to Rachel Ryan. Jason Ryan then grabbed Phillips by the neck and pulled back his arm to hit her. At this time, Rachel Ryan, who was pregnant, jumped on Jason Ryan's back and told him to stop or he would hurt her unborn child.
Jason Ryan then went back in the house and made some telephone calls. Rachel Ryan testified that Phillips was upset, vomiting and making a "horrible gurgling noise." Rachel Ryan asked Phillips if she wanted to call the police, and Phillips said no.
Later, Jason Ryan told Rachel Ryan, "he was out of there." Then Rachel Ryan told Phillips that going to a safe house would be in her best interest. They called the women's shelter/safe house, and the safe house sent a cab to pick Phillips up. Phillips stayed at the safe house from Wednesday until Friday morning when Jason Ryan picked her up and took her to her grandmother's house in Niles, Mich.
Rachel Ryan and Phillips stayed in contact, and a short time later Phillips told Rachel Ryan she was pregnant with Jason Ryan's child. Phillips gave birth to a girl, Jasmine K. Phillips, Feb. 6, 1999. Phillips called Rachel Ryan when she got home from the hospital, saying that she asked Jason Ryan to take a paternity test at the hospital but said he never showed up.
In early 2000, Phillips contacted Rachel Ryan, saying that she needed help with Jasmine and her other daughter Cheyenne. Phillips said her family and the girls' fathers would not help her and asked if Rachel Ryan would take them. Rachel Ryan said she told Phillips to keep trying to get help from the children's fathers.
Abut three weeks later in March of 2000, Rachel Ryan called Jason Ryan's mother Cheryl Ryan and learned the Phillips had left Jasmine in Cheryl Ryan's care. Cheryl Ryan told Rachel Ryan that she had been in a car accident and was unable to continue caring for Jasmine.
Rachel Ryan said she called Jason Ryan and told him his mother had Jasmine and that he needed to go there, but he never did. In April 2000, Rachel Ryan flew to Michigan and took custody of JAsmine after Phillips signed paperwork giving her legal custody. Rachel Ryan then returned to Arizona with Jasmine.
During the time Rachel and Mike Ryan had custody of Jasmine, Rachel Ryan said her husband had conversations with Jason Ryan regarding his daughter.
While the Ryans had custody of Jasmine, Phillips stayed in contact with them and visited them in Arizona in December of 2000. After that visit, Phillips and Rachel Ryan had several conversations about Jasmine and establishing paternity. Rachel and Mike Ryan wanted Jason Ryan to sever his rights to Jasmine so they could adopt her, but he refused.
The last time Rachel Ryan heard from Phillips was April 1, 2001, when Phillips left a message on her voice mail. In a tape of the message, which was played for the jury, Phillips said she was calling to see how the family was, that she was trying to send a chocolate bunny to Jasmine for Easter, and that she was on vacation for a week. Phillips said that during that week she planned to go to Elkhart to "try to get ahold of child support services to see what we can do about 'you know who,'" referring to Jason Ryan.
Rachel Ryan said she received a call from Matt Lauer on April 8, 2001 saying that Phillips was missing.
Rachel Ryan said she spoke with Jason Ryan on April 9, 2001, and told him that no one had heard from Phillips in a few weeks. She said he responded by saying, "Maybe her boyfriend offed her ... and dumped her in a river."
According to Rachel Ryan, she returned Jasmine to Cheryl Ryan on the day of Phillips' funeral.
In other testimony, the jury heard from Pam Pierpont, Jason Ryan's ex-wife. Pierpont testified that she and Jason Ryan began dating in 1998 and married April 2, 1999. They divorced July 31, 2002, but she said the marriage went downhill within the first three months because the couple had "different interests."
Pierpont said she knew Phillips was pregnant, but said Jason Ryan did not want to take paternity tests.
Pierpont also said she remembered the night of April 1, 2001, because it was the night before her anniversary. She said she left for church around 3 p.m. and got home around 9 p.m. When she got home, Pierpont said Jason Ryan told her Phillips had called and they had a nice conversation. Jason Ryan said Phillips told him she had a boyfriend and was happy. Pierpont remembers saying that was a switch because Jason Ryan and Phillips usually argued.
After Pierpont and Jason Ryan divorced, she said she received a call from Jason Ryan in 2003. She said the call came from St. Joseph's Hospital and that Jason Ryan told her he tried to kill himself because of the "whole murder case thing."
In a later conversation Pierpont asked Jason Ryan if he had been fishing and he responded that he had not been able to go fishing since the murder and he didn't want to go fishing anymore.
Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department Detective Todd Sautter told the jury that he assisted in the investigation of Phillips' death. In July of 2001, he talked with officers in Fort Wayne about a possible suspect in the case. When he arrived in Fort Wayne, he discovered that the suspect, Patrick Frazier, had no connection to Phillips. Frazier was later cleared in the Fort Wayne case also.
Rick Bedell testified that Ryan was employed at Miller Building Systems from March 19, 2001 until November 5, 2001. He also referred to a chart of Jason Ryan's employment and said that Ryan was tardy on April 2, 2001.
The jury heard Joe Garland's deposition and learned that he bought the red Geo Tracker formerly owned by Jason Ryan from a car dealership. After purchasing the vehicle, he removed rainbow striping graphics on the door from the front tire to the back tire. He identified photos of the vehicle and his registration information.
In the second deposition heard by the jury, Allen Castalucci said he was a friend of Phillips and described her personality. Castalucci said Phillips was "basically a good person and a hard worker" who tended to be a bit "flighty" at times. She was a hard worker who was quiet and did not make friends easily. He also said she was not the type of person to "pick up men at bars," and she was usually only in bars to dance for work. Castalucci also testified that Phillips was not an outdoors person, that she didn't like bugs, water or being in the woods.
Castalucci's deposition also stated that he remembers an incident when Jason Ryan was outside Phillips' apartment "yelling and hollering at her."
The trial resumes Monday at 9 a.m. when the prosecution continues presenting its case. [[In-content Ad]]
Jurors heard direct testimony from four witnesses and the depositions of two others in the third day of the Jason Ryan murder trial Friday.
Ryan is on trial for the murder of Jill Phillips, whose body was found June 10, 2001, in Turkey Creek, west of Syracuse.
Rick Bedell, president of Miller Building Systems Inc.; Todd Sautter, Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department; Rachel Ryan, Jason Ryan's sister-in-law; and Pam Pierpont, Jason Ryan's ex-wife answered questions on the stand.
A video of a deposition with Joe Garland, the person who purchased the red Geo Tracker formerly owned by Jason Ryan, was shown to the jury. Excerpts from a deposition of Allen Castalucci, a friend of Jill Phillips were read.
In the most emotional testimony to date, Rachel Ryan, who is married to Jason Ryan's half brother Mike, told the jury that Jason Ryan, Jill Phillips and Phillips' daughter Cheyenne showed up at her door in Kingman, Ariz., in 1999 and stayed in her guesthouse for a few weeks. She said Jason Ryan and Phillips told her they planned to get married and find jobs in Kingman. At the time, Mike Ryan, who is a Marine, was stationed in Uma, Ariz., about three hours from Kingman.
Rachel Ryan said that until the day Jason Ryan and Phillips arrived at her house, she had never met Phillips. Rachel Ryan then testified that on May 26, 1999, she awoke and saw Jason Ryan in her living room waving a board around.
"He told me I needed to shut her (Phillips) up or he would f-ing kill her," said Rachel Ryan.
When she went outside to check on Phillips, Rachel Ryan said Phillips and her daughter were very upset so she tried to calm them down. Then Jason Ryan went outside where he and Phillips exchanged words. Jason Ryan grabbed Phillips and threw her 10 to 12 feet, according to Rachel Ryan. Jason Ryan then grabbed Phillips by the neck and pulled back his arm to hit her. At this time, Rachel Ryan, who was pregnant, jumped on Jason Ryan's back and told him to stop or he would hurt her unborn child.
Jason Ryan then went back in the house and made some telephone calls. Rachel Ryan testified that Phillips was upset, vomiting and making a "horrible gurgling noise." Rachel Ryan asked Phillips if she wanted to call the police, and Phillips said no.
Later, Jason Ryan told Rachel Ryan, "he was out of there." Then Rachel Ryan told Phillips that going to a safe house would be in her best interest. They called the women's shelter/safe house, and the safe house sent a cab to pick Phillips up. Phillips stayed at the safe house from Wednesday until Friday morning when Jason Ryan picked her up and took her to her grandmother's house in Niles, Mich.
Rachel Ryan and Phillips stayed in contact, and a short time later Phillips told Rachel Ryan she was pregnant with Jason Ryan's child. Phillips gave birth to a girl, Jasmine K. Phillips, Feb. 6, 1999. Phillips called Rachel Ryan when she got home from the hospital, saying that she asked Jason Ryan to take a paternity test at the hospital but said he never showed up.
In early 2000, Phillips contacted Rachel Ryan, saying that she needed help with Jasmine and her other daughter Cheyenne. Phillips said her family and the girls' fathers would not help her and asked if Rachel Ryan would take them. Rachel Ryan said she told Phillips to keep trying to get help from the children's fathers.
Abut three weeks later in March of 2000, Rachel Ryan called Jason Ryan's mother Cheryl Ryan and learned the Phillips had left Jasmine in Cheryl Ryan's care. Cheryl Ryan told Rachel Ryan that she had been in a car accident and was unable to continue caring for Jasmine.
Rachel Ryan said she called Jason Ryan and told him his mother had Jasmine and that he needed to go there, but he never did. In April 2000, Rachel Ryan flew to Michigan and took custody of JAsmine after Phillips signed paperwork giving her legal custody. Rachel Ryan then returned to Arizona with Jasmine.
During the time Rachel and Mike Ryan had custody of Jasmine, Rachel Ryan said her husband had conversations with Jason Ryan regarding his daughter.
While the Ryans had custody of Jasmine, Phillips stayed in contact with them and visited them in Arizona in December of 2000. After that visit, Phillips and Rachel Ryan had several conversations about Jasmine and establishing paternity. Rachel and Mike Ryan wanted Jason Ryan to sever his rights to Jasmine so they could adopt her, but he refused.
The last time Rachel Ryan heard from Phillips was April 1, 2001, when Phillips left a message on her voice mail. In a tape of the message, which was played for the jury, Phillips said she was calling to see how the family was, that she was trying to send a chocolate bunny to Jasmine for Easter, and that she was on vacation for a week. Phillips said that during that week she planned to go to Elkhart to "try to get ahold of child support services to see what we can do about 'you know who,'" referring to Jason Ryan.
Rachel Ryan said she received a call from Matt Lauer on April 8, 2001 saying that Phillips was missing.
Rachel Ryan said she spoke with Jason Ryan on April 9, 2001, and told him that no one had heard from Phillips in a few weeks. She said he responded by saying, "Maybe her boyfriend offed her ... and dumped her in a river."
According to Rachel Ryan, she returned Jasmine to Cheryl Ryan on the day of Phillips' funeral.
In other testimony, the jury heard from Pam Pierpont, Jason Ryan's ex-wife. Pierpont testified that she and Jason Ryan began dating in 1998 and married April 2, 1999. They divorced July 31, 2002, but she said the marriage went downhill within the first three months because the couple had "different interests."
Pierpont said she knew Phillips was pregnant, but said Jason Ryan did not want to take paternity tests.
Pierpont also said she remembered the night of April 1, 2001, because it was the night before her anniversary. She said she left for church around 3 p.m. and got home around 9 p.m. When she got home, Pierpont said Jason Ryan told her Phillips had called and they had a nice conversation. Jason Ryan said Phillips told him she had a boyfriend and was happy. Pierpont remembers saying that was a switch because Jason Ryan and Phillips usually argued.
After Pierpont and Jason Ryan divorced, she said she received a call from Jason Ryan in 2003. She said the call came from St. Joseph's Hospital and that Jason Ryan told her he tried to kill himself because of the "whole murder case thing."
In a later conversation Pierpont asked Jason Ryan if he had been fishing and he responded that he had not been able to go fishing since the murder and he didn't want to go fishing anymore.
Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department Detective Todd Sautter told the jury that he assisted in the investigation of Phillips' death. In July of 2001, he talked with officers in Fort Wayne about a possible suspect in the case. When he arrived in Fort Wayne, he discovered that the suspect, Patrick Frazier, had no connection to Phillips. Frazier was later cleared in the Fort Wayne case also.
Rick Bedell testified that Ryan was employed at Miller Building Systems from March 19, 2001 until November 5, 2001. He also referred to a chart of Jason Ryan's employment and said that Ryan was tardy on April 2, 2001.
The jury heard Joe Garland's deposition and learned that he bought the red Geo Tracker formerly owned by Jason Ryan from a car dealership. After purchasing the vehicle, he removed rainbow striping graphics on the door from the front tire to the back tire. He identified photos of the vehicle and his registration information.
In the second deposition heard by the jury, Allen Castalucci said he was a friend of Phillips and described her personality. Castalucci said Phillips was "basically a good person and a hard worker" who tended to be a bit "flighty" at times. She was a hard worker who was quiet and did not make friends easily. He also said she was not the type of person to "pick up men at bars," and she was usually only in bars to dance for work. Castalucci also testified that Phillips was not an outdoors person, that she didn't like bugs, water or being in the woods.
Castalucci's deposition also stated that he remembers an incident when Jason Ryan was outside Phillips' apartment "yelling and hollering at her."
The trial resumes Monday at 9 a.m. when the prosecution continues presenting its case. [[In-content Ad]]