Victim's sister testifies in Day 1 of Trumbull trial

Nov 11, 2023

by: Joshua Hoggard

Posted: Aug 22, 2023 / 09:27 AM CDT

Updated: Aug 23, 2023 / 08:47 AM CDT

AUTHOR’S NOTE: This story will be updated frequently throughout proceedings in the capital murder trial of Corey Trumbull. Refresh this page often for the latest.

CONTENT WARNING: This story contains graphic details from testimony given during a capital murder trial that some readers may find disturbing. Discretion is advised before reading.

WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) — Following the selection and swearing-in of a jury of six men and six women on Monday evening, proceedings continued on Tuesday in the capital murder trial of a man accused of killing an 11-year-old boy in 2020.

Corey Allen Trumbull, 35, is charged with capital murder, murder, and tampering with physical evidence in connection to the horrific death of Logan Cline, 11, whose body was found in an abandoned car in Wichita Falls in February 2020.

The testimony phase in the capital murder trial of Trumbull began at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, August 22, 2023, at 9 a.m. in the 78th District Court, with Judge Jeff McKnight presiding.

The prosecution in Trumbull’s trial is led by John Gillespie, Wichita County District Attorney, and Kyle Lessor, Assistant District Attorney. Counsel for the defense is led by William Hull and assisted by Gant Grimes, both of the Wichita County Public Defender’s Office.

A running live blog of proceedings in the capital murder trial of Corey Trumbull for Tuesday, August 22, 2023, can be found below. This story will be updated frequently.

Judge McKnight dismissed the court to recess. Testimony will resume on Wednesday, August 23, 2023, at 8:30 a.m. in the 78th District Court.

Hull had no further cross-examination for Cline, but requested that she remain available to be called back to the stand for future clarification.

4:56 p.m. — Cline testified that prior to Trumbull entering her familiy’s life, her brother was a happy and healthy boy. Gillespie remarked that after Trumbull entered their life, he didn’t even make it to the end of the year, to which Cline began to cry on the stand.

4:54 p.m. — Cline testified that once she was able to move in with her grandmother following her time in Las Vegas, she was able to move beyond the drug-induced fog she’d been living in. She testified that it was then that she realized she’d been manipulated by Trumbull, which is the reason she didn’t come forward during the events described in her testimony.

4:51 p.m. — Gillespie asked Cline if she’s aware that her mother, Johnson, is also charged in connection to her brother’s death, and that another jury will decide her fate. She testified that she was aware.

Hull passed the witness back to Gillespie for further questioning.

4:48 p.m. — Hull pointed out that it was Trumbull who bandaged Logan Cline following the incident leading to his seizures, as well as Trumbull who attempted to perform CPR on the day of his death, rather than Johnson, the child’s mother. Cline testified that her mother would participate in the instances of mutilation or cutting of the child.

4:45 p.m. — Hull questioned Cline about her use of methamphetamine, asking if it could affect her ability to remember the sequence of events. Cline testified that it could. Cline then testified that it is possible drug use could play a role in her memory of the sequence of events.

4:41 p.m. — Cline testified that her brother didn’t have seizures prior to the incident in which Trumbull stomped on his head. She testified that the specific instance after which her brother began having seizures was more severe than prior instances of abuse. She said that while her brother was experiencing seizures, both Trumbull and Johnson would slap Logan.

4:37 p.m. — Cline testified that her use of methamphetamine increased after the move to Wichita Falls, and said using methampetamine can affect the ability to feel pain and understand time. She testified that when Logan Cline was kicked into a wall by Trumbull, her mother was watching, and that she didn’t yell out or get in the middle of the altercation.

4:35 p.m. — Cline testified that sometimes, Trumbull and Johnson would abuse her younger brother together. She testified that she began using methamphetamine while they were living in Chillicothe, and that during that time, CPS was called due to the children no longer attending school.

Gillespie passes the witness to defense attorney William Hull for cross-examination.

4:30 p.m. — Cline testified that while in Las Vegas, she, Trumbull, and Johnson lived in a self-storage containter. With that, Gillespie concluded his questioning.

4:27 p.m. — Cline testified that Trumbull was the primary abuser of her brother, but at times, Johnson would either encourage Trumbull to abuse the boy, laugh while it was happening, or join in on the abuse.

4:25 p.m. — Cline testified that after being evicted from the Red Roof Inn, they stayed for a short time at the Oyo Hotel in Wichita Falls before moving on to Las Vegas. She testified that Trumbull chose Las Vegas to put as much distance between them and the body of Logan Cline as possible, though the original destination was California.

4:22 p.m. — Cline testified that when Trumbull and Johnson returned to the hotel room from disposing of the body of Logan Cline, they were acting as if they’d just had a night out and laughing. She testified that Trumbull and Johnson then used drugs and watched the show “Futurama” on the hotel TV.

4:20 p.m. — Cline testified that Trumbull and Johnson left the lifeless body of Logan Cline on ice in the bathtub for about three days while they tried to find a place to hide the body. She testified that during that time, she was allowed by Trumbull to say goodbye to her brother. She said she apologized for letting him down and said she hoped he was in a better place. She testified that Johnson then dressed the body, put it in a wheelchair, and went to go hide the body.

4:15 p.m. — Cline testified that after Logan Cline’s death, Trumbull covered his body with a bed sheet before moving his body into the bathroom and into the bathtub. She testified that she overheard a conversation between Trumbull and Johnson about purchasing ice and cleaning supplies.

4:12 p.m. — Cline testified that she would attempt to rub her brother’s feet to comfort him, but Trumbull told her to get away from him. She testified that on one instance, her mother attempted to feed Logan chicken noodle soup, at which time her brother began coughing up blood. She testified that Trumbull attempted to give her brother CPR, but it was unsuccessful. She testified that no one made an attempt to contact emergency assistance. She testified that her mother began screaming when she realized Logan Cline had died. She testified that Trumbull checked Logan Cline for a pulse, but he was unable to find one.

4:10 p.m. — Cline testified that despite her brother’s deteriorating medical condition, Trumbull and Johnson would continue to hit and slap him. She testified that in one instance, when her brother fell off the bed, she asked if she could help him up, and she was told that she couldn’t. With tears in her eyes, she recalled one of her final interactions with her brother. She testified that she hugged her brother and told her she was sorry and that she loved him. She testified that her brother hugged her and said he loved her, too. She testified that Trumbull told her to stop during this interaction.

4:07 p.m. — Cline testified that while she, her brother, Trumbull, and Johnson were living in Wichita Falls, she was using methamphetamine provided to her by Trumbull. She said for a period of about two weeks, her younger brother was in a condition in which he couldn’t walk or talk, and that Trumbull and Johnson were not regularly feeding him. She testified that during this time, she didn’t seek help out of fear of what Trumbull would do to her and that she was in survival mode. She said around this time, her brother began having seizures.

4:04 p.m. — Cline testified that despite the hotel room having a landline and both Trumbull and Johnson having cell phones, neither ever called for emergency assistance for her brother, despite the fact that he obviously needed it. She testified that Trumbull told her that if they called 911, they’d go to jail.

4:01 p.m. — Cline testified that in one particular incident in December 2019, while her brother was under the sink, Trumbull threw the boy up against the wall and then stomped on her brother’s head. She testified that after this incident, her brother could barely walk or talk, and he began functioning like a child with special needs. She testified that her brother would only make small grunts or hums.

3:57 p.m. — Cline testified that Trumbull would force Logan Cline to eat dog food, drink from water bowls, and urinate on himself. Cline then described in detail “five to ten” incidents too graphic to recount. She testified that during all of these incidents, her mother, Stormy Johnson, would be in the room, observing and laughing.

3:54 p.m. — Cline testified that Trumbull referred to Logan Cline as “[expletive] Boy”, because Logan was basically owned by Mayhem, one of his dogs. She testified that Trumbull and her mother, Stormy Johnson, began treating Logan Cline as something less than human during their time in Wichita Falls. She testified that she wouldn’t cry when this would happen because she wasn’t allowed to, and that she was fearful of Trumbull and what he may do if she cried.

3:51 p.m. — Testimony resumed, with Gillespie continuing his questioning of Lexie Cline. Cline testified that when her mother would bring breakfast to the room, Trumbull would decide whether or not Logan Cline could eat the food. She testified that even after the move to Wichita Falls, the beatings endured by Logan Cline at the hands of Trumbull continued.

Judge McKnight dismissed the court to an afternoon recess. Testimony with Lexie Cline will resume at 3:45 p.m.

3:24 p.m. — Cline testified that while in the room at the Red Roof Inn, her brother was made to sleep in a corner underneath the sink on the floor by Trumbull, and when he complained that it was uncomfortable, Trumbull told him to be quiet. She testified that the three dogs slept either on the beds or in their kennel.

3:20 p.m. — Cline testified that she, her brother, Trumbull, and Johnson moved to Wichita Falls after being evicted from the trailer in Chillicothe. She testified that while in Wichita Falls, neither she nor her brother were enrolled in school. She said the four of them and the three dogs stayed together in the hotel room at the Red Roof Inn in Wichita Falls. She testified that meth use by Trumbull and Johnson continued and became much more in the open.

3:16 p.m. — Cline testified that while in Chillicothe, she and her brother were very isolated and were not permitted to leave the trailer often. She testified that while the abuse of her brother was going on at the hands of Trumbull, her mother would watch, while sometimes participating. She testified that Trumbull initiated the abuse and that she and her brother were under Trumbull’s complete control. She testified that instances of abuse occurred “nearly every day.”

3:11 p.m. — Cline testified that while in Chillicothe, Trumbull told her brother that he wasn’t allowed to eat unless he told him he could eat. She testified that her brother sometimes went more than a day without eating. She testified that if her brother was caught trying to sneak food, Trumbull would threaten to cut off his fingers.

3:09 p.m. — Cline testified that she witnessed Trumbull punch her brother in the face multiple times while they were living in Chillicothe. She testified Trumbull would also hit her brother in the chest, stomach, back, and legs, and that he would kick her brother as well. She testified that Trumbull would find branches, then smooth them down and put epoxy and electrical tape on them to make them less likely to break. She testified that Trumbull would hit her brother with the sticks and that her brother would beg for Trumbull to stop.

3:06 p.m. — Cline testified that her brother was made to stay in a room full of dirty clothes covered in dog feces that were never cleaned. She testified that no mattress was in the room, and Trumbull controlled when the boy could leave the room. She testified her brother would make a pallet out of the filthy clothes, at which time Trumbull and Johnson would laugh at him. She testified that if her brother would come out of the room, Trumbull would get violent with him, and her brother had no way to resist the defendant.

3:04 p.m. — Cline testified that while in Chillicothe, Trumbull offered her methamphetamine. She testified that she began regularly using meth at that point in time. She also testified that her brother, Logan Cline, also began using methamphetamine. She testified at that time, Logan began being treated more violently and less like a member of the family.

3:01 p.m. — Cline testified that Trumbull, Johnson, herself, and her brother moved into a trailer in Chillicothe. She testified that she and Logan were enrolled in school in Chillicothe for a few weeks. She testified that neither Trumbull nor Johnson were working while in the trailer in Chillicothe. She testified that the methamphetamine use continued after they moved to Chillicothe.

2:59 p.m. — Cline testified that both she and her brother were afraid of Trumbull. She testified Trumbull took away their electronic devices, leaving them no way to communicate with the outside world. She testified that CPS came to the Midland Motel during the summer of 2019. She testified that following the visit from CPS, she heard a discussion between Trumbull and Johnson about needing to move. She testified that Trumbull and Johnson were using methamphetamine while staying at the Midland Motel. She testified that she didn’t ever witness them smoke meth with her eyes, but that the bathroom would be full of smoke and smelt like chemicals after they would use meth in the bathroom.

2:56 p.m. — Cline testified that she was confused as to why she was moved into a hotel room with Trumbull, as well as her mother and her brother. Cline testified that Trumbull wanted her and Logan to refer to him as “Daddy” shortly after they moved into the Midland Motel. She testified that Trumbull would refer to himself as the “Alpha”. She testified that from the time Johnson and Trumbull moved she and her brother into the motel until they eventually ended up in Las Vegas, Trumbull called the shots. She testified that Trumbull didn’t have a job and that Trumbull had three dogs named Chaos, Mayhem, and Aphrodite, that lived with them in the motel, then in a trailer with them in Chillicothe, then at the Red Roof Inn in Wichita Falls.

2:53 p.m. — Cline testified that in the summer of 2019, Trumbull and Johnson began dating. She testified that her grandmother did not approve of the relationship between Trumbull and Johnson. She said while her grandmother was out of town, she was moved into the Midland Motel, which she testified was filthy and smelled bad, with holes in the ceiling. She said all four of them lived in one room at that motel.

2:52 p.m. — Cline testified that in 2019, she’d just finished seventh grade in Mullin, Texas, and Logan had just finished fourth grade. She testified that after that school year, Johnson and the two Cline children moved to Midland, Texas, and lived with her grandmother, Dorothy Holland. She testified her mother, Johnson, was working, as well as receiving child support from her father and disability payments from the government. She testified she later learned the real reason she’d moved to Midland was due to her mother’s drug use.

2:49 p.m. — Cline testified that her younger brother, Logan Cline, was very energetic and that he enjoyed playing with his friends and playing with Legos. She said she was close with her younger brother. She testified that her mother, Stormy Johnson, has two other children from another relationship. She testified that of Johnson’s four kids, she is the oldest, followed by Logan, then her two half-siblings. She testified that there’s a three-year gap between each child.

2:47 p.m. — Lexie Cline testified that she is now 18 years old. She testified that it is difficult to be in the courtroom. She testified that prior to coming to Wichita Falls, she had been in Germany with her father, Nicholas Cline.

Judge McKnight instructs the state that they may call their next witness. Gillespie calls Lexie Cline, daughter of Stormy Johnson and sister of Logan Cline, the victim, to the stand.

2:42 p.m. — Judge McKnight read instructions to the jury regarding testimony they were about to hear. Judge McKnight said the testimony they were about to hear is evidence of crimes other than what the defendant is accused of, and is only to be used to establish a relationship between the defendant and the victim, and cannot be used to decide guilt or innocence.

Grimes passed the witness to the state. Lessor said he had no further questions for Collins. Judge McKnight dismissed the witness for the day and asked counsel for the state and the defense to approach the bench.

2:40 p.m. — Grimes asked Collins if it would be safe to say that the body of Cline that she photographed on February 27, 2020, looked different when Cline had just died than it did when she photographed it. She testified that would be safe to say. Collins also testified that she didn’t have an opinion on the state of the room before she photographed it on February 28, 2020.

2:37 p.m. — Collins testified that she’s responsible for maintaining her training and that in more than 17 years on the job, most of her training came while on the job, and she was not sent to any kind of further training courses. Collins testified that budgetary constraints don’t allow for continued training.

2:30 p.m. — Collins testified that she’d been sent to the Red Roof Inn before to photograph crime scenes. She reiterated that the room was vacant.

2:28 p.m. — Grimes continued questioning Collins about the process of photographing and collecting evidence. Collins testified that in the process of photographing the bathroom, she believed she was the one who discovered the presumed blood stain near the bathtub.

2:26 p.m. — Collins testified that she did not ask if the crime scene had been potentially contaminated when she arrived at the scene. She testified that crime scenes are under the control of the Criminal Investigation Division. She testified that the car was towed on a rollback wrecker and transported to the evidence bay at the WFPD Impound Facility.

2:21 p.m. — Collins testified that the evidence she collects at a crime scene is done at the instruction of the detective at the scene. She testified that on February 27, 2020, that at the time she was taking pictures, she was unaware she was photographing a crime scene at that time. Grimes asked Collins if the room looked as if it was ready to be rented out. Collins testified she would not have stayed in the room, but it did look vacant.

Assisting with counsel for the defense, Gant Grimes, with the Wichita County Public Defender’s Office begins cross-examining Collins

2:19 p.m. — A swab taken from the bathroom was admitted into evidence. With that, Lessor passed the witness.

2:10 p.m. — Collins testified she tested the possible blood stain on the bathroom wall with a presumptive blood test, which returned a positive result. She testified there were also possible blood stains on the mattresses in the room, but a presumptive test for blood returned a negative result.

2:08 p.m. — Collins testified that while in the room at the Red Roof Inn on February 28, 2020, she noted some potential blood stains in the bathroom. A photograph was taken, depicting a possible blood stain about a half-inch in width, near the shower inside of the bathroom.

2:06 p.m. — Collins testified she returned to the Red Roof Inn on February 28, 2020, in order to look for biological evidence within the room in which Trumbull, Johnson, and her two children resided. Photographs she took at the scene were admitted into evidence with no objection from the defense.

2:05 p.m. — Collins testified that hair from the body was left on the backseat of the car after the body was removed. Photographs shown in court depicted the hair left in the seat, as well as biological fluids.

2:03 p.m. — Collins testified that the body found in the car was in the back seat in a fetal position. She testified that she observed parts of the body that exhibited a mummification process, while some parts of the body were wet. She testified she was concerned to remove the body from the vehicle because she didn’t want the body to fall apart. Police used a tarp to remove the body from the car, however, Collins testified some biologicals were left in the backseat of the vehicle.

2:00 p.m. — Another group of photographs taken by Collins on February 27, 2020, are admitted into evidence with no objections from the defense. The photographs, shown in court, were taken at the WFPD Impound Facility of the contents of the vehicle in which Logan Cline’s body was found.

1:55 p.m. — Collins testified that she photographed the room in which Trumbull, Johnson, and her two kids were staying at the Red Roof Inn. At the time the photographs were taken, the room appeared to have been cleaned.

1:52 p.m. — Collins testifies that among her responsibilities as a crime scene technician is to photograph crime scenes. Assistant District Attorney Kyle Lessor admits several photographs taken by Collins at the Red Roof Inn and the surrounding area, with no objection from the defense.

Judge McKnight calls the jury back into the courtroom. Judge McKnight instructs the prosecution they may call their next witness. Assistant District Attorney Kyle Lessor calls WFPD Crime Scene Technician Kelly Collins to the stand.

1:43 p.m. — Judge McKnight rules to allow Gillespie to question Lexie Cline, with a limiting instruction to be read to the jury directly before the testimony and during the jury charge prior to deliberation.

1:37 p.m. — A hearing is held outside of the presence of the jury to determine the admissibility of a witness, Lexie Cline, the sister of Logan Cline, who was 15 years old at the time of his death. During this hearing, meth use is brought up, and it is revealed that Trumbull, Johnson, and both children were using heavy amounts of methamphetamine while they were staying at the Red Roof Inn between October and December 2019.

Judge McKnight dismissed the witness from the stand. Judge McKnight then dismissed the court into recess for lunch. Proceedings will resume at 1:30 p.m.

12:01 p.m. — Patel testified that he consented to a search of the room previously occupied by Trumbull and Johnson requested by the WFPD.

Hull passes the witness back to Gillespie for further questioning.

11:59 a.m. — Patel testified that Johnson’s mom caught them up on rent at least one time and that he would speak to Johnson about issues regarding rent. He testified that he went into the room after Trumbull and Johnson were evicted to determine the state. He said he had not rented that room out again at the time the WFPD contacted him regarding the investigation in February 2020. He testified that though he was renting them the room, he had no idea what was going on inside the room.

11:57 a.m. — Patel testified he saw Johnson more than any other occupants of the room. He testified that after Johnson would come and get breakfast, he didn’t know what would happen to the food after she left the hotel lobby. He testified that in the last three weeks of their stay, they stopped coming to the lobby entirely. He testified they paid daily, but eventually, the payments stopped coming. He testified that at a point, he’d asked for payment, and the door was slammed in their face, leading him to call the police.

11:54 a.m. — Patel testified that he had no knowledge of the pets in the room until after Trumbull and Johnson. He said the room after they left was in such a state, it took them over a month to get the room back to a condition to make it rentable again. He testified he’s required to have housekeeping enter the room at least once a week, but staff would not enter a room with pets inside.

11:52 a.m. — Patel testified customers would complain about Trumbull and some of his behavior. Patel said he confronted Trumbull about an incident in which he was walking around in the parking lot with knives in the back of his jeans. He testified Trumbull complied and he did not have to call the police for this incident.

11:51 a.m. — Hull asked Patel if he employed housekeeping, and Patel testified they did, but Trumbull and Johnson had “Do Not Disturb” signs on the door. Patel testified that Johnson didn’t look distressed or needed help, or to call the police at any time.

Gillespie passed the witness to defense attorney William Hull for cross-examination.

11:49 a.m. — Patel testified that Trumbull and Johnson were evicted from the hotel in December 2019, and the WFPD assisted with the eviction. He testified that they arrived in a U-Haul, got their mail, and left near the end of 2019.

11:48 a.m. — Patel testified that Trumbull and Johnson were not social, and that Trumbull was the most social, but that he “acted crazy, weird.” He testified that he never saw the pets at all, but after they checked out, dog feces was found in the room. He testified that a previous tenant who was elderly couldn’t take all their belongings when they left the hotel, so some of their belongings, including a wheelchair, were left by the dumpster. He testified that about a week later, he saw the same wheelchair being pulled into the parking lot by Trumbull. He said Trumbull would be walking around with the wheelchair with no one in the chair.

11:45 a.m. — Patel testified that he met Logan Cline, the victim, and his older sister, Lexie Cline, while they were staying at the Red Roof Inn between October and December of 2019. He testified that the children were quiet with “no happiness and no smiling whatsoever,” and that they were wearing the same clothes every day.

11:43 a.m. — Patel testified that when Trumbull and Johnson checked into the Red Roof Inn, they had two kids staying with them. He testified the family would come in to have breakfast at the beginning of their stay. He testified that after a week or two, Johnson would come down alone to make breakfast and bring it back to the room.

11:40 a.m. — Patel testified that Red Roof Inn records indicate that Trumbull and Johnson checked into the hotel on October 2, 2019, until December 27, 2019. They rented a room with two queen beds inside. Patel testified that the room in which Trumbull and Johnson were staying faced away from Interstate 44.

11:37 a.m. — Nitan Patel testified that he has worked as the general manager at the Red Roof Inn since 2018. He testified that in late 2019, Trumbull and Johnson rented a room from him at the Red Roof Inn.

Judge McKnight excused Detective Bailey and instructed the state that they may call their next witness. Gillespie called to the stand Nitan Patel, General Manager of the Red Roof Inn in Wichita Falls.

11:34 a.m. — Detective Bailey testified that after the body was retrieved from the vehicle, the body was sent to a Dallas County medical examiner for an autopsy.

Hull then passed the witness back to Gillespie for further questioning.

11:32 a.m. — Hull asked Detective Bailey about the vehicle and if it was his opinion that the car was chosen out of convenience. Hull asked if Detective Bailey was the one who was responsible for that car being there and for the body being found inside of it, and Detective Bailey said he was not. He testified that the vehicle’s relation to the hotel and the state of the car and the house in front of it was the reason he came to that conclusion.

11:30 a.m. — Detective Bailey testified that he was the one who found the body, after which secured the area, secured the vehicle, and assisted with the search of the vehicle at the WFPD compound, all with the goal of preserving evidence that may be valuable to the investigation.

Gillespie passed the witness to defense attorney William Hull for cross-examination.

11:28 a.m. — Detective Bailey testified that the discoloration found on the body is part of the decomposition process. Photos shown in the courtroom showed different parts of the body in various states of decomposition. Detective Bailey testified that the body was subject to some bug activity while it was in the vehicle for several months.

11:25 a.m. — Detective Bailey testified that he didn’t recall finding any blood stains on the clothing worn by the body, suggesting that the body was dressed after death.

11:24 a.m. — Detective Bailey testified that much of the contents they discovered inside the abandoned vehicle appeared to already be in the car when the boy’s body was found. He testified that the body was removed from the vehicle on the tarp.

11:21 a.m. — Gillespie offered 12 photos of the vehicle as it was being searched at the WFPD impound, with no objections from the defense.

11:17 a.m. — Detective Bailey testified that on February 27, 2020, he assisted with the search of the vehicle. Gillespie admitted 8 photos of the inside of the vehicle from the search on Kenley Avenue into evidence with no objection from the defense.

11:12 a.m. — Detective Bailey testified that when he looked in the rear passenger window, he saw two white tennis shoes that appeared to have ankles in them, as well as the end of a pair of blue jeans. He testified the vehicle was located about half a block from the Red Roof Inn. He said the vehicle was seized and taken to the WFPD impound.

11:11 a.m. — Detective Bailey testified that he first looked in the driver’s side window and saw numerous articles of clothing. He testified that upon moving to the passenger’s side, the odor of decomposition became much stronger. He testified that during the months of December, January, and February, the cooler weather tends to slow decomposition.

11:10 a.m. — Detective Bailey testified that he and two other detectives were canvasing on Kenley Avenue, where Cline’s body was eventually discovered. He testified that an abandoned house near the intersection of Borton Street and Kenley Avenue had an abandoned vehicle in front of it. He testified that the vehicle was covered in dirt and had signs of abandonment, and he smelled the faint odor of decomposition coming from the car.

11:04 a.m. — Gillespie admits 11 photos of the Red Roof Inn and the surrounding area which Detective Bailey was tasked with canvasing, including the abandoned home in front of which the car containing Logan Cline’s body was allegedly discovered, with no objection from the defense.

11:01 a.m. — Detective Bailey testified that he was tasked with canvasing the area to find the body of a deceased 11-year-old boy, who was somewhere in the vicinity of the hotel, either in an abandoned house or an abandoned car.

11:00 a.m. — Detective Bailey testified that in February 2020, he worked in the misdemeanor crimes unit of the WFPD. He testified that in the event of big cases, all hands would be on deck. He said he was called out to the scene near the Red Roof Inn in northern Wichita Falls.

Gillespie passed the witness, who was excused to return to Las Vegas. Judge McKnight instructed the state to call its next witness, Detective Matthew Bailey with the Wichita Falls Police Department’s Crimes Against Children Unit.

10:57 a.m. — Former Detective Metzger testified that the case of Logan Cline and her discovering his murder is one of the cases that she’ll never forget from her more than 25-year career in law enforcement.

Hull passed the witness back to Gillespie for further questioning.

10:56 a.m. — Hull asked Former Detective Metzger if based on her experience, is it common for someone to exhibit several emotions and for those emotions to manifest in several different ways. Former Detective Metzger agreed. She testified that based on her experience, detectives get to the truth by continuing to ask questions, but even then, she may not discover what the manifestations of certain emotions truly mean.

Gillespie passes the witness. Defense attorney William Hull begins cross-examination.

10:53 a.m. — Former Detective Metzger testified she interviewed Johnson around three times regarding her son. She said she notified her supervisor about the information she discovered and then notified the Wichita Falls Police Department.

10:52 a.m. — Former Detective Metzger testified that she spoke with Stormy Johnson in a trauma bay at a Las Vegas hospital. During that interview, Stormy spoke on the phone with her mother, Dorothy Holland. She said Stormy passed the phone to Metzger. She testified Holland asked her about the children. She testified Johnson got visibly uncomfortable when speaking about the children. She testified that eventually, Johnson said her son, Logan Cline, was dead in Texas.

Gillespie, on behalf of the prosecution, calls the state’s next witness, Monica Metzger, a retired detective with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.

10:48 a.m. — Gillespie offers a photo of Logan Cline’s body as evidence. With that, he passes the witness to William Hull, who has no questions for Davis. With that, Davis is excused as a witness. The state calls it

Gillespie, on behalf of the prosecution, calls the state’s next witness, Tye Davis, Chief Investigator for the Wichita County District Attorney’s Office.

10:45 a.m. — Judge McKnight calls the jury back into the courtroom and instructs the prosecution to call its next witness

Judge McKnight excused the witness and dismissed the court to a recess. Proceedings are set to resume at 10:45 a.m.

10:24 a.m. — Holland testified that when Trumbull was at her home, he referred to her grandchildren as his kids, and said she’d never see them again. Holland testified that Cline was a healthy boy going through puberty in the summer of 2019, just months before his death. With that, Gillespie passed the witness to Hull, who had no further questions.

Gillespie re-examined Dorothy Holland.

10:23 a.m. — Hull asked Holland if she had any idea what happened after she saw them for the last time in September 2019. Holland testified that she didn’t, other than when she would call Stormy Johnson to see how she was doing and ask to see the grandkids. Hull then passed the witness back to Gillespie for further questioning.

10:22 a.m. — Holland testified she saw the grandkids one more time after they lived with her, in September 2019, when they came to her house to get their stuff. She told Johnson and Trumbull that she’d give them their stuff back when she could see the kids. She said they then called the sheriff’s department on her, and only saw them in the back of the car, but didn’t get to spend time with them.

10:19 a.m. — Hull asked Holland how often she saw her grandchildren, and Holland testified she worked, so it wasn’t often, but at a point in time, the children lived with her. Holland testified she began calling CPS when the grandchildren left her house, and at a point in time, CPS requested a hair follicle test. Holland testified she was told Logan Cline was on some medication for his mental health, but said she never saw him take the medication, and that she didn’t think he needed any medication for his mental health.

Defense attorney William Hull cross-examines witness Dorothy Holland.

10:15 a.m. — Gillespie showed Holland a photograph from Logan Cline’s autopsy, informing the witness it wouldn’t be easy to see. Defense attorney William Hull objected to the photo being admitted into evidence, but before Judge McKnight could rule on the objection, Gillespie withdrew the photograph. He concluded questioning by asking if a day has gone by that Holland hadn’t thought about Logan, and Holland answered, no. With that, Gillespie passed the witness to the defense for cross-examination.

10:14 a.m. — Prosecutor John Gillespie jumped forward in time to February 2020, when Holland testified she received a phone call from her daughter, Stormy Johnson, and police in Las Vegas. She testified that she was at work later when she received a call from the Wichita Falls Police Department that the body of Logan Cline, her grandson, had been found. Holland was observed on the stand becoming visibly emotional and crying.

10:13 a.m. — Holland testified that at the time of Logan Cline’s 11th birthday, she was on a trip with her girlfriends. She said Trumbull, Johnson, and her two grandchildren were staying in “down” hotels. She testified she was concerned for the safety of her grandkids and she called CPS more than one time in regard to her concerns.

10:10 a.m. — Dorothy Holland testified that she did not approve of the relationship between her daughter, Stormy Johnson, and the defendant, Corey Trumbull. She testified that Trumbull was not welcomed inside her home.

10:02 a.m. — Dorothy Holland testified that her daughter, Stormy Johnson, met Logan’s father, Nicholas Cline while serving in the Army in New York. She testified that Johnson was a disabled veteran and was receiving assistance from the government. She testified that in the summer of 2019, Nicholas Cline was stationed in Afghanistan. She testified that Nicholas Cline and Stormy Johnson divorced right after Logan Cline was born. She testified that Stormy Johnson married again following her divorce from Nicholas Cline.

Gillespie calls the first witness on behalf of the State, Dorothy Holland, the grandmother of Logan Cline and mother of Stormy Johnson.

9:57 a.m. — Hull, Trumbull’s defense attorney, tells the jury that his job is to get to the truth and he’s going to do everything he can to get there. He asks the jury to pay close attention during cross-examination to the questions he asks. After briefly speaking to the jury, Hull ends his closing statement. Judge McKnight informs the state they may call their first witness.

9:54 a.m. — Gillespie said the evidence will show that Trumbull is responsible for Cline’s death and at the close of evidence, to convict Trumbull of capital murder under Lauren’s Law. With that, defense attorney William Hull began presenting his opening statement.

9:51 a.m. — Gillespie tells the jury that evidence in this trial will show that during one such interview, Trumbull told police that Cline apparently was into BDSM and asked to be hit. Gillespie challenges the jury to try and keep track of the lies Trumbull tells during interviews with police.

9:48 a.m. — Gillespie tells the jury that Trumbull, Johnson, and Cline’s older sister left and went to Las Vegas. Six weeks later, police in Wichita Falls were informed of Cline’s body. Gillespie then discusses how Trumbull’s behavior after Cline’s body was discovered suggests guilt, saying his story changed numerous times over the course of multiple interviews.

9:45 a.m. — Gillespie tells the jury that evidence will show that one night in late December, Cline began coughing up black blood and having a seizure. That night, Cline died. Gillespie tells the jury that afterward, Trumbull and Johnson place Cline’s body in the bathtub with several bags of ice to slow decomposition. Gillespie said Trumbull and Johnson told Cline’s older sister to say goodbye, after which they took the body and hit it in an abandoned car behind the hotel in late December 2019, celebrating after returning to the hotel room because “they got away with it.”

9:42 a.m. — Gillespie tells the jury the evidence will show that in one instance, Trumbull’s abuse of Cline was so brutal that the child lost the ability to speak and walk afterward. Gillespie alleges Trumbull then found a wheelchair at the hotel they were staying in for them to use for Cline. Gillespie alleges that Trumbull and Johnson continue abusing Cline after this incident and up until the day of Cline’s death.

9:38 a.m. — Gillespie tells the jury the evidence will show the horrific abuse Cline endured at the hands of Trumbull. Gillespie describes Cline’s life as an “abusive hell” due to the horrific assaults inflicted upon him at the hands of Trumbull.

9:36 a.m. — Gillespie begins painting a picture of how Cline, his older sister, and his mother, end up at a hotel in Wichita Falls after Johnson begins a relationship with Trumbull. They’d been moving from place to place after multiple evictions.

9:33 a.m. — Gillespie begins laying out what he believes the evidence will show over the course of the trial. Gillespie describes Logan Cline as an ornery but lovable 11-year-old boy. Gillespie tells the jury about Cline’s mother, co-defendant Stormy Johnson, and how Cline’s father and Johnson had separated. In 2019, Cline’s father was stationed in Afghanistan.

9:25 a.m. — Gillespie reads the indictment by which Corey Trumbull is charged with capital murder and tampering with a corpse in connection to the death of 11-year-old Logan Cline in February 2020. Trumbull pleaded not guilty to both counts.

9:20 a.m. — The jury is called into the courtroom. Judge McKnight instructs the jurors and gives a roadmap of how proceedings will go. Judge McKnight asks both Gillespie and Hull if they are ready to proceed, and both say they are.

9:18 a.m. — Just as Judge McKnight was bringing in the remaining jurors, the late juror arrived. Judge McKnight let the juror know that he was given an instruction to be at the courthouse at 9 a.m. Judge McKnight informed the alternate juror to remain at the courthouse until he speaks with him.

9:15 a.m. — The Court went on the record outside of the presence of the jury. Presiding Judge Jeff McKnight informed counsel for the state and the defense that one of the two alternate jurors has not yet arrived. Lead Prosecutor John Gillespie and defense attorney William Hull request that the juror be excused so proceedings can begin. Judge McKnight grants the request.

This is a developing story. Stick with Texoma’s Homepage for updates as more information becomes available. All individuals charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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