Official Testifies About Routh Arrest Scene
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STEPHENVILLE (CBSDFW.COM) - Eddie Routh was back in an Erath County courtroom on Friday morning for the third day of his murder trial. Investigators detailed what happened in the minutes after, they said, Routh took the lives of Navy SEAL sniper Chris Kyle and his friend, Chad Littlefield.
Routh has been accused of murdering the two men at a shooting range in February 2013.
Officers testified Thursday that, after the bodies were found, Routh returned to his Lancaster home in Kyle's truck. He sat there for a while, but refused to leave. Routh eventually tried to flee from police, but was stopped minutes later.
A member of the Texas Rangers took the witness stand on Friday, and talked about what authorities found after police chased and arrested Routh two years ago. That official was on the scene when Routh was arrested. He searched Kyle's stolen pickup truck and Routh's home.
The official photographed two guns in the pickup truck -- a pistol stuck into the door pocket and a scoped rifle behind the front seat. He also testified that authorities found drug paraphernalia in Routh's home, including a ceramic pipe, a grinder and a leafy substance in a Hershey's chocolate can that appeared to be marijuana. There was also a metal box with a bong inside.
This testimony is leading up to what Routh did following his arrest. There is a videotaped confession to Texas Rangers that will be played later in court. But just when the prosecution will introduce that tape is not known.
A police officer on Thursday told the jury that Routh said that he had "taken a couple of souls" upon his arrest, adding that he had more souls to take. Video showed authorities trying to coax Routh from the pickup truck in the hours after Kyle and Littlefield were found dead. Routh made comments such as, "Anarchy has been killing the world."
Defense attorneys are trying to prove that the 27-year-old suspect was insane at the time of the killings. Routh believed that the victims were trying to kill him, his attorneys stated. "He thought, in his mind, at that point in time, that it was either him or them," said defense attorney Tim Moore during opening statements on Wednesday.
If the jury finds Routh guilty, he faces an automatic sentence of life in prison without parole.
The defense had tried to delay the trial after the release of the "American Sniper" film, which has broken records at the box office and was even nominated for Best Picture at this year's Academy Awards. The movie stars Bradley Cooper as Kyle and was directed by Clint Eastwood. It is based on Kyle's book of the same name.
Gov. Greg Abbott also signed a proclamation declaring February 2 as 'Chris Kyle Day' across Texas.
You can follow Joel Thomas on Twitter (@CBS11Joel) for the latest updates from the courtroom.
