UPDATE: Murder victim's children recall father on The Murfreesboro Post

Sidebar Ads

UPDATE: Murder victim's children recall father

Related Articles

UPDATE; Jury deliberates in 1982 murder

Two witnesses testify McFarlane admitted murder

By: Lisa Marchesoni

Posted: Wednesday, January 13, 2010 1:03 pm

UPDATE: Murder victim's children recall father | Gene Stump, Mac Ray McFarlane trial

Attorney General Bill Whitesell shows an X-ray of evidence found at the crime scene. TMP/M. Willard

Five witnesses were expected to testify a defendant being tried on murder charges admitted he killed a victim in 1982, a prosecutor said in opening statements Wednesday.

Defendant Mac Ray McFarlane, also known as Randy Ray McFarlin, is being tried for the March 28, 1982 fatal shooting of his co-worker Erastus Gene Stump, 28, of Smyrna. Stump’s decomposed body was found April 28, 1982 near South Lamar Road in northeastern Rutherford County near Percy Priest Lake.

Sheriff’s Cold Case Detectives Lt. Bill Sharp and Sgt. Dan Goodwin charged McFarlane with first-degree premeditated murder and felony murder of Stump April 30, 2008. McFarlane is accused of killing Stump while robbing him.

He pleaded not guilty Wednesday morning before Circuit Court Judge Don Ash and a jury selected to hear the case.

In opening statements, Assistant District Attorney Paul Newman said McFarlane told his three former wives and two men he killed a man in a wooded area.

Defense attorney Luke Evans said the sheriff’s office lost evidence, some when a sewage leak destroyed evidence, resulting in a “botched case.”

Evans denied his client killed Stump.

“He did not kill Gene Stump,” Evans said. “He did not rob Gene Stump.”

Four witnesses testified Wednesday morning.

Stump’s brother, Steve, broke down with emotion when he identified his brother in a photograph. The victim had two children. He first learned of his brother’s death when three detectives informed him.

Former Chief Deputy David Grisham testified he and other detectives responded to the crime scene where they found Stump’s headless, armless decomposed body. He wore jeans and socks. Matted hair was found nearby.

“We found pieces, fragments of the skull in close proximity to each other,” Grisham said.

The body didn’t have any identification.

Former deputy coroner Michael Cawthon said he put the shell casings together to show what appeared to be a bullet hole.

Present Chief Deputy Virgil Gammon testified he found a lighter with the name “Gene” in the victim’s pants pocket. He helped gather evidence at the crime scene.

Under cross-examination, Evans asked about the missing evidence.

Gammon said he was made aware a water leak damaged some of the evidence but he didn’t know when the evidence was destroyed. Some evidence may have been mistakenly damaged during the move from the old jail to the new jail on New Salem Highway.

“I was not happy about it,” Gammon said.

During the afternoon, Stump’s son, Jason Gene Stump, who shared his father’s birthday, testified he was 5 years old when his father was killed.

He remembered having a Spiderman cake with his father. He remembered being happy with his father and became upset when he learned his father was killed.

“I was very angry and upset,” the son recalled.

When he saw a Crime Stoppers video about the murder, he threw his mother’s vase into the TV.

His stepsister, Rachel Stump Tucker, was 11 when Stump was murdered.

She remembered him being “goofy” about riding a bicycle.

“He put his legs on the handlebar and he fell,” she remembered.

Her mother and stepfather separated before his death but made efforts to get back together.

“I know he wanted to be a better dad and a better person,” she said.

Former sheriff’s detectives originally assigned to the case were expected to testify when the trial resumes Thursday.

Tagged under Gene Stump, Mac Ray McFarlane trial

Member Opinions:

By: truthandjustice1 on 1/13/10
Way to keep working on old cases Sheriff's Office, another one will no doubt bite the dirt.....

By: tnpeye on 1/14/10
There is no time table on Closure for a family. Peace and love be with them as they go through the ordeal again. Kudos to the Detectives for never giving up.
The Watchmen Group, Investigations
Private Investigators, Middle TN