Testimony Continues in Brent Shubert Murder Trial

Testimony is underway in the Brent Shubert murder trial.

Shubert is charged with beating and strangling his fiance’, Bonnie Anne Cooner at their home in Canon on January 28, 2013.

Shubert escaped a death penalty trial and a jury trial by agreeing to a Bench Trial that is being heard by Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Malcom.

During opening arguments, Northern Judicial Circuit District Attorney Parks White told the court, investigators found evidence of the murder in Shubert’s auto shop behind their house.

White said hair and blood belonging to Cooner were found on the shop floor and in the pick up truck Shubert allegedly used to dispose of her body.

White said GBI investigators also found parts of an earring on the shop floor that matched one on Cooner when her body was found two weeks later down an abandoned well.

According to White, Shubert allegedly killed Cooner in a drunken tirade because he was wanted to end their three-year relationship.

A key witness in the murder trial is Cooner’s 14-year old son.

However, Shubert’s defense attorney argued in opening arguments that the son’s testimony would be quote, “unreliable, untrustworthy, and unbelievable.”

The defense claims the son, who will be not be named in this story because he is still a juvenile, changed his story several times when interviewed by the GBI and hated Shubert because he and Cooner had a violent relationship.

Cooner’s son was the first witness for the prosecution.

Now 14, he told the court Shubert was often drunk and would fly into violent rages when he was drinking and beat his mother.

Conner’s son said his mother and Shubert had been fighting the day before she disappeared.

He said the night of the murder, his mother tried to get Shubert to come home for dinner but he refused.

He testified Shubert came home later drunk and asked Cooner to come out to the shop to quote, “see something” telling her they also had to talk.

Cooner’s son testified he told his mother not to go with Shubert because but she told him it would be OK.

He said that was the last time he saw his mother alive.

The prosecution also called Shubert’s alleged accomplice.

J.D. Canady was given immunity in exchange for his testimony.

Canady told the court he and Shubert were working on cars in Shubert’s shop when Shubert came in with Cooner.

Canady said while he worked on a car he heard a scuffle and looked up to find Shubert on the ground with Cooner strangling her.

Canady testified he helped Shubert dispose of Cooner’s body because Shubert allegedly threatened to kill him and his family if he didn’t and if he told anyone.

It was Canady who later led investigators to the abandoned well where Cooner’s body was found.

Testimony continues today in Superior Court in Carnesville.