Gordon Lasley Jr. gives strange confessions to girlfriend, brother

CEDAR RAPIDS - Antonia Hernandez testified Tuesday her boyfriend Gordon Lasley Jr, called her and said in an emotionless voice that he killed his parents Feb. 5.

'He said (during the call) ‘Are you afraid to die? We're not supposed to be afraid to die -- just go to the light,' Hernandez said. 'Then he said he talked to his dad about AIDS and syphilis and his dad said ‘It's right here.'”

Lasley then said he killed his parents.

Hernandez said she didn't know what to think. She didn't know if it was a joke or what. She had just been with him over 30 minutes earlier and left their 5-year-old daughter with him because she was sick. He was listening to 'pow wow” music and dancing, which was normal for him.

Lasley is charged with two counts of first-degree murder. According to testimony, Lasley used a 3-foot homemade machete to attack Gordon Lasley Sr. and Kim Lasley in their home Feb. 5 on the Meskwaki Settlement in Tama. He stabbed and cut his father three times and stabbed and cut his mother about six times.

Lasley isn't disputing the murders, but is claiming insanity at the time of the offense.

The state rested late Tuesday and the defense started and will continue its case 9 a.m. Wednesday.

Hernandez said everything seemed fine when she left him about 8:30 p.m. that night. They smoked marijuana, which made Lasley calm, and they watched television.

Hernandez did admit Lasley had a temper in the past and had knocked her down, hit her, and kicked two doors in during domestic disputes. Lasley even 'choked her out” during one incident but she claimed these were times when he was drinking alcohol. He stopped drinking in 2012.

Tyson Lasley, brother of Gordon Lasley Jr., testified his brother came by his house that night and told him about killing their parents.

'He put his hand on my shoulder and said ‘I'm sorry, I'm sorry,' Tyson Lasley said. 'He whispered to me ‘I killed mom and dad.' I couldn't believe it.”

Tyson Lasley said his brother told him 'he was losing it.” He told his girlfriend to call 911.

Assistant U.S. Attorney C.J. Williams asked if Tyson got a sense his brother felt bad or guilty.

Tyson Lasley was hesitant to answer. He kept saying he didn't know.

Williams refreshed his memory with his testimony before the grand jury in this case and he finally admitted it seemed like his brother felt bad or guilty for his actions.

Tyson Lasley said his brother's comments about not being raised right was in reference to him struggling with the fact that he was in a relationship with Hernandez. Hernandez was 'adopted” by Lasley's aunt. It wasn't a legal or traditional adoption. She was adopted into the aunt's Meskwaki family, so Hernandez and Lasley were considered cousins by some.

Nayla Brown, Tyson Lasley's girlfriend, said at first she thought Lasley Jr. was drunk because of the things he said to Tyson. She thought he looked different that night.

Williams asked Brown didn't Lasley Jr. tell her 'I did what I had to do.”

Brown said she didn't remember.

Williams had her read her grand jury testimony in which she said Lasley Jr. made that statement but Brown again said she didn't remember.