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Shane Teslik threatened to kill Devonna Walker before he stabbed her, girlfriend testifies
Videos show fatal stabbing and earlier fights between Teslik, Chavez and Walker
Mar. 28, 2024 7:09 pm, Updated: Mar. 29, 2024 12:04 pm
CEDAR RAPIDS — Just before Devonna Walker was stabbed on Jan. 2, 2023, Jessie Chavez testified she heard her boyfriend, Shane Teslik — who is accused of voluntary manslaughter — threaten to kill Walker if she approached his home and family. He then called Walker a racial epithet and she assaulted the couple. The next thing Chavez saw, Walker was lying on the ground.
Chavez, 44, testified Thursday that she has been in an “off and on” romantic relationship with Teslik for 12 years. She said Teslik, who is on trial in Linn County, had directed the epithet at Walker in previous arguments in December 2022.
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The fight in January 2023 escalated from an argument over Teslik’s dog, Lola, to a physical assault on Chavez and Teslik, said Chavez, who became emotional at times during her testimony.
After the prosecution played video footage of the deadly incident, Chavez said when Teslik used the epithet, Walker ran toward her, as Chavez’s back was turned. Chavez said she was knocked down and her head hit the front door frame of her and Teslik’s apartment at 2135 North Towne Ct. NE.
The video showed Walker lunge at Chavez, knocking her over, and then Walker punched Teslik twice, as he stood in the apartment doorway. Teslik then picked up a knife and stabbed Walker.
Chavez said she didn’t see Teslik stab Walker. She said she “blacked out” and the next thing she saw was Walker on the ground. It all happened “too fast.”
Walker, 29, died from a single stab wound to the left side of her chest.
Teslik, 38, is was charged with voluntary manslaughter, a felony, and disorderly conduct — epithets/threatening gesture, a simple misdemeanor.
Teslik is claiming self-defense or in defense of others, according to the defense’s opening statement on Wednesday.
The prosecution continues its case Friday. The trial will go into next week.
Chavez didn’t want to ‘retreat’ from fight with Walker
Chavez said Thursday she doesn’t know if the injuries she received — bruising on her eye, a busted lip and broken teeth, skinned and scraped knees — were from Walker hitting her, or from being knocked to the ground.
Chavez said Teslik repeatedly asked her to come inside and he told Walker, who also lived in the same complex, to leave before the stabbing happened. Chavez said she continued to argue with Walker and she didn’t feel like she needed to “retreat” or go into her home.
Chavez said she had a “big mouth” — like Walker — and didn’t feel like “backing down.” She said she thought Walker should leave.
Linn County Attorney Nick Maybanks asked if Walker had a weapon that night and Chavez said she didn’t or she didn’t see one.
Chavez said she believed Walker could do “some bad harm” if she wanted, but didn’t think Walker was would kill her.
Before the previous incidents in December 2022 and the night of the stabbing, Chavez and Walker were on friendly terms as neighbors, Chavez said. When they first met, Walker was pregnant and outside a lot and they would talk. Walker’s son was close with Chavez’s daughter and attended the same school.
Chavez testified that Walker seemed to change and wasn’t the same person she had initially met. She was “acting more crazy and wilder” after she had the baby, she said.
Videos show previous arguments
The previous incidents on Dec. 19 and 21, 2022 were recorded by Chavez’s daughter and Chavez filed a police report after the Dec. 19 incident.
The videos of the incidents were shown to the jury.
In the Dec. 19 video, Chavez and Walker were arguing over the dog. Chavez told Walker to get off her front yard area and then Walker approached Chavez and punched her more than once, knocking her to the ground, Chavez testified.
Chavez’s daughter was standing next to her and was pushed or hit, but Chavez said Walker didn’t intentionally hit her daughter.
In the video, Teslik started moving toward Walker, but Chavez pulled him back. He was upset and didn’t seem afraid of Walker, Chavez said.
Chavez testified Walker didn’t assault Teslik, but then she said she didn’t recall whether Walker assaulted Teslik.
Chavez said Walker punched her after Chavez accused her of not taking care of her own kids.
On Dec. 21, 2022, Chavez got into another argument with Walker when the dog got off its leash and ran to Walker’s apartment area.
Maybanks asked if Walker assaulted Chavez, Teslik or Chavez’s daughter and Chavez said no.
Chavez also was asked what Teslik said when Walker confronted him over his use of the N-word but Chavez said she couldn’t recall.
In the video, Walker asked Teslik why he used the racial epithet, and Teslik said because she was one.
Chavez said she didn’t realize Walker had been stabbed
On cross, after Chavez was shown a portion of her interview with police on Dec. 19, 2022 — outside the presence of the jury — she recalled Walker had a metal pipe or rod with her, but she couldn’t recall if Walker used it to assault Teslik.
Chavez said Teslik had bruising on his forearm after the incident, but he didn’t have the bruises before the encounter.
Still under cross, Chavez said on Jan. 2, just before she was knocked over by Walker, she saw her daughter behind Teslik in the doorway.
Defense attorney John Bruzek asked Chavez if she and Teslik were the only thing between Walker and her daughter, and Chavez said yes.
Chavez also was asked about her behavior in the video after Walker is seen lying on the ground. Chavez admitted to “taunting” Walker, who wasn’t moving. Chavez said she didn’t know Walker had been stabbed. She thought she was “faking it.”
Comments: (319) 398-8318; trish.mehaffey@thegazette.com
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