No verdict in Weldon trial, jury will resume on Friday

UPDATE: No verdict was reached on Thursday. The jurors will return 9 a.m. Friday.

Earlier in the day, the jury in the first-degree murder trial of Tonch Weldon has not yet reached a verdict, but the jury asked a question of Sixth Judicial District Judge Douglas Russell late Thursday morning.

The jury asked if they should consider lesser charges if they couldn't decide on the first-degree murder charge. Russell told them to go back and read the jury instructions, and they resumed deliberations.

Weldon, 39, of Blairstown, is on trial in Iowa County District Court. Reporter Trish Mehaffey will provide live coverage from the courtroom when the verdict comes in.

The jury deliberated from 12:40 to 4:30 p.m. Wednesday before going home for the evening.

The prosecution claimed in closing arguments Wednesday that Weldon shot and killed Amy Gephart, 35, his wife's girlfriend, because the two women threatened to leave him. The slaying was deliberate and premeditated, Assistant Attorney General Denise Timmins said. Weldon shot Gephart once in the chest with a 20-gauge shotgun before turning the gun on himself June 7, 2009 in his home.

Last week, Tonch Weldon's wife Amanda Weldon testified she and Tonch had an open marriage and Gephart lived with them and was their sexual partner until she fell in love with Gephart. They had decided to leave Weldon and after arguing that day, Amanda said her husband shot Gephart in front of her and then tried to shoot himself more than once.

Dennis Cohen, Weldon's attorney, claimed in his closing that it was a “crime of passion.” Weldon was intoxicated that day, under stress, sleep deprived and the shooting wasn't premeditated. The state didn't proof first-degree murder. He asked the jury to consider a lesser charge - voluntary manslaughter.

Check below for a replay of Thursday's live coverage.