Prosecutors: Dustin Jefferson ‘encouraged’ wife’s murder

TOLEDO — There is no dispute that Ginger Jefferson killed Kerry O'Clair Jefferson on Sept. 25, 2013, but the evidence in the trial of her son, Dustin Jefferson, will show he 'actively encouraged or actively participated' in the plan to kill his wife, a prosecutor said Tuesday.

Assistant Iowa Attorney General Laura Roan said in her opening statement that the jury would hear testimony that O'Clair Jefferson died at the hands of Ginger Jefferson, who stabbed her twice in the neck, one of them piercing her jugular. But the evidence also will show Dustin Jefferson was there with a purpose and a plan, she said.

Tom Gaul, Dustin's lawyer, said in his opening that after Ginger Jefferson stabbed O'Clair Jefferson, Dustin Jefferson saw his wife on the floor and panicked. His mother took off, and he drove around 'in a daze for a while.'

Gaul said Ginger Jefferson never claimed her son helped her. She told witness Amber Navarro that her son 'couldn't or wouldn't do it.'

Dustin Jefferson, 38, is charged with first-degree murder. He is accused of killing or aiding and abetting in the killing of his wife, who was 32 at the time of her death.

Ginger Jefferson, 58, was convicted of killing her daughter-in-law in May 2014.

Testimony in Dustin Jefferson's case resumes at 9 a.m. Wednesday in Tama County District Court.

The prosecutor said that Sept. 25, 2013, started out with a nice 'day drunk' for Dustin, his mother, sister Sierra and his 'estranged' wife at his cousin's house, where he stayed off and on after he and his wife had broken up. Roan said the couple's marriage was 'volatile and rocky.'

The group got into a 'drunken' argument, Roan said. Dustin Jefferson was mad at his wife and was going to leave the house because she was going to turn him in to authorities, who were seeking him on a sexual abuse charge.

That is the motive in the murder, the prosecutor said.

Dustin Jefferson left in his car with his mother and sister. The three drove south of Tama and dropped off Sahara on the road, leaving her on foot, Roan said. Dustin and Ginger Jefferson returned to the cousin's house, where O'Clair Jefferson was. About six minutes after O'Clair Jefferson called police, 'she's dead,' Roan said.

When police arrived, they found Dustin Jefferson, but his mother had run less than a block to Amber Navarro's house, Roan said.

Roan said Dustin told three different versions of what happened, but 'none of his versions are true.'

There will be evidence of O'Clair Jefferson's blood on Dustin's shoes, Roan said. He wasn't in the 'wrong place at the wrong time,' as the defense will claim, she said.

'Why would he come back to the house when he knew Kerry had called the police?' Roan said. 'Ginger didn't and couldn't act alone.'

Defense attorney Gaul said Dustin told police immediately to check on his wife. He told them differing stories because he knew his mother 'did it,' and he didn't want to 'rat out' his mother.

'It was the classic mother-in-law hate of daughter-in-law,' Gaul said. 'But it doesn't mean Dustin was in the middle of it. He went back to the house … he didn't run.'

Navarro testified about Ginger Jefferson's visit to her home and helping her wash blood off her hands.

Ginger Jefferson, Navarro testified, told her 'they' were playing with a knife and that she told Dustin to do it but he couldn't.

Navarro said she didn't know when that happened — before or after Kerry was stabbed.

She said she wasn't surprised the two women got into it. Ginger was more violent toward 'white women' like her daughter-in-law.

Navarro said Ginger Jefferson had her call her other son, Garrick Davenport

, and, when he didn't answer, she called his wife, Laurie Davenport. Ginger Jefferson wanted Laurie to help her get a bus ticket or money to leave town.

Navarro eventually called the police.