HUTCHINSON, Kansas -- Two men will be tried for the murder of a young Hutchinson mother.
After three days of testimony in the preliminary hearing, a judge determined there is probable cause to send Billy Joe Craig Jr., 48, and Charles Christopher Logsdon, 32, to trial for the murder of Jenny Heckel.
Heckel, 27, was shot and killed in her home last June. Her 5-year-old son was home at the time but not harmed.
On the third day of testimony in the preliminary hearing, two men testified about serving time in the Ford County Jail with Logsdon, who was jailed on unrelated charges after the murder.
Prosecutors played surveillance tape from inside the jail that they say shows Logsdon demonstrating to other inmates how Heckel was shot in the back of the head after being forced to her knees.
Another witness testified that Logsdon was concerned about a cigarette he left at the crime scene.
Monday, investigators testified that two cigarette butts were found at the scene and collected as evidence in the case.
Earlier in the week a taped confession from Craig was played for the court. On the tape, Craig confesses to driving Logsdon and another man, not charged in this case, to Heckel's home. He goes on to say Logsdon and that other man went inside and shot Heckel, thinking they were at the hideout of a Hutchinson meth dealer.
Prosecutors say Craig confessed in an attempt to get a plea deal. Craig now claims he had nothing to do with the killing and was at his home, with his daughter, the night of the crime. His ex-wife has also backed up that story, although prosecutors say they have evidence that his daughter was working the night of the murder.
The two men will be officially arraigned on March 5.
