OTTUMWA, IOWA -- Testimony resumed Friday morning in the first degree murder trial of Seth Techel.
Once again, the main topic of discussion was the Techels’ neighbor, Brian Tate.
The defense has maintained throughout the trial that investigators ruled out Tate as a suspect despite the history of antagonism between him and Seth Techel.
The jurors heard from Tate himself via audiotape of the second interview sheriff's deputies conducted with him.
That interview occurred at the Tate home on May 30, five days after the shooting death of Lisa Techel.
The conversation is amicable between Sheriff's Deputy Don Phillips, Tate and his mother Mary Lou, jumping back and forth from the facts of the case to lawn care and even the Tates mentioning Phillips' nice smile.
Tate again gives an account of the vandalism that happened in the months before the murder.
As the interview ends, Phillips asks Tate point blank if he had anything to do with Lisa Techel’s murder.
“If I was sworn a stack of Bibles in the court system I would still say I didn't do it. Because why. Because I was in bed asleep that night it happened,” Tate can be heard saying on the audiotape.
Also heard on the tape is a discussion between Phillips and Tate in Brian Tate's bedroom, in the basement of the Tate residence.
Tate showed deputies a variety of weapons he kept in his room and told deputies they were only for self-defense.
When Phillips returned to the stand after the tape was played, defense attorney Steven Gardner asked Phillips if he thought Tate sounded paranoid.
Phillips conceded that he did.
More Seth Techel stories
More Seth Techel videos
TV Station Profiles & Public Inspection Files forKTVO