Tuesday, June 18, 2013

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Prosecution says an affair led Techel to murder
Posted: 02.25.2013 at 5:24 PM
KTVO Newsdesk
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Seth Techel
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OTTUMWA, IOWA -- On day three of the First Degree Murder trial of Seth Techel, jurors met the other woman.

Rachel McFarland took the stand Monday afternoon to testify for the state about her relationship with Seth Techel.

McFarland was a co-worker of Techel's at the Ottumwa Job Corps Center.

Upon direct examination, McFarland told the court that she began to correspond with Techel electronically sometime in January of 2012.

She testified that over time, the two started to flirt by email and text message and by the late spring of 2012, the two had met a handful of times in person away from work.

During those encounters she testified that they kissed and engaged in petting, but did not engage any more serious sexual acts.

McFarland says that by May of 2012, Techel was telling her he wanted to divorce his wife and move in with her.

McFarland then testified that on the day before the death of Lisa Techel, she was under the impression that Seth was going to have a conversation with his wife about getting a divorce.

She admitted texting Seth several times on the morning of the murder to find out how the conversation went, and said she was shocked to find out Lisa was dead.

On cross-examination, defense attorney Steven Gardner got McFarland to admit that during May 2012, she was in the process of breaking up with one long time boyfriend, while considering beginning a relationship with another man, all why continuing to communicate with Seth.

The state is expected to continue its case when court resumes at the Wapello County Courthouse on Tuesday morning. 

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