Sister's testimony puts defendant near scene of Marine's murder in Lexington

Minutes before Marine Cpl. Jonathan Price and his wife, Megan, were shot in the parking lot outside Austin City Saloon, a car driven by one of the accused was recorded going through a drive-through lane at a nearby liquor store.

Dawan Mulazim, charged with murder and assault in the June 21, 2014, shootings of the Prices, was identified by his older sister, Nafeesa, as the man driving a Chevy Malibu in the drive-through lane at Danny Scott Liquor store. Nafeesa Mulazim testified that she identified her brother when she was interviewed by Lexington police.

Raietta Hudson, who dated co-defendant Quincinio Canada in 2014, testified that Canada would sometimes drive her Chevy Malibu, and that Canada would allow Mulazim to drive the car.

The Malibu was recorded going through the liquor store drive-through at 1:17 a.m., just minutes before the Price shootings were reported around the corner at Austin City Saloon.

Another video camera picked up a Chevy Malibu driving by Mariana's Tienda, a Mexican restaurant and grocery in the Woodhill Center near Austin City Saloon.

The video evidence was presented by Lexington police Lt. David Richardson on Monday, the third day of testimony in the trial of Canada and Mulazim. They face the possibility of the death penalty if convicted.

Most of the day's testimony concerned cell phone towers, through which the prosecution laid the groundwork for future testimony.

The defense maintains that police settled on Canada and Mulazim as the culprits in the shootings despite evidence to the contrary. In an opening statement, the defense said that DNA evidence taken from Jonathan Price's fingernails will exonerate Canada and Mulazim.

Jurors on Monday saw photographs and video of the Austin City Saloon parking lot where the Prices were shot.

Price’s wife was shot in the leg in the Austin City parking lot and couldn't get to her husband after he was shot in the back. He died soon after.

Tim Russell, an evidence technician for Lexington police, said that one fired shell casing was found at the shooting scene. No fingerprints or DNA were found on the casing, and Russell said heat from the discharge of the weapon might have eliminated them.

Jurors also heard testimony from Lexington police K-9 officer Chad Karsner, who took a dog named Lux to the Austin City Saloon shooting scene in June 21, 2014. The dog did not find the suspects.

Six days earlier, Karsner and Lux also went to the Quality Inn robbery scene where police say a gun was stolen that was later used in the Price shootings. Prosecutors allege Canada and Mulazim took the gun.

This story was originally published June 18, 2018 at 12:34 PM with the headline "Sister's testimony puts defendant near scene of Marine's murder in Lexington."