HAMAD TRIAL | His girlfriend says she's 'still being threatened all the time'

October 26, 2017 at 4:46p.m.

4:45 p.m.

WARREN

Tracy Hendrickson, girlfriend of Nasser Hamad, took the witness stand late this afternoon in Hamad's aggravated murder trial.

She testified about the origin of the dispute between her family and Hamad and other issues.

Chris Becker, assistant county prosecutor, asked her a series of questions about Facebook messages that were exchanged between Hamad and her son, Bryce Hendrickson, and why she didn't do more to stop the conflict, such as blocking her son from Facebook since she had done that on her own Facebook account.

"I never thought it would come to this," she said. "I never dreamt they would come over to our house, never."

Becker asked her about allegations that someone among her husband and sons had put feces and an intimate item of hers in Hamad's yard and asked if she ever did anything about it.

She said she has contacted authorities and "they never did anything."

"I'm still being threatened all the time," she said.

Before she left the courtroom, Judge Rice stated in front of the audience that no one should attempt to contact her between today's hearing and Friday morning, when she will resume her testimony. And she should have no contact with anyone about the case either, the judge said.

2:35 p.m.

WARREN

Dr. Humphrey Germaniuk, Trumbull County coroner, testified today in the Nasser Hamad aggravated murder trial that Joshua Haber, 19, died as a result of a gunshot wound that entered his body from the back, penetrated his aorta and lodged in his neck.

The wound would have killed him within a couple of minutes, he testified.

Detective Jeff Edmundson of the Howland Police Department also resumed his testimony today, discussing two Howland police reports related to the feud between Hamad and his girlfriend's family.

Hamad, 48, is charged with two counts of aggravated murder and several counts of attempted murder in the Feb. 25 shootings at his house on state Route 46 in Howland that killed two young men and injured three other people.

1:20 p.m.

WARREN

Detective Jeff Edmundson of the Howland Police Department has resumed his testimony today in the Nasser Hamad aggravated murder trial.

He is discussing a Nov. 6, 2016, Howland police report describing Hamad calling 911 regarding harassment that day that Hamad said he thought was coming from the family of his girlfriend, Tracy Hendrickson.

Another report from that day came from Brian Hendrickson, Tracy Hendrickson's estranged husband, complaining of threats Brian Hendrickson said he had overheard from Hamad that day on his son's cell phone.

Edmundson is lead detective in the Hamad case

8:30 a.m.

WARREN

Jurors have heard from about 20 prosecution witnesses over the first three days of the Nasser Hamad aggravated murder trial, but the prosecution’s case is about to end.

Detective Jeff Edmundson of the Howland Police Department, who began to testify late Wednesday, will return to the stand at 1 p.m. today to finish his testimony. Dr. Humphrey Germaniuk, Trumbull County coroner, also will testify.

Edmundson took over as lead detective in the Hamad case when former Howland detective Tony Villanueva left the department in May to become a captain at the sheriff’s office.

Under cross examination by defense attorney Robert Dixon, Villanueva admitted he didn’t know some of the answers to Dixon’s questions because he no longer works at Howland.

In one instance, Mike Burnett, assistant prosecutor, offered up a document from Edmundson regarding injuries to Hamad suffered in the confrontation about which Villanueva said he was unaware.

One witness who could testify today is Tracy Hendrickson, Hamad’s girlfriend, who is neither a witness for the prosecution or defense. Judge Ronald Rice has called her to testify on the court’s behalf.

If she doesn’t testify today, she may take the stand Friday or after Hamad’s defense team presents its witnesses.

She was at the center of a monthslong feud involving her family and Hamad that apparently was related to her leaving her husband, Brian Hendrickson, and becoming involved with Hamad.

Feb. 25 Facebook messages between Hamad and one of Tracy Hendrickson’s sons, Bryce Hendrickson, 19, is believed to have instigated the fatal confrontation in front of Hamad’s house.

Hamad’s attorneys have said Hamad will testify on his behalf.

Hamad attorneys have also asked Judge Rice to allow an expert witness to testify that he has diagnosed Hamad with post traumatic stress disorder and discuss how that affliction may have caused Hamad to have a heightened fear of his own death when Bryce Hendrickson and four other people went to his house Feb. 25.

If that witness, Dr. James Reardon, is allowed to testify, he might be a key defense witness.