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“American Sniper” Trial Day 3: Drugs, Booze Found at Routh's Home

Testimony of alleged murder confessions by defendant Eddie Ray Routh ended for the week at his Erath County trial for the 2013 deaths of "American Sniper" Chris Kyle and Kyle’s friend Chad Littlefield.

Routh’s uncle testified Friday he smoked marijuana with his nephew the morning of the killings and quoted Routh as saying later that day, “I’m driving a dead man’s truck,” when Routh returned in Kyle’s pickup.

A former Erath Sheriff’s deputy told jurors about a jailhouse confession he overheard months latter from Routh.

Former Deputy Gene Cole, now a Belton police officer, said he heard Routh speaking in the Erath County jail in June 2013 about the Feb. 2, 2013, murders.

“I shot them because they wouldn't talk to me,” Cole quoted Routh as saying. “I was just riding in the back seat of the truck and nobody would talk to me. They were just taking me to the range so I shot them. I feel bad about it but they wouldn't talk to me. I am sure they have forgiven me."

The victims were found dead at the Rough Creek Lodge shooting range in Erath County where Kyle had taken Routh for therapy at the request of Routh’s mother.

Routh was arrested driving Kyle’s stolen pickup hours after the murders following a short chase from Routh’s home in Lancaster to Interstate 35E at Wheatland Road in Dallas.

Kyle, whose military career is depicted in the book and movie “American Sniper,” had helped many veterans with post-traumatic stress. Routh’s relatives have said he suffered from PTSD after his four years as a U.S. Marine.

But Routh’s uncle, James Watson, testified Friday that Routh does know right from wrong. Called as a state witness in the trial, Watson said he visited his nephew the morning of the murders at Routh’s home in Lancaster.

Watson said Routh was distraught at the time about a fight with his girlfriend and trouble finding a good job. Watson said he and Routh smoked marijuana and may have had whiskey that morning.

He said Routh left quickly when Kyle came by Routh’s home to pick him up for the planned outing that day.

Later that evening, Watson said Routh stopped at Watson’s home in Alvarado with a new pickup and handgun. Watson said the remark about “a dead man’s truck” was not alarming at the time because he said Routh sometimes referred to himself as a "dead man."

Texas Ranger David Armstrong testified that he searched Routh’s Lancaster home after the arrest and found marijuana, drug paraphernalia and a nearly empty bottle of whiskey.

Defense attorney Tim Moore said in opening statements Wednesday that Routh was suffering from severe mental illness at the time of the crime and could not tell right from wrong. Moore said Routh was repeatedly treated by the Veterans Administration and released with anti-psychotic drugs.

Armstrong said that anti-psychotic medications were found in the search of Routh’s home.

The trial began with jury selection last week. Testimony began Wednesday and continues Monday at 9 a.m. Several more days of state evidence are expected before defense lawyers get their turn to call witnesses.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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