BEAUMONT, Texas — Clayton Foreman is facing a jury Tuesday morning after being charged with the 1995 murder of Mary Catherine Edwards.
The trail had a brief delay while a juror was dismissed and replaced by an alternate. It is unclear what exactly happened. The judge presiding said it was done “with just cause.”
Thousands of hours of police work and DNA evidence eventually helped police track down and arrest Foreman in Ohio in 2021.
In opening statements Prosecutor Mike Laird told the jury they need to remember this happened in 1995. He said they will hear about family members who did not live long enough to testify or see this trial today.
He then went on to describe the kinds of evidence the jury will hear.
Prosecutors told the jury they'll hear from dozens of witnesses, including the doctor who performed the autopsy 29 years. They plan to highlight the genetic genealogy and DNA that cracked this cold case.
They offered no motive for the murder, but shared that Edwards was found bruised and handcuffed, slumped over the side of the bathtub at her townhouse. The autopsy confirmed she died from drowning and asphyxiation. Her dad found her, saying it appeared she was tortured.
Prosecutors started their case with a BPD dispatcher.
The court room quickly took a solemn tone as 911 recordings of Mary Catherine's mother's frantic call for help was played for the jury.
As Edwards' mother's cries filled the room while she described how she found her daughter, family members wept and some jurors closed their eyes. Seemingly not being able to handle the horror of the situation.
The jury also heard testimony from Edwards' twin sister Allison Edwards Brocato.
"I called and my dad answered the phone and he was frantic….he said your sister is dead so I said do you want me to call 911… so I called 911… and I hung up from him not knowing what was going on. I called my brother and he lived around the corner we were just hysterical and praying … and then my dear friend lived around the corner and they came over to comfort me," Brocato said.
This was the first the the family has spoken publicly about the murder.
Jurors also heard testimony from two neighbors. Both described hearing a series of loud noises in the middle of the night that sounded like someone kicking the wall. The neighbors went back to bed without calling police.
The defense offered no opening statements. Foreman's attorney tried to poke holes in some of the police processing of the crime scene and he brought up Edwards' ex-boyfriend who was once a suspect but was cleared by authorities.
Stay with 12News for coverage as the trial unfolds through testimony of both sides.
This is a developing story. We will update with more if and when we receive more confirmed information.
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