Investigators discuss their evidence

By BRAD DICKERSON
Glasgow Daily Times

March 29, 2008 02:25 pm

— Investigating officers discussed Friday the numerous pieces of evidence, including a blood trail, found where it is alleged Luis Rodriguez was shot by William R. “Billy” Haynes.
Haynes, 61, of Glasgow, is on trial, charged with murder and tampering with physical evidence, in connection with the death of Rodriguez, 45, also of Glasgow. The victim’s body was found in the Barren River Lake in Allen County on the morning of Oct. 19. Day 3 of the trial focused on evidence collected by investigators.
At Haynes’ initial December hearing, Kentucky State Police Detective Chad Winn, the lead investigator, said it is believed that Haynes shot Rodriguez after Rodriguez, along with three accomplices, tried to break into an indoor marijuana-growing site on property owned by David Houchens at 2836 Winn School Road on Oct. 18.
KSP Detective Scott Skaggs, another investigating officer, testified Friday that a search warrant was initially obtained for a residence at 3397 Winn School Rd., based on several sources. The home belonged to one Barry Houchens, David’s brother.
Skaggs said that, shortly after his arrival at the residence, he was contacted by a deputy with the Barren County Sheriff’s Department, who arrived in the area with one of the subjects interviewed about the previous night’s events, Tony Clark.
“(Clark) was telling us that we were actually at the wrong residence,” Skaggs testified. “It was one residence ... I believe it was one residence back from that.”
Clark, Rick Driver, Tyler Allen and Danielle Neal, all who traveled with Rodriguez late in the evening of Oct. 18, each testified on Thursday about their individual actions that night.
Once Clark alerted them of where the correct residence was, Skaggs said they left Barry Houchens’ home and went to 2836 Winn School Rd.
Skaggs testified that, after repeated knocking, David Houchens came to the door.
“I (came) up to him and I asked him what, exactly, had went on there that night (Oct. 18),” Skaggs told Commonwealth’s Attorney Karen Davis. “He didn’t say nothing.”
As officers began working to obtain a search warrant, Skaggs said he and other troopers had their attention diverted by something in the driveway.
“I said, ‘That looks like blood,’” he testified. “We began to notice a trail of blood that led out the driveway and it probably went 200 yards down the roadway. A tremendous amount of blood.”
After the search warrant was obtained, Skaggs said several guns and $5,000 in cash were discovered in Houchens’ home, while the indoor marijuana-growing site was found in an outbuilding on the property.
As it got dark on the evening of Oct. 19, Skaggs said it was decided to leave an officer at the residence and investigators would come back the next day to search the property and nearby wooded area.
“We were told most of this took place outside,” he said. “We didn’t want to trample evidence (for) not being able to see it.”
Skaggs said the wooded area was first searched because of statements the three subjects had made about losing personal items as they ran into the woods once shots rang out.
Items discovered included a red bandanna, a camouflage toboggan and a red and white Nike tennis shoe, according to Skaggs.
Driver previously testified that he had lost one of his Nike tennis shoes while running into the woods.
Large blood pools were also found near the outbuilding, Skaggs testified. A single 9mm shell casing was also discovered with the aid of a metal detector.
On Oct. 23, Skaggs said he was asked to examine David Houchens’ black Dodge pickup for any blood evidence.
Houchens allegedly told police that he and Haynes threw Rodriguez’s body off a bridge and then tried to wash the blood from the bed of the pickup truck used to transport it.
Skaggs testified he found what appeared to be blood underneath the bed of the truck and under the bed liner.
By Oct. 24, Skaggs said a search warrant was obtained for Haynes’ home at 184 Lacefield Dr. He was not home when investigators did their sweep.
Recovered items included several guns, $3,000 in cash, digital scales, a paper receipt for Louisville Hydroponics Garden Supply, a cellphone and two address books that had listings for David and Barry Houchens, according to Skaggs.
On cross examination by Butch Turner, one of the defense attorneys, Skaggs said he not only sought a search warrant for Barry Houchens’ property initially on the night of Oct. 19, but also a second one for his clothes and person to test for gunshot residue.
A search warrant was also requested for Josh Houchens,’ Barry’s son, for his clothes and person so the same test could be performed.
Skaggs testified that investigators immediately stopped searching Barry Houchens’ house when they were alerted that the shooting had actually taken place at David Houchens’ residence.
He also said neither Barry or Josh Houchens were located on the evening of Oct. 19 and never tested for gunshot residue.
Turner pointed out that the affidavit for a search warrant of Barry Houchens’ residence contained information that an indoor grow operation was on that property.
“This statement was given by somebody that we had talked to,” Skaggs replied.
“Obviously, it wasn’t still there on Oct. 19, 2007,” Turner said. “Do you have any information or idea if his grow operation was moved down to his brother’s house?”
“I have no idea,” Skaggs said.
As the investigation into the Oct. 19 shooting continued, one thing missing was the suspect. Haynes was eventually apprehended in Orlando, Fla., on Dec. 3, according to Friday testimony from Jeff Timmons, with the U.S. Marshal’s Fugitive Apprehension Task Force.
Timmons added that the defendant was found with $24,000 in cash when he was arrested at the home of a friend. Haynes was also described as cooperative during the apprehension.
On Friday, jurors also heard from the youngest witness to take the stand thus far, Cole Rodriguez, 11, the son of Luis Rodriguez.
Rodriguez responded to questions from Kathryn Thomas, assistant commonwealth’s attorney, regarding his relationship with the defendant.
Rodriguez said he used to see Haynes at Barry Houchens’ house when he would go with his father to do farming activities and also at the defendant’s home.
When Rodriguez was 6, he said he was fishing with his father and sister at Peter’s Creek when Haynes approached the children and their father, carrying a sack.
“Billy Haynes said, ‘Did you tell anybody about the marijuana and dope?’” Rodriguez testified. “I told my sister, ‘Let’s run,’ because I saw something in the bag, like a gun.”
The trial, initially scheduled to run through Saturday, has recessed until 1 p.m. on Tuesday at the Barren County Courthouse.