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Trial continues in MSU student's death

Posted at 5:49 PM, Dec 10, 2019
and last updated 2019-12-10 22:08:31-05

EAST LANSING, Mich. — The trial is underway for a man who is accused of killing a Michigan State University student.

Steven Washington, 30, of Tunica, Mississippi, is charged with "open murder" for a shooting at an apartment complex in East Lansing, a little over a year ago.

Prosecutors say he shot and killed Isai Berronies, 22, during an altercation involving several people at the 25 East apartments on Abbot Road back in October of 2018.

Key witnesses, who were involved in the fight that led up to the shooting, testified Tuesday along with a paramedic from the scene and police.

Those witnesses said they couldn't identify the shooter.

Michigan State Police officers testified that they arrived on scene after responding to a call of shots fired. A pocket knife and a pair of scissors were found on Berronies.

"Officer Ojerio, in your opinion. In your professional opinion, can a pair of scissors be used as a weapon," the officer was asked in court.

"Yes, they can," Officer Ojerio said.

Officers found a shell casing on the ground near the fire hydrant outside the apartment complex.

A woman involved in the fight that led up to the shooting, Jessica Kelly, said her cousin, Ivan Keener, asked both her and her sister, Angela, to fight girls who were trying to fight him.

The Kelly sisters, Keener and Washington drove to the apartment complex where Berronies and the other girls lived.

"When the defendant, Steve Washington, got into your car that night, were you able to observe that he had a gun that you could visibly see," Kelly was asked in court.

"No," she said.

Kelly said she doesn't know who fired the gun.

Another woman, Tiara Wyckoff, who lived at the complex went outside after hearing a commotion. She said she saw her sister fighting with the Kelly's.

"They were on top of the bike rack and I snatched the girl off of my sister, and I was like, "what's going on?" Wyckoff said.

Wykoff said a man then hit her in the face with a gun.

"The guy said to me, get back in the house, "b----," Wykoff said.

She couldn't identify him, but says he was African American and was wearing a black hoodie.

"You didn't see anyone fire a gun," Wykoff was asked.

"No," Wykoff said.

Washington was arrested in Ohio eight days after the incident. In addition to the murder charges, he is also facing weapons charges. If he is convicted, he faces life in prison.

Berrones was from Alamo, Texas, but he was a student at MSU.

The trial is scheduled for the following days:
Thursday- 8:30-3:30
Friday-8:30- 4:30
Monday-9:15- 4:30
Tuesday- 8:30- with a decision

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