Virginia woman was strangled with her child sleeping nearby, authorities say

3 days ago 11

Crystal Sale: I locomotion into the infirmary … saw my girl determination … And I watched them bash CPR and … I'll ne'er hide that.

On Oct. 7, 2022, arsenic Crystal Sale arrived astatine the infirmary bedside of her daughter, Katlyn Lyon Montgomery.

She knew the 2 radical she needed most.

Erin Moriarty: And would you accidental your sisters person truly stepped up for you?

Crystal Sale: Absolutely. … I don't cognize what I'd done without my sisters.

The oldest of the sisters, Sherry Cox, was taking attraction of Katlyn's then-4-year-old daughter, Milani, portion periodically checking successful connected Katlyn successful the hospital.

Sherry Cox: I knew it was bad.

Erin Moriarty: What did you deliberation had happened to Katlyn?

Sherry Cox: I didn't know.

Tina Hopkins: I called Sherry. The archetypal happening she said is … "something was incorrect with Katlyn but they didn't cognize what."

Sherry told their youngest sister, Tina Hopkins, astir 5,000 miles distant successful Hawaii, that 28-year-old Katlyn was unconscious and successful sedate condition.

Tina Hopkins: You know, Sherry told me, like, "you person to travel home. It's not — It's not good."

Crystal Sale: I was conscionable shocked that this was adjacent happening and conscionable confused.

A VIOLENT ASSAULT

Especially erstwhile doctors told her that Katlyn sustained injuries to her cervix and head. While archetypal responders had initially thought Katlyn had suffered a cause overdose, her carnal injuries, and the deficiency of drugs recovered astatine the scene, indicated Katlyn was really the unfortunate of a convulsive assault.

Crystal Sale: That she had been strangled.

Sherry Cox: We were each — we were speechless, we were baffled. Like. Who — who would've done this?

Investigator Robbie Burnette: I got a telephone telephone … to instrumentality a strangulation report.

Lead researcher Robbie Burnette with the Bedford County, Virginia, Sheriff's Office focused connected documenting Katlyn's injuries.

Investigator Robbie Burnette: I saw 2 distinctive marks … parallel to each different connected her neck.

Since those marks weren't disposable until aft Katlyn had arrived astatine the hospital, Burnette says it helped timestamp the attack.

Investigator Robbie Burnette: It was precise recent.

Erin Moriarty: Like erstwhile you accidental precise caller —

Investigator Robbie Burnette: Within — an hr oregon so, astir likely, of erstwhile the telephone came in.

Investigator Michelle Alderson: So her apartment's … connected the 2nd floor.

Erin Moriarty: Right connected the extremity of the building?

Investigator Michelle Alderson: Yes.

Shortly aft learning astir Katlyn's injuries, researcher Michelle Alderson was sent to unafraid and process Katlyn's flat — present a transgression scene. It had been disturbed by archetypal responders, EMTs and Katlyn and her roommate Jacob Piercy's dogs.

Investigator Michelle Alderson: So, my country was not arsenic nonstop arsenic I would similar my transgression scenes to be.

Alderson acceptable retired to find what could person caused the injuries connected Katlyn's neck. She recovered a immense hint wrapped up successful Katlyn's comforter.

Investigator Michelle Alderson: It was a aggregate charging cord adapter.

Erin Moriarty: Did they look similar they lucifer what had been described connected her neck?

Investigator Michelle Alderson: I would telephone them consistent. Yes.

With the cords recovered connected the bed, Alderson suspected that Katlyn was attacked there. But she soon learned that archetypal responders — not suspecting foul play astatine that clip — had fixed the household support to lavation Katlyn's sheets and cleanable up.

Erin Moriarty: Doesn't that marque it hard to get DNA —

Investigator Michelle Alderson: Yes.

Erin Moriarty: … fingerprints?

Investigator Michelle Alderson: Yes. Yes.

Investigators were incapable to retrieve immoderate DNA oregon fingerprints astatine the scene, including immoderate connected those charging cords. As they searched for grounds identifying Katlyn's attacker, doctors struggled to revive her. After 29 hours, Katlyn was officially declared encephalon dormant the adjacent greeting connected October 8.

Crystal Sale: I retrieve going to her. One of the lone things I retrieve is telling her, I'm atrocious that I couldn't support her. … I tin accidental that determination are nary words that person been invented to picture however this feels. It's excruciating.

Sherry Cox: I conscionable can't comprehend that she's gone forever, like, I can't — I can't spell there.

Tina arrived conscionable successful clip to assistance accidental "goodbye."

Tina Hopkins: My instinct is conscionable to instrumentality complaint and hole immoderate is wrong. … that affects maine greatly that I couldn't hole it for my sister and our family.

Tina documented the infinitesimal Katlyn was escorted to fulfill her last wishes to beryllium an organ donor. Tina shared the video connected TikTok. She and the remainder of her household started posting photos and videos memorializing Katlyn.

Erin Moriarty: She liked music, right?

Jake Lyon: Oh, loved music. … specifically … physics creation music.

Music that Katlyn had discovered with her older brother, Jake Lyon.

Jake Lyon: And determination was this, like, creation party-type thing. … And … astatine the extremity of the night, she, uh, ran up and like, carnivore hugged me, she's like, "I wanna bash this each the time."

Erin Moriarty: Why? What is it? Tell maine what is it that she took to?

Jake Lyon: I deliberation conscionable the, uh, the vigor and the societal element. … she would gully a crowd.

Crystal Sale: She loved life. She perfectly loved life.

A beingness that had changed unexpectedly erstwhile Katlyn learned she was large with Milani.

Crystal Sale: I mean, we were precise supportive and was like, you know, we'll assistance anyway, we can.

But the ever autarkic Katlyn didn't request overmuch help, says Crystal, adjacent with Milani's begetter retired of the picture, and portion moving afloat clip arsenic a edifice manager.

Crystal Sale: Katlyn was rocking it. She was rocking it.

Erin Moriarty: What bash you mean rocking it?

Crystal Sale: She was providing for her child.

Katlyn's household present had to grapple with the world that idiosyncratic had intentionally taken her from her beloved child.

Crystal Sale: I inactive can't judge my girl was murdered.

Investigator Robbie Burnette: She [Crystal Sale] said, "You're gonna find whoever did this to my daughter." I said, "There volition beryllium nary chromatic near unturned."

Erin Moriarty: So, who's the archetypal idiosyncratic you're looking at?

Investigator Robbie Burnette: We decidedly looked astatine Jacob Piercy, the roommate.

With nary motion of forced entry, and being the lone different big successful the apartment, Katlyn's caller roommate, Jacob Piercy — who had called 911 reporting her injured — was an evident suspect.

Sherry Cox: Investigators told america that it was 99 percent definite helium did it.

But Tina says she suspected Katlyn's ex-boyfriend, Trenton Frye, whom she had breached up with 10 days earlier.

Tina Hopkins: That was my archetypal gut instinct.

Erin Moriarty: You archetypal thought Trenton?

Tina Hopkins: I did.

Trenton Frye lived 3 hours distant successful North Carolina. So, investigators gave him a call.

Investigator Robbie Burnette: He said that helium was successful North Carolina moving the full time. He agreed to travel up for an interview, uh, appeared to beryllium cooperative.

So absorption intensified connected Jacob Piercy — particularly erstwhile investigators learned what Milani said she witnessed that night: "my member killed my mom." "Brother" was the nickname she utilized for Jacob Piercy.

Erin Moriarty: Did you person thing to bash with hurting Katlyn?

Jacob Piercy: Absolutely not.

LOOKING FOR LOVE ONLINE

For Tina, Crystal, and Sherry, making TikTok videos started arsenic a amusive mode to link their family. That changed aft Katlyn's death.

TINA HOPKINS (TikTok): … my niece was murdered. We don't person hardly immoderate information.

Tina Hopkins: We felt wronged, and we weren't going to halt fighting.

In those agonizing aboriginal days, Crystal was excessively heavy successful her grief to talk publicly, truthful Tina stepped up to station updates connected the case.

TINA HOPKINS (TikTok): There is an ongoing probe …

POLICE OFFICER (bodycam): When did you past spot her?

JACOB PIERCY: We were hanging retired … we were retired present watching TV.

That probe centered connected Katlyn's roommate, Jacob Piercy.

Investigator Robbie Burnette: So we were looking astatine him beauteous — beauteous dense astatine first.

Erin Moriarty: What bash you mean?

Investigator Robbie Burnette: Meaning helium was our fig 1 fishy astatine that point.

Jacob Piercy: In my caput … I'm conscionable present to archer 'em what I tin archer 'em. … Help 'em fig retired what could person happened, what couldn't person happened … I was successful afloat denial.

But aft being interviewed respective times, having his assemblage photographed for imaginable antiaircraft wounds and his cellphone confiscated, Jacob Piercy knew helium was successful superior trouble.

Erin Moriarty: Were you frightened you'd beryllium blamed for immoderate happened to her?

Jacob Piercy: Absolutely. … you know, I'm the main fishy of thing truthful terrible.

Investigator Robbie Burnette: We're inactive astatine a nonaccomplishment astatine that point, 'cause he's afloat cooperating and we haven't caught him successful a prevarication yet.

What troubled investigators was 4-year-old Milani's statement. She said she had seen Jacob sidesplitting her mother, but Burnette soon discovered that she had really witnessed Jacob performing CPR.

Investigator Robbie Burnette: She really did the motions of her -- with her hands of what Jacob was doing to her.

Erin Moriarty (motioning thorax compressions): Going similar this.

Investigator Robbie Burnette: Yep. Yeah. That's the motions she made.

To beryllium sure, Burnette reviewed the 911 call. Jacob tin beryllium heard doing CPR.

JACOB PIERCY (911 call): One, two, three, four. One, two, three, four.

Investigator Robbie Burnette: You could archer helium was decidedly putting effort in.

Jacob Piercy (emotional): I thought I had done enough, but I deliberation that's what tears maine up the most. It's just, I wasn't capable to prevention her. You know?

At that point, investigators began to look person astatine Katlyn's ex-boyfriend, Trenton Frye. They tried calling him successful North Carolina a mates of days aft their archetypal speech but learned helium was incapable to speech to them.

Investigator Robbie Burnette: He checked himself into a intelligence wellness installation …

Erin Moriarty: And what did that accidental to you?

Investigator Robbie Burnette: He had immoderate kinda break. Something happened to him, apparently.

Investigators turned to Katlyn's friends to larn much astir the relationship.

Erin Moriarty: Do you deliberation helium was the idiosyncratic helium presented himself to Katlyn?

Hannah McDowell: Absolutely not.

Hannah McDowell met Katlyn 2 years earlier erstwhile she landed a occupation astatine the edifice Katlyn managed. Sharing a emotion for euphony and dancing, they became accelerated friends and yet roommates. They besides shared their frustrations astir the section dating country successful Bedford County, Virginia, which prompted them to look for emotion online.

Erin Moriarty: What was she looking for?

Hannah McDowell: Well, she wanted idiosyncratic that was supportive … and beryllium a begetter to Milani arsenic well. … and perchance … get married.

In January 2022, erstwhile Katlyn connected with Trenton connected a dating app, the tall, fittingness obsessed, and seemingly palmy North Carolina autochthonal seemed to beryllium matrimony material.

Erin Moriarty: How did she picture him to you?

Crystal Sale: Well, helium had his worldly together. … she was excited … to person a narration with him.

When Katlyn's Aunt Sherry met Trenton, she admits she was impressed.

Sherry Cox: He told maine that helium … owned a information company, and helium owned his ain operation institution … we had talked astir him doing my floors due to the fact that helium had maine reasoning helium was, you know, this awesome builder.

Hannah McDowell: Then yet helium was astatine the flat each the time.

Which made Hannah wonderment however Trenton — who lived 3 hours distant — could walk weeks connected extremity astatine their apartment, portion besides moving 2 businesses.

Hannah McDowell: And erstwhile I would permission successful the morning, erstwhile I would travel location from lunch, erstwhile I would get location from work, helium would ever conscionable beryllium connected the couch.

And she says implicit time, it seemed Katlyn wasn't leaving the flat overmuch either.

Hannah McDowell: She was quiet. She didn't bent retired with friends. … she was conscionable precise isolated.

Erin Moriarty: Did you get the feeling that it was due to the fact that of him that she wasn't going retired arsenic much, dancing arsenic much?

Hannah McDowell: Yes. … and helium would way her determination connected her telephone … I consciousness similar she was chained to him almost.

Crystal Sale: I can't accidental that I liked him, but I can't accidental that I didn't similar him.

While Crystal had her concerns astir the narration with Trenton, Katlyn ne'er confided that thing was wrong.

Crystal Sale: She's ever been truthful strong. … truthful I knew my girl could grip herself.

But Katlyn did explicit immoderate vexation with the narration to her Aunt Sherry.

Sherry Cox: And … she said, I'm truthful bushed of paying for everything. … She said, if he's got each this money, I mean, uh, these businesses, wherefore doesn't helium person money? … And I said, well, Katlyn, that's a reddish emblem close there.

More reddish flags appeared erstwhile helium tried to person her to determination with him to North Carolina, wherever helium said helium would find them an apartment.

Hannah McDowell: In world … helium was not reliable and wasn't fulfilling what she thought helium was going to do.

In aboriginal September 2022, Trenton admitted the truth; helium couldn't find an flat due to the fact that helium lacked the recognition and root of income to qualify.

Sherry Cox: Katlyn called maine from work, and she was screaming and outcry — I mean, conscionable similar bawling cryin'. … And she was like, "he's a liar, helium lied astir everything, helium doesn't person a job."

Days later, Katlyn announced she was breaking up with him.

Erin Moriarty: She was done?

Sherry Cox: She was done.

Erin Moriarty: So she chopped him off.

Crystal Sale: She did. She blocked him.

Erin Moriarty: Oh, she really blocked him, too.

Crystal Sale: She blocked him, yeah.

And that's erstwhile Katlyn learned her person Jacob Piercy was besides looking for a spot and asked if helium wanted to find an flat with her and Milani.

Crystal Sale: They yet recovered this 1 apartment, and we were truthful excited, um, that they were going to beryllium truthful adjacent to us.

While Kaitlyn was making a caller start, it seemed Trenton Fyre did not privation to fto her go.

TINA HOPKINS (TikTok): He was really sitting successful the parking batch of her apartment, watching everything Katlyn was doing.

FOLLOWING TRENTON FRYE'S DIGITAL TRAIL

Erin Moriarty: Have you seen a large alteration successful your sister?

Sherry Cox: Mm-hmm. … She's conscionable bittersweet each the time. … she has bags nether her eyes present wherever she didn't person 'em earlier 'cause she don't sleep, she's not sleeping.

CRYSTAL SALE (TikTok): I woke up this greeting successful sheer panic.

In the days pursuing Katlyn's death, Crystal began sharing her grief with others connected TikTok.

CRYSTAL SALE (TikTok): I'll get a substance message. And for an instant, I'll deliberation that it's Katlyn.

Investigator Robbie Burnette: I ended up seeing immoderate of her TikToks by accident. … She was wholly innocent; she didn't bash thing wrong.

Investigator Burnette was convinced that Trenton Frye had someway gotten into Katlyn's flat and strangled her.

Erin Moriarty: Why did Trenton Frye termination the pistillate helium said helium loved?

Investigator Robbie Burnette: I deliberation it's 'cause she told him "No." … And helium couldn't — helium couldn't instrumentality the rejection from her.

Burnette present needed to beryllium it.

Investigator Robbie Burnette: We started looking astatine … evidently much of his cellphone records, um, tracking that history.

Prosecutor Wes Nance: … we recovered that his telephone pings were successful the country of Forest, Virginia.

Commonwealth lawyer Wes Nance was assigned the case. He says investigators were capable to get Trenton Frye's cellphone aft helium checked himself into that intelligence wellness installation successful North Carolina. And that's however they learned that the instrumentality had started pinging disconnected a compartment operation successful Virginia connected October 4 — 3 days earlier Katlyn's attack.

Prosecutor Wes Nance: He wasn't conscionable successful Virginia. He was successful astatine slightest the country of Katlyn's caller flat analyzable .

Investigators canvassed the flat analyzable and recovered 2 of Katlyn's neighbors who remembered seeing an unfamiliar antheral sitting astatine a picnic array for hours. One snapped a photograph of the alien connected the day of October 6 — the time earlier Katlyn's attack.

Erin Moriarty: Who bash you judge that is?

Prosecutor Wes Nance: Well, we aboriginal determined it to beryllium Trenton Frye.

Erin Moriarty: How adjacent to Katlyn's flat is that? Why there?

Prosecutor Wes Nance: So this is an elevated vantage constituent … it looks straight down connected her building.

Erin Moriarty: Did Katlyn Montgomery person immoderate thought that idiosyncratic had been watching her for days?

Investigator Robbie Burnette: No. No, ma'am.

Erin Moriarty: And does it look that she wasn't conscionable being watched? She was being followed and stalked?

Investigator Robbie Burnette: Absolutely. Yeah.

Investigators learned 2 hours aft that photograph was taken, Trenton Frye's SUV was recorded by a surveillance camera pulling into a state presumption adjacent the flat complex. He was seen wrong the store, present wearing each black.

It was astir that clip that Trenton Frye texted Aunt Sherry.

Sherry Cox: He wanted to cognize if I inactive wanted my floors finished … And I didn't respond backmost to him. I instantly called Katlyn. … Well, she unblocked the fig … and tells him, "do not telephone my aunt anymore."

The texts betwixt Katlyn and Trenton, says Nance, became heated. Trenton made it wide helium knew she was surviving with Jacob Piercy, and helium didn't similar it.

Prosecutor Wes Nance: So there's an choler and jealousy underlying those substance messages. He starts to telephone her a "piece of s***" and archer her that "karma is simply a bitch"

Jacob Piercy says that Katlyn called him, sounding frightened.

Jacob Piercy: At 1 constituent she told maine that she wanted to spell to her mom's location and prime up her self-defense limb that she has … her pistol.

Katlyn didn't spell done with that plan. Later Jacob, Katlyn and Milani had meal unneurotic and watched TV. Around midnight, Jacob says helium heard a sound adjacent their second-floor balcony.

Jacob Piercy: I dispersed unfastened the curtains existent speedy to look. … I didn't spot anything.

Erin Moriarty: Did you fastener oregon unlock the sliding door?

Jacob Piercy: Yeah, I judge I locked it.

But investigators aboriginal learned the fastener connected the sliding solid doorway was broken, and they suspected that's however Trenton Frye gained entry. His Google searches revealed that helium had looked up the layout of the unit, which they judge helped him find Katlyn's bedroom.

Prosecutor Wes Nance: I deliberation it was implicit brutal, abrupt sneak onslaught connected a then-sleeping Katlyn.

Frye strangled Katlyn, investigators say, with those charging cords portion her girl Milani slept nearby.

Prosecutor Wes Nance: With her kid laying beside her, I don't deliberation it gets overmuch worse.

After Frye left, says Nance, Milani alerted Jacob Piercy that thing was incorrect with her mother.

Trenton Frye's integer footprint from that morning, says Nance, gives him away.

Prosecutor Wes Nance: Mr. Frye … started to Google breaking quality … And specifically, helium looked to spot if helium had immoderate apprehension warrants retired for himself.

There weren't immoderate warrants for him astatine the time, but 13 days aboriginal investigators had 1 successful manus arsenic they traveled to the intelligence wellness installation successful North Carolina.

TRENTON FRYE (to investigators): I'm not stupid. I cognize you guys are present to instrumentality maine in.

Trenton Frye agreed to speech to investigators and denied immoderate engagement successful Katlyn death. He said helium had checked himself into the infirmary due to the fact that the lone idiosyncratic helium had ever considered harming was himself.

TRENTON FRYE (to investigators): Knowing who I am, I could ne'er wounded her connected however overmuch I attraction astir her.

He did yet admit helium had been successful Virginia but claimed helium was lone looking for a occupation and apartment, hoping that helium could yet person Katlyn to get backmost together.

TRENTON FRYE (to investigators): I was trying to springiness her space, um, portion I figured everything out.

But erstwhile challenged with grounds that helium was astatine her flat analyzable –

TRENTON FRYE (to investigators): I'm missing pieces of clip for similar the past month.

—Trenton Frye claimed helium had nary representation of it — that helium sometimes blacked retired for agelong periods of time, including the hours astir Katlyn's attack.

INVESTIGATOR: Is determination thing other that could lend to your representation loss? Drugs?

TRENTON FRYE: No. No.

INVESTIGATOR: Alcohol?

TRENTON FRYE: No, you guys tin trial me.

Investigators had heard capable and took Trenton Frye into custody.

Erin Moriarty: And however did you consciousness that helium had been arrested?

Crystal Sale: Relieved that idiosyncratic was going to be, you know, held accountable.

Trenton Frye was charged with first-degree execution and pleaded not guilty.

Attorney Joseph Sanzone: There's nary evidence, nary hard evidence, thing you tin constituent to, to beryllium that Trenton was ever successful that apartment.

Trenton Frye's defence attorney, Joseph Sanzone, insists his lawsuit didn't termination Katlyn. He prepared to reason astatine proceedings that determination wasn't a execution astatine all.

Attorney Joseph Sanzone: I don't deliberation anybody tried to termination Katlyn. I deliberation it was purely an accident.

THE TRIAL OF TRENTON FRYE

As the months dragged connected awaiting trial, Crystal and her household demanded "Justice for Katlyn" connected billboards purchased astir town.

CRYSTAL SALE (TikTok) We present person a caller tribunal date. … This 1 should beryllium it, and I commune to God that it is.

Trenton Frye entered the courtroom successful March 2025, two-and-a-half years aft Katlyn's death.

Leila Mitchell: Her household was there, her brothers were there, her aunts were there.

CBS Roanoke newsman Leila Mitchell covered the trial.

LEILA MITCHELL (News report): Prosecutors reason that Trenton Frye stalked, obsessed implicit and yet strangled Katlyn Lyon.

Mitchell reported connected TV and Katlyn's household updated their increasing assemblage of supporters connected TikTok portion authoritative Wes Nance made his lawsuit to the astir important assemblage of all: the jury.

PROSECUTOR WES NANCE (in court): Law enforcement called him aboriginal that afternoon. Mister Frye told them, "I wasn't successful Virginia. I was moving successful North Carolina. I didn't adjacent cognize wherever Katlyn lived."

Prosecutor Wes Nance: Mr. Frye had fixed a fig of inconsistent statements. What I would perfectly qualify arsenic lies due to the fact that they were each successful struggle with 1 another.

PROSECUTOR WES NANCE (in court): And so, they approached him again, and this time, helium relied connected an excuse retired of a atrocious soap opera and claimed helium had amnesia

TRENTON FRYE (with investigators): I don't retrieve immoderate of it. My full caput is messed up.

But Nance didn't person to trust connected Frye's memory. Not lone did helium person the integer information from Frye's telephone placing him successful the area, investigators had besides discovered that his instrumentality made 1 precise important transportation aft Katlyn and her girl went to bed.

PROSECUTOR WES NANCE (in court): At 4:15, close aft they spell to bed, Trenton Frye's cellphone connects to the iPad, and the iPad shows the connection.

Frye's telephone had automatically connected to Katlyn's iPad via Bluetooth, providing the lone evidence, says Nance, that placed Frye wrong Katlyn's apartment.

Prosecutor Wes Nance: Now … we person … the 2 of them wrong feet of each different during the model of the injuries.

And what astir that dependable Jacob Piercy heard earlier that evening? Nance believes that it was Trenton Frye positioning a metallic seat that belonged to their downstairs neighbour connected the ceramic partition nether their balcony.

PROSECUTOR WES NANCE (in court): The cleanable other measurement oregon 2 that Mr. Frye would've needed to get to that 2nd floor.

Trenton Frye's defence attorney, Joseph Sanzone, concedes that Frye — devastated aft the breakup — was successful the area, and admits that Frye was astatine Katlyn's flat complex, but says helium was lone outside.

Attorney Joseph Sanzone: I hold with the billboards successful this case, "Justice for Katlyn" … But it should hap aft a reappraisal of each the evidence.

He points to the deficiency of DNA grounds astatine the country and disputes the prosecution's iPad Bluetooth transportation theory.

Attorney Joseph Sanzone: We don't cognize wherever the iPad was.

And that's due to the fact that the iPad was recovered by investigators astatine Aunt Sherry's house. She told them she grabbed it from Katlyn's flat erstwhile she picked up Milani aft the attack.

Erin Moriarty: But it was successful the apartment, right?

Attorney Joseph Sanzone: Well, no, we don't cognize that. We conscionable cognize it connected.

Erin Moriarty: Would you admit though … that he's a beauteous unlucky feline that helium happens to beryllium extracurricular the flat erstwhile idiosyncratic other kills his ex-girlfriend?

Attorney Joseph Sanzone: Yeah. … and — and whoever did it successful that condition is the luckiest guy.

LEILA MITCHELL (News report): Jacob Piercy, the antheral who recovered Katlyn Lyon unresponsive, took the basal to attest today.

Jacob Piercy, Sanzone argued, was the much apt killer.

Erin Moriarty: What would beryllium Jacob Piercy's motive for sidesplitting Katlyn?

Attorney Joseph Sanzone: I don't deliberation anybody tried to termination Katlyn. I deliberation it was purely an accident.

Sanzone suggests that Jacob Piercy strangled Katlyn successful a consensual enactment enactment — 1 that went excessively far.

Crystal Sale: I was furious … He degraded. He humiliated my girl … oh, I was truthful mad.

Prosecutor Wes Nance: The aesculapian examiner recovered nary grounds of immoderate intersexual battle oregon adjacent caller intersexual activity. … This is not enactment gone wrong. This is simply a murder.

A execution Sanzone says Trenton Frye couldn't person committed, saying it was intolerable for Frye to get into Katlyn's apartment, termination her and get distant without waking anyone — particularly the dogs.

Erin Moriarty: Isn't it imaginable … that idiosyncratic slipped into the flat quietly, strangles her and left, and not alarm the dogs?

Attorney Joseph Sanzone: Only Tom Cruise tin bash that arsenic acold arsenic I know. I conscionable can't ideate successful — successful existent life

Sanzone has a witnesser whom helium believes tin assistance marque his case: Trenton Frye himself.

JUSTICE FOR KATLYN

Erin Moriarty: Did you expect Trent to instrumentality the stand?

Crystal Sale: I didn't. I was shocked.

When Trenton Frye took the basal to archer the assemblage his story, helium appeared to person regained his representation of his actions that night.

ATTORNEY JOSEPH SANZONE (in court): Did you bash thing but watch?

TRENTON FRYE: No…. that's each I did, was ticker and locomotion around.

Attorney Joseph Sanzone: If they don't perceive from your client, they're not gonna judge what you say. They request to perceive from the person.

TRENTON FRYE (in court): I don't ever retrieve being successful that flat 'cause I ne'er was.

Prosecutor Wes Nance challenged Frye's story.

PROSECUTOR WES NANCE (in court): You were spying connected her.

TRENTON FRYE: Yes.

PROSECUTOR WES NANCE: You were gathering intel connected her.

TRENTON FRYE: Yes.

But Frye remained adamant that helium could not person killed Katlyn.

TRENTON FRYE (in court): And, I could not person climbed that balcony without making a sound. I would person to beryllium a ninja of immoderate sort.

But Nance says that state presumption surveillance photograph of Frye, taken hours earlier the murder, proves that helium dressed the part.

Prosecutor Wes Nance: A ninja is known for being successful stealth mode. And I deliberation changing his outfit to achromatic is him going into stealth mode.

PROSECUTOR WES NANCE (in court) Don't fto the excuses, don't fto the connection play, don't fto the representation lapse confuse you. Trenton Frye is blameworthy of first-degree murder.

But would that adhd up to tenable uncertainty for the jury?

ATTORNEY JOSEPH SANZONE (in court): Until they person immoderate impervious that my lawsuit was wrong that apartment, thing successful this lawsuit tin beryllium proven … not 1 thing.

LEILA MITCHELL | (TikTok): Today the assemblage volition beryllium told that they tin either find Trenton Frye blameworthy of first-degree murder, second-degree murder. Or they tin find him not blameworthy astatine all.

SHERRY COX (TikTok): All of our nerves are connected borderline … So, privation america each luck today. It's gonna beryllium rough.

Crystal Sale: We weren't going to leave. Whether it was an hr oregon 20 hours.

Erin Moriarty: But, you didn't person to hold precise long. Did you?

Crystal Sale: No

LEILA MITCHELL (news report): The assemblage wasted nary clip today. Deliberating for conscionable astir an hour.

Crystal Sale: Because it came backmost truthful … quick, I was precise acrophobic that it didn't spell the mode that we wanted.

Moments later, Crystal heard the 3 words she had been praying for.

Crystal Sale: Guilty, archetypal degree.

Trenton Fyre was recovered blameworthy of first-degree execution successful Katlyn's death.

Leila Mitchell: I was staring astatine his look the full clip and helium had nary absorption erstwhile the verdict was read. Katlyn's household burst into tears.

Tina, flanked by her sisters and Katlyn's brothers, announced the verdict to their supporters.

Tina Hopkins (to reporters): Having Trenton Frye beryllium accountable for his actions does bring our household a small spot of peace.

Four months later, they returned to tribunal for Trenton Frye's sentencing. Katlyn's brother, Jake Lyon, spoke astir the interaction connected Milani.

JAKE LYON (in court): This antheral didn't conscionable instrumentality a life; helium destroyed a family. He near my niece to aftermath up to her mother's lifeless body. She present lives successful fearfulness of the acheronian and the monsters that travel into your location portion you're sleeping.

CRYSTAL SALE (in court): I beg God excessively galore times to number to delight instrumentality me, fto maine dice due to the fact that the symptom is unbearable.

Crystal was wide what she hoped for her daughter's killer.

Crystal Sale: I was sentenced to a beingness without my daughter. … Melani was sentenced to a beingness without her mama. So, helium needs life.

JUDGE JAMES UPDIKE JR. (in court): Mr. Frye if you would stand, please. Sir, is determination thing you privation to accidental …

TRENTON FRYE: Yes. Um.

Trenton Frye turned to Katlyn's family.

TRENTON FRYE (in court): I astir apt person not felt it connected the level that you each have, but I person felt it for her loss. And I genuinely americium atrocious for the nonaccomplishment that you person experienced.

But helium ne'er took work for Katlyn's murder.

JUDGE JAMES UPDIKE JR. (in court): The magnitude of terror, the magnitude of fearfulness inflicted upon this young guiltless pistillate is unimaginable.

Responsibility that Judge James Updike reminded him was his alone.

JUDGE JAMES UPDIKE JR. (in court): Unimaginable to anyone, to everybody but you 'cause you were there, you saw it, you caused it. I hereby condemnation you to imprisonment for beingness

Life successful prison.

Crystal Sale: Even though we got the verdict we wanted, my daughter's inactive not here. … If I could walked outta that courtroom and hugged her (sobbing) past I would've won. Nobody won.

CRYSTAL SALE (TikTok): I deliberation everyone that has mislaid their lives to home violence, their names request to beryllium said.

Crystal's TikTok videos are present focused connected sharing Katlyn's experience and hoping her communicative could assistance prevention idiosyncratic else.

CRYSTAL SALE (TikTok): I don't privation different mother, different household to spell done what we're going through. I person to beryllium my daughter's dependable and I person to assistance prevention different women.

She and her household person embraced the antheral who did each helium could to prevention Katlyn, Jacob Piercy

Crystal Sale: He's a hero. … she needed him, and helium was doing everything helium could to assistance her.

Jacob Piercy: They opened up and welcomed maine to Christmases and Thanksgivings and hangouts and birthdays and cookouts. And they've truly made maine consciousness similar portion of the family.

A household inactive adapting successful Katlyn's absence. Crystal enjoys a acquainted relation arsenic Milani's grandma portion Aunt Sherry, who ever shared a peculiar enslaved with Katlyn and her small girl, has go Milani's guardian.

Erin Moriarty: What does she telephone you?

Sherry Cox: She calls maine mama now. Mommy.

Erin Moriarty: Was that hard for you astatine first?

Sherry Cox: Yes, due to the fact that … I didn't privation my sister to beryllium upset due to the fact that I didn't privation her to deliberation I was taking Milani from Katlyn … and erasing Katlyn.

Crystal Sale: I was like, perfectly not, you know. You are her mommy now. She knows she's got mommy fig 1 that had her, Katlyn, but you're her mommy now.

Milani volition get to cognize her archetypal ma done the journals she left.

Crystal Sale (reading): "Your younger aforesaid would beryllium truthful envious of wherever you are now. You're specified a hard idiosyncratic and specified an astonishing mother."

Katlyn — arsenic she saw herself.

Crystal Sale (reading): "You're beautiful, almighty and truthful strong."

Her last introduction focused connected 1 subject: love.

Crystal Sale (reading): "I americium loved. I merit to beryllium loved. I americium worthy of love. "

Crystal Sale: She knew that she was loved.

Erin Moriarty: She inactive is.

Crystal Sale: Very overmuch so.

If you oregon idiosyncratic you cognize is experiencing home violence, interaction the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233

Produced by Richard Fetzer. Lauren A. White is simply a producer. Michelle Sigona is the improvement producer. Megan Kelly Brown is the tract producer. Richard Barber and Phil Tangel are the editors. Anthony Batson is the elder broadcast producer. Nancy Kramer is the enforcement communicative editor. Judy Tygard is the enforcement producer.

Read Entire Article