COVINGTON, La. -- Crime scene investigators described "massive amounts of blood" in the murder trial of Jody Swafford.
Swafford is on trial in the St. Tammany Parish Justice Center for the April 2006 murder of Slidell's Carl Glass, Jr.
For 18 years, Glass owned and operated Carl's Tree Removal Service in Slidell, but was in semi-retirement in the spring 2006.
"He loved the outdoors," said Carl Glass III, the victim's son. "He loved camping, fishing, hunting. Just a great guy all around."
30-year old Jody Swafford is on trial for first-degree murder. Investigators say Swafford and Timothy Murray violently murdered Carl Glass for his cash.
Both men came from out of town -- Swafford from Florida, Murray from North Carolina -- after Katrina. Both worked for Glass.
A crime scene investigators described what he found at Glass' home on Pearl Acres Drive in Slidell for jurors in trial Tuesday. Sgt. Carl Fullilove said there was blood on the front door, the curtains and in collected in pools on the floor. He said there was blood was running down the walls.
St. Tammany Chief Deputy Coroner Dr. Michael DeFatta testified, Glass suffered multiple blunt force traumas to his head and face, but ultimately, the primary cause of death was strangulation.
Murray was one of four prisoners to successfully escape from the St. Tammany Parish Jail in June 2009, making for a tense time for the Glass family. "You never know with somebody like that," Carl Glass III said. "You don't know if they're going to run or if they're going to come after you or come after your family, you just don't know."
Prosecutors are expected to seek the death penalty in Murray's trial. No date is set for that trial yet.
They are not seeking the death penalty in this week's trial against Swafford. "I'm finally getting to see a little bit of closure in this," Carl Glass III added. "I'll be glad when it's all over with."
The trial could go to the jury as early as Wednesday.
