Manitowoc County prosecutors say that an Indianapolis man is the person who shot another man at the Viebahn Meadow Apartments back in November 2023.
That was part of the opening statement from District Attorney Jacalyn LaBre during the first day of 61-year-old Clarence Holder’s trial.
LaBre said that Holder asked the victim, identified in court as Devin Lawler, to sign a FedEx envelope while seeming like a FedEx delivery driver.
After going upstairs to Lawler’s apartment, LaBre says a gun was presented, and Lawler ended up getting shot in the back by Holder before the victim escaped.
Holder’s Attorney, Russell Jones, told the jury selected earlier in the day that the evidence would not show that his client was guilty of the charges against him, including attempted 1st-degree intentional homicide or burglary.
Four witnesses, including Manitowoc Police Officers and a resident, testified during day one of Holder’s trial.
The main testimony came from Detective Sgt. Erik Kowalski and Retired Manitowoc Detective Dave McCue.
Kowalski was at the hospital where Lawler ended up after the shooting and took pictures of the victim showing that he’d been shot.
He would also end up back at the Viebahn apartments to take a video of the scene.
McCue told a jury that he was the evidence manager of the case, meaning he collected evidence and took pictures of it.
Both he and Kowalski would show evidence to the jurors, including pictures at the crime scene as well as clothing that prosecutors say was worn by Lawler and Holder during the shooting.
McCue also told jurors that evidence at Lawler’s apartment included more than $21,000 in cash and pounds of marijuana and THC.
Those items were later collected after photos were taken.
The retired detective was also in charge of getting Flock security camera video and collecting evidence when Manitowoc Police went to Indianapolis, Indiana, to do a search of the 61-year-old suspect’s home.
Holder’s trial is scheduled to last five days, but it could be finished earlier than planned.
Along with the attempted homicide and burglary charge, he’s charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and attempted armed robbery with the use of force.
He could spend up to 60 years in prison if convicted on the major charges.
