BEAUMONT - by Scott Lawrence - A jury is now deliberating in the capital murder trial of a teenager charged with killing a young store clerk.
Stay with KFDM News and kfdm.com for the latest on deliberations.
On Thursday, two witnesses claimed the teen couldn't have committed the crime. They testified he was with them at the time of the killing.
The testimony came in day four of the capital murder trial of 18-year-old Labyron Warren.
He's charged with shooting and killing 20-year-old Minh-Dang Nguyen at the convenience store where she worked.
Nguyen was behind the counter at Van's Grocery on Avenue A in Beaumont during the evening of August 1, 2010.
Nguyen had been attending Lamar Uuniversity and was studying to become a nurse.
Three other men have been indicted on capital murder charges in connection with the killing.
Warren is the first suspect to stand trial. Prosecutors say he fired the shots. Warren was 16 at the time of the killing. If convicted by a jury in Judge John Stevens' court, Warren would receive an automatic life sentence because he was a juvenile at the time of the murder.
Wednesday, a witness for the prosecution testified Warren admitted shooting Nguyen because she screamed during the robbery.
The prosecution rested its case early Thursday afternoon. The defense began presenting its side of the case and called three witnesses. Two of them are sisters. Their testimony is key to the defense case.
The women are friends of Labyron Warren. They say he was taking a joy ride with them in their car at the time of the robbery and murder and couldn't have done it.
The sisters testified Warren came by their home on Corley Street around 7 p.m. on August 1, 2010. According to the women, they drove around in the north end of town visiting friends and cousins, then returned to Corley Street at about 9 p.m.
The women say Warren didn't leave the home right away. They say he stayed with them for another 15 to 20 minutes and then left at about 9:30 p.m.
The robbery and shooting at Van's was reported at 9 p.m.
Prosecutors questioned both sisters and wanted to know why they never spoke with police.
Both sisters said they were waiting for police to contact them but claim they never heard from law enforcement officers.
The women told prosecutors that Warren's mother contacted them only Wednesday and asked if they would testify on his behalf.
During closing arguments Friday, Defense attorney Tom Burbank told jurors, "if you find him guilty, heaven help us."
Burbank also said, "you all have common sense. This is a person's life. The evidence says not guilty."
Prosecutor Pat Knauth said Warren "put this gun or a gun like this one to her forehead and shot her in the forehead and watched her life drain from her eyes. What kind of monster does that?"
Knauth added, "he said 'heaven help us.' But someone sent her (Nguyen) to heaven."
Jury deliberating in capital murder trial of teen charged with killing store clerk
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