Facts - March 16, 2009
  by the Free Ryan Ferguson Committee
 

2:20 - 2:25 a.m. - Shawna Ornt (the cleaning lady) exited the Tribune building, entered the parking lot for a smoke, saw shadows and returned the few steps back to the Tribune to report what she had seen to her co-worker Jerry Trump.

They returned to the dock over-looking the parking lot.   At first they saw nothing out of place. 
Finally after calling out Ornt observed two suspects.

The person at the rear of the victim’s car came forward into the
light, walked towards Ornt and spoke to her saying,
“Get help, someone is hurt”! 
Ornt said she got a good look at the suspect.
He then proceeded to walk east up the alley to 4th street. 
Listen to Ornt’s testimony during Ryan’s Appeal July 2008.  
listen to the facts

Shawna Ornt was considered the sole witness by Columbia police Sgt. Steve Monticelli.
view the facts
“Columbia police Sgt. Steve Monticelli said the department developed a new composite drawing because the sole witness in the case was never happy with the original, computer-generated composite.”
2:26 a.m. - Trump closed the overhead door and directed Ornt to call 911. Ornt made the call. 
Jerry Trump also got on the phone but was unable to provide a detailed description of the suspects.
911 call
This is a link to the actual 911 recording that night.
listen to the facts

Neither Trump nor Ornt saw the suspects engaged in any contact with the victim or engaged in anything illegal.

Within 2-3 hours of the crime Ornt, not Jerry Trump, was asked to assist in providing a composite drawing of the suspect.

Later, in March 2003, Ornt was asked again, not Jerry Trump, to assist in drawing a new composite as Detective Nichols had enhanced his composite drawing skills while attending an FBI training course.

Trump was never asked to assist with anything in connection to the crime.  In fact authorities never spoke to Trump again until December 21, 2004 - some 37 months after the crime. 

Detective Bryan Leibhart stated Trump was not asked because he had no meaningful information to contribute. Police Report #10 page 4

The morning after the crime Trump told Christine Varner he had not seen either of the suspects faces. At that time Varner was a branch manager at a job center that helped Trump find a job.
 
Link to Varner’s testimony
listen to the facts
Video Clock 1:11

<< back        next >>