'If I ever go missing, Dan did it': Trial begins for former Guthrie city councilman accused of murder
GUTHRIE, Okla. (KFOR) - A former Guthrie City Councilman is on trial for first-degree murder and desecration of a human corpse after his employee's body was found buried with a septic tank.
"[We're] more relieved that we are. We are here at this date and time to get this evidence out, to get the facts out," said Troy Franklin-Smith, the victim's brother.
Brent Mack's family and friends filled one side of the courtroom Tuesday.
Mack's daughter first took the stand, saying after a bag of her father's clothes were found in Guthrie, she messaged her father's boss, Daniel Triplett, on Facebook.
She told the jury her father told her twice, "If I ever go missing, Dan did it."
She told the jury Triplett claimed the last time he saw Mack was September 20 2021, when Triplett fired him for threatening a customer, gave him 1-thousand dollars in severance, and dropped him off at the local laundromat.
Detectives testified that Triplett told them, "I had to get rid of him because of the violence."
Brent's family didn't buy it and filed a missing person's report on September 29th.
"You don't go missing. Somebody is going to always see him or he's going to be seen in the community somewhere," said Franklin-Smith. "So, I knew something was wrong."
Guthrie detectives showed the jury surveillance footage that shows Triplett's car driving by the laundromat, but not stopping. There was never any sign of Mack.
Detectives said documents found at Triplett's house led them to a Mulhall site to install a septic tank.
The detective testified on October 21st, they found Mack's decaying body. He was still wearing his work gloves and boots. Mack also had a gunshot wound to the back, fractured ribs, and a perforated lung.
The detectives say while they found many guns at Triplett's home, they couldn't find the one matching the bullet that killed Mack.
However, the detective testified they did find nude pictures of Triplett's girlfriend, he was having an affair with, on Mack's phone.'
Defense attorneys did not give opening arguments, however during questioning they pointed to Mack's criminal history, saying he was violent and Triplett was fearful of him.
Meanwhile, Mack's family said it's hard to be in the same room as Triplett.
"My heart wants to go get him right now. But, I understand I came and I'm gonna let the judge and the jury and the system really do it for me," said Franklin-Smith.
Triplett's family declined to comment.
The trial starts back up tomorrow morning at 9 a.m.