Crawford died via blow from hammer, medical examiner says
By Joseph Brown
The Huntsville Item
Shanta Crawford had multiple fatal lacerations that were similar to injuries from a hammer, a medical examiner testified Wednesday.
Crawford, 55, was a victim in a double-homicide on July 24, 2013 that left herself and her grandson — 16-month-old Aiyden Benjamin Lewis — dead at their residence on M. Williams Rd. in Walker County.
Jurors heard from both medical examiners, along with the county sheriff and chief investigator in the third day of a capital murder case for Howard Wayne Lewis, the child’s father.
Lewis, 55, is accused of hanging his infant child from a doorknob and beating the child’s grandmother do death.
Veasey, the former director at the Montgomery County Forensic Science Center, did the autopsy for Crawford. He stated that she had lacerations along her eyebrow, a deep hole-like laceration on her cheek and multiple large lacerations on the top of her head.
“The wounds were consistent with lacerations from a hammer,” Veasey told the jurors. “It is not definite, but similar to photos from known hammer injuries.”
Veasey also testified that there were multiple skull fractures, including fractures of the orbital plate, which could only be obtained by significant force. He stated that the official cause of death was blunt force trauma and homicide.
“I was not able to determine the wound that caused death, with multiple injuries that could be fatal by themselves,” Veasey added.
He also stated that the suspected death from a hammer would suggest that the person was in close proximity and blood would possibly be projected.
Lucile Tennant, the former assistant medical examiner at the Montgomery County Forensic Science Center, also told the jurors about her findings from an autopsy of Aiyden.
Tennant testified that the knot on the rope was extremely tight around Aiyden’s neck. She told the jurors that Aiyden died of asphyxiation due to hanging, which is an interruption or insufficient oxygen to the brain. She stated that in general a death in this manner is not instant and it would take minutes before a person would die.
Tennant added that the injuries were consistent with someone pulling the rope slowly, not an instant drop.
Sheriff McRae testifies
Walker County Sheriff Clint McRae said he arrived on the scene during the early stages of processing by investigators. He stated that once he arrived he requested assistance from the Texas Rangers and Montgomery County Investigative Services.
“I entered the home to the dining area and witnessed Mrs. Crawford on her back with her head towards a corner of the cabinets and her feet extended out,” McRae said “It was obvious she had substantial head wounds and a lot of blood was around her and mixed with the water. It was apparent a very violent assault took place.”
He testified that he created an investigative team with investigators from multiple departments that collaborated on the case every day.
Chief investigator begins testimony
The chief investigator for the crime, Detective Greg Williams with the Walker County Sheriff’s Office, began his testimony telling his view of the day’s events.
Williams stated that he noticed a crack in the door frame of the home when he entered and went to aid with cutting down the rope that hung Aiyden. Williams stated that he held Aiyden as other officers cut the rope, so he wouldn’t crash to the floor. He said that he stayed with Aiyden the entire time until his body was secured in a body bag. He then proceeded to the kitchen and upon inspection noticed blood everywhere from the ceiling to the sink backsplash and the cabinets.
Upon further inspection of the home Williams said that the master bedroom looked like it had been tossed. However, he felt it was staged, with a firearm and $2,100 in plain sight.
“It looked like someone staged it to make it look like a home invasion,” Williams told the jurors.
He said that a clothes basket and multiple towels that were previously in the kitchen were reported missing, but nothing of value was taken that is typical of home burglary.
The next day he attended the autopsy in Montgomery County and was then instructed to go to the Dallas area to make contact with Lewis.
A recording of the interview between Williams and Lewis was played, but no questioning followed as court was recessed. The case will reconvene today at the Walker County Courthouse.
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