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Victim's daughters beg deputy after double homicide: 'I don't want to be shot'

Prosecutors played an emotional video in court Monday morning in the trial of Nathan Holden, a 32-year-old man who admits to shooting and killing his in-laws, and pistol whipping his ex-wife in April 2014.

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RALEIGH, N.C. — Prosecutors played an emotional video in court Monday in the trial of Nathan Holden, a 32-year-old man who admits to shooting and killing his in-laws, and pistol whipping his ex-wife in April 2014.

Investigators say Holden shot LaTonya Taylor Allen in the face and chest before the gun jammed, then beat her with the butt of the pistol.

Holden does not deny that he killed Allen's parents, Angelia Smith Taylor and Sylvester Taylor, and tried to kill her in their Wendell home, but his lawyers plan to argue that his rampage was not premeditated.

Allen's three children with Holden, a 15-year-old boy and two 8-year-old girls, were in the home at the time, but they were unharmed.

Wake County Deputy Jeremy Evans was one of the first people on scene the night of the shootings and ended up with the children, Nautica, Amber and Justin, in his patrol car.

The 30-minute dash camera video that jurors watched was part of a conversation they had in his patrol car.

In the video, the two girls consistently tell the deputy that they are afraid their father might come back to shoot them. The deputy assures the children they are safe.

The children also cry for their mother and grandparents and pray they are safe.

Jeremy called his paternal grandfather and explained what happened.

"Daddy did something real stupid. He shot grandpa and grandma and beat mama," he said. "I heard one gunshot. I didn't know what happened."

The girls can be heard repeatedly saying, "don't call the police because I think (Holden) is going to shoot us. I don't want to be shot."

At the time, the girls did not understand that the deputy was the "police." Evans was able to calm the three children down during the conversation.

The children also prayed their grandparents survived the attack.

"Please let my grandma and grandpa be okay because I love them very muhc," they said.

After the video, the jury also looked at graphic crime scene photos while analysts testified about them with clinical precision.

If convicted of the murders of his in-laws and the assault on his ex-wife, Holden could face the death penalty.

Testimony will continue at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday.

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