Suitcase murder trial: Jury reaches verdict in death of Shauna Haynes
A verdict has been reached in the murder trial of a man accused of killing a woman after watching her have sex with two other people, then stuffing her body into a suitcase and putting it out with the trash at a downtown San Diego hotel.
Posted — UpdatedJurors, after several days of deliberations, found 34-year-old Joshua Matthew Palmer guilty of first-degree murder in the 2016 death of 21-year-old Shauna Haynes.
Palmer was also convicted of rape and murder in the commission of sodomy.
He faces life in prison without parole when he is sentenced on June 22.
In opening statements of the trial, the prosecutor said Haynes was beaten and choked to death before she was then raped. Palmer took videos of some of these violating acts and then the prosecutor said afterward Palmer stuffed her body in a suitcase and put it out with the trash.
Witness Chelsea Shea testified during a preliminary hearing that she had drinks with Palmer at a bar on April 4, 2016, and agreed to go back to his room at the Chadwick Hotel on A Street. She and Palmer were having sex when Haynes arrived with a man named Anthony Kern, Shea testified.
The witness testified that she, Kern and Haynes eventually had sex together, but Palmer "just stood there," then "told us to leave."
A few hours after the early morning sexual encounter, Palmer called 911, saying his girlfriend was missing, a detective testified.
When contacted, Palmer had red knuckles on both his hands, according to the detective.
Police obtained a search warrant and seized video files from Palmer's phone, showing an unconscious Haynes.
In another clip, Palmer is heard saying, "I'm sorry I love you, but I can't watch you having sex with somebody else. God I'm sorry."
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