[Warning: Parts of this story contains graphic content.]
Jurors in a Danville murder trial have been told the official cause of death for a local woman was a gunshot wound to her head.
The information came from Dr. Scott Denton, a forensic pathologist from Bloomington, who testified Friday in the murder trial of Ocheil Keys of Danville. Keys is accused of killing 50-year-old Barbara Rose nearly four years ago.
Dr. Denton said Rose’s body was extensively charred and burned, and parts of the body were missing. He added the charring and burning occurred after Rose was already dead.
Jurors also heard from the defendant – Ocheil Keys – on Friday. His comments came in a video-taped interview conducted by Danville Police Detectives before Rose’s body was found. Police and others had been looking for Rose for a week after she disappeared in October of 2017.
Keys repeatedly denied knowing anything about Rose’s disappearance during the interview. ‘’I told you – if I did anything, I would have told you,’’ he said.
Testimony in the trial resumes on Monday.
