The double-murder trial of hospital administrator Christopher Wall, 38, is underway in Parker County, where the Weatherford resident allegedly shot two women to death in a bank parking lot in 2017.
Wall is accused of murdering Ashley Pohorence, 23, and Krista McClellan, 21, after the two supposedly tried to blackmail the man for a second time in two days.
Andrew Deegan, Wall’s defense attorney, stated to the jury in his opening statements last week, “Chris is a victim, too. This is a tragedy, but this is not a crime,” per The Weatherford Democrat.
The defendant is not contesting that he shot and killed the women. Instead, he is claiming self-defense.
Wall claimed that McClellan, Pohorence, and a third woman, Sierra McMahan, demanded that he pay them thousands of dollars or they would present his wife with video evidence that he had solicited sex work from them. He further claimed they threatened to kidnap his daughter and put her to work as a prostitute.
After initially paying the women $7,600, Wall claimed they contacted him the next day and demanded more money. They met that night in the First Financial Bank parking lot in Willow Park.
“He came out with a gun, and he shot Krista first and then he shot Ashley,” stated Sierra McMahan in a taped interview played for the jury. “Krista got out first and tried to run. Ashley gets out, and he’s coming around the car and shoots her. He gets in the car and drives off.”
McMahan did not sustain any injuries the night of the double killing.
For their part, prosecutors described Wall as a killer who felt little remorse about the incident.
“He left the bank to wash his car, and then hid his gun,” Parker County Assistant District Attorney Kathleen Catania told the jury. “He had been staying with his parents in Weatherford, so he goes home and discusses Oklahoma football with his father, eats a banana, and goes to bed.”
On Monday, Wall took the stand in his defense, claiming he had solicited an erotic massage at his office at John Peter Smith Hospital. He alleged that McClellan and McMahon rifled through his belongings while he was undressed, found out where he lived, and then blackmailed him. He also claimed that they showed him they had a gun when they collected the $7,600 from him, according to The Weatherford Democrat.
Wall is charged with two counts of capital murder. However, the Parker County District Attorney has waived the death penalty. If convicted on either count, Wall will be automatically sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
The defense is expected to wrap up in a day. However, prosecutors may choose to introduce additional testimony.
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