Murder victim Jason Todd Garrett was killed by a bullet that entered his left eye and exited the back of his neck, district attorney’s Investigator Marvin Kirkpatrick testified Tuesday during the preliminary hearing for alleged killer Ryan Anthony Tanner.

Kirkpatrick attended the autopsy for Garrett on Feb. 22, one week after the 26-year-old was shot to death in a cabin on Crooked Prairie Road in the Ettersburg area. On Tuesday he read from a report by Dr. Mark Super, the forensic pathologist who performed the examination. Regarding the often-mentioned cutting of Garrett’s throat, Kirkpatrick said the wound wasn’t much more than a scratch: a 3-inch cut “that barely broke the skin.”

The wound was covered with strips of duct tape, Kirkpatrick said, confirming eyewitness Christopher Champagne’s statement that he wrapped Garrett’s neck with duct tape after Tanner slashed him with a knife. But Champagne also testified blood was squirting from Garrett’s neck, and his Adam’s apple was dangling out.

Kirkpatrick, under questioning by Deputy District Attorney Whitney Timm, also discussed some recorded phone calls between Tanner, who was in custody, and his father, James Tanner.

Ryan Tanner.

The father said that with Ryan Tanner in custody, “at least you can’t kill me.”

Ryan Tanner denied ever threatening James Tanner’s life, and he responded “Yes, you did.” In another recorded phone call with a man named Jeff Harnisch, Harnisch said something to the effect of “I’ll take care of it for you,” and then mentioned “gun.”

Kirkpatrick said Tanner responded with silence, then started talking about something else. Prosecutors have been calling a series of law enforcement officers to testify, with some of them confirming testimony from Champagne. His story was that Tanner kidnapped Garrett from the bread van where he’d been staying with a woman named Natalie Pierce. Champagne and Tanner set fire to the bread van and drove to a nearby property where Tanner cut Garrett’s throat.

Then, Garrett and his dog were taken to Tanner’s house, remaining there for a couple of hours before Garrett was driven to a cabin on James Tanner’s property. Champagne says Garrett was forced into a bathtub and shot in the head. His body was buried under a water tank on Ryan Tanner’s land. Investigators found the body where Champagne told them it was. Many of Champagne’s statements turned out to be true. But after several days on the witness stand he began spinning wild tales, which cast doubt on all his testimony.

As to Garrett’s dog, Leonard, Champagne said the dog was killed by the same shot that struck Garrett. But then another witness, Robert Norris, said the dog was still alive and followed him into Redway. It was clarified Tuesday that Garrett’s family came and picked up Leonard.

On Tuesday another witness, sheriff’s Investigator Mark Peterson, testified about his interview with Tanner after the arrest. When told he was charged with false imprisonment, auto theft and murder, Tanner wanted to know about the false imprisonment charge. He also “spoke at length” about the history of the Toyota 4-runner he allegedly stole from a neighbor.

“He said he didn’t know anything about a murder,” Peterson said.

Tanner also denied owning any firearms, although a large quantity of assault rifle ammunition was found in his house. And there were numerous shell casings all over his property.

Tanner explained that Champagne, who was the son of Tanner’s girlfriend Vanessa Womack, had an SKS rifle and shot it on his property.

After the killing, the cabin where Garrett died was burned to the ground. The old clawfoot bathtub was still intact, though full of fire debris and badly damaged. No bullet was ever found. One shell casing was lying about 10 feet from the foot of the tub.

The cabin remnants were still smoldering when officers searched the area around the time Tanner was arrested.

Testimony was expected to continue this morning, with the prosecution calling six more witnesses.

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