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Michigan School Shooter's mom Testifies In Her Own Defense; Crumbley Says Son Never Asked For Help For Mental Health Issues; Crumbley Says When She Asked Son Why He Carried Out Shooting, He Answered, "Because I Just Did". Aired 2-2:30p ET
Aired February 01, 2024 - 14:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is CNN Breaking News.
[14:00:27]
BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN HOST: Jennifer Crumbley, the mother of the Oxford Michigan High School shooter, is now testifying in her own defense.
BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: That's right. Crumbley facing four charges of manslaughter for each student that her son killed, giving the case a chance to set a precedent for other parents, maybe being held responsible for school shootings that their children commit.
Let's listen in now to Jennifer Crumbley.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Where were they?
JENNIFER CRUMBLEY, THE MOTHER OF THE OXFORD HIGH SCHOOL SHOOTER: They weren't home.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Did they ever come home?
CRUMBLEY: Yes. I texted my husband and asked where you were at. And I believe he called me and told me that him and Ethan were at the ACME firearm store looking at guns.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK.
CRUMBLEY: And then they came home from there.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. Did they purchase the gun that day?
CRUMBLEY: They did.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. The prosecution brought in exhibits showing the receipts all that. You weren't with them when they bought the gun.
CRUMBLEY: No, I was not.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. You did post on Facebook a photo of the gun. We saw the post. Correct? CRUMBLEY: Correct.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And in the post that's been admitted already, you described it as your son's Christmas gift. Can you explain who wanted the gun? How -- what was -- what is the name?
CRUMBLEY: They had rented a nine millimeter at the shooting range before, so they knew it was the type of gun or the size gun, I guess, was that they wanted to get. And my son and my husband did a lot of texting back and forth. My son did a lot of research on it and they're comparing different ones that they wanted to buy. That went on for a couple months.
My husband just kind of kept blowing it off. Like not right now, not right now. And then I guess when I was out shopping, they said, well, let's go try on Black Friday. See if we can get one on sale or if there's any deals going on.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. So they ultimately did get one?
CRUMBLEY: Right.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Now, did you object? Did you say, I don't want that gun in the house, anything like that?
CRUMBLEY: No. I was more angry that they cut into our Christmas tree time. I usually cut my Christmas tree down where I have to get back from shopping, but I had to wait for them. So I was irritated at that.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When they came home, did they show you the gun?
CRUMBLEY: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. And what did you guys do?
CRUMBLEY: They just showed me. I was on the kitchen counter. And then my husband put it up and we went to the Christmas tree farm.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What do you mean by put it up?
CRUMBLEY: He put it back in the case with the cable lock in the bedroom.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK. Let's talk about just guns overall. History needs to understand some details. OK.
If I ask a question you don't know what I'm talking about, let me know.
CRUMBLEY: OK.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Are guns your thing?
CRUMBLEY: Not really. No.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. But do you have awareness about guns within your home?
CRUMBLEY: I do.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. Who is responsible for storing the gun?
CRUMBLEY: My husband is.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. Explain why you say he's responsible for that role.
CRUMBLEY: I just didn't feel comfortable being in charge of that. It was more his thing, so I let him handle that. I didn't feel comfortable putting the lock thing on it. I just -- I just rather -- I just rather not let him do it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And I think in one of the messages that was admitted with Brian (PH), you called it a string lock?
CRUMBLEY: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. Do you understand that was a cable lock?
CRUMBLEY: I do.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. So, were there ever any times where you would take the cable lock off or put it on?
CRUMBLEY: No.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Now, there were -- prior to buying that gun, did you -- did James own any other guns?
CRUMBLEY: He did.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How many?
CRUMBLEY: Two.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And by two, the jury has seen the derringer and the KelTec? Were those the other two?
CRUMBLEY: Correct.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. So those are the other two guns. How were those stored?
CRUMBLEY: They were stored in a safe.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. And was that different than the nine milliliter?
CRUMBLEY: It was.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. Explain to the jury the difference.
CRUMBLEY: We had a gun safe. So when they bought the two other guns, they transported the two other guns into the gun safe. And then everything else -- well, I don't know. Everything went, like, the cable lock and the other case went somewhere. The nine millimeter was in a case, but it was locked in the -- it was in the case locked with a cable lock.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. And how -- the cable lock that was on the nine millimeter, what did you have to use to get the cable lock open?
CRUMBLEY: A key.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. Did you keep -- did you have a possession of the key?
CRUMBLEY: No.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. Where was the key?
[14:05:01]
CRUMBLEY: It was -- I clumped a German beer stein, so it was in one of the beer stein.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Where are those located?
CRUMBLEY: Throughout the house. We haven't on top of the -- there's a ledge over the refrigerator in our kitchen. So they go from wall to wall, then we had corner shelves in our house that had them. We had a lot.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. Did you know which particular beer stein the cable lock key was in?
CRUMBLEY: No.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you know if your son knew which beer stein it was in?
CRUMBLEY: No.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What about ammunition for the nine millimeter? Was there any bought on the 26th when the weapon was purchased?
CRUMBLEY: No.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. So that day we saw, obviously, on your Facebook post, you described it as your son's gift. Did he have free access to that gun?
CRUMBLEY: No. It was for him to use at the shooting range only.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Was he allowed to take it out?
CRUMBLEY: Not without my husband around.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Did he know where it was kept?
CRUMBLEY: My husband hid it, usually in our bedroom, in different spots.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. What was the intention of hiding it?
CRUMBLEY: That's just what you're supposed to do.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. And when it was hidden, did -- was it locked in any way?
CRUMBLEY: It had the cable locked on it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. And you again testified about the key being in a beer stein?
CRUMBLEY: Correct.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Would the beer stein be right by the cable lock?
CRUMBLEY: No.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. So, where would the beer stein be?
CRUMBLEY: It would probably be in one of the ones in the kitchen.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. So the keys out there, and then you've got the -- did you know where the gun was hidden in your room on November 26th when you put it away?
CRUMBLEY: No.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. On November 27th, we saw a whole video of you going to the shooting range with Ethan, correct?
CRUMBLEY: Correct.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: and with your son, correct?
CRUMBLEY: Correct.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. On that day, we see in the video that you carry the gun case into the gun range, right?
CRUMBLEY: Correct.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. How did the gun get into the -- get to the gun range?
CRUMBLEY: Well, my husband had got it ready for me and put it in the back of my car. And I --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What did that mean got ready for it?
CRUMBLEY: Took the cable lock off, put, I guess he put the magazine things in, the case, and put it in the back of my car. And then I drove with my son to the shooting range with the gun in the back of my car. That's how I got there.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. Did you -- did you see him or watch him take the cable lock off that day?
CRUMBLEY: No.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Why not?
CRUMBLEY: I think I was just doing something else. I didn't pay attention.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. So when you got to the gun range, we saw him in the video you carried it in, carries to the counter. Is that accurate?
CRUMBLEY: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. When you have seen all those five bullets, and then you guys go shooting, correct?
CRUMBLEY: Correct.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. We obviously see you and your son and that shows the whole experience really there.
CRUMBLEY: Correct.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. So, after -- while you're there, how interested were you in shooting that weapon?
CRUMBLEY: I shot it a couple times. I don't know. Shooting's kind of boring. I'm more like skeet shooting. There are actually some things going on. So, I shot it a couple times and he did the rest.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. And did you end up posting something about it being a mother and son day?
CRUMBLEY: I did.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How did you feel about that day?
CRUMBLEY: I felt, I mean, it was -- it was a fun day. He asked me if I wanted to go to the shooting range with him. And he's never asked me just me to go before. My husband was doing DoorDash and I felt good about it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How many times did you go to the shooting range before that day?
CRUMBLEY: Once.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And when you went to one other time, who else was present?
CRUMBLEY: My husband.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So, this was the first day you're the only adult going?
CRUMBLEY: Correct.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. So, we see obviously in the video you're carrying the gun in the case out. Did it have the cable lock on at that point?
CRUMBLEY: No.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. So, what did you do from there?
CRUMBLEY: When we're leaving?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
CRUMBLEY: I put the gun in the back of my vehicle and drove.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Where -- explain where in the back of the vehicle.
CRUMBLEY: So, I -- in the back of the SUV, it has a little thing that opens up where the spare tire is. I put it under there.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. And then where did you go?
CRUMBLEY: I went home.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And did you take the gun in the house?
CRUMBLEY: No. I took the bullets in the house and hid them. And my husband took the gun in the house when he got home from work.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. So was there a period of time that the gun was not in the home but in your car?
CRUMBLEY: Yes, probably for a couple hours.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. Why is that?
CRUMBLEY: I just -- I just don't feel comfortable with it. I don't -- I don't -- that's his thing.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. So, on that Saturday, it was left in the vehicle and your vehicle was locked.
CRUMBLEY: Correct.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you know if the gun was brought into the house and put away?
CRUMBLEY: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. How do you know that?
CRUMBLEY: My husband told me.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK.
CRUMBLEY: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Did you -- did you watch him do anything in terms of putting it away? Or if you didn't, just let me know.
[14:10:05]
CRUMBLEY: No, I didn't.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. The next day is Sunday, correct?
CRUMBLEY: Correct.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And on that day, was there any -- do you recall any issues with the weapon any issues with the gun no?
CRUMBLEY: OK.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Now, when -- the next day is Monday, is that right?
CRUMBLEY: Correct.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. What did you do on Monday?
CRUMBLEY: I went to work.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. And on Monday, we heard the voicemail you got, is that -- is that accurate?
CRUMBLEY: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Describe through the jury overall what happened or what you were dealing with that day.
CRUMBLEY: I received the voicemail on my phone. I was at work. It was Pam Fine. The school -- one of the school counselors. Calling let me know that my son was looking at bullets in class. She let us know -- let me know that they had a meeting with my son and that he -- so what he was doing was wrong amid a responsibility. They gave an example about teachers even that -- they brew beer at home should be looking at it up in school.
And I was there. It was kind of upbeat and then she ended up with, you know, he understood. He went back to class. Just want to let you know. If you have any questions, please give us a call. Have a good holiday.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. And on that date, did you call Miss Fine back?
CRUMBLEY: No, I did not.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What was your reaction to getting that message?
CRUMBLEY: I mean, it's pretty -- it's pretty black and white. I mean, to say what happened. They seem like they saw the problem and I didn't have any questions. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. So on that date, did you end up saying anything to James about it?
CRUMBLEY: I believe I did.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Did you say anything to your son about it?
CRUMBLEY: I did
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What did you -- and I think we saw at text messages you said, don't -- next time, don't get caught.
CRUMBLEY: Yes. I said, seriously looking at bullets in school and then he went through a long couple of texts about teachers looking at his stuff. And he was worried about he's going to get in trouble. And then, I said, next time, don't get caught.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What did you mean by that?
CRUMBLEY: So, there's a an ongoing thing in our house. I would -- might someone always ask me the trouble I get in high school, because I was little bit of troublemaker because I always got caught, like, all my friends could be doing the same thing and I'd be the one get caught. So it was kind of referencing to that.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. So you said that -- and did you feel you had to discipline him or do anything beyond talked him about it?
CRUMBLEY: No, we talked. I let him listen to the voicemail and that was that.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. Now, I'm going to go back for a couple minutes to talk to you about some exhibits the prosecution introduced from earlier in the year. OK?
CRUMBLEY: OK.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So I'm going to start with, what's been admitted as Exhibits 155 through 160, OK? I'm going to pop them up on the screen and we're going to just talk about each one briefly. So I'm going to go to 155. OK. Plug my -- I'm sorry. It's not -- you have to plug it in.
OK. So I'm going to start with 155. OK. This was already admitted. So we're not going to belabor this. OK? I UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hope that she has a picture of that.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, I'm sorry.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, it's not necessary (INAUDIBLE). OK. There we go.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There it is. OK. So we've already talked about this with other witnesses, so I'm going to go a little bit faster. If you need me to slow down, let me know. CRUMBLEY: OK.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK? This is Miss Deriker's (PH) e-mail with Shawn Hopkins. She's telling him -- when you get a chance, can you call your son down to -- down and see how he's doing? He's failing my class. Tries to sleep all the time in class.
Shawn responds, I'll catch him by the end of the day. Thanks. Just a little worried. And that's that.
You heard testimony about that, correct?
CRUMBLEY: Correct.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Were you ever aware there was a time where your son was failing a class and trying to sleep all, all in capital letters, ALL the time in class?
CRUMBLEY: I can't remember what class director was. So I would probably be aware if he was failing that class from power school, but I was not aware that he was sleeping all the time.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So, did anyone from the school let you know in May of 2021, hey, he's sleeping in class and failing?
CRUMBLEY: No.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. That was Exhibit 155. And would that show up on power schools that -- the e-mail is between that?
CRUMBLEY: No.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. Exhibit 166. This is from September 8th, 2021. It starts off with an e-mail from Miss McConnell (PH) to Shawn Hopkins says, can you please touch base with you Ethan Crumbley?
In his autobiography poem, he said he feels terrible and that his family is a mistake. Unusual responses for sure.
[14:15:04]
He writes back, thanks for the heads-up. I'm in senior meetings throughout the day. I'll try to catch up with him.
Were you aware this was ever a discussion or an issue?
CRUMBLEY: No.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Were you aware that Mr. Hopkins ever talked to or tried to talk to your son?
CRUMBLEY: No.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Did anyone ever call you to make you aware of any of this?
CRUMBLEY: No.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If you heard this, how would you -- how would you react or what would your reaction be?
CRUMBLEY: I'd be definitely concerned why he feels like his family's a mistake and he feels terrible. So that would be -- that would be a concern to me.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. So you -- this is something you're unaware of?
CRUMBLEY: Correct.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And in fact, when did you find out these e-mails existed?
CRUMBLEY: When we started getting discovered.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. So in this case?
CRUMBLEY: Correct.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: All right. So I want to go to 157. This is on November 10th of 2021. This is Miss McConnell sends Shawn a message. Ethan Crumbley is having a rough time right now. We may need to speak with you.
Shawn writes back. I'm sorry. I was in the meeting through the end of the day. I'll catch up with him.
Were you ever made aware that there was some issue on November 10th where your son was having a rough time?
CRUMBLEY: No.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Did anyone from the school ever let you know?
CRUMBLEY: No.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Did you ever see anything like this prior to us getting materials in this case?
CRUMBLEY: No.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If you heard your son was having a rough time, what would you do to follow up?
CRUMBLEY: I would talk to my son. Find out what's going on.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. And I am going to minimize these for one second. I want to go back to some other dates that were discussed and exhibits were admitted.
And I'm going to go back to March 20th. I'm sorry. These are -- we want to order. So March 16th of 2021, the prosecution has admitted Exhibits 85, 86, 85 through 94. And let's see here. Eighty-five shows you guys are making plans. And you say, I'm going to get drunk and ride my horse.
Can you explain to the jury what you meant by that? And I'll get it up on the screen.
CRUMBLEY: I was going to have some drinks and ride my horse. It was St. Patrick's Day.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm sorry. That's on the -- that's on the 17th, right?
CRUMBLEY: Correct.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. The 16th though -- oh, I'm sorry. You're right. OK. So explain that again.
So let me get it up on the screen because I'm messing up. OK. Eighty- five. OK. So 85. I'm sorry. You're right.
So on page 85, 432 is the page number. You're right. I'm going to get drunk and ride my horse. What was your plan that night?
CRUMBLEY: I was going to have a couple drinks and go for a trail ride with my horse.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. Did you do that that night?
CRUMBLEY: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And on people's proposed Exhibit 86 or their admitted exhibit. This was a text thread between you and your son. Let's see here.
This is the text where the prosecution admitted to show that your son texted you. OK. The house is now haunted. What time was that text at?
CRUMBLEY: It says 6:03.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK.
CRUMBLEY: I don't know if -- this is minus four. I don't know what that means.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. And then the next text, some weird shit just happens and now I'm scared.
Next one, I got some videos in a picture of the demon is throwing balls. I'm not joking. It fucked up the kitchen. I'm just going to be an outsider for a while. Can you at least text back?
OK. Do you recall this day on March 17th, 2021?
CRUMBLEY: It didn't stick out to me until this whole -- no, I don't -- I don't recall it exactly. I just remember it ever since we got discovery on this case.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. So on March 17th, there was a point when you -- did you ever see these texts?
CRUMBLEY: I probably didn't. Not that time.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you recall seeing these texts at any point prior to this case?
CRUMBLEY: I'm sure I did, but they didn't -- they weren't -- no, I don't. I mean, I'm sure I saw them, but they just didn't stick out to me until this case.
[14:20:09]
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Why didn't they stick out to you?
CRUMBLEY: Because it wasn't -- it wasn't anything that was anything serious. It was Ethan just messing around.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You got to explain to the jury. How did Ethan mess around?
CRUMBLEY: So he's been convinced our house has been haunted since 2015. It was built in 1920. Around that timeframe, him and his friend would go down to the basement and play Ouija board. So they thought we had a house ghost.
So it was around that time when he would mess with us that things are going on in the house. Silverware was flying across the room. Doors were slamming. He actually took a video of the door and showed me when I got home.
And you can clearly see where he's standing back with his phone looking at the door that's open. You can see him walk up the door and you can kind of see him slam it and him trying to say, see our house is haunted? So it was that kind of stuff that he did.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. And did that continue on into 2021 when you get messages like this?
CRUMBLEY: Only a couple of times, but I think it just kind of -- he just got over it, like, it wasn't -- he got bored with messing around with the -- with the ghost, so.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Did you mess around with him?
CRUMBLEY: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. What did you do to him?
CRUMBLEY: When they were downstairs in the basement playing Ouija board one night, I went and put the circuit breaker off in the house. And he thought it was the ghost they conjured up on the Ouija board.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Did James ever mess around with you or with Ethan?
CRUMBLEY: Yes, a little bit.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Give us an example of what he did.
CRUMBLEY: He set a lamp fell off a ledge in the basement and so he named the ghost Victoria. So he was --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KEILAR: All right. We're listening to Jennifer Crumbley testifying her defense here. She's facing four charges of involuntary manslaughter for her son shooting and killing four people, injuring others at Oxford High School in 2021.
And here, we hear her explaining some text messages that have raised questions about whether her son, perhaps, was having some kind of delusions or hallucinations. And whether she was ignoring that and not getting him the mental health treatment that the text reveal he needed. And she's explaining or trying to explain here that actually he was just kidding around and trying to add some context.
We'll see ultimately if the jury believes what she is saying here.
We're going to get in a quick break. We'll be right back with more of Jennifer Crumbley's testimony from Pontiac, Michigan.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:25:31]
SANCHEZ: We want to get straight back to the courtroom. The testimony of Jennifer Crumbley, the mother of Ethan Crumbley, the shooter in the Oxford High School shooting back in 2021 is testifying right now in her defense. Let's listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Looks like a blank message.
CRUMBLEY: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Why are you freaking out so much?
CRUMBLEY: Because he didn't tell me he was home. So -- and I think he must have, oh, I'm definitely with work. I can't get ahold of him. So it was like, why can't I get ahold of you? Why can't I get a hold of anybody?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. Did this concern you ultimately that something happened that day? Or did this get resolved?
CRUMBLEY: I think he just got home and that was it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. Now, the next day, which would have been the 9th, you and James, we can agree, went to the barn together that day, correct?
CRUMBLEY: Correct.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The prosecution provided a picture, GPS, exhibits, phone data exhibits, correct?
CRUMBLEY: Correct.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: All right.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: On that day, we agree, you guys are at the barn together.
CRUMBLEY: Correct.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. I'm going to go to the prosecutor to Exhibit 82 that was admitted, OK? And you text, you send him a message to Ethan that says where are -- or Ethan sends you a message that says -- I'm sorry.
You send a message to Ethan saying, where are you at 3:17 and 32 seconds, UTC minus five, correct?
CRUMBLEY: Correct.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: All right. So then Ethan sends you all these texts. Can you get home now? I think that someone's in the house. Someone walked into the bathroom and pushed the toilet, left the lid on. I thought it was you, but I came out and no one was home. There is no one in the house though. Dude, my door just slammed. Maybe it's just my paranoia. But when are you going to get home?
OK. What was going on in that day?
CRUMBLEY: So if you go back to -- go back to the beginning of the thread.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK.
CRUMBLEY: Is this the beginning? So you can see the time on there. That was the time I'd be driving home from the barn. And when I got home, he was asking me why I didn't answer the text. And he said the -- that weird stuff was going on the house again. And that was that.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. When you walked in, do you recall discussing these messages with him?
CRUMBLEY: It was mainly -- I've been trying to text you. Why don't you answer? And I told him --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He said that or you said that?
CRUMBLEY: He said that.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK.
CRUMBLEY: And I -- and I told him I was driving home. I wasn't looking at my phone.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So what's -- why weren't you looking at your phone? Or what's going on with your -- did you have a signal? Do you not have a signal? What's happening?
CRUMBLEY: I could have had a signal. I don't know. I probably just had my phone in the front seat of the passenger side and didn't look at it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. When you're out at the barn, do you get every text that people send you?
CRUMBLEY: No.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What's your signal like out there?
CRUMBLEY: I have Metro PCS. So it's not as good as somebody had AT&T and Verizon, but there's very limited spots at any barn I've been at where there's any type of signal. Usually, you have to find the one -- the one spot. You'll see everybody standing and talking at the phone, but it's not -- it's not all over the barn.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What about on your roads to the barn?
CRUMBLEY: So that barn, we were at -- it was between Oxford and the Groveland (PH) area. So all those roads, once I passed a market, it's all -- it's -- there's no signal. And that's it. When I can tell you how to go to a fire station, then I have a signal. And then once I pass the fire station, I won't have a signal.
Then I hit a grocery store and have a signal. Once it got past the grocery store, all the way to the barn, I had no signal.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Looking back on these texts now from March 9th, OK, seeing him say there's someone in the house.
