AUGUSTA, Maine — After a mistrial last fall and several weather-related delays this week, the trial of Dylan Ketcham concluded Thursday at the Kennebec Superior Courthouse in Augusta.
Ketcham is facing multiple charges including murder, attempted murder, and elevated assault in connection with an incident in Gardiner in January 2020.
Ketcham is accused of shooting and killing Jordan Johnson in Gardiner in January 2020. Ketcham is also charged with the attempted murder of Caleb Trudeau, who testified against Ketchum in the trial. Trudeau was injured during the incident, leading Ketcham to be charged with elevated assault.
The state prosecution rested its case Wednesday, and Ketchum’s attorney presented a brief defense before both attorneys made their closing arguments Thursday morning.
The lawyer representing the state reminded the jury of evidence presented throughout the trial, including a receipt that showed Ketcham bought .25 caliber bullets the day before the incident. The state also said Ketcham stole a .25 caliber from his sister and used her credit card to pay for the bullets.
Later, the prosecuting attorney said the three men were meeting up for a fistfight, but Ketcham showed up “armed to the teeth.”
The prosecution also brought in more evidence from the incident and said Ketcham used duct tape on the bottom of his boots to cover the tread and used duct tape to fasten a way to hold a machete. Trudeau said in court that Ketcham attacked him with the machete.
During its closing arguments, the state said Ketcham left his boots, clothes, gun, and cell phone after he allegedly shot Johnson and attacked Trudeau. According to the prosecutor, a Game warden later found the gun in the snow.
The state also showed body camera video of the first responder that found Trudeau after the attack on the porch of a nearby house. In the video, Trudeau was asked who attacked him and he said it was Ketcham.
During his testimony earlier this week, Trudeau said he still did not have full function in his hands three years after the incident.
The defense began its closing arguments by claiming both Trudeau and Johnson were on drugs during the time of the incident and planned to “ambush” Ketcham.
Ketcham’s lawyer showed excerpts of testimony from Trudeau in an attempt to point out confusion and contradictory testimony, claiming Trudeau attacked Ketcham and not the other way around.
The defense also claimed the state did not prove his client murdered Johnson that night, saying gunshots were fired in a struggle between the two men.