JEFFERSONVILLE, Ind. (WDRB) -- Jurors spent part of Tuesday morning reviewing more than three hours of police interviews in the second murder trial of a southern Indiana man accused murdering and dismembering his ex-girlfriend then eating parts of her organs.
Prosecutors say Joseph Oberhansley raped and murdered his ex-girlfriend, Tammy Jo Blanton, in the early morning hours of Sept. 11, 2014. According to court documents, he allegedly removed, cooked and ate some of her organs before he was arrested.
Earlier Tuesday, Jeffersonville Detective Isaac Parker testified that during the interview at the police station, Oberhansley first denied any involvement in Blanton's, but then later admitted to her murder and eating parts of her body.
Tuesday marks the third day of testimony in the trial that's being held in Clark County with jurors from Allen County because of the publicity the case has received since 2014.
On Monday, Clark County Prosecutor Jeremy Mull questioned Blanton's co-worker of six years, Tessa Shepherd. She said she thought Oberhansley answered Blanton's phone when she called to check on her after she didn't show up for work on the day she was killed. Shepherd also said Oberhansley had been raping her, even though they had recently attended a work function together.
A Jeffersonville Police officer called to the scene on the day Blanton was killed told jurors Oberhansley was reaching for his rear pocket as officers were arresting him. Officers said they pinned Oberhansley on a bench and retrieved a combination knife and brass knuckle device from his pocket that had blood and blonde hair on it. A bloody screwdriver and tongs were also entered as evidence. Officers said they found Blanton's body in her bathtub, under a shower curtain.
Oberhansley was originally scheduled to stand trial in August 2019, but the proceedings ended in a mistrial during the first day of testimony. Oberhansley was found incompetent for a second trial in January, after evaluations by two psychologists, and was sent to Logansport State Hospital. It was later determined that his competency had been restored during a second stay there.
Oberhansley is charged with murder, rape, abuse of a corpse and burglary. If convicted he could be sentenced to life in prison.
Related Stories:
- Testimony begins in 2nd trial of Indiana man accused of killing, cannibalizing woman in 2014
- Oberhansley found competent to stand trial for killing ex-girlfriend
- Tammy Jo Blanton's friend begs for closure 5 years after brutal murder
- Judge declares mistrial in Oberhansley murder case
- Indiana man accused of murdering, cannibalizing ex-girlfriend claims he's 'completely innocent'
- Jeffersonville man accused of killing, cannibalizing girlfriend moved to mental hospital
- New trial date set for Jeffersonville man accused of killing, cannibalizing ex-girlfriend
- Judge: man accused of killing and eating parts of ex-girlfriend not competent for trial
- Accused killer Joseph Oberhansley tells reporters he's not guilty hours after jury chosen in trial
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