JEFFERSONVILLE, Ind. (WDRB) -- The second murder trial for a southern Indiana man accused of dismembering his ex-girlfriend and eating parts of her organs in her Jeffersonville home in 2014 is underway.
Joseph Oberhansley was charged in September 2014 with murder, rape and burglary in the death of 46-year-old Tammy Jo Blanton at her Jeffersonville home. His first trial in August 2019 ended in a mistrial during the first day of testimony, after a state's witness brought up information about Oberhansley's drug history and criminal past that attorneys had agreed would not be mentioned to the jury.
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. Jury selection from a new pool of 60 people began Sept. 7 in Noblesville, and the jury was seated on Sept. 9.
On Friday prosecutors in opening arguments said Oberhansley raped and brutally murdered Blanton by stabbing her, while the defense said in its opening that the evidence needs to be looked at from all sides.
The first witness on the stand was Sabrina Hall, one of Blanton's best friends. Hall told jurors that a man answered Blanton's cell phone when she called to check on Blanton after she didn't show up for work. Hall said the man claimed to be Blanton's brother, but she recognized his voice as Oberhansley's.
When Oberhansley's attorney asked Hall to clarify her statement, she stated she had never met or talked to Oberhansley.
The next witness on the stand, Raelyn Mitchell, a police dispatcher testified that she answered a 911 call from Blanton saying Oberhansley was trying to break into her home around 3 a.m. Sept. 11, 2014, the day she was killed.
The next witness, Brandon McGee, a Jeffersonville Police Officer at the time, testified that he was sent to Blanton's home on a trouble call after the 911 call was received. McGee said he saw Oberhansley walking along the left side of the home, coming from the back.
According to McGee's testimony, Oberhansley was "really, really upset" because he said he owned the deed to home and the locks had been changed.
When questioned by defense attorneys, McGee said at no point did he feel the situation was dangerous enough to draw his weapon, and that he did not feel he was in danger.
Kevin Anderson, another Jeffersonville Police Officer who responded to the 911 call, testified he went inside to speak to Blanton, who told him she had changed the locks because she didn't want Oberhansley there. Anderson said he saw no signs of physical abuse while he was there.
Oberhansley has maintained his innocence from the beginning. He repeated that claim on his way into court Friday morning: "I'm not guilty of these charges," he said.
Murder trial for Joseph Oberhansley starting this morning. He’s accused of killing and eating parts of his ex-girlfriend back in 2014 in Jeffersonville. “I’m not guilty of these charges,” he said as he was walked into court just now. @WDRBNews pic.twitter.com/oBKAqBuR6u
— Travis Ragsdale (@TravisRagsdale) September 11, 2020
The trial adjourned after Anderson's testimony, and is expected to resume Monday morning.
Previous:
- 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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