AUSTIN, Texas — The trial for the man accused of kidnapping two sisters from Round Rock in 2018 resumed Tuesday.
Terry Miles is accused of kidnapping the sisters, then ages 7 and 14, and taking them from their Round Rock home to Colorado in December 2017. They were found a few days later in January 2018.
In opening statements last week, prosecutors said they believe evidence proves that Miles killed the girls' mother, which is why he kidnapped the girls. Defense argued the opposite. They claim Miles kidnapped the girls because he was protecting them.
The trial continued Tuesday as the jury watched a video of the girls' forensic interviews the day after they were found.
On Monday, the jury watched a portion of the video where the teen said her mother told Miles and the girls to leave the house so she could have people over. She told the interviewer when they returned, they found their mom dead.
The teen also told the interviewer she and Miles never had sex, which goes against the testimony she gave last week.
Tuesday, the video showed the interviewer ask the teenager why investigators found a flash drive in the fire pit.
"Because it was a Chromecast," she responded. "And (Miles) was afraid it could tell them where we were ... like it was tracking us."
The teen said that she "didn't really want to go back to Texas." She added, Miles was going to raise them "like we were his children."
Next, the jury watched the forensic interview for the younger sister. The interviewer asked the girl about her mom.
"I know that she died," she said, saying the hospital gave her a death book. The then 7-year-old said she was "sad" and "(her mom) was her best friend."
The interviewer asked the girl about Miles' relationship with her older sister. The girl said her sister and Miles were "best friends."
Both girls said in their interviews that Bates told them to leave the house. The teenager testified last week that this was a lie and that Miles killed their mom.
Two FBI agents testified Tuesday afternoon. James Moore discussed finding the secluded campsite in Colorado.
The jury also saw another forensic video from September 2018. The younger girl said she remembers her mom and Miles fighting before they left for Colorado.
She said she remembered seeing broken things around the house and the rug "scrunched up."
She then recalled her trip to Colorado and said she felt tricked by Miles.
"He said that we were just going to stay there for a little bit," she said, talking about the campsite. "I just thought that (my mom) had to do work."
Court went into recess in the middle of the interview. It will resume Wednesday morning.
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KVUE reporter Molly Oak is reporting live from the courtroom. Follow her on Twitter for updates.
