Second man on trial for Watonga murder

The last of two men was charged yesterday in the shooting death of Amber Matthews, three years after she died. 

Tuesday, July 8th 2008, 9:11 pm

By: News 9


By Charles Bassett, NEWS 9

ENID, Okla. -- The last of two men was charged yesterday in the shooting death of Amber Matthews, three years after she died. 

Because the trial is a capital murder case, if the defendant is convicted he could face the death penalty.

Jessie Johns, the second person to be tried in the case, was charged with the murder of Amber Matthews. Matthews was visiting her friend Lauren Drue Kopf at her home near Watonga when Johns and his friend, Wendell Grissom arrived. The two men were going to rob the house, according to authorities.

Grissom went into the house, shot out the patio door and began shooting at Kopf who had her two small children inside. She fought back, but was shot three times.

Kopf took the witness stand in Tuesday's trial with an emotional testimony.

"I just begged him to stop," Kopf said. "I had kids and I would give him whatever he wanted."
She went on to say she heard Matthews scream and Kopf's children scream. "I heard Amber scream...'Please don't shoot me,'" Kopf said. "And I heard another shot."

Kopf managed to escape and find help, and her children were not hurt.

Grissom and Johns were arrested shortly after the attack. Grissom was convicted in March and sentenced to death.

Defense attorneys for Johns plan to argue that Kopf never saw Johns, that he never fired a weapon, and was against robbing the home.

The trial is expected to end sometime next week.

logo

Get The Daily Update!

Be among the first to get breaking news, weather, and general news updates from News 9 delivered right to your inbox!

More Like This

July 8th, 2008

March 22nd, 2024

March 14th, 2024

February 9th, 2024

Top Headlines

March 28th, 2024

March 28th, 2024

March 28th, 2024

March 28th, 2024