It has been more than three years since two people were found shot to death in a West Juneau apartment.
Now the man accused of killing them is standing trial in Juneau Superior Court.
Laron Carlton Graham pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree murder in connection with the deaths of Robert Meireis, 36, and Elizabeth Tonsmeire, 34.
The jury was seated Tuesday followed by opening statements, and the beginning of testimony and evidence presentation.
The prosecution alleges that Graham confessed in a note to a fellow inmate at Lemon Creek Correctional Center that he killed Meireis and Tonsmeire in November 2015 in a dispute over drugs.
The defense says there’s no evidence that the now-41-year-old Graham killed them. Defense attorney Natasha Norris said there is no DNA, no blood, and no fingerprints linking Graham to the crime. She said no murder weapon has ever been found, and there were no witnesses who either saw or heard the shooting.
Members of one of the victim’s family were present during Tuesday’s opening statements.
The trial is expected to last another 4-5 weeks.
