Jurors hear Cave describe events from night of murder in audio recording

Jurors heard Janelle Cave’s voice in an audio recording Tuesday as she described the events leading up to Abdi Ali Ahmed’s death.

Testimony in the murder trial of Cave, 22, Jamestown, entered the fifth day Tuesday. The case is being tried in Southeast District Court with Judge Thomas E. Merrick presiding.

Cave and Leron Lee Howard, 34, Jamestown, are charged with murder and criminal conspiracy in the April 30, 2011, death of Ahmed, 18, Jamestown. Both charges are Class AA felonies punishable by up to life in prison without parole. Howard will be tried beginning Aug. 7.

The prosecution testimony included a tape of an interview of Cave with detectives held at her request on July 8, 2011. The tape was edited to exclude portions of the interview that are not being allowed as evidence in the trial.

In the tape Cave was heard saying that Ahmed came home with her and Howard at about 3:30 a.m. on April 30. Ahmed wanted to stay with them in the home overnight, saying he had nowhere else to go. Howard escorted Ahmed from the home and, when Cave followed, Ahmed was down and unconscious in the street in front of the trailer home.

Cave further explains that they put Ahmed in the back seat of her car and drove to Delmonte Jones’ home to do drugs. At the home they joked with Jones about having a body in the car.

Jones had previously testified they went to his home to ask to dispose of a body in his well.

Cave is also heard to say in the interview that as they left Jones’ home, the car’s dome light came on as Ahmed tried to open the door. She said that Howard took Ahmed from the car and left him sitting or lying on the side of the road while she and Howard returned to her home.

Testimony by Special Agent Arnie Rummel of the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation indicated that Cave requested a second interview that same day with law enforcement officers. The court indicated that tape would be introduced as evidence during the afternoon session.

One juror was excused from the case due to an emergency situation at his home. The case began with two alternates and 12 jurors and now will proceed with just one alternate.

Sun reporter Keith Norman can be reached at 701-952-8452 or by email at knorman@jamestownsun.com

Tags: news, updates, crime, courts, fccnetwork, breakingnews