State closes case in fire and drug murder trial | News, Sports, Jobs

Ward County prosecutors concluded their case with testimony from Minot police investigators, an analysis of tire tread prints near the burned-out vehicle where Kelly's body was found, and testimony from an individual regarding Kennedy's alleged involvement in a fentanyl trafficking operation in Minot.

Susan Gross, an agent with the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms, testified about tire treads collected at the scene and compared them to the tires of a GMC Yukon XL that investigators believe Kennedy was driving on the gravel road outside of Minot when he allegedly burned Kelly's body in her Chevy Impala. Gross testified that three of the four samples had similar characteristics and sound treatments based on the comparison between the prints and the samples.

Detective Jeff Schwab of the St. Paul Police Department testified about the discovery of a burned-out Chrysler 300 under the Seventh Street Bridge in St. Paul. Minot Police Sergeant Robbie Sumlin presented the jury with several maps showing Kennedy's alleged route from Minot to the Twin Cities based on cell tower signals from his cell phone.

The Chrysler 300 belonged to Ashley Gibson, a Kennedy confidant who is currently serving a six-and-a-half-year sentence in federal prison after being convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Gibson was brought to Minot to testify because she rented the RV, which was set on fire within 24 hours of Kelly's death.

Charles Crane/MDN Minot Police Sgt. Robbie Sumlin was the final prosecution witness to testify Monday in Kamauri Kennedy's murder trial.

Gibson testified that she and Kennedy were close enough to call each other “Brother” And “Sister,” and she met him through a man from Michigan, Eric Williams, with whom she was in a relationship at the time. Williams is also in federal prison for drug trafficking.

During her testimony, Gibson contradicted several previous statements she had made to law enforcement and Assistant District Attorney Tiffany regarding Kennedy's alleged involvement in a drug deal in Minot allegedly run by Williams, claiming she had lied during those interviews.

“I have told you all this, and I have told you other things too,” Said Gibson. “I told you what you wanted to hear.”

When Sorgen pressed her about earlier testimony in which she allegedly admitted to picking up drug ring members from the Minot airport, Gibson invoked her Fifth Amendment right not to answer the question. Kennedy's attorney, William Harvey Skees, objected to Sorgen's demand that Gibson answer, saying that despite her federal conviction, Gibson could still be charged at the state level for crimes she admitted to during her testimony. District Judge Gary Lee granted Skees' motion, and Gibson invoked the Fifth Amendment several more times during her testimony.

Gibson testified that she often drove back and forth between Minot and her home in Kentucky and was in Kentucky when she was informed that her vehicle and the RV she rented had been destroyed by arson. Gibson said the vehicle never left North Dakota, contradicting earlier statements that she did not know Kennedy was in North Dakota. She had the keys to the vehicle with her and did not know there was another set.

Sumlin testified about a series of search warrants executed on Kelly's apartment, as well as evidence communications investigators seized from her smartwatch. Text messages from the device had previously been deemed inadmissible because they were retrieved directly from the device after an investigator guessed the password, rather than obtained from a full log of her communications from her service provider.

Sumlin also shared evidence recovered from the burned mobile home, which was one of three rental properties Gibson rented in Minot. Various pieces of evidence were found in the mobile home, including ammunition for a .22 long rifle, various receipts, gloves, an N-95-style cotton face mask and cigarette butts. Sumlin said Gibson's statements were contradictory and nonsensical. Sumlin said Williams and Kennedy were both from the Detroit area and the mobile home Gibson rented was used as a “Trap House” for the distribution of narcotics.

Sumlin also testified about data collected from Kennedy's cellphone, including conversations between Kennedy and Kelly that took place the night of June 2-3, 2021, before Kelly's burning car was discovered. Sumlin said Kelly was identified through a DNA comparison between the body and her mother.

Sumlin testified that data collected from the Yukon XL owned by Marissa Mason of Mandaree showed that Kennedy's cellphone was connected to the vehicle's Bluetooth the night of Kelly's murder. Mason testified Friday that Kennedy occasionally borrowed her vehicle and told her to burn the vehicle, but she instead simply hid it out of sight.

Sumlin also testified to connections between Kennedy and both vehicles, including video surveillance footage at Walmart and a local oil change business, as well as a traffic stop in which Kennedy was stopped while driving the Chrysler 300 and gave police officers a false identity. Sumlin said video footage from the BNSF railroad company shows Kelly's Impala being tracked from the Yukon toward the area, where it was discovered burning at around 12:35 a.m. on June 3, 2021.

Sumlin said he strongly suspects Kennedy had assistance from one or more people as they moved vehicles and started the numerous fires after Kelly's death. “There is too much going on for one person to do everything alone.”

This claim was made by Skees on a referral site, who alerted Sumlin to DNA evidence recovered from gloves from the RV linked to Jason Arnold, another associate of Williams and Kennedy. Skees also pressed Sumlin about why Kelly's ex-boyfriend was not considered a suspect, despite their relationship “volatile.”

“If I had the name of the other person involved, I could guarantee that they would be charged,” Said Sumlin.

After Sumlin finished his testimony, the state rested. Lee dismissed the jury but said he expected the defense to conclude its case today.