TULSA - A judge in the murder case of a former law officer stopped proceedings in court Wednesday on an issue concerning evidence.
A spokesperson with the Tulsa County District Attorney's Office said Shannon Kepler's attorney, Richard O'Carroll, asked for testing of evidence that is not in police custody.
Prosecutor Kevin Gray released a statement from DA Steve Kunzweiler's office: "Mr. O'Carroll asked for evidence to be tested.Upon inquiry, TPD detectives told prosecutors and the court that the evidence requested and all Mr. (Jeremey) Lake's personall effects were given to Lisa Kepler more than a year and a half ago."
Judge James Keeley stopped proceedings to give attorneys on both sides to put together briefs on the issue. The judge said an evidentiary hearing would be considered for Thursday morning.
The DA's office said they would be ready to present at that time and to start jury selection.
In testimony last year, Lisa said her father shot and killed her boyfriend (Lake) two years ago right in front of her.
She retold the story of the night her adopted father allegedly killed 19-year-old Jeremey Lake.
She said she was walking with Lake by his home when her father pulled up and asked what she was doing. She said she walked away and heard three gunshots.
When she turned around she said Lake was on the ground, and she heard two more shots.
She said she didn't enjoy her living situation with Shannon and Gina Kepler. She called them "strict."
She recalled when they dropped her off at a homeless shelter two years ago, before the incident.
"The homeless shelter was freedom," she said. "I shouldn't feel like a hostage somewhere I'm supposed to call home."
When the Tulsa County District Attorney's Office played Lisa's chilling 911 tape all parties last year during trial, including Lisa, Shannon and the Lakes dropped their heads seemingly in angst and sadness.
After Lisa spoke, Lake’s younger brother Michael Hamilton testified, identifying Shannon Kepler as the person whose bullet grazed his arm in 2014.
Michael told the court that he was with Lisa Kepler and Lake the night Lake was killed. He claimed that they were near a front porch when a black vehicle pulled up and a person said “What the h--- are you doing here?” Lisa allegedly walked away from the car but Jeremey Lake stayed and then two shots were fired at him.
Michael went on to say that Lisa was hiding behind a bush and after the shots were fired at Lake, additional shots were fired at Lisa. Despite trying to hide himself, Michael told the court, he was still grazed by one of the bullets that were fired.
When Michael was asked to identify who the shooter was, he said it was Shannon Kepler.
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