JACKSON, MI -- Testimony began Monday, Oct. 25 at a preliminary examination for Zacharie Borton, the Grand Rapids man accused of killing three men in rural Grass Lake Township in August.
Cory Caroffino, a deputy from the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, testified that he was the first officer to responded to the scene of the triple homicide.
He said he found the bodies of Michael Pauli, 70, Delmar Fraley, 80, in the home’s entrance doorway and living room, respectively. Once police backup arrived, Caroffino searched the rest of the property and found the body of John Kantzler, 70. in an outdoor stairway, he testified.
Caroffino also testified to seeing tire tracks and footprints in the morning dew leading away from the property as he arrived on scene.
Dr. Bernardino Pacris, a forensic pathologist who performed the autopsies on all the men, determined the cause of death for all three victims to be multiple gunshot wounds.
Pauli had been shot once in the chest and three times in the abdomen, Pacris testified. Kantzler was shot in the right side of his face, fatally injuring his brain, along with gunshots to his abdomen and pelvis. Fraley was hit on his left-side cheek, in the shoulder and abdomen, Pacris said.
Amanda Spaulding, a friend of the three victims who had previously lived at the residence, also testified. Though she had moved out months before the shooting, Spaulding said she would visit the residence often.
Spaulding testified she visited the home on Aug. 21, eventually leaving for the night at 11:30 p.m., at which time Pauli drove her home. The first 911 call reporting the homicides came about 5:50 a.m. on Aug. 22.
While visiting, Spaulding witnessed an interaction between her young son and Borton. After her son placed his toy gun on a table, Borton set his own holstered gun on the table, and said something to the effect that he would teach the boy “a lesson” if he tried to touch the real gun, Spaulding testified.
Two guns were found on the property, testified Michigan State Police forensic examiner Mark Goff, including a .22-caliber rifle that was found in another building away from the home, and a .22-caliber revolver found near Kantzler’s body.
All of the revolver’s chambers were filled with rounds, Goff testified, indicating it had not been fired, or had been recently reloaded.
MSP Lt. Jeff Amley testified that shell casings indicated at least three separate guns had been fired at the scene.
According to previously released court records, police were able to identify Borton as a suspect soon after the shooting began tracking his cell phone, showing the phone was in the area of Grass Lake on Aug. 21, before moving to Grand Rapids on Aug. 22.
Borton was found to be staying at a residence in Grand Rapids, police said. At about 8 p.m. on Aug. 23, police surrounded the building, after which Borton came out and surrendered.
RELATED: Court records reveal grisly details in triple Grass Lake homicide
Borton faces six charges including three counts of open murder and single counts of auto theft, unauthorized use of a credit card and second offense of felon in possession of a firearm.
He appeared via Zoom in the courtroom of Jackson District Judge Joseph Filip for the preliminary examination. After hearing more testimony, Filip will ultimately determine if there is enough probable cause to send Borton to circuit court for trial.
The examination is set to continue on Friday, Oct. 29.
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