JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Amanda Guthrie, who is on trial for the shooting death of her teenage daughter in 2021, chose not to testify in court on Thursday.
Guthrie said the gun used unintentionally discharged and shot through the 14-year-old’s head.
Most of the day’s testimony was spent on a forensic expert who reconstructed the crime scene based on the physical evidence.
Prosecutors countered his testimony with what Guthrie is heard saying on the 911 call and challenged what was documented at the scene.
Michael LaForte told the court the bullet deflected off the floor and hit Ayva Guthrie in the head, something he said JSO detectives didn’t consider.
“It should’ve been considered based on physical evidence...This didn’t happen like it was pointed directly at her,” said forensic expert Michael LaForte.
He said the bullet was deformed before it entered Ayva’s skull.
During cross-examination, prosecutors questioned if the bullet would’ve lost velocity before going into her head if it had ricocheted, and LaForte said it would have.
“It makes plenty of sense only one bullet fired, bullet had enough velocity. That much damage doesn’t occur to go through human skin,” LaForte said.
The state had him reiterate facts: The shooting happened in a small area, LaForte is not a firearms expert, he is normally hired by the defense and he reached out to the defense to work the case.
The jury also heard from Guthrie’s wife Ashley McMillan who said Guthrie was frantic on the phone with her after the shooting and said the gun ricocheted and that she didn’t know what happened.
McMillian testified to her knowledge the gun was on top of the TV stand was not loaded but they kept a magazine nearby just in case they needed to use it.
The defense rested their case and the state called another FDLE witness.