Mark Sievers trial: Testimony continues following emotional day: Day 3

It has been another emotional day of testimony both from the man who confessed to killing Teresa Sievers and the people who knew her.

Mark Sievers, again, visibly upset in court as his former best friend, Wayne Wright, described how he and Jimmy Rodgers killed his wife.

The defense pointed to the multiple times Wright lied to law enforcement throughout the investigation. But Wright stood by his testimony that the idea for Teresa’s murder came from her husband, Mark.

Teresa’s sister also took the stand, showing jurors a photo of her sister.

But the difficult testimony was far from over. After lunch, Teresa’s friend, the man who found her beaten body, took the stand.

Dr. Mark Petrites testified that he went to the Sievers’ home after a call from Mark saying Teresa hadn’t shown up to work.

He also testified that he told Mark something terrible had happened and that Teresa was hurt.

He said during that phone call, Mark didn’t ask how his wife was hurt or where she was being taken. He testified that Mark only asked if there had been a robbery.

Court wrapped up for the weekend around 5:40 p.m. after hearing from a crime scene technician.

The trial will continue Monday at 8:30 a.m.

Scroll down for more details from witness testimonies. 

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WATCH THE FULL DAY OF TESTIMONY FROM THE COURTROOM

WARNING: This video may include graphic content that may be disturbing to some viewers.  NOTE: During a court recess, you will see a state of Florida seal.

Part 1

Part 2

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Witness #5: Curtis Wayne Wright

After an emotional testimony on Thursday, Wright is now being cross-examined by the Defense.

After a series of questions from Defense Attorney Michael Mummert, Wright admitted that he first denied that Mark had hired him to kill Teresa.

Curtis Wayne Wright is back on the stand this morning for questions from the defense. Wright confessed to killing Teresa Sievers with Jimmy Rodgers, but testified the plan came from her husband, Mark. #SieversTrial @winknews pic.twitter.com/I5wFIkrGhb

— Brooke Shafer (@BrookeShaferTV) November 22, 2019

As Wright continued to answer Mummert’s questions with “I don’t remember,” Mummert said: If you forget everything, do you think the State is still going to offer you that deal?

As a reminder, Wright took a plea deal from the State of 25 years in exchange for his testimony against Jimmy Rodgers and Mark Sievers, his former best friend.

The Defense asked about Wright’s sexual preferences in connection with Mark, but that was quickly objected to by the State.

Mummert also asked Wright if he recalled Mark asking him about a possible affair. Wright said he never said Teresa was having an affair, just that Mark told him he was concerned she’d take the kids if she left.

When asked if he killed Teresa Sievers to protect her kids, Wright said "I agreed to do this because my friend asked me to. It wasn't specifically about the girls, for my own motive." He testified yesterday Teresa was going to leave Mark and take their two girls. #SieversTrial

— Brooke Shafer (@BrookeShaferTV) November 22, 2019

Wright said he never planned to carry a gun across state lines because he is a five-time convicted felon. “I don’t feel comfortable using one,” he said.

Wright did say it crossed his mind that he and Rodgers would be caught on surveillance cameras when stopping at places like gas stations and Walmart. He also testified that he was “more than a little concerned” that Rodgers brought a cell phone on the trip when he’d told him not to.

As Wright went on to describe the murder, he testified it was Mark’s idea.

Mark Sievers’ attorney handed him a tissue while Curtis Wayne Wright described exactly where he hit Teresa Sievers with a hammer, eventually killing her. Wright testified the murder was Mark’s idea. #SieversTrial @winknews pic.twitter.com/ErnIGS984V

— Brooke Shafer (@BrookeShaferTV) November 22, 2019

For the most part, Mark only looks down at his notebook throughout the trial, but as Wright described cleaning up after the murder, Mark looked up at him.

When Wright was asked if he manipulated four of his neighbors into signing false affidavits for law enforcement after Teresa’s murder, he quietly answered, “yes.” He says he did it to protect himself, Mark and Jimmy.

Wright said he and Jimmy never discussed how they were planning to avoid detention, the events that occurred or made sure they had their story straight.

Mummert said that Wright mentioned Thursday that Rodgers found the hammer and made a crude joke about Teresa’s destiny. When asked what he did when he said that, Wright said he just ignored him.

Moving forward to Teresa’s funeral, Wright said he tried to talk to Mark about the details of what happened but he said the conversation never happened; that Mark didn’t want to talk about it.

Somewhat borrowing a moment from Rodgers’ defense team last month, Mummert asked Wright about seeing Teresa’s family at the funeral. “When you saw her kids, did you tell them, ‘I’m really sorry I murdered your mother?'”

After about two hours, the Defense finished their cross-examination of Wright and the State went on to ask a few more questions.