First day of testimony in Club Blu trial for Kierra Russ

Reporter: Emma Heaton Writer: Melissa Montoya
Published: Updated:
Kierra Russ

A reluctant witness testified on Wednesday that she saw the men allegedly involved in the Club Blu shooting leave a home prior to the shooting with a ton of guns.

The woman, who WINK News is not identifying, sobbed during her witness testimony as she told jurors she was present at a home where the group was sitting at a table with a lot of guns. In all, 11 witnesses took the stand on Wednesday.

The woman said the group left in different cars and the guns disappeared with them. Hours later, she heard of the shooting at Club Blu.

The woman is testifying during the trial of Kierra Russ. Russ is the first of five defendants to face a jury in the 2016 shooting that killed Stefan Strawder and Sean Archilles, two teens present at the party. The shooting also injured 14 others.

Also awaiting trial are Tajze Battle, Derrick Church, Don Loggins and Demetrius O’Neal.

Wednesday marked the first day of the trial after jury selection took most of Tuesday.

Stefan Strawder, 18, and Sean Archilles, 14, who died at Club Blu in 2016. Photo via WINK News.
Stefan Strawder, 18, and Sean Archilles, 14, who died at Club Blu in 2016. Photo via WINK News.

While Russ was not a shooter, prosecutors say she was integral to the shooting because she served as a lookout for the men who were gang members of the 1Way gang, a gang feuding with another gang in Fort Myers.

According to prosecutors, Russ, who was a performer at the party, texted information to O’Neal from inside the club about members of the Bottom Boys that were there.

Prosecutors describe O’Neal, Church, Battle and Loggins as members of the 1Way gang.

But minutes after Russ texted O’Neal, “at least 14 people were shot. Two young boys died,” the prosecutor said.

Defense attorneys for Russ said she was unaware of the shooting. They said she was there to perform and was not part of any plan to kill anyone.

“She was one of people that walked into the parking lot that became a shooting ground because she had no knowledge,” defense attorney Douglas Molloy said.

Molloy said Russ was not part of “this tragic plan. A stupid ugly plan.”

Jurors also heard from law enforcement officers on Wednesday and others who escaped the bullets.

Tasmia Green was there the night of the shooting.

“I went to my car, closed my door, literally gunshots started,” Green said. “I sat in my car and I had my head down in my passenger seat while my body was inside the driver’s seat.”

Jurors also heard from witnesses who did not want to be there.

“I don’t want to go through this and I don’t want to put my life at risk,” one witness said.

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