BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — After being grilled for hours over her story of how Orrin and Orson went missing, detectives asked Jacqueline West why she wasn’t shedding a tear. That’s when Jacqueline tells them that, while she's concerned for the missing boys, the feeling is different than if her biological sons were missing.
The seventh day of the West trial coming to an end Thursday, with a video recording being played of authorities interviewing Jacqueline West about the disappearance of her adoptive sons Orrin and Orson.
Detective John Ryan continuously stating that her story isn’t matching any other reports, that it conflicts with what her other children have said, and that everyone they’ve spoken to has said they haven’t seen the boys since November. Jacqueline repeating to the officers that she doesn’t know why her other children would lie. She says that she has nothing to hide and tells them to search her home and phones.
After interviewing her once, Ryan testified that they then interviewed Trezell. Ryan said Trezell's story didn’t match what Jacqueline told them, so they decided to question her again.
In the second interview, Jacqueline becomes more and more frustrated as detectives refuse to believe her.
Josiah West, the younger brother of Trezell West, also took the stand Thursday, testifying to his relationship and experiences with the family.
In describing all the children, Josiah testified Orrin and Orson didn’t speak a lot, but would play with the other boys and often kept together.
In 2019 through 2020, Josiah was living with his parents, Wanda and Phillip West, at their home on Potomac Avenue. He said while Trezell and Jacqueline lived in Bakersfield, he would occasionally watch the children at their home as well at his parents’ home on Potomac.
When it came to the kids, Josiah described them all as fairly well-behaved, but said that there were some difficulties when it came to communication. He said Orrin and Orson tended not to use words but make noises regarding what they wanted. When it came to Damian West, Josiah said he often times struggled communicating with strangers and would get confused.
During his testimony, Josiah recalled the night police and Child Protective Services arrived to the home on Potomac to inform them that Orrin and Orson were missing. Josiah said he spoke to an officer who told him the Cal City home looked like a “military garrison.” He said CPS took the other children that night. He said he and his parents were under the impression this would only be temporary.
Josiah testified that during the month of December 2020, he didn’t recall seeing Orrin or Orson. He said the weekend of Dec. 19, 2020, when Trezell dropped off the other four children, Josiah gave him a hug and wished him luck in their new home.
This story will continue to be updated throughout the day.
