BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Two mothers took the stand Wednesday morning in the trial of Trezell and Jacqueline West. The first: Jacqueline's mother Maria Martinez. The second: Latoya Spry Sanders, the former foster mother of Orrin and Orson.
Trezell and Jacqueline are on trial for second-degree murder in the case of Orrin and Orson West. The boys were reported missing by the Wests in December 2020, but the prosecution alleges the boys were killed beforehand in September.
On the stand, Sanders was visibly frustrated, maintaining crossed arms and saying she just wanted to get it over with. During the prosecution's questioning, Sanders stated multiple times that when the boys were in her care, they were very attached to her and her other children.
"We were a family," she said. "Those babies were attached to me."
While in her care, Orrin was named Cincere Pettus and Orson was named Classic Pettus. Sanders testified that both boys were well-behaved and happy in her home and attending Harvey L. Hall Child Development Center . She also testified that while she originally got off on the wrong foot with the biological mother, she eventually grew close to her as well. Sanders said it the their biological mother who brought up the idea for Sanders to adopt the boys.
During cross-examination, Defense attorney Alekxia Torres-Stallings asked Sanders about having Child Protective Services visit her home. Sanders said that her eldest daughter had gone to school with a scrape on her knee and the school reported it to CPS, alleging Sanders's husband had caused it. Sanders said even though the report was made only in regards to her eldest daughter, the CPS worker decided to remove the three foster children instead but not the daughter.
Torres-Stallings asked Sanders about CPS reports and how they're made. She asked Sanders if anyone could report anything to CPS and begin an investigation, Sanders said yes.
Maria Martinez, Jacqueline West's mother, also took the stand, testifying to her relationship with the couple after they moved to Cal City. Martinez said she only visited the couple twice in their Cal City home.
Prosecutor Eric Smith asked if Martinez didn't like going over to the West's home because of Trezell. Martinez said, through an interpreter as she speaks Spanish, the language-barrier made her uncomfortable so she would only talk to Jacqueline. On cross, Defense attorney Fatima Rodriguez asked Martinez how she felt about Trezell and Martinez said she liked him "very much."
Smith focusing on Martinez's visits, asking if she saw the children inside the home. Martinez said she saw children in the living room but did not focus on any of them. She said she went immediately to the dining room to see Jacqueline and left shortly after.
Smith asked about Jacqueline coming to visit Martinez after they moved. Martinez asked where the kids were and Jacqueline stated they were with Trezell's mother. The two then visited a friend of Martinez, where the were met by Trezell, Martinez said. She testified that Trezell came to load lumber or a shelf into his van, but it wouldn't fit because there were car-seats in the van.
Rodriguez asked Martinez about her interview with police, stating that because she only spoke Spanish, the first time law enforcement arrived to her home they had to use cell phones to translate. Martinez said this is true.
Rodriguez asked Martinez if police ever told her during interviews that if she was "covering" for Trezell and Jacqueline, that she would be charged with a crime. Martinez said this happened during multiple interviews.
The prosecution also called to the state Bakersfield Police Detective John Ryan, while they played a video recording of an interview done with Jacqueline the night after the boys were reported missing. In the video, Jacqueline was being interviewed by an FBI agent, Officer Brian Hansen, and Detective Ryan.
"Something bad happened and you're the key," Ryan says.
In the video, the officers go over details of the days leading up to when the boys were reported missing, as well as that night. The officers eventually tell Jacqueline that they don't believe the boys went missing from the backyard as the Wests stated, which upsets Jacqueline.
In the recording, the officers tell Jacqueline that all four of her other children stated they hadn't seen Orrin and Orson in months. Jacqueline responds that the other children must have been confused by the questions. The officers tell her that no one they've spoken to has been able to recall seeing the boys in Cal City. Jacqueline responded that due to the pandemic they don't go out much.
"It sounds bad, but we have done nothing wrong," Jacqueline said in the recording.
The officers continue to tell Jacqueline that when they talk to other people about the missing boys, other family members cried in response, but Jacqueline and Trezell haven't seem to shed a tear. One of the officers tells Jacqueline not to fake crying in front of them.
In the recording, Jacqueline says she's convinced someone took the boys. After officers refuse to believe her, she tells them she regrets calling the police.
The officers continue, now asking Jacqueline if she trying to cover for her husband or someone else.
The video was paused at the end of Wednesday's proceedings. The trial is set to resume Thursday at 9 a.m.
