Closing arguments in the Wichita Falls fentanyl-related murder trial of Jakob Joel Blankenship are scheduled to begin Thursday morning, May 14, after the prosecution and defense both rested their cases on Wednesday, according to court proceedings reported by KFDX/KJTL.
Blankenship, 23, of Wichita Falls, is charged with murder in connection with the 2022 overdose death of 20-year-old Zoe Brewer. Prosecutors allege Blankenship sold Brewer a pill containing fentanyl just over an hour before she died.
Jury selection began May 4, and a jury of eight men and four women was sworn in on May 5. Testimony in the 78th District Court began May 6 with Judge Meredith Kennedy presiding.
Defense rests after final witnesses
On Wednesday, lead defense attorney Todd Greenwood recalled Precious McLain, who previously testified about her friendship with Brewer, and called Jessie Callaway as an expert witness on cell phone data. Co-counsel Gary Taylor questioned Callaway about material extracted from Brewer's phone, including Snapchat conversations.
Greenwood briefly called Blankenship to the stand. Outside the jury's presence, Blankenship invoked his Fifth Amendment right not to testify. Greenwood asked the court to admit testimony about Brewer that had been excluded by a pre-trial ruling, but Judge Kennedy declined to revisit her ruling.
The defense rested at about 11:40 a.m. Wednesday.
Prosecution calls rebuttal witnesses
Assistant District Attorney Chelsea Carlton, who leads the prosecution, reopened the State's case to present rebuttal witnesses. Three members of Brewer's immediate family testified that on April 20, 2022, they saw no signs of suicidal ideation in Brewer and that her prescribed medications were locked in a bedroom cabinet.
Special Victims Chief Brooke Robb then questioned investigator Brayden Little of the Wichita County District Attorney's Office about calls Blankenship made from jail. Little testified that Blankenship made nearly 6,000 phone or tablet calls during the more than three years he was held, from his arrest in July 2022 until his release on bond in October 2025.
According to Little's testimony, recordings played in court included Blankenship discussing friends who had died from fentanyl overdoses, including one who died about two weeks before Brewer's death. Prosecutors argued the statements showed Blankenship was aware of the dangers of fentanyl before he allegedly sold the drug to Brewer.
Carlton rested the prosecution's case at about 3 p.m. Wednesday.
Closing arguments and possible punishment phase
The jury is set to return at about 8:30 a.m. Thursday for jury instructions and closing arguments. Judge Kennedy has allotted each side 45 minutes. The prosecution will speak first and last, with the defense in between.
If jurors find Blankenship guilty, the same panel will assess punishment. He faces up to life in prison if convicted.
All individuals charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.