A Utah man took the stand to testify in his own defense today during a murder trial.
Bradley Fairbourn, 20 of Draper, Utah, is charged with Murder in the First Degree and Attempted Murder in the first Degree for the stabbing death of Naisha Story and knife attack on Linda Natalia Arce at the Quality Inn in Rock Springs on June 23, 2016.
Fairbourn was one of three witnesses to take the stand for the defense today. He admitted to telling several lies to police during questioning, saying he lied because he thought he was suspected of soliciting prostitution.
“I had no idea the stakes were so high at this point,†Fairbourn said of his formal interview with police.
Fairbourn testified that he entered the room at the Quality Inn and spoke with the women, but became concerned that they may try to rob him. He said he decided not to partake in their services and told them he needed to grab money from his truck before leaving and not returning to the room.
He said he did not see anyone else in the area when he left the room and never heard screaming or commotion after he left. He testified that he walked to get a drink at McDonald’s but noticed it was closed before crossing the street, so he began to walk back to his truck when the altercation with Crayton occurred.
When questioned by Prosecutor Daniel Erramouspe, Fairbourn acknowledged that the theory that he committed the murder, took Story’s phone, and planned to return to his hotel room in Rawlins as an alibi sounded plausible to those who weren’t there. He maintained that he did not commit the attack and did not stab the women.
Fairbourn said he was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Others to testify for the defense included Robert Mizel, an investigator for the Sweetwater County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. Mizel interviewed Arce in Salt Lake City in July of 2016 to get a statement about what happened. Mizel said Arce told him that Fairbourn had entered the room, left to get money, and returned with the knife. She told him that she was attacked first, and as she fled the room she could see Fairbourn on top of Story.
Another defense witness was Sergeant Travis Moser with the Rock Springs Police Department. Moser took statements from people who stayed at the Quality Inn the night of the incident and prepared a report of what they said.
A DNA expert testified for the defense earlier in the trial.
The trial will reconvene at 2 p.m. with jury instructions and closing statements.
