MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG) — Prosecutors have started unveiling the boxes of evidence in a trial for a man accused of strangling his mother.
Clarke Raines is on trial for allegedly killing his mother and ditching her body in a shallow Baldwin County grave five years ago.
The majority of the day, the state showed evidence and called witnesses including several law enforcement investigators and officers. They also called Kay Raines’ friends and one of her neighbors.
One of Kay’s friends took the stand telling the court her last telephone call with Kay was Jan. 29, 2017, which prosecutors said is the day Clarke Raines strangled his mother.
She said she spoke with Kay as they were both leaving Mississippi heading to Mobile, testifying Kay told her during that call she was about to cross the state line to Alabama.
Prosecutors also shared two audio clips from that same day from who they said was Clarke Raines to MoneyGram. In the audio clips played in court, a man’s voice is heard, identifying himself as Kay Raines. In the recordings, the man said he is trying to send money and it isn’t working. He also attempts to start up a new account with her information.
In January of 2017, the state said Kay traveled from her job in Mississippi to her home in Mobile where the state said Clarke strangled her. Her body was found two months later in a shallow grave in rural Baldwin County.
Prosecutors also submitted several pieces of evidence trying to prove Clarke used his mother’s car and cards in the days after her death. The District Attorney showed video and receipts of the transactions to the jury.
Prosecutors even called a bank teller at Mrs. Raines’ bank to the stand. She testified Clarke came in with a check made out to cash for more than $2,000. She told the jury she couldn’t cash the check.
The District Attorney argued that happened the day after Raines was killed.
The defense mostly listened to testimony Wednesday, they said in their opening statements the state can’t prove Clarke Raines killed his mother, can’t prove where she died and said he needed his mother alive.
A verdict could come this week or early next week.