Woman says father of her child admitted killing NoDa sandwich shop owner

CHARLOTTE — A woman whose DNA was found on evidence at the scene of Scott Brooks’ 2019 killing testified Tuesday, telling jurors that Terry Conner admitted to shooting the beloved NoDa business owner. The testimony came as prosecutors continued presenting their case against Conner and co-defendant Steven Staples.

TRIAL COVERAGE: DNA analysis highlights mixed profiles in Brooks’ murder trial

The mother of Conner’s child, Keleasta Smith, took the stand, and jurors saw her police interrogation video.

In it, she told police that Conner told her that he killed Brooks.

MORE TRIAL COVERAGE:

Channel 9 could not record Smith’s testimony due to a court order. However, the court allowed Channel 9’s Hunter Sáenz to take notes on what she told the jury.

Smith told jurors how she suspected her DNA made it to one of the shell casings found at the homicide scene where Brooks was shot and killed.

She told the jury Conner asked her to pick up a bag and two green military cases from his grandmother’s home and take them to her home in Rock Hill.

0 of 11

However, she dropped one of the cases and bullets spilled out when she tried to unload them.

Smith told the jury that she “picked them up and put them back in there. Took them in the house and put them in the room.”

Later, she told police she remembered a .45 caliber box inside one of the green cases.

Detectives interviewed Smith months after Brooks was killed.

Smith told detectives that Conner, “told me that he did the 104th homicide in Charlotte and that was that man,” meaning Brooks.

She went on to tell detectives Conner said, “The guy (Brooks) was really adamant that he wasn’t going to give him anything,” and, “He shot him.” She also told Conner, “You killed someone for no reason.”

However, Conner’s defense attorney pointed out the numerous times Smith lied to police during her interview.

Smith said she only did so to try to protect her child’s father at that time.

Smith also testified that Conner told her he was involved in the double homicide of a man and woman, which happened 32 days after Brooks was killed.

VIDEO: DNA analysis highlights mixed profiles in Brooks’ murder trial