ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — The murder trial for man accused of killing a 16-year-old girl and her boyfriend got underway Tuesday in St. Johns County.
Anfernee Wilson is accused of killing Sydnie Rounsville and Kyle Stein.
The shooting happened in a condo complex in October 2020. There were several witnesses who live nearby.
Families of the two who were shot heard several people retelling the story of what happened leading up to their deaths.
“I thought it was kids playing," said Tara Shields who lives in the Florida Club Condominiums. "I heard tires squealing.”
Shields quickly found out those sounds in the parking lot of the condos were not kids playing when she heard a car crash.
“I heard this sound that was like pop, pop, pop, pop, pop," said Shields.
Shields, a registered nurse, said she stayed with Rounsville after the shooting.
"She kept saying, 'Am I going to die? Am I going to die? Then she picked her head up and asked 'Where's Kyle, is he ok?' I'm like, 'He's fine, he's fine.' We're trying to keep her alive," said Shields.
Shields was one of several witnesses who heard and saw things they say have stuck with them.
“I heard whoever was still in the truck she wanted her mommy," said witness Fay Kenny.
Stein died that night and Rounsville died the next day.
Both the prosecuting and defense attorneys agree: the shooting happened during a marijuana drug deal.
Wilson is charged in both of their deaths and the state attorney argues he had the chance to think before he pulled the trigger.
"He was chasing them," said Assistant State Attorney Kenneth Mark Johnson. "He had the opportunity to think about what he was about to do, and after Kyle crashed his truck, he did it."
Wilson's attorney is arguing he shot in self-defense after he saw Stein reach for something on the floorboard.
"I believe the evidence is going to show, ladies and gentlemen, that Anfernee Wilson fired his weapon only because the truck was coming directly at him, and he was acting in self-defense," said Wilson's Attorney Daniel Hernandez.
Wilson faces two first degree murder charges, which are punishable by life in prison.
The trial continues Wednesday.