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Witness: ‘Pops and cracks’ heard night of quadruple homicide

COLUMBUS, Ind. (WISH) – The quadruple homicide trial continued on Wednesday, with a next-door neighbor of the victims giving testimony about what he heard the night of the murders.

Carl “Greg” Furkin, the Waynesville neighbor of Katheryn M. Burton, Thomas W. Smith, Shawn L. Burton and Aaron T. Cross, appeared in court Wednesday to speak about his experience the night his neighbors were shot to death, on May 11, 2013.

Furkin said he was dropped off at his house on East Main Street, near the murder scene, by his friend, Donna Clark, between 7:30 and 8 p.m. that night.

That is just minutes after both the defense and prosecuting attorneys agree the suspect, Samuel E. Sallee, left the murder scene.

Furkin told the jury that he heard “pops and cracks” from next door, at approximately 8:30 p.m. the night of the murders. This would be half an hour after surveillance video in Garden City, five miles north of Waynesville, shows Sallee driving SR 11 into Columbus.

When pressed, Furkin admitted he was uncertain about the time he heard the noises.

Samuel E. Sallee faces four counts of murder for the quadruple homicide.