"This entire ordeal is not something I can put in words"

Before the defense began their case today, there was a stipulation by both parties and Judge Marilyn Miles told the jury that "no other proof is needed and you must  accept these facts."

The 38 caliber handgun used to murder Harley Hammers and Angel Tully was registered to a John Sheridan, 67 years old, he purchased it in 2000. Mr. John Sheridan moved to Montana a few years prior to the shooting. He gave the gun to his son Trevor Sheridan a year and half prior to the shooting. His son who lives on a Native American reservation in Montana last saw the firearm in 2014 and left it in the console of the car which had been broken into. Trevor Sheridan was in the middle of a move and thought he may have packed the gun.

Despite advice not to take the stand, Jason Arreaga was the first defense witness in his own case. He said he did so because "I need to get my side of the story out."

He categorically denied killing Harley Hammers and Angel Tully and said thatShavonne Hammers, Jerry Bachus and Rodney Coombes all lied on the stand.

Dressed in black pants and a white shirt, in response to a question by his attorney Ms. Heidi Holmquist, he said he was "extremely nervous."

While he did not see her, according to his account of events today, he pointed to Shavonne Hammers as the shooter.

Arreaga has been on the stand all morning with direct questioning by Ms. Holmquist. Tomorrow's session will open with Mr. Curtis' cross examination.

A very human side of Arreaga dealing with anxiety and PTSD wanting to protect his young girlfriend emerged on the stand today.

"We are going to be going over things that will be hard to talk about," said Ms. Holmquist.

Arreaga said that his PTSD "stems from his childhood. I have seen and been through things I am not able to get over. Lot of family violence and drama."

He has been to prison when he was previously convicted for Possession of marijuana. In prison, he said "he was attacked a lot."

He takes Lexapro and Klonopin. His father is disabled and Arreaga was his caregiver. He knew Carly Michaels for four years and she was his girlfriend for about a year. She ran away from home because her father was abusive. Arreaga's mother was dating Michaels' father and that he witnessed firsthand the abuse Carly Michaels suffered.

Prior to coming to Humboldt, Arreaga said he smoked marijuana every day and meth "a couple times a month." When he did meth, he felt "sleeplessness and anxiety." Due to a medical condition he cannot take heroin.

He said both his father and he are on disability, their rent took up most of their income and that he sold "weed, heroin and meth to pay bills." His father was in debt. Arreaga said he did not "enjoy selling drugs."

He said he did not carry a gun but he had experience from childhood using a BB gun and a 22 and so knew how to use a firearm. Arreaga said others used his cellphone including his friends, his girlfriend Carly Michaels and Shavonne Hammers.

He said he had issues with both Carly Michaels and his dad using drugs and that he just smoked marijuana.'

Ms. Holmquist asked him why he asked to be excused from the courtroom during Carly Michael's testimony and he responded because he had not seen her in a while. "I really love her. I felt a lot of pain and sadness seeing her." They also never had any official closure to their relationship.

Arreaga claimed that Shavonne Hammers, Harley Hammer's wife who was separated from him at the time and had just broken up with someone she was dating in Lake County, acquired the murder weapon, a 38 caliber pistol, because she “was being threatened by people” and “was scared.” He indicated these people Shavonne Hammers was scared were Harley Hammers and Angel Tully, the two victims. Arreaga testified  that Shavonne Hammers had the gun and he was aware of this when he, his girlfriend Carly Michaels and Shavonne Hammers had stopped at Willits on their way  to Humboldt County from Lake County. Arreaga testified that he hadn’t used the gun and didn’t have it at the time of the shooting. But he did admit that when Shavonne Hammers asked him what to do with the gun, that he suggested that she get rid of it.

Arreaga said the first encounter he and Shavonne Hammers with Tully and Harley Hamners involved Shavonne Hammers “going crazy” and “set on having a fight.” That altercation is what escalated to Arreaga firing shots at the ground to “diffuse the situation.”

On the day both victims were shot,  Arreaga claimed that Hammers and Tully arrived Tully “was banging on wood and the side of the trailer with an ax.” This ax was found on the crime scene. Arreaga says his girlfriend Carly Michaels was inside and that he told Angel “we didn’t want any part of this.” When Michaels testified earlier this month, she said that she heard Arreaga say, "don't go in there by girlfriend is in there."

 Arreaga testified today that it was Jerry Bachus who was pushing Harley Hammers and was nearly attacked by Angel Tully. Arreaga said that what happened next was  that Shavonne Hammers and Tully started  verbal attacking each other outside and that he was inside the trailer when he heard six or seven shots. Arreaga says when he exited the trailer Shavonne was on the ground holding Angel then attempted to drag her body.

The group then when to the river which Arreaga said was suggested by Mrs. Shavonne Hammers. Arreaga testified that Shavonne Hammers said “this had to happen” and “it couldn’t have been any other way.” Arreaga also said Shavonne Hammers started a fire, burned her blood soaked clothes and asked to use his lock box. The lock box was later found in Arreaga's car vehicle containing the gum which was matched to the bullets in the victims.

Mr. Arreaga said he initially denied telling law enforcement the entire story because he feared retaliation for being a snitch.