Teresa Baumgartner testimony takeaways highlight first day of Lawrence Schanda jury trial

The jury heard witness testimony Tuesday, Jan. 7, in the trial of Lawrence Schanda, 50, regarding his alleged first-degree murder of niece Jessi Wilfong in May 2022.

Some of the witness testimony included Wilfong's mother, Katherine Wilfong, and Schanda's girlfriend, Teresa Baumgartner, who is currently facing similar charges in the case. Schanda is facing charges of murder in the first degree, armed criminal action and tampering with evidence.

Assistant prosecuting attorney Angel Woodruff and the Cape Girardeau County Prosecutor's Office's Ethan Cooper are representing the State in the case, and attorney Jacob Zimmerman is defending Schanda.

Cooper said in his opening statement at the trial a vehicle ride led to Jessi Wilfong's death.

He said Schanda was growing paranoid about her relating information about drug activity to law enforcement personnel. Cooper said Schanda believed that Jessi's earrings were bugged, and on the day in question, as he got agitated at his home he allegedly hit her.

Cooper said Baumgartner witnessed the event. He said Jessi Wilfong even asked Baumgartner for help before Schanda stabbed her to death.

Cooper said Jessi Wilfong was found buried in a yard. He said authorities found cigarette butts with Schanda's fingerprints on them at the scene.

Zimmerman contended Schanda was guilty of tampering with evidence but not of armed criminal action or murder in the first degree. He claimed Baumgartner killed the woman, saying she lied continuously to the police and slowly told the police what allegedly happened.

The first witness called to the stand was Katherine Wilfong. She said she knew her daughter had struggled with methamphetamine use in the past. She said she reported her daughter missing in May before her daughter's 21st birthday.

Baumgartner also took the stand and told the jury she knew Schanda when he was younger but had moved in with Schanda after meeting through Facebook around a year before Jessi Wilfong died.

She said she had only been around Jessi Wilfong a few times. Baumgartner said she started doing methamphetamine shortly after losing her job and was taking it daily at the time of the woman's death in May.

Replying to one of Woodruff's questions, Baumgartner said Schanda had been paranoid about Jessi Wilfong and thought she was a "snitch" for the police.

Baumgartner said Schanda went on a drive with Jessi Wilfong and once they came back Schanda told her he hit her while in the car. Baumgartner said that Schanda thought Jessi Wilfong's earrings were bugged and Jessi gave them to him. She recalled Schanda thinking her necklace was bugged.

Baumgartner said Schanda kept questioning Jessi Wilfong about if she was informing other people or working for the police. She said Schanda made Jessi sit in a wooden chair while he was speaking to her. Baumgartner said when she had to use the bathroom Schanda followed her into the room.

She recalled when she continued to be questioned by Schanda, Jessi Wilfong gave a half smile and then he punched her in the jaw and ribs.

She said as Jessi Wilfong stood up from the chair, Schanda put her in a headlock and started stabbing her to death until she fell on the floor.

According to Baumgartner, Schanda asked her if she "was in or out" and after she agreed to cooperate, he told her they needed to start cleaning. She said they started putting everything in trash bags and ripped up carpets in the trailer where they lived.

Baumgartner said they burned evidence. She said an auger was rented on her debit card while Schanda was with her. Baumgartner said Schanda gave a man money to purchase his land.

Baumgartner said on the newly purchased property, Schanda drilled a hole with the auger.

She told the jury that she was eventually contacted by a private investigator and gave them information. Baumgartner admitted to lying to the police about what originally happened to Jessi Wilfong but once meeting with a lawyer told the police what happened. Woodruff asked if she had any deals for her testimony case, and Baumgartner said she didn't.

Zimmerman then asked Baumgartner about her reluctance to inform police of what happened and repeated back to her saying "you remained terrified for three weeks" and then played audio recordings of her speaking to authorities for permission to do a controlled burn, all allegedly taking place after Jessi Wilfong died and before she told the police what allegedly happened.

After he played the calls he asked her, "You didn't seem terrified, did you?"

He also asked why she would spend $20,000 of her own money on a property for a man who she wanted to get away from.

After the questioning, Baumgartner started to leave the courtroom but not before mouthing words or saying something inaudible in the direction of Schanda and the back of the courtroom.

The jury reconvened over Schanda's case on Wednesday, Jan. 8, at the Cape Girardeau County Courthouse.