Jurors will return Wednesday to deliberate fate of AJ Armstrong in shooting deaths of parents

Armstrong Jr. was 16 when he was charged in the 2016 shooting deaths of his parents, Antonio Sr. and Dawn Armstrong, at their Bellaire home.

HOUSTON — Jurors are still deliberating the fate of Antonio “AJ” Armstrong Jr. in the 2016 shooting deaths of his parents. Jurors got the capital murder case on Monday.

Around 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, they asked the judge for a list of witness names in order of their testimony.

Armstrong Jr.’s first trial ended in a mistrial in 2019 when jurors couldn’t agree on a verdict.

He was 16 when prosecutors said he shot and killed his parents, Antonio Armstrong Sr. and Dawn Armstrong, while they slept in their Bellaire home.

“This case is a parent’s worst nightmare, to come to the realization that the person you brought into this world would end your life,” prosecutor Ryan Trask said during closing arguments Monday.

RELATED: ‘Parent’s worst nightmare’ | Jury begins deliberations in AJ Armstrong’s murder retrial

Defense attorneys argued there was no DNA or any other evidence linking Armstrong Jr. to the killings.

“Within 11 minutes of going into that house before any evidence was processed, before they knew anything about the crime scene as far as forensics, before anything, they made up their mind he did it,” defense attorney Rick Detoto said.

On Monday, family members and friends supporting Armstrong Jr. packed the downtown Houston courtroom for more than two and a half hours of closing arguments.

The prosecution’s case 

Prosecutors said alarm records and other evidence proves that whoever killed the Armstrongs came from inside the house. They were killed with Armstrong Sr.’s gun.

“If officers arrive at that scene with the doors locked, the garage down, the windows closed, the murder weapon still in the home and they don’t assume it’s this defendant, they should take their badges away,” prosecutor John Jordan said.

RELATED: Day 1 | Opening statements begin in second murder trial for man accused of killing parents as teen

Prosecutors also said Armstrong Jr. “test-fired” the same gun into a pillow and tried to light a fire inside the home shortly before the shootings.

“He’s clearly experimenting with ways to kill his parents,” prosecutor Ryan Trask said.

After the killings, a prosecutor said Armstrong Jr. gave inconsistent statements to police.

The defense

“Where in the world did this evidence go? Is Armstrong Jr. — at the age of 16 — some professionally trained assassin who somehow knows how to put all of this together to get away scot-free because there’s no evidence that points to him? I don’t think so,” Defense attorney Chris Collings said.

Armstrong’s lawyers said there’s no blood, DNA, fingerprints or gunshot residue linking Armstrong Jr. to the shootings.

“Where are the wet towels, the wet sinks, the wet showers, anything that would show that somebody cleaned themselves off or tried to hide evidence? It’s not there,” Collings asked.

Armstrong Jr.’s defense has cast suspicion on his older brother, who lived nearby, had access codes to the home and suffered from mental illness.

The victims

Armstrong Sr. played football for Texas A&M and the Miami Dolphins and coached both of his sons when they were younger.

He was an associate pastor, according to police. Dawn Armstrong’s Facebook page said they “serve in ministry together.”

The couple owned 1st Class Training in Bellaire and Armstrong Sr. was also a motivational speaker.

WATCH: 2019 trial begins

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