BOULDER, Colo.-
A teen whose mother was found dead in a car at their home told her boyfriend to kill her mom, then called him on a cell phone to ask what was taking so long, according to testimony Wednesday.
A judge ruled Wednesday there was enough evidence for both Tess Damm, 15, and her boyfriend, Bryan Grove, 18, to be tried as adults on charges of first-degree murder in the death of Linda Damm, 52.
Prosecutors filed the charge against Tess Damm this week. She earlier was charged with conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, being an accessory to a crime and tampering with physical evidence. Prosecutors on Wednesday tried to show she was involved in planning the slaying.
Grove, who also faced charges of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and tampering with physical evidence, allegedly told police he strangled and stabbed Linda Damm in her bedroom in home in Lafayette in early February. The body was found Feb. 28.
Jared Smith, 16, has pleaded guilty to being an accessory on accusations he helped put the body in the car where it was found. He was sentenced to two years in juvenile detention and six months of parole.
Jared Guy, 18, was scheduled for trial Sept. 10 on accusations that he helped the teens try to hide the body. He has pleaded not guilty to being an accessory and evidence tampering.
At the preliminary hearing Wednesday for Grove and Damm, detective Scott Robinson testified that Smith said Grove and Tess discussed methods for killing Tess’ mom one night before going to a restaurant.
Grove suggested using a large kitchen knife, while Tess suggested combining over-the-counter medication with alcohol, he said. Then the teens left the restaurant for Damm’s home.
“According to Jared, she turned to Bryan and says ‘Do it.’ Bryan says, ‘OK.’ He gives her a kiss and says, ‘I love you,’ and then he gets out of the car,” Robinson testified.
Under questioning from Grove’s attorney, Kristi Sanders, Boulder County forensics pathologist John Meyer testified that he couldn’t tell from the autopsy whether one, two or three knives were used to stab Linda Damm 18 times.
Defense attorneys questioned why information from another teenager in the case was relied on so heavily.
Linda Damm’s brother John Schueller attended the hearing.
“You can’t really describe the conflict and the pain and the loss of my sister and the loss of my niece,” he said during a break in testimony. “We don’t know this Tess. We just know the girl who came to our house on holidays. We don’t know this angry young woman.”
