Arson Trial Day Two: Video Shows Strube's Mustang in Alley Near Car Fire

SAN ANGELO, TX -- District Attorney Allison Palmer called seven witnesses to the stand Tuesday in the second day of the Chelsea Strube arson trial meticulously building a case placing Strube in downtown San Angelo near the Deadhorse Bar parking lot at 210 S. Chadbourne St. where a car was set on fire.  

The first witness called by Palmer was Tom Green County Sheriff's Deputy Kathy McCleery. The deputy testified that she was dispatched to Strube's home in Veribest to make sure she was there and her red Ford Mustang was there.  McCleery testified that she arrived at Strube's home and was there with her for about 2.5 hours.  In-car video from McCleery's patrol car showed her arriving on the scene, but the audio wasn't working correctly so no conversations were recorded.  McCleery testified that she observed Strube watching the TV show "Revenge" but under cross examination admitted she didn't put that in her report.

Next on the stand was Karen Putnam.  Putnam is a night shift supervisor for the San Angelo Emergency 9-1-1 dispatch division.  She provided two 9-1-1 call audio recordings which Palmer played for the jury.  The first one was made by Strube at 10:13 p.m. on Sept. 8, 2015 in which Strube says she can see a prowler on the marquee of the Texas Theatre on Twohig St.  Strube works in a law office nearby and was in the parking garage next to the Spur Building across the street from the closed Texas Theatre.  On the second call, she told the 9-1-1 dispatcher that police officers were there but they were looking in the wrong place.  The 9-1-1 calls place Strube in downtown San Angelo within a block of where the car fire took place at nearly the same time.  

The District Attorney then called San Angelo Fire Department Captain Chris Mowery to the witness stand.  Mowery testified that he was working Ladder One, a fire engine with a large ladder, that night and they were dispatched to the Texas Theatre to assist police.  Police officers needed a ladder to climb up to the top of the marquee to investigate Strube's claim of a prowler.  They found no evidence anyone had been there for a long time.  

Mowery then testified that there was a call about a car fire in the Deadhorse bar parking lot a block away.  They responded and Mowery said he saw a smoldering rag sticking out of the gas tank of the car.  He quickly pulled the rag out of the gas tank, threw it on the ground and stomped on it.  

Next up, Palmer called San Angelo Police Officer Joe Walston to the stand.  He testified that he was one of the officers who responded to the Texas Theatre.  He said he parked his patrol car behind the theater and then made contact with Strube.  Walston said he released Strube from the scene.  Officers then gained access to the Texas Theatre and searched it using a K-9 unit and found no one.  Walston said there was an open window on the front of the building behind the marquee but dust on the window and in the building had not been disturbed for a long time.  

Under blistering cross examination from defense attorney Gonzalo Rios, Walston was peppered with questions about his investigation seeming to question the officer's credibility.  

Palmer then called the victim's mother to the stand.  Tina Burdick testified that she and her ex-husband drove to San Angelo from Kerrville to watch her daughter's car while her daughter attended a party in the Deadhorse bar.  Burdick testified that Strube had been terrorizing her daughter and had slit all the tires on the car several times in the past.  Her daughter, Shelby Siler, was dating Strube's ex-boyfriend.  He was accused in opening statements of having multiple affairs while he was living with Chelsea Strube.  Burdick testified that she and her ex-husband left the Deadhorse parking lot to go to a store down the street to use the restroom.  She said they were only gone seven minutes and they followed the fire trucks back to the Deadhorse and saw the car on fire. 

Next on the witness stand for the state was Javiar Barrera who was working as a security contractor in the O.C. Fisher Federal Building downtown.  Barrera provided surveillance video from the federal courthouse that appeared to show Strube's red Ford Mustang turning out of the alley behind the Deadhorse onto Twohig and in front of the federal building about the time of the arson.  

Under cross examination, Rios seemed to question Barrera's testimony as opinion keeping up his attack on law enforcement credibility in general.  

The final witness for the prosecution Tuesday was retired San Angelo Fire Department arson investigator Karla Steppe.  Steppe was the lead investigator into the car fire and determined it was a case of arson.  She said the rag in the gas tank could have resulted in the car being totally engulfed in flames and even an explosion.  Steppe went into detail about the burned rag that was pulled from the car and the burn marks down the side of the car from the gas tank inlet to the fender well.  She also testified she had the rag and the melted part of the gas cap tested for accelerants and the tests were negative. 

Steppe was on the stand for hours.  She testified that after she had completed her initial investigation at the crime scene, she was sent to Strube's house in Veribest.  When she arrived, she spoke with Strube, who allowed Steppe and CSI Jessica Stevens to see her red Mustang, but not search it.  Steppe said she left the house to drive back to San Angelo to get a search warrant from a judge and she was almost back in town when she got a call saying Strube changed her mind and agreed to allow a search of the Mustang.  Steppe drove back out to the residence and proceeded to search the vehicle where she found the white shoulder bag with 'Big Bag of Crazy" printed on it.  She went through the list of items found in the bag including matches, knives, latex gloves, a bic lighter, wire cutters and other items.  

While Steppe was talking to Strube, Steppe wrote in her report that Strube said, "Is this about the arson to Shelby Siler's vehicle?"  Steppe said yes.  "I had nothing to do with this one." Said Strube.  Steppe said that set off alarm bells which prompted her to request a search warrant.  Steppe testified that she found all the matches and three bic lighters, but no cigarettes or ashtrays.

Under tough and lengthy cross examination from Rios, Steppe admitted that none of the items found in the Mustang tested positive for ignitable or flammable liquids.   

Testimony ended abruptly at about 3:20 p.m. because Judge Brock Jones had a prior commitment.  

The trial will continue Wednesday morning in the Tom Green County Courthouse.