Marcus Randle El’s homicide trial begins

JANESVILLE, Wis. (WMTV) – Marcus Randle El’s double homicide trial in the killings of two women in Janesville began on Tuesday in Rock County Court.

Randle El, 36, faces two first-degree homicide counts, among other charges, in the 2020 killings of Seairaha Winchester and Brittany McAdory. His trial is expected to last two weeks, the Rock Co. Circuit Court schedule shows. Witnesses in the case have been sequestered since the trial date was set 11 days ago.

Jury selection began Tuesday morning and finished before noon.

Rock County Deputy District Attorney Jerry Urbik gave the prosecution’s opening statement and said the jury will hear six to seven days of testimony from 50 witnesses.

Urbik said the DA’s evidence will show that Randel El was a drug dealer who shot and killed Winchester because she owed him money and he believed she was working with the police.

Randle El’s Defense Attorney Craig Powell’s opening statement said the evidence will show Randle El is innocent because he quickly turned himself in. He also said the prosecution’s witnesses will be biased in favor of the two victims.

Prosecutors called five witnesses to the stand on Tuesday.

Janesville cab driver Michelle Edwards-Horton was the last to testify. She was driving a client at 3 a.m., Feb. 10, 2020, near Midvale and Deerfield Drive when she saw Winchester and McAdory laying facedown in the snow. Edwards-Horton gave emotional testimony as she described administering CPR and trying to talk the victims when she exited her car. The prosecution played Edwards-Horton’s 9-1-1 phone call for the jury.

The defense questioned Edwards-Horton and asked if she knew what happened before she came upon the victims. She said she did not know.

According to the criminal complaint, one of the victims, Winchester, owed money to Randle El and was in fear for her life. On Feb. 10, 2020, Winchester and McAdory were found suffering from gunshot wounds near the intersection of Midvale Drive and Deerfield Drive, in Janesville. They were both taken to a nearby hospital where they died.

Randle El turned himself into Chicago police five days later. He pleaded not guilty to the charges, which include two firearms counts in addition to the homicide allegations, later that month.

Randle El spent three years in Madison, playing for the Badgers from 2004 to 2007. He started his career at UW as a rushing quarterback, tallying 29 yards over 11 attempts. He switched to wide receiver the next season, playing in 15 games over that stretch. In that time, he caught two passes.

Court will resume at 8:30 a.m. at the Rock County Courthouse as the prosecution continues to call witnesses to the stand.

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