As of press time Thursday, a 12-member jury was still hearing testimony in the murder trial against Timothy Wayne Murray, who is accused of killing his boss during a botched robbery attempted. Among those testifying against Murray are his accomplice and fellow employee, Jody Swafford.

Murray was arrested in April 2006 in his home state of North Carolina after a warrant was issued for his arrest in the murder of Slidell resident Carl Glass.

A jury found Swafford guilty of first-degree murder in March of this year.

MURRAY

After Hurricane Katrina, the demand for his skills lured Glass, a retired tree cutter, back into work. He reportedly hired Murray and Swafford to help with the increasing workload and it is believed the two men got greedy and knowing Glass often kept a large sum of cash on his person they set out to rob their boss.

Investigators believe the two men entered Glass’ residence at 56038 Pearl Acres Road intending to rob him.

It is believed things got out of control and it is believed that Swafford strangled Glass and held him down while Murray beat him. Swafford has since been sentenced to life in prison for the role he played in the murder.

Murray made regional headlines in June 2009 after he and three other prisoners broke out of the St. Tammany Parish Jail. While the others were captured soon after they escaped, Murray eluded capture for approximately three days, hiding out in a Folsom mobile home.

He has since pleaded guilty to simple escape, introducing contraband into a penal institution and aggravated burglary and was sentenced to 20 years for those crimes.

Murray’s trial is expected to wrap up this week.

If found guilty of first-degree murder he will face life in prison as the District Attorney’s Office has opted to not seek the death penalty in this case.