APPLETON — Day two in the homicide trial of Matthew Beyer in connection with the deaths of his children Danny and Will saw the prosecution and defense give their opening statements and produce their first witnesses.
Prosecutor Melinda Tempelis claimed that the evidence points to Beyer being in Kaukauna—where the children lived—the night of the deaths, contradicting his statements to police.
“Officers also collected surveillance cameras… what they found was the defendant driving to the area of the home…" said Tempelis
"...[T]his evidence will contradict the defendant’s statements that he had not been in Kaukauna since before Christmas,” Tempelis said.
Amber Gratz of the defense, however, argued that the evidence the prosecution presented doesn't prove Beyer was responsible for the deaths of his children.
“There is no blood found in Matt’s van, there is no weapon found, there are no bloody clothes or shoes that connect Matt to these murders. No one in the house saw or heard what actually happened that night," Gratz said.
Melissa Schuth, Danny and Will's mother and Matthew Beyer's former partner, took the stand early in the afternoon and remembered her children while holding back tears.
"Will was a great kid. He was really quiet... so he was always finding ways to keep himself entertained," Schuth said.
"Danielle was more of our rambunctious child...I always called her our little daredevil ..."
The trial is expected to continue into next week.
