LOS ANGELES --  The case for the prosecution in the Painseeker Murder Trial opened strongly Friday in Los Angeles Superior Court as  Assistant District Attorney Thomas Andrews methodically guided Detective Kevin Wakefield through a detailed analysis of the murder of up-and-coming singer Raychel Wagner at the combined hands of  Laura Douglass and  Sharon Wolfe.

In the first day of testimony, Detective Wakefield described the police investigation as professional and thorough, then provided a narrative of the events immediately following the murder, and theorized how the murder itself happened.

Wakefield used a series of photographs and illustrations to describe the layout of the crime scene, an apartment rented by Wagner's musical collaborator and lover Kyle McAllister.  Wakefield detailed not only the apartment, but also its position in the corner on the second floor in the two-story courtyard complex and its relation to the parking lot and alternative escape routes.

Wakefield testified that the police were called at 12:30 a.m. on August 18, 2000 by Kyle McAllister, who had reportedly arrived at the apartment after returning from a drive following a brief argument with Raychel Wagner.

When police arrived, McAllister was found sitting in front of the apartment complex, apparently in shock.  An officer was left with him, and the rest proceeded to the crime scene.

Wakefield claimed that he was the first person to enter the apartment.  He described the apartment as a war zone.  He found Raychel Wagner dead, lying face up in the hallway between the living room and the dining room.

He said that despite the large amount of debris littering the apartment, he could trace the basic pattern of the struggle.  He theorized that the first struggle began in the living room and quickly escalated.  A number of items in the room had either been broken or thrown.  The most devastating impact had been against a wall in the living room, which Wagner had been thrown into.

The fight then proceeded to the dining room and kitchen, where it became deadly.  Wagner was attacked with a broken tequila bottle and had been struck numerous times.  She had fallen to the floor and bled profusely.  The  body had also been dragged approximately 10 feet into the hallway again, possibly to avoid immediate detection.

Wakefield testified that neighbors who were questioned about any disturbing sounds reported that it was a common occurrence at the apartment, as Wagner and McAllister had a history of physical confrontations.

Upon completing the preliminary investigation, Wakefield attempted several times to communicate with McAllister, but was unsuccessful.  Therefore, he was brought in for questioning.  However, just after 1:00 a.m., before McAllister was removed from the scene, Sharon Wolfe arrived at the scene and assaulted him, accusing him of murdering Wagner.  Wakefield admitted that he also believed McAllister to be guilty of murdering Wagner in light of their history of violence.

After McAllister was taken in for questioning, Wolfe refused to leave the scene, requesting that she be allowed to make her own statement.  At 1:20 a.m., Wolfe was granted her request.

By 2:00 a.m., Geoffrey MacIntyre, an executive from Wagner's recording company, arrived at the scene, having been contacted by Wolfe.  At his request, he was also allowed to make his own statement regarding the crime.

Following the questioning of McAllister, Wolfe, and MacIntyre, Wakefield stated that he agreed more questioning was required.  Laura Douglass was questioned on the evening of August 18th.  During her questioning, Douglass answered that she was working at her bar during the time of the murder, confirming the earlier story told by Sharon Wolfe and Geoffrey MacIntyre.  At this point, seeing no reason to believe that they were lying, Wakefield admitted that he found it improbable that one of them was responsible for the crime.

Wakefield said he was surprised to discover in November of 2001 that Douglass had publicly and deliberately changed her story.  At that time, Douglass admitted that she was at the scene of the crime at the time the murder was committed, but stated that she did not enter the apartment, as Wagner did not answer the door and she was unable to unlock the door.

Wakefield said that this opened a new theory for him wherein Douglass and Wolfe operated together to murder Wagner.  To cover themselves, they intoxicated Geoffrey MacIntyre to the point that he lost consciousness before leaving the bar.  Wakefield maintained that they left after picking up a bottle of tequila from behind the bar, because it was Wagner's favorite drink.

Once at the apartment, Wakefield theorized that Wolfe attacked Wagner in the living room while Douglass, armed with the tequila bottle, blocked the door in case Wagner tried to escape.  With only one door in the apartment, Wakefield stated that Wagner was trapped in the apartment with the two killers.  "She never had a chance, " he said.

Wakefield continued, saying that at one point Wagner either escaped Wolfe or was handed over to Douglass.  He claimed that is the reason for the change in the violence and the introduction of the weapon in the fight.  He believed that Wolfe was only along to "soften up" Wagner and to provide a ready alibi.  Douglass had entered the apartment knowing that she was going to be the one to kill Wagner.

Despite the abundance of theory provided by Wakefield, it seemed that he deliberately refrained from theorizing a motive for the crime.  It is believed that the prosecution's introduction of Douglass' motive is being saved for Andrews' re-direct.

Having reached the end of the first week of the trial, defense attorney Les Levin was visibly disappointed by his inability to cross-examine Wakefield before the beginning of the weekend.  His request for a brief opportunity to cross-examine was rejected by Judge Michael Rodriguez.

"We'll just have to get him on Monday, " Levin grimaced before adding, "The tough part will be figuring out where to start."