Accused gunman testifies on day two of July 2015 murder trial

JACKSON, Tenn. — After two days of testimony in a July 2015 murder trial, a Madison County jury deliberates the fate of Christopher Lyles, the man charged in the shooting death of Beau Reid.

“There were numerous gunshot wounds to the chest and abdomen, to the left arm, to the right hand and to the right thigh,” Tennessee Deputy Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Adele Lewis said.

Expert witnesses and investigators testified Thursday about the fatal shooting of Beau Reid outside his apartment at Lincoln Courts and how it is tied to an armed robbery minutes before at a nearby complex. That’s where two robbery victims were allegedly forced at gunpoint to commit the crime.

They started telling me what happened, and I got on the phone with the investigators at the homicide scene, and said ‘hey, I think these things are related,'” Jackson Police Major Crimes Investigator Ron Pugh said.

In the midst of testimony, Christopher Lyles’ attorney petitioned the judge to drop some charges against him, citing a lack of evidence.

“I’m going to deny the motion as to first-degree, premeditated murder and also deny the motion as to felony murder,” Madison County Judge Don Allen said.

Before closing arguments, Lyles took the stand telling the jury not only did he not shoot Beau Reid but that, outside of the courtroom, had never seen the two who accused him of robbing them.

“It’s a coincidence. I’m being blamed for something I didn’t do,” defendant Christopher Lyles said.

UPDATE :After four hours of deliberating Thursday, the jury adjourned for the evening around 8 p.m. The jury was instructed to return for
further deliberations Friday at 8:45 a.m.