Fransson jurors see interrogation regarding murder cover up

July 27, 2010 5:32 PM

By Aaron Dome, staff writer

BARSTOW • Jurors heard testimony from Joyce Fransson’s father and saw a lengthy interrogation tape in the second day of Fransson’s trial on accessory to murder charges.

Fransson, 24, is charged with five counts of being an accessory to murder after the fact and one count of unlawful taking or taking or driving of a vehicle in assisting Jeami Chiapulis cover up the 2009 murder of Leisa Hurst, Chiapulis’ other girlfriend.

Chiapulis pleaded guilty to the second degree murder of Hurst in November of 2009 in a deal to avoid a trial and first degree murder conviction.

Barstow Police detective Keith Libby was first to testify on Tuesday. Libby said that he went to Chiapulis’ house in Silver Lakes on Jan. 22, 2009, to interview him after speaking with Hurst’s family and learning that Hurst had a relationship with Chiapulis.

Libby said that he thought Chiapulis may be involved in Hurst’s disappearance because he changed his story numerous times, first saying that he only had a friendship with Hurst, then saying that they had a sexual relationship when he was interviewed again in Barstow. Libby also said that Chiapulis consistently referred to Hurst in the past tense during interviews.

When confronted with questions about a receipt from the Home Depot that listed a large garbage can, Libby said that Chiapulis claimed the can was for clothing he was going to donate to a local thrift store, but the can was never found there.

Libby said police were led to Fransson when Chiapulis said that a condom found by police in a garbage can at his home was from an encounter with her.

When police contacted Fransson, she said that Chiapulis did buy a barrel and shovel at the Home Depot but that she did not know Hurst.

Fransson’s father, Roy Marquez, was next to take the witness stand. Marquez said that he owned property north of the former Lake Delores water park in Newberry Springs — where Hurst’s body was found.

Marquez also said that his sister-in-law lived on the same street where Hurst’s Honda Element was found with the windows down and the key in the ignition.

The final portion or Tuesday’s proceedings consisted of over two hours of video footage of Barstow Police Detectives Leo Griego and Keith Libby, questioning Fransson.

In the footage, Libby continuously questions Fransson about any knowledge she has about Hurst’s vehicle, and why it was parked near her aunt’s house in Hesperia. After an hour of questioning, Fransson said she did help Chiapulis abandon the car because she thought the area near her aunt’s house was high in crime and the car would be stolen.

Fransson said Chiapulis told her that he was helping a friend dump the vehicle because the friend was behind on his payments.

Libby and Griego continued to question Fransson in the tape and tell her that large amounts of evidence prove she knows more than she is telling them until the tape had to be turned off when court ended for the day at 4:30 p.m.

Fransson’s trial is set to continue on Thursday at 10 a.m.  

Contact the writer:
(760) 256-4126 or adome@desertdispatch.com

Jury hears opening argument in Fransson case

Woman charged with helping cover up 2009 murder

July 26, 2010 4:38 PM

By Aaron Dome, staff writer

BARSTOW • A jury heard the prosecution’s opening argument and testimony from two witnesses Monday in the case of a Barstow woman charged with covering up the January 2009 murder of her boyfriend’s other girlfriend.

Joyce Fransson, 24, is charged with five counts of being an accessory to murder after the fact and one count of unlawful taking or taking or driving of a vehicle in assisting Jeami Chiapulis cover up the murder of Leisa Hurst.

Chiapulis pleaded guilty to the second degree murder of Hurst in November of 2009 in a deal to avoid a trial and first degree murder conviction.

In his opening statement Monday morning, Deputy District Attorney Sean Daugherty said that Fransson assisted Chiapulis in burying Hurst’s body in the desert near the former Lake Delores water park in Newberry Springs and then lied to police for 10 months after the crime in an attempt to cover it up, as large searches for Hurst’s body took place.

“She gave directions to what she what she thought was family property near the water park,” said Daugherty, who showed the jury photos of tire tracks at the burial site and a photo of Hurst’s decomposed body.

Daugherty also said that Fransson abandoned Hurst’s car with the windows down and the key in the ignition in Hesperia in the hopes that someone would steal it.

Daugherty explained that the he would use tapes from police interviews and MySpace messages written by Fransson to show that she knew what she was doing when she assisted Chiapulis bury the trash can, and lied to police in an effort to help Chiapulis. Police created a fictional MySpace profile of a woman who said that she was a friend of Chiapulis’ to entice Fransson into giving details about her involvement in the case.

Fransson’s attorney, Frank Peterson, declined to make an opening statement.

Leisa’s father, Valden Hurst, was first to take the witness stand, saying that he knew of his daughter’s relationship with Chiapulis, and gave a a recollection of the day he received a call about the found car, which was registered in his name.

Valden also gave an account of taking part in search parties of over 200 people in desert areas and mineshafts between Silver Lakes and Victorville. He said the 10 months that went by before the discovery of his daughter’s body were agonizing.

“I had terrible nightmares,” said Valden. “I couldn’t sleep, even with sleeping pills.”

Valden’s son, Valden Hurst Jr., was next to testify. Valden Jr. was sent to retrieve Hurst’s car but decided to leave it alone for police to handle after feeling something wasn’t right.

The trial is set to continue Tuesday at 9:30 a.m.

If convicted, Fransson could face five years and eight months in prison. She remains free on $150,000 bail.

Contact the writer:
(760) 256-4126 or adome@desertdispatch.com