One of the two brothers accused of murdering a teacher in Westmoreland County, VA was acquitted Dec 5.
Demetri Raymond Gardiner, 30, of Leonardtown, MD faced charges of 2nd degree murder, arson of an occupied dwelling, and 3 counts of animal cruelty causing death. Those charges stemmed from the murder of Taylor Wood, his brother’s 29-year-old girlfriend, and the burning of her house with her body and three dogs inside.
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2 men held in MD accused of murdering Westmoreland, VA school teacher
Brothers returned to Virginia to face murder charges in Westmoreland
According to testimony from forensic expert Dr. Jennifer Bowers, of the VA Medical Examiner’s Office, Wood’s death was caused by stab wounds to her neck area. Bowers testified that her findings suggest Wood was dead before the fire began.
According to statements made to police by Demetri Gardiner and his brother, Michael Gardiner, on the afternoon of Nov. 27, 2022, Wood took Michael to pick up Demetri in Maryland. They all returned Wood’s house in Westmoreland.
In video shown during the trial, Demetri admitted that him and his brother spent the evening in a front room of the house drinking and smoking crack. Later that night, they ran out of crack and Demetri claimed his brother said once Wood fell asleep, he would take her car and card so they could go buy more drugs.
Demetri told police his brother went to the bedroom where Wood was and he heard yelling and screaming. He went to see what was going on and he said Wood was laying on the floor in a pool of blood.
Demetri admitted they left Wood, took her vehicle, and went to Maryland. He also admitted hearing something sounding off once he was out of the house but said he didn’t know it was a fire alarm. He claimed he didn’t know anything about a fire until police told him during interrogation.
Video of Michael’s interrogation was also shown during last week’s trial. Michael denied smoking crack at Wood’s house but admitted smoking it after they got to Maryland. He said on the night of Wood’s death, he left his brother, got in the bed with Wood and went to sleep. Michael claimed Demetri came into the bedroom and stabbed him in the hand then stabbed Wood to death. He also claimed Demetri hit him in the face with a gun.
Michael admitted to taking Wood’s vehicle, claiming he was scared of Demetri. He said once they were in Maryland they stopped in Loveville to buy crack before they were arrested at their parents’ house.
During the trial, Westmoreland Commonwealth’s Attorney Christopher Robison conceded it’s unknown which of the two brothers delivered the fatal blow to Wood. He argued that they worked together, and therefore it didn’t matter because they were equally responsible.
Demetri’s attorney argued this was a case of unknowns. She noted the murder weapon was never found and Bowers couldn’t specifically say what was used to kill Wood.
She noted that despite having a fire expert and specially trained K-9, the cause of the fire was never determined, no accelerant was found, and the prosecution didn’t present any evidence to prove the fire was started intentionally.
Nothing was ever presented to show Demetri had contact or knowledge of the dogs. And according to the defense, each of the brothers accused the other of being solely responsible for killing Wood and the prosecution never provided evidence to show they worked together.
On the fourth day of the trial, the jury ruled in favor of the defendant, finding Demetri Gardiner not guilty of all charges.
His brother, Michael, faces the same five charges and is scheduled for trial in March 2025.
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