Murder trial of Fresno landlord continues with emotional testimony
If convicted of murder, 80-year-old Ira Gordon Lewis could face 50 years or more in prison.
FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The trial of an east central Fresno man accused of murdering his tenant over unpaid rent continued with emotional witness testimony Monday.
"I locked the door, then put in the slot for the doggy door to close that as well," Janae McAllister told Deputy District Attorney Liz Owen.
McAllister is the granddaughter of 80-year-old Ira Gordon Lewis, who prosecutors say killed tenant Michael Brady over unpaid rent at a property off North Hayston and East Dakota avenues in May.
"Why did you do that?" Owen asked McAllister. "Because I was scared ... (of) my grandpa," McAllister said as she recalled a 2020 incident in which she claimed her grandfather shot at a dog while she lived on the property.
McAllister and her mother, Julie McAllister, testified as witnesses in the prosecution's case against their grandfather and father, respectively.
"I went out to see what was going on, and I saw Ira at the other house with his arms up as if he were shooting at the dog," Lewis' granddaughter told the jury.
Lewis' public defender, Keegan Smith, pressed McAllister -- and all four of the prosecution's witnesses Monday.
Smith asked each if they ever saw a derogatory message directed toward Lewis on Brady's bedroom wall. The message is too vulgar for Action News to report but seemingly suggests ongoing tension between the tenant and landlord.
None of the witnesses said they saw it.
The evidence presented on Monday comes just three days after Lewis took the stand in his own trial.
On Friday, he told the jury he was acting in self-defense after Brady approached him with a wrench.
"Well, I put a round in him. I fired a bullet into him," Lewis said. "Didn't slow him down one bit."
Both sides rested their cases on Monday, and the trial will resume with closing arguments on Tuesday morning.
If convicted of murder, the 80-year-old Lewis could face 50 years or more in prison.
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