Jurors in Lake County on Monday saw key evidence in the murder trial of Vickie Lynn Williams, including a bloody kitchen knife prosecutors say was used to kill retired Mount Dora couple Darryl and Sharon Getman.
Williams is accused of stabbing the Getmans to death in late December 2022, then stealing their green Kia and driving to Georgia, where detectives said she was arrested before being brought back to Lake County.
Inside the Lake County courthouse, jurors watched as the lead detective opened an evidence box and pulled out the knife. Some jurors appeared visibly surprised as the weapon was displayed in court.
Williams watched as prosecutors continued laying out their case. The state is asking jurors to find her guilty as charged in the deaths of the Getmans and the theft of their vehicle.
Her defense acknowledged the killings, calling the case a tragedy, but asked jurors to find Williams not guilty by reason of insanity.
Jurors were also shown surveillance video of Williams walking around Waterman Village on the afternoon of Dec. 30, 2022. The Getmans were found dead the following day.
Gloria Hoffmann, who lived across from the Getmans, testified that she thought it was odd to see their garage open with no car inside. She said she tried calling Darryl Getman but did not get an answer.
“I did later in the day, around 4, I decided that I would call security and tell them about it,” Hoffmann told the jury.
A Waterman Village security officer also testified, recounting the moment he found the couple.“As I walked up and looked down, I saw what appeared to be feet and blood,” he said. “And at that point, I opened up the door slightly more and saw Mrs. Getman on the floor, and I saw Mr. Getman a few feet away.”
The security officer told jurors he had seen Williams on the property before the killings and described her behavior as strange and confused.
The trial comes after delays related to Williams’ competency. She was initially found incompetent to stand trial but was later found competent, allowing the case to move forward.
Testimony is expected to continue in Lake County court.