BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Trezell West was fighting back tears while he listened to a recorded phone call between him, his wife, and their oldest son.
Trezell and Jacqueline West were arrested on March 1, 2022 for the disappearance of their adoptive sons Orrin and Orson. The couple is charged with second-degree murder even though the children's bodies have never been found.
In an interview recorded on July 1, 2020, Jacqueline told Bakersfield police that occasionally she would allow Orrin and Orson to be watched by their aunt “TeeTee”. Jacqueline told detectives she believed this was a relative of one of the biological fathers, but during the trial both men testified they don’t know a “TeeTee".
During the interview, Jacqueline told detectives she wasn’t too keen on letting the boys' biological family get too close, but she knew it would be good for them.
She said “TeeTee” would watch the boys for her sometimes, but after one occasion when “TeeTee” kept the boys longer than they agreed on, Jacqueline said she decided to limit the biological families’ interaction.
Jacqueline told detectives that “TeeTee” was a relative of one of the biological fathers, but she wasn’t sure which one. Prosecutor Eric Smith has previously called both men to testify in this trial. Each was asked if they knew a relative named “TeeTee”, even by nickname. Both men had no idea who that person might be.
Jacqueline also told detectives she changed her phone number because the family kept trying to contact her after they adopted Orrin and Orson. She said when she changed phones, she lost all the pictures she had of the two boys.
Detectives in the interview point out that Jacqueline has photos of her biological sons and said her statements didn’t match up with what other witnesses had told them.
On Thursday, the jury also got to hear from the man who lived at a home in Arlington, Texas, where the boys were allegedly seen.
WATCH: THE TEXAS TIP
During his opening statements, Defense Attorney Timothy Hennessy told the jury that police never investigated a possible sighting of Orrin and Orson in Arlington, Texas.
Alexander Kalaveris testified Thursday that less than two weeks ago — he learned for the first time that a neighbor had reported possibly seeing the two missing California City boys at his home in Arlington.
The tip was called in months after the boys were reported missing and gave a description of Kalaveris and two small boys. Kalaveris said the two children seen with him that day are his own sons.
The trial is in recess Friday and set to resume Monday.
