SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — Investigators said three guns were recovered from the Amato family’s Chuluota home after three members of the family were killed in January. But an expert testified Tuesday that he doesn’t believe any of those guns were used in their killings.
FDLE firearms expert Richard Ruth testified Tuesday that after testing the three handguns found at the Chuluota home, he determined that the bullets that killed Margaret, Chad and Cody Amato did not come from any of the guns recovered from the home.
His testimony was part of the 12th day of the trial of Grant Amato, who is accused of killing his parents, Margaret and Chad Amato, and his brother, Cody Amato.
The expert said he believes the murder weapon has not been found.
A medical examiner later testified that Chad and Margaret were shot at close range, while Cody was shot at a distance.
Blake Turpin, a friend of Cody and Grant Amato, said on the stand Tuesday that he believes a 9mm Jericho handgun stolen from his home could have been involved in the crimes.
Turpin testified that the last person to go inside his room before he noticed his gun was missing was Grant Amato. That was two weeks before the killings. Turpin said he didn’t notice his gun was missing until months later.
“What I told the officer was I did not see anyone walk out the door with my firearm. However I suspected it might be involved in this case. I didn't see him physically take it, but I believed it was involved in this case," Turpin said.
The FDLE expert told the jury that the stolen Jericho 9mm handgun has polygonal rifling, and the projectiles that killed the Amatos had polygonal markings. But since that gun has never been recovered, the expert said he couldn’t confirm that that gun was involved in the killings.
Amato's attorney asked for an acquittal at one point, after a gunshot residue expert testified that residue was found on black leather gloves found in a bag in Grant Amato's hotel room the day after the murders.
The judge ultimately denied the motion to acquit.
#RightNow: Prosecutors are trying to tie stolen 9mm gun from Amato friend Blake Turpin as the fun that fired the shots that killed the Amato family. FDLE says marks on bullets had polygonal rifling. The stolen gun also produced polygonal rifling when fired. pic.twitter.com/AE0VknMgcD
— Jeff Levkulich (@jlevkulichWFTV) July 30, 2019
#RightNow: Richard Ruth of FDLE on stand testifying about ballistics in #GrantAmatoTrial. #WFTV https://t.co/GevfHtITF2
— Jeff Levkulich (@jlevkulichWFTV) July 30, 2019
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