VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Both the prosecution and defense have rested after attorneys brought more than a dozen witnesses to testify against Cola Beale on Tuesday.
The trial is taking place in Virginia Beach. However, Beale’s crimes span across two cities: he is accused of murdering his girlfriend, Czavier Hill, and his father figure, Clifton Baxter, in Virginia Beach, and then killing his cousin in Norfolk.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Virginia Beach trial begins for man accused of killing spree
During Tuesday's testimony, witnesses told the jury that Beale intentionally set Czavier Hill's house on fire, with Hill and her dog still inside. They pointed to containers of gas left behind at the scene and documented how the fire traveled through Hill's house.
Forensic analysts also discovered shell casings at Hill's house and at Clifton Baxter's house.
On the stand, sworn police officers said they received a call from Beale's mother asking police to do a wellness check on Clifton Baxter. The man was considered to be a father figure to Beale, and his mother told officers he was worried for Baxter's condition.
By the time first responders forced their way into Baxter's home, they said they found Baxter dead with a gunshot wound to the head.
In 2022, Beale admitted exclusively to 13News Now that he committed both murders while in police custody.
Beale said after he and Hill argued about her family's "interference" with their relationship, he shot her, then set her house on fire with her and her dog inside the home, killing them both.
A few days after the fire, Beale shot and killed Baxter after his father figure refused to give him money.
Officers later arrested Beale at his home in Hampton. Upon his arrest, Beale allegedly told officers it was good that officers had found him as "I was going to lay some people down, I had a nice little week run." He also threatened to kill children telling officers "I'd shut the kids up like that, you'll see bullets flying."
During 13News Now’s jailhouse interview with Beale, he said he felt no remorse for the deaths of his victims and that if police had not arrested him in his Hampton home, he probably would have hurt more people.
Beale's attorney told the judge his client will not be testifying in court, despite his admissions to police and to 13News Now.
Attorneys said a verdict could be reached as early as Wednesday.
Beale also admitted to the shooting death of his cousin Downing Mclean; the trial for McLean’s murder is set for May.