3/31 UPDATE: The jury will return today to recommend a sentence for John Ragin. Stay with 13News and WVEC.com for details.
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12:15 p.m. UPDATE: Ragin was found guilty of capital murder in the deaths of the three children; guilty of second-degree murder in the death of his wife, Crystal Ragin; guilty of felony arson of an occupied dwelling and unlawful stabbing
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UPDATE 3/26: The jury of seven women and five men are deliberating the capital murder charges against John Ragin following closing arguments Wednesday.
The jury has heard testimony for the last three weeks.
Stay with 13News Now and WVEC.com for the latest developments.
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NEWPORT NEWS -- A handful of witnesses took the stand Thursday in the capital murder trial against John Ragin.
Some of the Ragin's former neighbors, apartment personnel and officers who responded to the crime scene spoke in court.
Perhaps the most compelling testimony, though, came from the medical examiner who described the horrific conditions that Crystal and her children were left to die in. She emphasized that they suffered and that they didn't die immediately.
The Commonwealth's Attorney questioned the medical examiner and had her go into detail about Crystal Ragin and the deaths of her children.
According to the medical report the victims were stabbed several times to the head, neck and torso.
The medical examiner showed pictures to the jury which illustrated the wounds. Some of the wounds were so deep that they had the weapon go straight through their bodies. Some of the kids and Crystal had the weapon go straight through their bodies and out the other end, breaking their ribs, stabbing their spinal cords and puncturing their skulls.
The youngest child, a 6-year-old boy at the time, weighed only 40 pounds and was stabbed 27 times. He was found on the floor of the living room next to the couch.
The eldest child, 15, was set on fire until her skin began to peel back and bubble. She was found in a corner of the dining room and was hardly unrecognizable in photos.
The middle child who was 11 years old had defensive wounds on his hands, the medical examiner said, as if he was putting his hands up during the attack. He was found in a hallway of the Ragin home.
Crystal Ragin was found stabbed to death in her bedroom among papers and a computer as if she were studying.
During cross examination, the defense emphasized to the jury that that the medical reports couldn't identify who killed the victims, what type of weapon was used, or when exactly they died.
The case will resume Monday morning at 10 a.m.
