UPDATE: Roanoke murder trial headed to jury

WDBJ7 anchor Chris Hurst is in court. We will have more during our 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. newscasts.

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12:25 p.m.: During opening arguments Tuesday, assistant commonwealth’s attorney John McNeil said that the prosecution hopes to prove that Gene Brown “brutally and senselessly executed” Steve Orange Jr. because Brown felt that Orange was targeting him, and that Orange had sexually assaulted Brown’s girlfriend.

Orange was found dead in July of 2011 inside his car at Afton Gardens Apartments, where he was a security guard. Orange was shot six times. He had been a security guard at the Roanoke apartment complex since February of 2011.

The prosecution is also trying to prove that the murder weapon was found in the possession of Brown’s girlfriend. The commonwealth’s attorney says that Brown confessed to his cellmate, Carl Jeune, that he killed Orange. Jeune is being held on robbery charges.

Brown’s attorney, C.J. Covati, says that Brown didn’t kill Steve Orange. The defense contends that Brown’s half-brother, Will Wright, was with Brown on the night Orange was murdered. Covati says that Wright has been confessing to people around town that he killed Orange. The defense says that Wright has had nightmares about Orange’s death.

Witnesses are expected to start testifying Tuesday. The jury is made up of 11 women and two men.

WDBJ7 anchor Chris Hurst is in court. We will have more during our 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. newscasts.

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A jury has been seated in the trial of a man accused of killing a security guard in Roanoke in July of 2011.

Gene Brown is on trial for the death of Steve Orange Jr. Orange was found dead in his vehicle at Afton Gardens Apartments on July 13, 2011.

On Tuesday morning a jury was seated. The court is now in recess for lunch.

Witnesses are expected to testify Tuesday afternoon.

WDBJ7 anchor Chris Hurst is in court, and will have more during our 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. newscasts.