Phylicia Barnes murder trial continues

BALTIMORE -  

After most of Monday was dedicated to just the testimony of Phylicia’s sister Deena Barnes, the state rapidly called witnesses through Tuesday.

After two brothers and a cousin of defendant Michael Johnson were called, prosecutors called a then sergeant in homicide who oversaw Phylicia's case.

Now Lieutenant William Simmons with Baltimore City Police answered questions about the numerous searches and eventually recovery efforts to find Phylicia's body.

He explained how cell data and tracking on Michael Johnson's phone from the day Phylicia went missing led his team and others to Patapsco State Park not once, but twice.

Williams also detailed a January 2011 search of Johnson's older brother's apartment and how a cadaver dog led detectives to a well on the property.

ABC2News covered that search last year but obviously that search and others were unsuccessful.

Phylicia Barnes' body was found last April in the Susquehanna River near the Conowingo Dam.

Late Tuesday afternoon, jurors were shown pictures of Barnes' body from that April day as it listened to the testimony of a Department of Natural Resources sergeant that located and helped remove the body from the river.

The trial will continue tomorrow morning at 9:30.