Shavon Randle had just celebrated her 13th birthday when she was taken from her aunt's Lancaster home in June 2017, her mother testified Thursday.
Shaquana Persley was the last to take the witness stand during the trial for 24-year-old Desmond Jones, who is accused of taking part in a conspiracy to kidnap and kill Shavon over stolen drugs.
Shavon's birthday "was actually six days before they went and kidnapped her from her aunt's house," Persley testified.
She said her daughter had celebrated with relatives at a hotel.
"They had some fun," Persley said.
Persley spoke to Shavon the morning she was taken on June 28, 2017. They talked on FaceTime. It was the last time Persley saw her daughter.
Shavon was found dead days later in an abandoned house in Oak Cliff along with the body of 19-year-old Michael Titus, who is believed to have been involved in the kidnapping.
Shavon had been shot four times, according to court testimony.
Prosecutors rested their case Thursday. Defense attorneys didn't call any witnesses.
Closing arguments are scheduled to begin Friday morning.
In addition to hearing Persley's testimony Thursday, jurors listened to details of phone records that placed Jones and his co-conspirators at the crime scene.
FBI Agent Mark Sedwick testified his primary goal from the beginning was to “recover” the victim.
The phone records did eventually help investigators identify Shavon's kidnappers, he said.
Lancaster police Officer Jason Rohack testified the case was “one of the worst ones” he’s ever seen.
He says their investigation led them to Jones who admitted to being in the car used to kidnap Shavon.
The trial is scheduled to resume at 8:45 a.m. Friday.
