MADISON (WKOW) — A friend of Khari Sanford testified Friday in Sanford's homicide trial and said he witnessed the killing of a prominent Madison physician and her husband.
"He had said...he couldn't really believe that he did it," Ali'jah Larrue testified about Sanford's remark after the fatal shootings of Dr. Beth Potter and Robin Carre.
Larrue said on March 30, 2020, Sanford picked up Larrue in Carre's van so they could "hang out" and "smoke." Carre and Potter loaned their daughter the van and rented her a unit after asking her and her boyfriend Sanford to leave the family home over disputes, including the younger couple's failure to honor COVID-19 safety protocols.
Larrue said Sanford ultimately parked by Carre and Potter's home, went inside, then returned holding the couple at gunpoint.
Larrue said he knew nothing of Sanford's kidnap plans and testified he was frightened "because I didn't know what was going to happen...there was a gun involved and people I didn't know."
During the drive, Larrue said Sanford questioned Potter and Carre without allowing them to answer.
"He was asking the male and the female why they didn't care for their daughter," Larrue testified.
Larrue said Sanford directed him to drive to the UW-Arboretum, then forced Potter and Carre out of the van and shot them.
But Larrue conceded once he and Sanford returned to the rental unit, he helped Sanford damage the victims' cell phones.
Larrue also said Sanford discarded items tied to the shooting scene. Jurors saw security video of two people walking near Sanford's girlfriend's unit, with one person throwing something into nearby woods.
Larrue testified as part of a plea agreement that led to Larrue's conviction on two felony murder charges with the predicate offense of kidnapping. Larrue was on the witness stand in jail clothing, handcuffs and a restraining belt.
Larrue maintained he was promised no help toward leniency from prosecutors in exchange for his testimony and said his motivation was "to take responsibility for what I did."
During cross-examination by Sanford's attorney, Assistant State Public Defender Tracey Lencioni, Larrue claimed he did not know what would happen to him if he didn't testify in the trial.
Lencioni emphasized Larrue originally faced more serious charges, identical to that of Sanford's: party to the crime of first-degree intentional homicide. Larrue said he was scared over what sentence he would receive at a later sentencing.
A packed courtroom for Larrue's testimony included his mother.
Sanford's trial is expected to go to the jury late next week.
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