CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Witnesses told a 12-member jury Wednesday that a longtime Charleston resident suffered a brutal death at the hands of Joshua Drennen, the man on trial this week who allegedly took part in a one-day violent crime spree on Charleston’s West Side last year.
Drennen, 28, of Clendenin, allegedly killed Barbara Steele, 77, in her Georgia Street home and then later attacked another woman during a carjacking. He then attacked Charleston police officer Austin Casto before Casto shot him. He’s being trial on eight criminal counts including murder.
Drennen’s attorney John Sullivan has previously told the jury he’ll present a mental illness defense.
Witnesses testified Wednesday that on Feb. 11, 2020, Drennen entered Steele’s home and used an antique clothes iron that belonged to Steele to attack her. Witnesses said Steele was sexually assaulted during the attack.
John Young, the owner of Remco Sales and Service, which is located right across the street from Steele’s home and who knew Steele for 30 years, was the first to find her.
“I looked in through the screen door and I could see down through the hallway. It looked like a battle zone,” Young said. “There was broken glass all over the place, things tipped over, it looked like a tornado went through there.”
He then found Steele’s body.
“There was some kind of a bowl (on Steele’s body) with a crucifix in the bowl and there was a mantle clock on her, just really evil. I’ve never seen anything like it. It was like something out of a horror movie,” Young said.
The jury was shown graphic photos of Steele’s body. There was also evidence that seemed to indicate someone trying to wipe blood off their hands.
Young said he first encountered Drennen on the street using the iron on Steele’s car.
“I said, ‘Hey’s what are you doing? Stop that! He turned and looked at me and he said, “(Expletive) mind your own business,'” Young testified.
Prosecutors said there’s no evidence that Drennen ever knew Steele. They’ve said the attack and robbery were random.
MORE Read original criminal complaint here
Steele’s daughter, Cathy Steele, told the jury she remembered the antique iron that was used in her mother’s murder.
“It was an old steam iron that my mom had and I remember that when I was little I used it playing dolls,” Steele said fighting back tears. “I would have never thought that is what she would be beaten with.”
Prosecutors presented testimony of Drennen leaving Steele’s home and ended up at the Walgreens on West Washington Street where a another woman was attacked during a carjacking.
A 911 recording was played of a person reporting the carjacking.
Drennen wrecked the car, tried another carjacking and began walking toward the Go-Mart on Pennsylvania Avenue. That’s when Charleston police officer Austin Casto arrived on the scene.
Casto testified Wednesday he saw Drennen and told him to stop but he kept approaching him with the iron in his hand. Casto tripped and fell as Drennen came closer.
“The defendant struck me in the head multiple times with that iron and I was able to turn to my stomach to cover up and he continued to strike me,” Casto said.
The encounter, which ended with Casto shooting Drennen, lasted a total of 17 seconds.
“He continued to hit me and I told him to stop and he was just not complying with my commands. So I reached for my duty weapon because I feared for my life and I (shot) him in the chest and in the throat area,” Casto told the jury.
The prosecution also presented evidence Wednesday from a crime lab expert about DNA matching Drennen found on the iron.
Testimony is expected to continue Thursday.