A St. George jury took eight hours on Friday to acquit the man accused of killing a local businessman last summer.
Prosecutors had charged Anthony Ray Edwards with capital murder, but a jury found him not guilty of the slaying of Thomas Foard, who owned the Blarney Stone bar. Foard was found slumped over the bar of his business by his wife Robin about six hours after police believe he was shot to death.Witnesses testified that Edwards, 36, was drinking with Foard, 43, after the bar closed at 1 a.m.
The most damaging evidence against Edwards was that a gun registered to him was found in his hotel room by a maid the day after the killing. Defense attorney Gary Pendleton told jurors the gun, Edwards' wallet and other items were taken from his pickup truck the night of the shooting.
Edwards' wallet was found in the parking lot and returned to the front desk of the motel where he was staying. He was visiting Utah from Mesquite, Nevada. He'd been having troubled with his girlfriend and said he went to the Blarney Stone to talk with Foard, who was a friend.
Edwards took the stand to defend himself. He said the two shared a drink, he left and went to the bathroom. When he came out, he saw Foard arguing with a man with long hair and a beard. Edwards also testified that he saw a small, primer-gray pickup backing into the bar's parking lot.
Part of the trouble prosecutors faced was that the gun was wrapped in a towel and handled by a number of people before it was given to police. The bullets were ejected from the magazine and taped to it by police. The adhesive tape ruined any chance investigators had of getting fingerprints from the bullets.
The test results on whether the bullet that killed Foard was fired from Edwards' gun were inconclusive, according to the majority of expert witnesses.
Edwards faced the death penalty or life in prison if convicted of the killing. The jury returned to the courtroom at 10:30 p.m. Friday with its verdict of not guilty.
Edwards' girlfriend waited outside the courtroom.
"I'm waiting for them to process Anthony for release," said Kelley Van Dyke. "Then we're going home."