JUPITER, Fla. — Three Jupiter homeowners who in one way or another witnessed a piece of the events following the deaths of three young people, testified in court Wednesday. Brindin Sieff told jurors he lives on a street that intersects with Mohawk Street, where the shooting happened. He heard gunshots outside his home after the Super Bowl ended on February 2017 and ran outside.
“That moment, I saw a gentleman come from the backside [of a house], jump over a fence here and run across several homes and duck and cover,” said Sieff as he pointed to a map of the neighborhood.
That person he was talking about is Charles Vorpagel. Vorpagel was the host of the Super Bowl party where Sean Henry, Brandi El-Salhy, and Kelli Doherty were killed. Vorpagel’s neighbor on Mohawk Street told jurors he heard 8 to 10 gunshots coming from the backyard and he got up and went to his back door.
“I had just opened the door and by the time I stuck my head out, he, he came in the front door,” said Jason Armenato who said he didn’t know Vorpagel or his name, just remembers waving to him every now and then.
Vorpagel had stormed into his home through the front unlocked door.
“He was so scared, he couldn’t put any words together to really explain what happened besides that my friends were hurt,” said Armenato.
Around that time, Sieff who was door down told jurors he heard yelling coming from the house where the shooting happened.
“We need to get in the f****ing car now, we need to leave, the police are on their way,” said Sieff about what he heard at least two men saying as they got into Henry’s Honda parked in the driveway of the home.
Sieff didn’t see who got in the car.
RELATED: Trial underway for Christopher Vasata, suspect in Super Bowl triple murder in Jupiter
“It backed out of the driveway and fled down Mohawk going east which told me that the people that were in vehicle weren’t from the area because you can’t exit that way,” said Sieff.
Two PBSO detectives witnesses a 4-door sedan run a red light nearby where the shooting happened. They did not know about the shooting, but followed the car and said it pulled over in the Paseos neighborhood.
“The rear driver side door opens and a male falls out of the backseat,” said Detective Stefany Householder.
Householder said the car continued to drive off and the other detective who had been following her, started following the car. She stayed with Vasata who was shot.
“His response to me was, they shot me,” said Householder.
Householder said when she asked him who, Vasata said he didn’t know because he blacked out. She said before he was taken to the hospital she searched his pockets and found a magazine and a loose bullet.
Prosecutors also called Dr. Gertrude Juste with the Medical Examiner’s office to testify. Dr. Juste told jurors that Henry, one of the victims, was shot 17 times. She said two of those wounds were to the head and the gunpowder around the bullet entry point revealed how he may have been shot.
“It’s a close gunshot wound,” said Juste.
The defense attorney quickly questioned Dr, Juste about why she said in her deposition that the victim was shot 12 times, she said it was multiple gunshot wounds and it’s difficult to count exactly how many times bullets entered the body when there are several entry and exit points.
Prosecutors also brought back a crime scene investigator witness to the stand Wednesday, who went over evidence found in the BMW that Vasata was dropped off next to. The CSI told jurors that a sock with several loose bullets were found, a glove, a backpack with a magazine and lose bullets, and an empty rifle bag among other items like Vasata’s driver’s license, a baggage claim ticket with his name.
Testimony continues on Thursday morning.
