Loughrige testified in Lansing 30th Circuit Court on Monday during French’s trial that French said the plan didn’t go as expected, after Brown had returned home from an exam too early.

French is charged with two counts of open murder for the deaths of Brown and Goodenow.

“French advised me that Darren was not supposed to be killed … he was killed through the fact he was a witness,” Loughrige said. “He actually showed remorse about that.”

In a case referred to as one involving youth, money and greed, several witnesses have testified as to what really happened prior to March 25, 2010, when Tyler Cole returned to his home to find two of his roommates dead.

French stated in interviews with police that he did not enter the home on March 25, and told Loughrige he had smoked a cigarette with Brown in an attempt to stall him and keep him out of the house. What he knew about what happened inside was secondhand knowledge from Marion Jr., French said.

A 9 mm handgun was believed to have been taken from David Marion Sr., Marion Jr.’s father, and allegedly was used in the shootings of Brown and Goodenow.

While smoking marijuana in Lansing resident Benjamin French’s bedroom on Feb. 28, 2010, Lansing Community College student Kristi Shearer remembered then-boyfriend Nick Deagan, Marion Jr.’s stepbrother, and Marion Jr. discussing the possibility of robbery, with French walking in and out of the conversation.

“Dave Marion was talking about how he had the potential to rob somebody,” Shearer said. “(He said) he knew where his dad kept his gun in the house and where the key is and that it was easily accessible.”

Shearer said she had driven Deagan back to his Lansing home on the afternoon of March 25 because Marion Jr. had asked him to let him in to get clothes and other items from the home.

Shearer said a teal four-door car was parked in the driveway when they arrived and said Marion Jr. was the passenger while another person drove. Marion Jr. did not have anything directly visible in his hands when he left the residence, Shearer said.

G. Michael Hocking, French’s defense attorney, asked Shearer about several inconsistencies in her previous interactions with police about her knowledge of these events during Monday’s proceedings. She attributed these inconsistencies to a lack of initial knowledge about why she was being interviewed, a bad experience with police officers and fear for her well-being.

“I was nervous, I was scared and (the police officers) were not the nicest,” Shearer said. “I told them what they wanted to hear so I could get out.”

French made the decision not to testify in the case on his own behalf.

The trial is scheduled to continue 8:30 a.m. Wednesday.

Keep checking statenews.com for more updates.