Testimony: Defendant purchased revolver before Modesto couples’ deaths

An investigator on Tuesday testified that one of two defendants charged in the deaths of Scott and Janet Pettit had purchased a .22 caliber revolver a few weeks before they were killed.

A criminal complaint indicates the Pettits were shot in their Modesto home. Firefighters found the married couple dead in the burning second-floor bedroom of their Divan Court home early Aug. 8, 2013.

Authorities believe Brandon Pettit and Felix Valverde are responsible for the deaths of Pettit’s parents, Scott and Janet Pettit. The two defendants are charged with murder, arson and burglary.

Investigators have said they believe the fire at the Divan Court home was started to cover up the killings.

A preliminary hearing for the defendants continued Tuesday morning with testimony from prosecution investigator Steve Jacobson. He questioned one of Valverde’s friends, Jason Powell, who told the investigator that Valverde had bought revolver from another man. David Jeramy said he sold Valverde the gun, according to Jacobson.

During cross-examination, Jacobson said Powell admitted that he had his own collection of firearms, including .22 caliber guns.

Powell also told the investigator that Valverde had asked him to be his lookout in a burglary to steal some marijuana plants, according to Jacobson. Powell believed Valverde was lying about stealing marijuana, suggesting Valverde planned to steal something else. Powell told the investigator he didn’t join Valverde in the theft in early August 2013.

Jacobson also questioned Matthew Wells, who lived directly upstairs from Valverde in an apartment complex. He had befriended Valverde and knew Brandon Pettit.

Wells told the investigator that he joined Valverde in late July 2013 to a remote area east of Oakdale to fire the .22 caliber revolver Valverde had purchased a few days earlier, according to Jacobson. Both men fired the revolver. They fired both long and short .22 bullets with the revolver. Valverde told Wells that the short bullets were “for getting in close and for being quiet,” according to the investigator.

Not long after the Pettits were found dead, Wells saw Brandon Pettit at Valverde’s apartment complex. Wells told Jacobson that Brandon Pettit was driving his mother’s BMW.

Wells went over and offered Pettit his condolences after hearing about the death of his parents. Pettit responded, “It’s all good,” according to Jacobson.

The investigator questioned Wells on Sept. 18, 2013, a month after Pettit and Valverde had been arrested, and their names and photos had appeared in news reports about the murder case.

Testimony in the preliminary hearing is expected to resume Wednesday. After the testimony ends, Stanislaus Superior Court Judge Dawna Reeves will determine whether there’s enough evidence for the defendants to stand trial.

This story was originally published March 14, 2017 at 4:33 PM with the headline "Testimony: Defendant purchased revolver before Modesto couples’ deaths."