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Enix Trial Day 2: Defense delivers opening statements, state calls first witness

Tyler Enix, 38, is accused of killing his ex-wife, Kimberly Enix, and then fleeing the area with their young daughter. They ended up in Morrow County, Ohio, where a driver heard details of an AMBER Alert about the pair, spotted them and alerted police.

The defense laid out their case in their opening statements and the state called their first witness to the stand Tuesday in the trial for a Knox County man charged with the first-degree murder of his ex-wife in 2015.

Tyler Enix, 38, is accused of killing his ex-wife, Kimberly Enix, and then fleeing the area with their young daughter. They ended up in Morrow County, Ohio, where a driver heard details of an AMBER Alert about the pair, spotted them and alerted police.

Enix is charged with first-degree murder, felony murder, especially aggravated kidnapping and carjacking.

A jury of six men, six woman and two male alternates was seated Tuesday. State prosecutors then laid out their case against Enix in their opening statements.

MORE: Jury seated in Tyler Enix murder trial | Enix trial day 1

Last week, a judge ruled prosecutors won't be able to call the young daughter of the homicide victim to the stand.

Defense presents opening statements

The defense said Enix dropped charges when Kimberly was arrested for a domestic dispute in 2014. They also stated that he agreed to the divorce.

On Tuesday morning, the defense read through a few text messages from Tyler Enix to Kimberly Enix where he begged her to take him back. They said that sometimes his ex-wife wouldn't let him see the kids after the divorce so he was becoming more lonely and depressed.

Investigators believe Kimberly Enix was killed on Oct. 28. The defense said that she kicked Tyler Enix out of her home the day before.

During opening statements, the defense said Kimberly also threatened Tyler with never seeing the kids again. They stated that while the pair was arguing, Kimberly came at Tyler with a curling iron and that's when he lost it and stabbed her repeatedly.

The defense finished their opening statements by asking the jury find Tyler not guilty of first degree murder because he didn't sufficiently premeditate it.

State calls first witness

A Knox County Emergency Call System employee was the state's first witness to take the stand.

A 911 call of someone concerned that Kimberly did not show up for work on Oct. 28, 2015 was played in the courtroom. The caller said she knew Kimberly got divorced and mentioned the word 'violent'.

The 911 call from the man in Ohio who responded to the AMBER Alert was also played.

Kimberly's grandmother testified next and said she helped raise Kimberly. She said she was the only close family Kimberly had in the area and that they talked daily.

When Kimberly didn't show up for work, her grandmother testified that she was the one who called police.

Kimberly's other ex-husband was called to the stands and stated Kimberly struggled with alcohol. He said he got an order of protection against Tyler Enix after he allegedly made a comment about their daughter. Her ex-husband testified he also filed an order of protection against Kimberly after she was arrested for alleged assault on their daughter.

WBIR 10News reporter Stephanie Haines is in the courtroom and posting live updates on Twitter as the trial continues.

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