The trial of two men accused of killing a mother in front of her two children continues

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – The jury trial of two of the three men accused of fatally shooting a Cleveland mother in front of her two young children continued Wednesday in Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas.

The trial of Jamar Skanes and Alontez Beasley began on Monday. They are accused of killing 29-year-old Alyson Appling-France on January 10.

Appling-France was shot 17 times as she unloaded groceries in the parking lot of her apartment complex near Detroit Avenue and Berea Road.

Her daughters, aged six and ten, were in the car. They were not injured.

On Wednesday, prosecutors called a civilian analyst to the witness stand.

The coroner described Frances' injuries and stated that ten of the bullets could have been fatal.

Wallace Grinell was also called to the witness stand. He said he saw a black truck parked in front of Frances' apartment days before the shooting.

“The car was parked in our driveway across Detroit Avenue, and no one normally parks there,” Grinell said. “It looked like there were two people in the car.”

Vesna Piscitello was the last witness before the court recessed for lunch. Piscitello is a civilian analyst with the Cleveland Police Department.

During her testimony, she explained to the jury at least twice how she found the truck in front of Frances' apartment before 3 p.m. on the day of the shooting.

Piscitello says she was able to do this by taking advantage of the city's nearly two thousand surveillance cameras.

None of the videos shown Wednesday morning showed the driver of the black truck, but prosecutors suggested it could be Skanes or Beasley.

They say they have a video from a gas station that proves it.

As the trial continues, police are still searching for a third suspect, Clarence Bennett.

Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O'Malley said Bennett followed the victim to Target, watched her enter and exit, then tipped off Skanes and Beasley as she was on her way home.

If you know where Bennett might be, please call 1-866-4 WANTED.

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After the shooting, Skanes and Beasley fled the scene and were arrested by Cleveland police on January 26.

Anyone with information about Bennet should call the U.S. Marshals at 1-866-4WANTED.

“These three individuals conspired to brutally murder Alyson Appling-France in front of her 10 and 6 year old daughters. Their actions were unfathomable and I firmly believe they pose a danger to the public… Jamar Skanes and Alontez Beasley are in custody. We need the public's help to locate Clarence Bennett. If you have any information on his whereabouts, please contact the U.S. Marshals at 1-866-4.WANTED.”

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