Templeton man takes the stand in murder trial

December 19, 2014

A Templeton man on trial for murder testified Thursday that his girlfriend was the aggressor during a fight that let to her death. [Tribune]

On June 4, Tina Marie Beddow, 32, suffered single stab wound to the chest. The stabbing occurred at the home Beddow shared with Phillip Thomas Hanes, 58, and his 5-year-old grandson.

Beddow died on the way to the hospital after the stabbing. San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s deputies promptly arrested Hanes for murder.

On Thursday, defense attorney Ilan Funke-Bilu called Hanes to testify, and the defendant gave his account of his girlfriend’s death.

Hanes said in his testimony that Beddow had been hallucinating prior to her death. During an incident in April, Beddow hallucinated that people were outside the couple’s home watching her, Hanes testified.

Hanes then drove her to the hospital, where she was combative with hospital staff, he said. Doctors subsequently diagnosed her with methamphetamine-induced psychosis.

On the day of the Beddow’s death, the couple was fighting. Beddow threatened to cut off Hanes’s genitals, frame him for domestic violence and get him thrown in jail, Hanes testified.

Soon after, Hanes saw Beddow waving a filet knife. He tried to wrestle it away from her by grabbing the hand holding the knife, and the couple fell to the floor during the struggle, Hanes said.

The next thing Hanes saw was the blade sticking out of Beddow’s chest, he testified.

Hanes said he immediately pulled it out and applied pressure to the wound with a bath towel. Prior to police arriving, Hanes moved the knife to the sink and then back to floor.

He said he did so because he did not want to disturb the crime scene.

Cross-examination of Hanes began Thursday. When asked by the prosecution whether he could have murdered Beddow, Hanes said he does not believe that is what happened.

The prosecution’s cross-examination is scheduled to continue on Friday.