ATLANTA — Closing arguments will begin on Wednesday in the trial of an ex-Georgia officer accused in a Gwinnett County teen's death.
Susana Morales went missing in the summer of 2022, and it would be months until her remains were found in the woods.
The unsettling details of the case included police accusing Miles Bryant - a Doraville police officer who was terminated upon being arrested in early 2023 - of dumping Morales' naked body in the woods.
It comes after both the state and the defense rested in the case.
Tuesday's proceedings included Detective Angela Carter, who became emotional during her testimony on Monday. She testified to more cell phone data on the defendant's phone.
Read below for the latest information on the trial.
Ex-officer's search history shown to jurors
Detective Carter testified to pulling Bryant's cell phone data from both his work and personal phones.
Jurors saw searches involving tracking devices, hidden cameras, and media coverage of a "Gwinnett County teen found."
The searches were dated shortly after Morales' remains were identified on February 8, 2023, and shortly after she was last seen in July.
One of the most notable searches from the officer's phone was “how long does it take a body to decompose?" and “How are you id by dental records?"
Prosecutors then asked Detective Carter about some of Bryant's searches related to places near the area where Morales' remains were found.
Jurors then viewed FLOCK, a license plate reading system, records where Bryant allegedly searched his vehicle's information and his ex-girlfriend's vehicle information days after Morales was last seen.
Detective Carter then answered questions related to a bag full of money and flex cuff's found in the defendant's personal truck.
She added that she would never keep the flex cuffs in her personal vehicle because “there is no reason to.” She also added they are not supposed to use the flex cuffs unless the handcuffs are not available to use.
2022 bodycam video presented in court
Prosecutors showed jurors bodycam-worn footage from Bryant where he responded to a call of a missing teen in May 2022.
In the video, Bryant exchanges a dialogue with the teen about running away and scolds her for her actions. There are some notable moments in the footage where Bryant mentions a what-if scenario about the teen getting raped or murdered.
“If somebody picked you up and raped you. What do you think is going to happen?” Bryant asked the teen in the video.
“I don’t think that’s going to happen," the teen responded.
“I do [respond to] rapes almost every day," Bryant told her.
The defense then questioned Detective Carter about an interview with Morales' mom about her possibly reporting her daughter as a runaway.
"I believe that is the way the report read. I don't know if she said that if she was a runaway," Carter said.
Miles Bryant denies testifying in his own case
The judge gave Bryant a chance to take the stand in his own case, but he decided against it.
Prosecution, defense rests in case
Tuesday's proceedings closed with arguments from both the defense and the prosecution about jury charges.
Closing arguments are expected on Wednesday morning. The jury could deliberate after hearing the arguments.
Other highlights so far in the trial
Monday, the court heard from several investigators, including Detective Angela Carter, who was brought to tears when describing the moments she realized the remains found in the woods in Dacula belonged to Morales.
Jurors also saw a three-hour-long police interview between the defendant and police detectives as they questioned him as a suspect in the case.
On Friday, Gwinnett County Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Carol Terry said the cause of death in the case was undetermined because of how skeletal her remains were.
"Cause of death undetermined due to decomposition and skeletalization," she said. "There is no more testing that I can do because what I need to see is not there...She has been there for a period of months."
Prosecutors and defense attorneys also questioned two investigators. One of the investigators responded to a search warrant for the defendant's apartment. The other investigator was able to ping Bryant's cell phone near where investigators found Morales' remains in some woods in Dacula the next day she was last seen.
Other witnesses spoke to the defendant's character, one of them who was a former friend called him a "stalker" due to the amount of times Bryant would show up to her house unannounced.
Thursday's proceedings began with testimonies from Morales' best friend, Esmeralda "Rose" Castillo, and her boyfriend, Axel Zaragoza. Castillo recounted the moments leading up to Morales' disappearance, her growing concern when Morales didn't return home, and her attempts to locate her through a crash site app. Castillo also mentioned a previous encounter with Bryant, who offered them a ride, which they declined.
Zaragoza described Morales as an uplifting and loving person. He testified about their multiple FaceTime calls the night she disappeared.
Proceedings also included testimonies from detectives and officers involved in the case. Gwinnett County Police Lt. Xavier Biggers, who became emotional on the stand, spoke about his dedication to finding Morales. Another officer recounted the discovery of a gun matching Bryant's stolen firearm report.
Bodycam footage was shown, capturing the moments when Morales' remains were found. Detective William Merkley testified about Bryant reporting his gun stolen, finding it odd that Bryant did not want an investigation into the theft.
Bryant's ex-girlfriend, Avyonne Smyre, testified about their arguments the night Morales disappeared and noted suspicious scratches on Bryant's truck.
Last Wednesday concluded with emotional testimonies from Morales' mother and sister, detailing their search efforts using the Life360 app.
Who is Miles Bryant?
- He was a Doraville Police officer. After his arrest, the department said Bryant was no longer employed with them, calling him a "now former police officer."
- Bryant lived on Windscape Village Lane in Norcross, near the location where Susana Morales lived and originally went missing.
- He also lived and served as a courtesy officer at the apartment complex where Susana had gone to visit.
- Chief McClure previously said that investigators have not established if Morales and Bryant knew each other prior to her death.
- In a press conference last year, McClure acknowledged previous incidents involving Bryant - pointing to one in 2018, in which he had allegedly tried to enter a neighbor's home through the window. Additionally, there were allegations in December 2022 that Bryant tried to enter a residence where a woman said he was stalking her.