MODESTO — Dustin Gran spoke for the first time during trial Thursday in the case of murdered teen Krista-Rae Pike, though his words came through a recorded interview with police the day she was killed and not as he sat behind his attorneys.
Gran, 25, is accused of committing Pike’s 2008 murder on the orders of Brittany Navarra, 22, who authorities say was romantically spurned by Pike’s then-fiancé Thomas Hollier and subsequently plotted the killing.
Navarra’s trial is scheduled to begin in May, where she faces similar charges as Gran of attempted rape, murder, burglary and conspiracy. She has pleaded not guilty, while Gran has pleaded not guilty by way of insanity.
During Gran’s trial Thursday — entering its third week of an expected month-long duration — Madera Police officer Jason Valdez was first called to the stand...