DELAWARE, Ohio — On the day the Westerville Division of Police announced Emily Noble’s remains had been found, Chief Charles Chandler told reporters the area where her body was found had been searched three times.
On Thursday, testimony revealed that area had never been searched by law enforcement. Lt. Justin Alloway took the stand and described several searches, some including bloodhounds and a cadaver dog, that took place in the area around the condo where Noble and Matheau Moore lived.
Those searches took place in the days and weeks after Noble was reported missing. But he said miscommunication led to the exact area where the remains were found never being searched.
That testimony came on the third day of Matheau Moore’s murder trial. He is accused of killing Noble and then staging her death to look like a suicide.
Lt. Alloway described two searches involving bloodhounds that led investigators into a wooded area north of the condo. But Noble’s body was found in a wooded area to the east of the condo. A cadaver dog did a search along County Line Road and a bike path that surrounds the area but never went into the woods.
Lt. Alloway also described the dog as making no “hits” while walking that area. A tip about a grave marker did later lead officers to search part of that wooded area. But they went in from the bike path on the east side, whereas Noble’s remains were found closer to County Line Road on the southwest edge of the wooded area.
They did end up finding a small ceramic angel, which was not connected to the case, and searched a large portion of that area. But they stopped short of where her remains were eventually found. Lt. Alloway said this was partly due to his impression that patrol officers already had searched that area just after Noble was reported missing.
Also on Thursday, two of Emily Noble’s friends testified. They talked about their concerns about Noble’s relationship with Matheau Moore. Suzanne Cavanaugh described seeing bruises on Noble’s arm the last time she saw her in person. She said her relationship with Noble deteriorated after she raised concerns about Noble’s relationship with Moore.
John Kramer, who used to live in the condo across the street from Noble and Moore also testified on Thursday. He said he saw Noble going for a walk the night of her birthday, which was the night before she was reported missing. He also clarified a moment that has been discussed throughout the trial.
He initially reported to police officers that he had last seen Noble near her garage between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. on the morning she was reported missing. He later told officers he could not be sure it had been that morning because he saw her walking so frequently. And he again reiterated that on the stand.
He also described Moore asking him to buy him alcohol and cigarettes on the day after Noble was reported missing. He said he agreed to do so and then delivered them to him at his door.
“I noticed smoke, cigarette smoke in the house, which really depressed me,” he said. “That’s when I started thinking, Emily’s not coming home.”
Jurors are due back in court at 8:30 a.m. Friday.