• News
  • Film and TV
  • Music
  • Tech
  • Features
  • Celebrity
  • Politics
  • Weird
  • Community
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
TikTok
YouTube
Submit Your Content
Woman accused of killing stepfather describes finding her nude photos on his computer

Home> News

Published 12:34 18 Dec 2022 GMT

Woman accused of killing stepfather describes finding her nude photos on his computer

"Not even in a movie have I seen something so sick"

Daisy Phillipson

Daisy Phillipson

WARNING: This article contains material that some might find distressing

A woman who is accused of killing her stepfather has described the moment she allegedly found her nude photos on his computer.

Jade Janks from Solana Beach, San Diego, gave the shocking testimony while taking the witness stand in the ongoing trial.

The 39-year-old pleads not guilty to the murder charges following the death of her stepfather, 64-year-old Thomas Merriman.

His body was discovered under a pile of trash in Janks' driveway in January 2021, with toxicologist Raymond Gary stating that he was found to have high levels of Ambien in his system.

Prosecutors have accused Janks of feeding Merriman the sleeping pills before strangling and suffocating him after finding the nude photos on his computer.

Deputy District Attorney Jorge Del Portillo told the court: "This was no accident. This was murder by design."

However, Janks maintains her innocence, with her legal team arguing that Merriman's death was caused by poor health and previous drug use.

Defence attorney Marc Carlos said during the trial: "The medical examiner will not tell you it was strangulation. The science does not support strangulation."

He later added: "Jade Janks loved her stepfather. Tom Merriman loved Jade Janks. Unfortunately, Tom Merriman was a troubled individual, and he loved her in different ways."

On Friday (16 December), the 39-year-old interior design business owner opened up about the moment she found the images of herself on her stepfather's computer.

She said she made the shocking discovery while cleaning his home as he was in hospital at the time.

"When I went to clean in his office area, I'm wiping things down, I bumped the mouse, and it shook the screen awake," Janks told the jury.

"There's a picture of female breasts on the screen. I have a beauty mark on my chest, those are my breasts."

Thomas Merriman was found dead in January 2021.
CBS 8

She went on to claim there were more than 100 photos of her on the device, with all of them being divided into folders based on different body parts.

Janks also alleged some of the images were of her when she was just 16 years old, having been taken from private folders her laptop which she never knew he had access to.

"It was the most violating, awful, gut-wrenching feeling ever. I felt sick, I felt I couldn't even touch my own skin," she said.

"I don’t know if there's words, not even in a movie have I seen something so sick."

CBS 8 San Diego stated that the jury was handed a pack containing what appeared to be thumbnails of some of the photos.

Elsewhere in her testimony, Janks claimed Merriman fell unconscious after taking prescription pills with alcohol after she picked him up from a healthcare facility.

She testified she left him in the car to sleep it off, but when she went out the next morning he was unresponsive and so, in a 'panic', tried to hide the body.

Jade Janks described the moment she discovered nude photos of herself on her stepfather's computer.
CBS 8

"[I] didn’t really know what to do," Janks told the court, saying she had not yet confronted Merriman about the photos and had damaged his computer after finding them.

"I didn’t want to be blamed for killing him."

The prosecution told a different story, showing texts sent from the woman's phone to several friends, including one which reads: "I just dosed the hell out of him. Stopping for whiskey then at Dixieland to stall. LMK."

If Janks is found guilty of murder, she faces life in prison. The trial is ongoing.

Featured Image Credit: CBS 8

Topics: US News, Crime

Daisy Phillipson
Daisy Phillipson

Daisy graduated from Kingston University with a degree in Magazine Journalism, writing a thesis on the move from print to digital publishing. Continuing this theme, she has written for a range of online publications including Digital Spy and Little White Lies, with a particular passion for TV and film. Contact her on [email protected]

X

@DaisyWebb77

Choose your content:

7 hours ago
8 hours ago
  • 7 hours ago

    Chipotle customer finds receipt from 10 years ago and the comparison is making people want to cry

    Chipotle customers are understandably upset

    News
  • 7 hours ago

    100-year-old identical twins reveal secret to long life after celebrating milestone

    Bernice Frank and Gloria Lipman shared their wisdom for reaching 100-years-old

    News
  • 8 hours ago

    Forensic psychiatrist gives chilling theory behind Bryan Kohberger’s motive after he confessed to Idaho murders

    Bryan Kohberger pleaded guilty to murder earlier this week

    News
  • 8 hours ago

    Body found in search for man who vanished on vacation as police release chilling details

    Brian Tarrence was with his wife in Turks and Caicos before being reported missing days later

    News
  • Husband accused of killing wife on Valentine's Day after seeing her reaction to his Paris-themed date plans
  • Hugh Hefner's ex Holly Madison describes unhygienic details in the Mansion after Kendra Wilkinson revealed his 'nasty' poo habit
  • People are just finding out elite colleges took nude photos of all incoming freshman including some world leaders
  • Woman sentenced to 11 years in prison for killing man who sex trafficked her