Trial begins for Colorado Springs man accused of brutally killing teenage coworker

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Wednesday, legal teams delivered opening statements in the trial of 29-year-old Joshua Johnson.

Johnson is accused of killing 17-year-old Riley Whitelaw in June 2022 at the Colorado Springs Walgreens where they both worked. He is pleading not guilty.

Friends and family of Riley Whitelaw poured into the courtroom, completely filling pews on the left side of the courtroom.

However, on the right side, no family appeared to be in the courtroom for Johnson.

According to court documents, Whitelaw was discovered by a Walgreens manager and then by police who responded to the scene on June 11, 2022.

The prosecution started their arguments by showing a picture of Whitelaw smiling. They talked about her involvement at school and her plans to begin senior year a few months later.

Next, they showed a graphic photo of her lying in a pool of blood in the Walgreens break room after she was stabbed 42 times. 

They said Riley had previously expressed to managers that Johnson made her uncomfortable.

The prosecution argued that Johnson killed Riley because he had an unrequited crush on her and was jealous of her relationship with another employee. They say DNA evidence and surveillance footage back that up.

The prosecution also played video for the jury of Johnson stacking red crates and then moving them to obscure the stock room security camera. They also showed a multitool they say Johnson used to kill Whitelaw, which was found with Whitelaw and Johnson's DNA.

On the other side, the defense argued Joshua Johnson was innocent but was at the wrong place at the wrong time which made him an "easy suspect."

They argued Johnson was actually interested in a different woman, a manager at Walgreens named Crystal.

They said he went to the back of the store to go to the bathroom when he heard a call for help. Following the sound, he went into the break room and saw Whitelaw motionless on the ground, and he also saw a stranger who attacked him.

After breaking free, the defense said Johnson left the Walgreens. They argued he was scared and ashamed he left his coworker there in the break room so he ran.

The defense said that's why Johnson was found by Colorado State Patrol in the Trinidad and Walsenberg area.