Elliot Knox confesses to being at scene of Baltimore officer Keona Holley's fatal shooting, testimony reveals

BALTIMORE -- Jurors have now heard the moment Elliot Knox admitted to Baltimore Police he was there when Officer Keona Holley was shot in 2021.

Holley was shot while working overtime early morning Dec. 16, 2021. An hour and a half later, Justin Johnson was shot and killed while sitting in his car.

Knox, 34, has been charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and firearms offenses in both Holley's and Johnson's death.

Co-defendant Travon Shaw has already been convicted in Johnson's death and will be sentenced in March for that. He has yet to stand trial for his charges in Holley's death.

Assistant state's attorney Kurt Bjorklund played part of Knox's interview Tuesday, but continued to play clips of it Wednesday.

In his opening statement, Bjorklund described Knox's interview as "hours of deception and lying."

In much of the clips Wednesday, Knox is pretty resistant with the two homicide detectives interviewing him. When asked about his car, he was often silent or gave non-answers. Initially telling detectives he didn't have it the day of the shootings and he had leant it to a man named "H."

The detectives' frustration was evident as the interview went on.

"Be straight, if I find you're lying to me, I'll make it my career-ending journey to make sure you don't get out," one of the detectives said.

After some time, one of the detectives told Knox not only was his car caught on video surveillance cameras in the area, but he was also seen inside the car. Detectives pressed they just weren't confident if Knox had pulled the trigger in Holley's shooting.

"I was not involved in anything that has to do with someone being shot. Period," Knox said at one point.

One of the detectives grabbed a body camera and switched it on as Knox was taken outside of the interviewing room to use the bathroom. After, while in the hallway, Knox started whispering to the detective.

In testimony, Det. David Moynihan -- who was one of the detectives interviewing Knox -- said that's when Knox admitted he was there when Holley was shot. Moynihan continued to say Knox also described the guns used, as well as revealing Shaw's name to the detectives.

Back in the interviewing room, Knox explained Shaw asked him to pick him up after midnight. Knox detailed where they parked, their movements toward Holley's car, and the shooting itself.

When asked why Holley was targeted, Knox told the detectives, "I don't know, I really don't know. I didn't even know it was a lady."

Knox also described hearing the shooting that killed Johnson. He told police Shaw talked about Johnson owing him $100.

While talking with the detectives, Knox said Shaw laughed about the situation, even describing Holley's facial expression when she was shot.

"It was cowardly of me not to step up earlier," he told detectives at one point. "I didn't think he'd do anything to put me in a situation. I thought I could trust him."

Testimony Wednesday also included the deputy chief medical examiner who supervised both Holley and Johnson's autopsies, as well as three crime scene lab technicians.