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Jury asks to review evidence in Creato murder case

The Haddon Township man is charged with killing his 3-year-old son, Brendan, because he feared he would lose his girlfriend, who allegedly resented the boy's presence. Jurors asked to re-watch video of his interview with detectives.

David “D.J.” Creato Jr. looks on as his defense attorney, Richard J. Fuschino Jr., talks to members of the Creato family at the end of the day at Creato’s trial in Camden, New Jersey, on Tuesday, May 23, 2017. Jury deliberation began later in the day.
David “D.J.” Creato Jr. looks on as his defense attorney, Richard J. Fuschino Jr., talks to members of the Creato family at the end of the day at Creato’s trial in Camden, New Jersey, on Tuesday, May 23, 2017. Jury deliberation began later in the day.Read moreDAVID MAIALETTI / Staff Photographer

After a little more than three hours of deliberation Wednesday, jurors asked to again see the video recording of David "D.J." Creato Jr.'s interview with detectives on the day his 3-year-old son, Brendan, was found dead.

The jury previously viewed the video on April 26, the third day of the trial.

Creato, 23, is charged with killing Brendan and dumping his body in Haddon Township woods.

Jurors held thick files containing a transcript of Creato's interview. They flipped pages and sometimes leaned forward to pay close attention to the projection screen showing the Oct. 13, 2015, recording, which lasted more than an hour.

It showed Creato weeping and asking detectives whether anyone had found Brendan. Creato had called 911 to report him missing several hours earlier, saying he woke up and Brendan was gone. Jurors also listened to Creato's 911 call again Wednesday.

Investigators lied to Creato in the questioning room, telling him the search for Brendan was continuing, and asked if he was withholding information. Creato said no.

When the detectives told Creato his son had been found dead — 51 minutes after the father entered the windowless questioning room at the Haddon Township police station — Creato yelled, "Oh, God, no, no, no!"

Later in the interview, Creato told investigators it blew his mind that Brendan had been found near the Cooper River — three-quarters of a mile from Creato's apartment.

"I don't see him walking out the door and just leaving," Creato said, saying Brendan had never done so before. Creato suggested that someone else had keys to the apartment.

Wednesday was the 12th day of the trial, which has been held from one to three days a week in Superior Court in Camden.

The jury started with 11 women and three men. Two of the women were randomly selected as alternates Tuesday, leaving the remaining jurors to deliberate the case. They are to reconvene Thursday morning.