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Sherwood murder trial begins: Mother suffered 7 stabs, 44 cuts

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, Va. — John Sherwood walked into court Monday looking much different that he did in his mug shot snapped nearly two years ago.

The 24-year-old, dressed in a button-down shirt, tie, wearing glasses, and now with short hair entered a not guilty plea in front of Circuit Court Judge Steven Smith. Sherwood is charged with first-degree murder in the Jan. 1, 2015 death of his wife Erica Sherwood, with whom he shared a son.

Following a jury selection process, Prosecutors Brian Boyle and Rick Conway brought out the first three of eight witnesses to testify during what is slated to a be a three-day trial. The defense is expected to present two witnesses.

Sharae Harris told the court she knew the 21-year-old victim since they were children in school. Erica Sherwood brought her son to Harris’ mother’s house on Concord Drive in Dale City where Sharae lived with her young son to stay a “couple” days before New Year’s Eve, December 31, 2014.

During a New Year’s Eve party where there had been drinking and marijuana use, John Sherwood showed up and began arguing with his wife, Harris testified. John Sherwood didn’t like that his wife was drinking wine because she could be pregnant, Harris testified.

Sherwood’s body was later found on the floor of a bathroom inside the home. She had suffered seven stab wounds and 44 cuts on her head, neck, and torso areas, according to Dr. Mehi Koolae, the medical examiner who performed an autopsy on Sherwood’s body. The fatal blow, as it was described, was a stab through the left breast that punctured her heart.

“It was a through and through injury,” explained Koolae.

Harris said she hadn’t heard from Sherwood for some time before she brought her son to her in the last hours of her life. Sherwood and her son had been sleeping in one bedroom of the house while Harris and her son had slept in another.

On New Years Eve, Harris testified five people were at her house, including Sherwood and her son, celebrating. Sherwood showed up uninvited.

Harris said her son had gone to bed by 10 p.m. but had awoken, so she went to lay down with him to help him back to sleep. She too fell asleep.

Later, her Erica Sherwood ran into her room and shook Harris to wake her up.

“She said ‘he’s trying to kill me, he’s trying to kill me,’ and she’s shaking me tying to get me up,” explained Harris.

Harris awoke, and leaving her son in bed, she and ran down a hallway to a bathroom with Erica Sherwood behind her.

“Right when I was about to shut the door, it busted open,” said Harris.

The force of the door pushed Harris into a bathtub and caused Erica Sherwood to fall onto the floor. John Sherwood began punching his wife using both of his fists, said Harris.

“She said ‘help me, Sharae,'” said Harris. “I just told [John Sherwood] to think about his son.”

Sherwood took a knife and cut Erica Sherwood’s throat while the couple’s son stood outside the bathroom, said Harris. With his wife gasping for air, John Sherwood then punched Harris in the face while she was still standing in the bathroom and then left the house, she added.

Erica’s body lay on the bathroom floor. “I told her to get up but she couldn’t get up,” said Harris.

Harris then grabbed the children and went to a neighbor’s house to call 911. Police arrived about 1:30 a.m.

Prosecutors showed photos of what they said is the murder weapon, a kitchen knife that had been missing its tip before it being used as a murder weapon. After it was used to kill Sherwood, the knife appeared bent, as Harris described it while identifying the blade in a photo shown to the jury by prosecutors.

The Sherwood’s son was not injured during the attack. Jon Harris, the first of three police officers on the scene, said the child had blood on his face and on his shirt.

Jon Harris, who has no relation to Sheree Harris, testified that he and two other officers entered the house with pistols drawn due to information was given to them by police dispatch that the suspect could still be inside the home. The police officer testified he saw Harris standing with small two children in her hands.

“She said ‘he killed her,'” he said.

The trial will continue at 9 a.m. Tuesday.

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