SBI Agent Chad Royal Testifies in Trial About Shaniya Davis' Body Being Found

Tuesday morning in Courtroom 4A, another week of testimonies continue from forensic technicians, and witnesses in the U.S. vs. Mario McNeill trial. At the end of the trial McNeill could face the death penalty for seven charges that include: first-degree murder, first-degree rape of a child, and human trafficking.

"She was laying partially on her right side, her feet were extended to an area where there was a body of water, her left arm was bent towards her head and her right arm was under her body. Her legs were partially in the water and she was wearing a dark colored shirt and pink striped underwear," said State Bureau of Investigation Agent Chad Royal of what he saw when found 5-year-old Shaniya Davis back in November 2009.

In the recovery video, prosecutor Rita Cox referred to dark colored trash bags that appeared in the video, but Agent Royal did not open all of them, he said he knew that some deer carcasses were inside from what he could see. Cox questioned Royal about when he started the video.

"I started the video on the road and road shoulder," said Royal.

Using the laser pointer, Royal pointed where the body was and the area that he videotaped surrounding the area the body of the child was found.

Inside the courtroom McNeill, wearing a royal blue collared shirt was writing with a pen on a legal pad, occasionally glanced up to watch the video.

McNeill's mother sat in the front left side of the courtroom reading 'The Daily Bread' morning devotional during the testimony and questioning.

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