SAN ANTONIO — The accused killer's former boss took the witness stand on day five of the Andre McDonald trial, revealing new insight into the U.S. Air Force major's behavior.
Andre McDonald faces life in prison if found guilty of killing his wife, Andreen McDonald, in 2019. His trial started Monday.
His former supervisor from Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland testified Friday and described the defendant's demeanor when news broke about Andreen's disappearance.
Lieutenant Colonel Steven Chetelat served as McDonald's superior officer in the Cyber Warfare Unit at Lackland Air Force Base.
Chetelat visited McDonald at his home on March 1, 2019, the day Andreen was reported missing. He testified that he came to check on McDonald to see if he needed anything and brought McDonald some fast food. Chetelat said he wanted to make sure he was being treated fairly, focusing most of the conversation on his family's safety.
During the three-hour visit, law enforcement was present and documenting evidence as a result of a search warrant. He described McDonald as "calm and leveled" at the time.
“I found it potentially peculiar. By mirror imaging I thought I would probably be bouncing off the walls, Chetelat said.
After McDonald's arrest on March 3, Chetelat says McDonald started working from home three days a week. He also testified that McDonald never expressed a desire to help search for Andreen.
The five-month search for Andreen involved the multiple community-led efforts and organizations.
Clifton Klabunde also took the stand, recalling the moment he came across human bones in a rural field of north Bexar County.
Klabunde testified that he was on a mission to retrieve cow heads for a friend. The livestock had been dead for more than a year.
"They used them for yard decorations," Klabunde said.
With the landowner's permission, Klabunde drove his tractor out into the dense, weedy landscape off Blanco and Specht roads.
"I was originally looking for the cow head but before I found the cow's head is when I saw the remains there," Klabunde said. "The first thing I saw was a skull."
Dr. James Feig, a medical examiner with the Bexar County Medical Examiner's Office, broke down Andreen's autopsy to the court, explaining how it's difficult to pinpoint exactly how she was killed because there's only bones and no human tissue.
"The way that I have phrased her cause of death is homicidal violence, including blunt force trauma," Feig said.
Thursday's court proceedings featured testimony from law enforcement who guided the jury through evidence found in the defendant’s home, including an ax, hatchet and heavy-duty work gloves.
Four witnesses took the stand, answering questions about evidence documented at the home of Andre and Andreen McDonald after a search warrant was served on March 2, 2019.
The first day of testimony revealed a confession by the defendant. Andreen's sister and mother claimed Andre confessed over the phone to the killing on Friday.
The ongoing trial adjourned Friday afternoon and is expected to resume Monday at 9 a.m.