When Martin Duram, 45, was found dead from five gunshot wounds, his wife, Glenna, 46, was by his side clinging to life with a bullet to the head.
There were no witnesses to the shooting, apart from their African grey parrot, Bud.
Believed to have started as a fight over gambling debts, it looked like Glenna had pulled a gun on her husband before shooting herself. But a year after the shooting, Glenna had recovered and still hadn’t been charged with murder.
Meanwhile Bud, who had been taken in by Martin’s ex-wife Christina Keller, started repeating what sounded like an argument between two people. He even used different male and female voices. But it was the phrase ‘Don’t f***ing shoot’ in a man’s voice that had Christina alarmed.
‘I believe with all my heart that those are the last words of Marty,’ Christina told Fox News.
Martin’s parents, Lillian and Charles, agreed, filming the bird and pleading with police to take the evidence seriously. ‘That bird picks up everything and anything,’ Lillian told Wood-TV. ‘I personally think (Bud) was there, and he remembers it,’ Charles added. Glenna insisted she couldn’t remember events leading up to the shooting but was adamant she didn’t kill her husband.
After spending months recovering in hospital, Glenna was finally arrested and faced court for first-degree murder. The prosecutor even talked about bringing the parrot into the court as a witness, but Bud wasn’t summoned to give evidence.
In July, Glenna Duram was found guilty and was later sentenced to life in prison.Meanwhile, Bud the parrot is doing well and still swears like a trooper. ‘It’s got the filthiest mouth around,’ Lillian said.
For more, pick up this week’s copy of that’s life! – on sale now.
Related stories
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
