Travis Pace, father of Jasmine Pace
A woman who on Nov. 23, 2022, lived directly below Jason Chen's apartment testified Saturday that she was awakened by a "distressed, emphatic" woman's loud scream.
Courtney Brewer said it startled her so much that she thought she should call 911. However, she said the commotion settled down and she never sought help for the woman - 22-year-old Jasmine Pace.
Chen is standing trial for a murder in which the victim was stabbed 60 times and had her shackled body stuffed in a suitcase and dropped off by the river.
Ms. Brewer, who said she and her husband resided in Apt. 110 directly below Chen's 210, said after the scream there were some loud words from the female that she couldn't make out.
Then, she said, there were footsteps heading toward the front door of the 500-square-foot "shotgun" apartment.
Ms. Brewer told the Nashville jury, "I thought maybe I had heard the end of a fight. I only heard one voice." She said the female voice was talking "loudly, very emotionally."
The witness said she looked over at her alarm clock and saw the time of the scream was at 2:11 a.m. District Attorney Coty Wamp noted that was seven minutes from when Ms. Pace sent a "pin drop" giving her location to the phone of her mother, Catrina Pace Beene. Ms. Beene said she did not notice the pin drop until several days later.
Another neighbor on the same floor as Chen told at an earlier hearing of hearing a woman's scream around that time period. He, also, did not call police.
Ms. Brewer said her husband went back to sleep, but she remained awake and heard the television come on in the Chen apartment. She also heard the washing machine and the garbage disposal both activated.
She said, "I assumed it was an argument, so I did not call police. Everything had calmed down. I though it was just normal apartment arguing."
Ms. Brewer said The Lofts at Tremont have very thin walls and floors and it's easy to hear what goes on in your neighbors' apartments.
Attorney Josh Weiss commented, "They're John Wise apartments."
The state announced at the start of court that it had closed out its proof in chief.
Attorney Weiss asked for a judgment of acquittal on the first-degree murder charge, but that was denied by Judge Boyd Patterson. The attorney said there was no evidence of motive for the savage killing and no evidence of any pre-meditation.
Attorney Weiss at the start of the trial told the jury that on that early morning Ms. Pace picked up Chen's cellphone, noted he was in touch with other women, and became enraged. He said Ms. Pace went after Chen with a wine bottle and he responded by killing her with what the medical examiner said was a butcher knife.
Judge Patterson cited the exceedingly large number of wounds and of her "confinement prior to death." Medical Examiner Dr. Steven Cogswell said he believes that Ms. Pace was tied in a fetal position with a set of handcuffs and shackles when Chen was stabbing her repeatedly.
The judge said, "The multiple stab wounds are indicative of intent. So many stab wounds can be indicative of pre-meditation."
After the neighbor, the defense called Travis Pace, the victim's father who seemed shocked that he would be a defense witness. DA Wamp said the state had subpoenaed Travis Pace, but decided not to call him. She said there had been no indication that the defense would summon him.
Mr. Pace said he was in downtown Chattanooga for Friendsgiving when he received a call from his other daughter, Gabby, who told him, "Dad, Jasmine's missing, and I think it's really serious. We need your help."
The witness, who has a military background, said he was told that Jasmine might be at Chen's apartment and Chen was a leading suspect. She had been missing several days.
He said he told the group of family members involved in the search at 110 Tremont, "Let's get in this building." He said he went around back, found an unlocked door, then let the others in.
Mr. Pace said, though it was late hours, "We began knocking and being loudly obnoxious at every door. But we couldn't get anybody to come out."
He said they were advised by a resident that Chen apparently lived on the second floor. He said they then encountered the second floor neighbor who had heard a scream and were directed to Chen's unit.
Mr. Pace said he proceeded to break the door lock and get inside. He said he had his pistol cocked as he went from room to room by himself, making sure no one was there.
The witness said he then looked inside the drawer of Chen's computer desk near the front door and found Jasmine's driver's license and various credit and insurance cards. He said he spread those out on the top of the desk.
Mr. Pace said he called 911 as soon as he found Jasmine's belongings, and three officers came. But he said the family got no help and continued to take the search in their own hands. He said, "We went back inside immediately as soon as they left."
In his 911 call, he said, "There has been a kidnapping and possible sex trafficking of my daughter."
Mr. Pace said he had heard a little about Chen and knew that Jasmine had taken a trip with him to Chicago.
The trial continues on Monday at 9:30 a.m. at the City-County Courts Building.