Minneapolis cold case murder trial: Opening statements, victim's mom testifies

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Opening statements in the trial of a man charged in a 1993 murder in Minneapolis wrapped up Tuesday morning, with the victim's mom expected to be called as the first witness. 

Jerry Westrom, an Isanti hockey dad and businessman, is charged with first-degree murder in the slaying of Jeanne "Jeanie" Childs, who was stabbed to death inside an upper-floor apartment of Horn Towers on Pillsbury Avenue in South Minneapolis in June 1993.

Westrom was arrested 25 years after Childs, a known sex worker, was found dead in her apartment. 

Jeanne Childs was found stabbed to death at a bloody crime scene inside an apartment at Horn Towers off Pillsbury Avenue in south Minneapolis.

Prosecutors say DNA evidence at the crime scene matched DNA investigators swabbed from a napkin Westrom used and discarded at a hockey game. The state reiterated this point during opening statements on Tuesday. 

However, defense attorneys for Westrom countered prosecutors' argument, saying authorities have the wrong man and other evidence points to a man Childs was living with at the time of her death. That man has since died. 

Westrom's trial began last week with jury selection. The final jurors on the 15-member jury were seated on Monday.