Hutch's Jewelry murder: Roy Larry takes the stand in his defense
OAK PARK, Mich. (FOX 2) - Testimony resumed Tuesday morning in the trial of two men charged in the murder of popular Oak Park jeweler Dan ‘Hutch’ Hutchinson.
Dan's attorney, Marco Bisbikis, allegedly hired Roy Larry to commit the murder after authorities say he wrote himself into Hutchinson's will and trust. On June 1, 2022, authorities say Larry shot up Dan's SUV while he and his wife Marisa sat in the vehicle outside an Oak Park pawn shop they were preparing to open.
Both Bisbikis and Larry are on trial.
Tuesday afternoon, Larry took the stand in his own defense. He admitted to having a criminal record and that he was sentenced on drug charges in 1997 – but says he's not a killer.
He claimed it was roughly 35 years since he last saw his cousin, Darnell Larry.
"I never talked to this brother a day in my life about a murder. I never spoke to this brother…never had a conversation about what was going on," he said.
Darnell took a plea deal and said he paid his cousin, Roy, to kill Hutch and his wife, Marisa. The deal was allegedly orchestrated by Bisbikis, who authorities say paid Darnell to kill the Hutchinsons. The prosecutor said Darnell then, in turn paid Roy to do the job.
Larry testified he was at Darnell's house in Detroit in 2022 - and was making food on the grill when he left gloves at the home.
On June 1, 2022, he went to Darnell's home again to get a title for a car that he bought from his cousin the month prior. During this visit with his cousin, he said Darnell drove them to a safe deposit box to get the title. Roy asked to be dropped off near 9 Mile and Greenfield in Oak Park that day at his girlfriend's house.
Roy Larry testified he walked down the street to buy some weed when someone walked up and tried to hit him. As Roy ran from the scene, he said he was hit by a car. After being hit by the car, he said the man who hit him got out of the car and pulled a gun. He asked a mail carrier to call 911 and when police arrived they arrested him and questioned him about the shooting.
He denied ever being on a bike as authorities have claimed. Officials said Roy was riding a bike when he rode up to the Hutchinson's vehicle and fired into the car – killing Hutch.
Roy denied knowing any of the other five men charged and prosecuted in the shooting of Hutchinson. He called his cousin a compulsive liar.
He also denied being the man photographed at a Taco Bell drive-in near where Hutch was killed. He said the man in the video was heavier and had different facial hair than him.
After his defense attorney finished questioning, Roy Larry wanted to make a statement on the stand.
"If you look at that video and you can see clearly if that man on the bike never made an attempt to shoot Mr. Dan or whatever his name is, I don't mean to be disrespectful. He didn't swing that gun forward or around," Roy said. "I know I'm not the shooter. But the point is, if Darnell told me to kill these people and I know I got to kill both people, I'm going to make him to shoot me. I'm not just going to shoot him. And I know this is the plan. It don't make common sense. It don't make stupid sense."
Under cross-examination, he was asked about when he saw his family before the murder of Hutchinson. He said he went to the family BBQ to see family – some of whom he hadn't seen in 20 years.
Roy was argumentative with the prosecutor during questioning – saying he was trying to box him in on his testimony.
As questioning continued, he was asked about whether he was at a bike shop, which he denied repeatedly.
In a photo presented in court, the prosecutor claimed Roy was in Darnell Larry's car – which Darnell said was him. Roy said it wasn't him, despite confirming the clothes he was wearing that day were the same – blue jeans, black Air Force Ones, and a gray shirt.
Roy argued that his shirt was teal-green and asked the prosecution to bring in the clothes in person.
He was asked about telling police he was at Taco Bell – but Roy declined saying that.
He said he told police he met an escort named Tracy. But the prosecution said that wasn't in the police report and asked Roy to find it in his statement.
"Can we find out who this is from? I don't think this is the right case. I've never seen this report in my life," the prosecutor said.
He then directed Roy to read the police report filed that night about his involvement at Taco Bell.
Before more could be revealed, the judge sent the court to recess for the night – with orders to be back at 8:30 Wednesday morning.
In addition to Bisbikis and Roy Larry, three other men, Darnell Larry, Raptoplous, and Philip Sumpter were charged in connection with the murder.
Darnell Larry and Raptoplous both accepted plea deals and agreed to testify against Bisbikis and Roy Larry.
Hutch's Jewelry murder: ‘I would have died for Marco'
The murder-for-hire plot to kill the owner of Hutch's Jewelry was detailed in court on Monday as the man originally hired to kill Dan Hutchinson testified.
Darnell Larry took the stand on Monday and testified about his loyalty to Bisbikis.
"I told you - I would have died for Marco," he said.
Darnell Larry and Raptoplous both worked at Marco's pot farm in Grass Lake when they thought Bisbikis was in trouble, he said they had to help him.
"Marco proceeded to tell me that he was on a list and that he hated snitches and that Daniel Hutchinson was testifying against him," Darnell Larry said.
Authorities allege that Marco told them he was with the mafia and stood to be indicted along with high-ranking mafia leaders on the East Coast because Hutch and his wife, Marisa, were going to testify against them.
"These people sent $200,000 to Marco's firm - for the assassination of the Hutchinsons - the murder of the Hutchinsons," he said. "I was offered $50,000."