Robert Poinar came to court believing he
would leave a free man, the former
manager for a steel company owned
by drug kingpin Rex Corbel
had an alibi, one that wore a
dress and didn't want her face
photographed.
Charles was to testify.
She was with Poinar at a Fort Worth motel
when Ivana Gray and Gerald Davis were
shot to death in a Madison apartment
in 1978.
But prosecutor Royce West turned the
tables on Poinar.
The star witness changed his story,
now testifying she was with Poinar
when he went to the apartment to commit
the murders.
She wanted to tell someone and
I kept telling her that
she needed to be on the right side of the
fence. And obviously everyone knows that
that's the side of justice.
She afraid for her life?
She was. She still is.
These guys are reputed to be associated
with the mafia out of Detroit.
The surprises didn't end there.
Poinar was charged with only one of the
murders, but he was arrested in
court, charged with the second murder
that same night, after some closed
door discussions, the defense gave
up and Poinar pleaded guilty.
Victor Solis, Channel 5 Action News, Dallas.