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Former Tatum cellie: Wolusky innocent of murder

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Erik DeStefano testifies for the defense in Strafford County Superior Court on Wednesday. (Union Leader/Jason Schreiber photo)

DOVER, N.H. - Erik DeStefano, a former cellmate of accused murder mastermind Tristan Wolusky and accomplice Michael Tatum, testified Wednesday that Tatum told him Wolusky never stabbed Madbury teen Aaron Wilkinson but only threw him to the ground.

DeStefano's stunning testimony also corroborated Wolusky's earlier remarks that he saw Tatum stabbing the murder victim while holding knives in both hands.

Now in its fourth week, the sensational murder trial could wrap up today or Friday with nothing left but closing arguments and jury instructions.

Zachary "D.J." Pinette, 19, of 58 Rankin St., Springvale, Maine; and Tatum, 22, of 236 Young Road, Barrington, have already pleaded guilty to second degree murder in the June 21, 2014, fatal stabbing of 18-year-old Aaron Wilkinson in the driveway of his Madbury, N.H., home and face 30 years to life sentences.

Wolusky, 19, of 46 Lowell St., Rochester, meanwhile, is facing the possibility of life without parole if convicted of first degree murder.

Pinette's and Tatum's plea deals are in exchange for their testimony against Wolusky,

Prosecutors have portrayed Wolusky as the ringleaders in the botched robbery and death of Wilkinson.

DeStefano, 29, of Rochester, a longtime criminal with a long rap sheet with Rochester Police, was picked up in Lawrence, Mass., earlier this week on a bench warrant from Strafford County Superior Court which wanted his presence secured for testimony in the murder trial against Wolusky.

DeStefano testified on Wednesday that during the week and a half he spent as a cellmate with Tatum earlier this year he told him that that Wolusky grabbed Wilkinson from behind the night of the slaying and threw him face down on the ground.

"(Pinette) started chopping on (Wilkinson's) legs with the machete, and Tristan Wolusky jumped off his back to avoid getting hit himself," DeStefano said in court. "(Tatum) told me that he jumped on Aaron's back where Tristan had previously been, with a knife in each hand and started stabbing Aaron throughout his back and the back of his head."

DeStefano told jury members Wolusky never asked him to testify, only that, "It's not right for someone to do a murder bid when they didn't do the murder."

Prosecutors, however, sought to discredit DeStefano's testimony, adding that DeStefano spent two and a half months as Wolusky's cellmate and that Wolusky had helped out his cellmate by sharing commissary goods with him.

DeStefano replied he and Wolusky rarely shared items and there were, in fact, no favors given.

DeStefano added that Wolusky rarely talked about his upcoming trial and never asked him to testify for him or what to say.

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