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Jury Selection To Begin In Blake Janitor's Murder Trial

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By TOM BRENNAN | The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 16, 2009

Updated: 02/16/2009 10:46 am

TAMPA - Jury selection began this morning in the murder trial of a former Blake High School janitor accused of beating his ex-girlfriend to death.

Stanley "Larry" Telfare, 48, is charged with killing Elalia Walker, 40, a night-school secretary at the school. Authorities said he kidnapped Walker after a junior varsity football game Oct. 11, 2007.

Authorities claim Telfare was upset when Walker decided to reconcile with her husband.

Walker had obtained a temporary restraining order against Telfare in April 2007, but a judge refused to make it permanent, citing a lack of evidence. The judge warned the two to avoid each other. The school also gave Telfare oral and written instructions to have nothing to do with Walker.

Despite the warnings, authorities said Telfare was seen spying on Walker and entering her office when she wasn't there.

Witnesses told police they saw Telfare follow Walker into a school garage. One witness later told police he saw a man matching Telfare's description strike a woman and throw her into a minivan.

Another witness told police he saw a woman jump or be pushed from a similar van minutes later. He said a man got out of the van, picked up the woman, threw her on his shoulder and put her back in the van.

Blood found on the ground was matched to Walker.

According to authorities, Telfare drove the van to Walker's home and told her sister that Walker had jumped out of the van but didn't tell her Walker was still in the van and had massive head injuries.

Only when the family decided to look for Walker did they discover her in the van, authorities said.

Walker was taken to Tampa General Hospital but died a week later.

Reporter Tom Brennan can be reached at (813) 259-7698.

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