Shawnee County Jail inmate Tremale M. Serrano wrote his sister a letter asking for help after he was charged with the October 2023 homicide of Jackson E. "Jack" Danner at Danner's home in Topeka, a prosecutor told jurors.

Serrano, 30, asked his sister to tell two women who witnessed the killing to either not show up to court, say they didn't remember what happened or say police "got the wrong guy" and someone else must have killed Danner, Shawnee County deputy district attorney Brandon Farnham said April 1 in opening statements at Serrano's trial.

Authorities intercepted Serrano's letter, which will be among evidence presented at that trial, Farnham said.

"His DNA's on that letter," he said.

Jail generally doesn't interrupt inmate mail

Video from a security camera system Danner had at his home will also be among evidence introduced, Farnham said.

The Shawnee County Department of Corrections generally doesn't interrupt inmates' mail to or from friends and family, said Tim Phelps, spokesman for that department.

"If we have specific information about an inmate engaging in, or planning to engage in, some criminal activity, we will interrupt their mail — in and out — to ensure the safety and security of the facility and interrupt criminal activity," Phelps said.

Serrano's brother is set to testify against him

Serrano's attorney, KiAnn Caprice, opted to not make an opening statement for the time being after Farnham delivered opening arguments for the prosecution at Serrano's trial, which began with jury selection on March 31.

Serrano faces charges of one count each of intentional second-degree murder and intentional and premeditated first-degree murder in the Oct. 15, 2023, killing of Danner, 23, who was fatally shot in the front yard of the house he owned in the 1600 block of S.W. 21st.

"The investigation revealed that Danner had been pushed from the residence into the yard where he was subsequently shot and killed," District Attorney Mike Kagay said in October 2023.

Serrano's brother, 33-year-old Aaron A. Serrano, pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter last May as part of a deal in which he agreed to testify against Tremale Serrano, court records show.

Danner learned about a week before his death that his father had cancer

The first witness to testify at Tremale Serrano's trial was Brett Danner, Jack Danner's father, who recalled revealing he had been diagnosed with cancer to Jack Danner about a week before his son was killed.

Jack Danner was "very upset" about that, Brett Danner said.

Jack Danner, a graduate of Holton High School, lived alone and worked as a roofer for Midwest Coating Inc., Brett Danner said.

Aaron Serrano had formerly worked for Midwest Coating, he said.

Here's what jurors are expected to hear

Words were exchanged before order was restored

More than 20 people watched opening arguments from the courtroom gallery.

As spectators left during a mid-morning break, words were exchanged between people sitting on the side of the gallery intended for supporters of the defendant and on the side intended for supporters of the prosecution.

Tremale Serrano called out, "That's my mom you're talking to."

Presiding Judge Bill Ossmann then restored order.

Contact Tim Hrenchir at [email protected] or 785-213-5934.