A 15-year-old witness testified in court that reporting murder suspect Robert Matthews to the police was the safest way to end her relationship with him. The teen, identified only as A.B., spoke during Matthews' trial on Thursday. She agreed with defense attorney Rebecca Snukal that her decision to testify against Matthews was a necessary step to distance herself from him.

"It wasn’t my only option, it was the safe option," A.B. stated when discussing her police statement regarding Matthews' alleged confession about the murder of Jordan Jacques-Vetten, a homeless man. Matthews, 27, faces a charge of second-degree murder in connection with the fatal shooting that occurred on September 9, 2023. The prosecution claims Matthews attempted to rob Jacques-Vetten of his backpack, leading to the shooting.

Jacques-Vetten, 33, was shot once in the chest and died on the porch of a residence in the Capitol Hill neighborhood. His brightly colored backpack remained on his shoulders after the incident.

During her testimony, A.B. recounted that Matthews confessed to her about the shooting. "He told me he shot Jacques-Vetten once, in the chest," she said. A.B. expressed that her testimony has helped her escape an abusive relationship with Matthews. When asked if she believed Matthews would be incarcerated for a long time, she replied, "That’s my hope."

Snukal further questioned A.B. about a police body camera video that captured her and two friends after they reported a threatening text from Matthews. The emergency call was made on September 11, 2023, shortly before Matthews was located and arrested following a 26-minute police pursuit.

In the video, A.B. and her friends reacted with excitement when informed that police were following Matthews' vehicle. "Because I was happy," A.B. explained when asked about a high-five she shared with a friend during the interview.

The trial continues as the court examines the evidence and testimonies surrounding the case.