LIMA, Ohio (WLIO) – The trial resumed Wednesday for a man accused of killing a female roommate in 2024.
This is day three in the trial of Gervens Justilien, 33, who is facing murder, rape, and other charges in the death of 26-year-old Chrislande Auguste. Both were living in the same home on Makley Drive with others originally from Haiti.
Auguste’s boyfriend, who was also living in the home, testified that he received a call on March 10 from another roommate while visiting his brother in Michigan. He was told to check on Auguste. While driving back to Lima, he called 911. When he returned home, he learned that Auguste had been killed.
Prosecutors also called Lucas County Coroner Dr. Thomas Blomquist to the stand to describe what he found during Auguste’s autopsy and how the evidence determined her cause of death.
“Strangulation with blunt force injuries. The manner of death in this case is homicide, which is to say a death that was inflicted, or the injuries were inflicted by another person,” said Blomquist.
During the investigation, Allen County Sheriff’s detectives named Justilien as a suspect, but he left the area following the crime. He was arrested days later by U.S. Marshals in Rhode Island. The trial will resume on Monday.
