During the cross-examination by defense attorney Alex Spiro, crime scene technician Marissa Poppell from the Santa Fe Sheriff’s Department provided crucial insights into the evidence collected from various locations related to the “Rust” shooting.
Spiro focused his line of questioning on the contents of a truck used to store props for the production. Poppell testified that although live rounds were found in other areas on set, no live ammunition was discovered in the prop truck during her search a week after the shooting. She explained that the delay in searching the truck was due to the time needed to obtain a search warrant.
Describing the truck as disorganized, Poppell noted that most boxes of ammunition appeared similar, except for one box with a hand-written label by Seth Kenney, the owner of a prop company. Poppell also mentioned searching a warehouse in Albuquerque linked to Kenney’s company.
Kenney reportedly assisted in the search of the truck and opened a safe containing numerous firearms, leading Poppell to believe he owned the safe. This revelation raises questions about the handling and ownership of the firearms found in the truck.
Notably, “Rust” armorer Hannah Gutierrez Reed filed a lawsuit against Kenney’s company, PDQ Arm and Prop, LLC, alleging that Kenney sold her dummy ammunition mixed with live rounds. This lawsuit adds another layer of complexity to the ongoing investigation into the circumstances surrounding the tragic shooting on the “Rust” set.
