Hardin County Detective Testifies as McCafferty Trial Continues

Andrew McCafferty’s trial continued through the afternoon in Hardin County.

The lead investigator in the case, Detective Aric LaRue from the Hardin County Sheriff’s Office, was on the stand for the afternoon portion of Wednesday’s trial.

Video of the interview with McCafferty conducted by Detective LaRue during the early morning hours of October 1, 2025, was played for the jury.

In the recording, McCafferty described his version of the events leading up to the stabbing.

He said he went to bed after eating dinner, and when he woke up, his girlfriend and her two foster daughters were not in the house.

He said he called her and was told they were out with James, the victim in the case.

He said he told her not to come home right away because he was going to pack his things and leave.

McCafferty said he could hear Collins in the background saying things that “didn’t sound good.”

Shortly after that, McCafferty said she texted him and told him she would be home in around 15 minutes.

McCafferty said in the interview video that he took a knife out with him because he was afraid.

Later in the video, McCafferty said he made around 15 trips from the house to his car while packing.

McCafferty then said they arrived, Collins got out of the vehicle and came at him “cussing and screaming.” He said Collins grabbed him and tore his shirt.

Fearing for his life, he said he stabbed Collins but didn’t know how many times.

At one point, Detective LaRue informed McCafferty that Collins did not survive the stabbing, causing him to become despondent.

He began crying in the video and Detective LaRue left the room to allow him some privacy.

While watching the video from the defense table, McCafferty began to cry uncontrollably, causing Judge Steve Christopher to call for a break.

When the video resumed, Detective LaRue asked McCafferty why he threw the knife away.

McCafferty answered that it was because he just got scared.

He said there was no other reason other than he panicked.

On the witness stand, Detective LaRue said he learned from McCafferty’s co-worker about a cell phone that Collins picked up at the scene of the crime.

The co-worker said McCafferty threw it in a creek in Mt. Victory.

It was found in the creek behind McCafferty’s father’s house, where he went after the stabbing.

McCafferty is said to have told his co-worker he picked it up thinking it was his, and when he found out it wasn’t, he threw it away.

Detective LaRue was able to reconstruct the phone, and while it didn’t have any information on it relevant to the investigation, a bag containing a crystal substance that tested positive for methamphetamine was found in the case.

Prosecutor Brad Bailey asked LaRue who the last person in possession of the phone was, and he answered McCafferty.

On cross, Defense Attorney Joel Spitzer asked Det. LaRue about the toxicology report on Collins. He said it showed elevated levels of methamphetamine, alcohol and two prescribed medications in Collins’ system.

When asked if meth can make someone act crazy, LaRue said yes.

Spitzer also got the detective to agree that McCafferty has been very cooperative throughout the process and most of the information he has provided has been corroborated by other individuals.

Prosecutor Bailey is expected to rest his case first thing Thursday morning.

Spitzer will then get the case, and he expects to call up to three witnesses.

He has not decided at this time if one of those witnesses could be his client.

It is possible closing arguments could come Thursday afternoon, and the case could then go to the jury.