Day four of Nicholas Harder murder trial — defense witness says he heard a struggle over phone

YUMA, (ARIZ)-Day four of the Nicholas Harder murder trial continued today as the defense called a witness to the stand to describe what he heard over a phone call.

Jesse Adams, a friend of 40-year-old defendant Nicholas Harder, took the stand and told jurors he was on the phone with Harder when he heard what sounded like a fight.

“You can tell that they were wrestling or fighting and that the other guy clearly was attacking him,” Adams said.

Adams described noises he heard during the roughly 15-minute call: “They knocked over chairs. The table. It sounded like they were fighting in the kitchen. You could tell there was a struggle going on.”

Under questioning from the state, Adams was asked about his ability to observe the incident from Nebraska. When asked whether he could see what was happening, Adams replied, “I can't see through the phone, no,” and when asked if he knew who, if anyone, attacked the defendant, he said, “I know there was a struggle and that Nick was attacked.”

Harder is charged with first-degree murder and four counts of aggravated assault. He is accused of killing 57-year-old Anthony Jordinelli in May 2023. It is not clear whether the phone call Adams described occurred the night Jordinelli was murdered.

The trial is scheduled to resume next Tuesday, when Harder is expected to testify.