The Hamilton County court system has not given Jason Chen, the man accused of brutally murdering 22-year-old Jasmine Pace, a grand jury court hearing yet.
A judge ruled Thursday that there was enough evidence to send the case over for a potential indictment.
Chen is charged with first-degree murder. Police accuse him of stabbing Pace 60 times before putting her body in a trash bag and a suitcase and leaving her in vegetation near Suck Creek.
Prosecutors laid out piece of evidence after piece of evidence against Chen, trying to prove to a judge that there is enough evidence against him for them to pursuit their case.
But a revelation in court Thursday could lead to major problems for them at a potential trial, according to legal experts.
Investigator Zach Crawford of the Chattanooga Police Department testified that Pace's family had entered Chen's apartment, where prosecutors say Pace was murdered, before she was reported missing and before an official search warrant was executed.
"If there's an issue, then I'm certainly going to raise it," said Stephen Hatchett, a criminal defense attorney with no affiliation with the case. "A crime scene is only good if it is done the way it is supposed to be done. So, if it's not done the way it's supposed to be done, then you're going to have issues."
Chen's attorney, Josh Weiss, pressed Crawford on the issue Thursday. He even attempted to call Pace's mother, Catrina, to the testify on her actions before a judge ruled the testimony would not be relevant.
"Some items were seized by Catrina Pace and others prior to the search warrants and some items were seized as a result of the search warrant, is that correct?" Weiss asked of Crawford, who answered affirmatively during Thursday's preliminary hearing.
Crawford later testified that the Pace family eventually turned over several items they took from Chen's apartment, including Pace's identification cards and more of her personal belongings. They also took bank records belonging to Chen, according to Crawford.
Prosecutors laid out several pieces of physical evidence during the hearing, including chemical reactions to blood residue and blood stains on carpet in Chen's apartment.
"Anytime you're dealing with a crime scene and crime scene evidence, that's usually the most powerful thing in a case, either way," said Hatchett.
Prosecutors introduced other pieces of evidence, including security camera video of Chen leaving his apartment with what appears to be a suitcase just before investigators said they can put him at the location where Pace's body was later found inside of a suitcase.
They also presented security camera video of Chen in nearby stores, where Crawford testified Chen bought cleaning supplies and asparagus.
"He did not scan the items at the self checkout aisle, which is captured on video," Crawford testified. "He rang them up as asparagus and those items were further band-aids and peroxide."
Judge Larry Ables did not change Chen's $5 million bond. He could be indicted on those charges as quickly as next month.
