Witnesses: Former Webb City principal over $300,000 in debt, sorry he had to kill Jan Tyrrell

Witnesses in a bond hearing today for former Webb City High School Principal Mark Porter testified that Porter, who is charged with first degree murder in connection with the April 30 deaths of Gary and Jan Tyrrell, was more than $300,000 in debt and told a jailhouse snitch that he was sorry he had to kill Mrs. Tyrrell:

The prosecution then called an inmate witness, Travis Howard, 33, who told the judge he has spent time with Porter in the medical unit of the Greene County jail.

Howard says Porter claimed a medication he takes for restless leg syndrome makes him violent. He says Porter also said he wished he wouldn’t have had to kill Jan Tyrrell.

Prosecutors shared documents pertaining to Porter’s finances, showing he was about $320,000 in debt and a letter showing he had requested to borrow money from the Tyrrells. Prosecutors claim Porter’s wife didn’t know about the debt.

The detective testified that evidence in the case shows Porter had lost about $40,000 at Hollywood Casino in St. Louis, was involved in online gambling, and had recently sold a motorcycle and turned in a Lexus he was leasing.

The judge denied bond