Jurors in Wayland teen’s murder trial to tour crime scenes

WOBURN, Mass. (MyFoxBoston.com) – The jurors in the trial of a Wayland man charged with fatally stabbing and strangling his ex-girlfriend will tour the crime scenes on Friday.

Nathaniel Fujita, 20, is charged with first-degree murder.  Prosecutors say Lauren Astley was beaten, strangled and stabbed by her ex-boyfriend. Her body was found in a marsh on July 4, 2011.

Attorney William Sullivan laid the groundwork for an insanity defense on Wednesday in Fujita's trial in Middlesex Superior Court. Sullivan told jurors Fujita took his breakup with Astley hard, became depressed and couldn't control himself or understand his actions.

The prosecutor countered that Fujita's actions were planned and deliberate, and he tried hard to cover his tracks, hiding bloody clothes, washing blood from his home and throwing Astley's body in a marsh.

Astley's co-workers say she was worried about Fujita in the hours before she was murdered. Three women who worked with Astley at a store in the Natick Mall took the witness stand Thursday. The co-workers testified that something was wrong. They said Fujita's mother confronted Astley in their store, and that on the night she was killed, Astley planned to go check up on Fujita.

Fujita has pleaded not guilty to killing Astley. Both were 18 at the time and had just graduated from high school.

Testimony resumes next Tuesday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Cox Media Group