No witness testimony for Alshaman trial in observance of Juneteenth; court will be back in session come Monday, June 22

UTICA- Witness testimony for the trial of Aaron Alshaman paused Friday in observance of Juneteenth.

With court due back in session come Monday, June 22, the former Oneida County Sheriff’s Deputy stands accused of setting the home of his infant son’s mother’s folks’ home ablaze during the spring of 2025.

The prosecution wants Alshaman pinned for attempted murder, though his defense team argues that police investigators did not fully execute their investigative work and simply picked “one person.”

The mother of Alshaman’s son, Jennifer Gudnaya, who also is the Secretary to the Oneida County Sheriff, took the witness stand again on Thursday and continued taking the jury through text messages exchanged between her and Alshaman.

These developments are according to the latest from WKTV. For context, the two engaged in a brief relationship that began in the fall of 2023 and fizzled out come winter of 2024.

Jennifer gave birth to her son two-months prematurely that August and a paternity test confirmed Alshaman as the father. In court on Thursday, Jennifer described text messages suggesting how Alshaman was allegedly complaining about his bills, smaller than expected work checks and the impact any child support would have on his life.

There was a specific context pointed out by the prosecution, claiming how Alshaman had said how he felt that he had no say in the situation and that he felt trapped.

Neighboring surveillance footage was also examined for the jury and during a cross examination by the defense, Jennifer admitted how she could not identify the figure shown in said footage the night her parents’ home was set ablaze.

The figure appears to walk up to the back porch, with a gas can in hand, before walking away. However, under redirect with the prosecution, Jennifer clarified it is because she could not see the figure’s face.

A Utica City Police Investigator also took the witness stand Thursday and confirmed the presence of an Oneida County Sheriff’s Patrol Vehicle, which was captured on surveillance footage near Jennifer’s parents’ home the same morning around the time of the fire.

The trial continues again on Monday.

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