Jurors at the murder trial of Darius Armadore and Gerjuan Tyus heard more testimony Tuesday about a Dec. 3, 2006, drive-by shooting than they did about the Dec. 23, 2006, shooting death of Todd "T-Rek" Thomas.

The prosecution focused on the drive-by shooting, a case within the murder case, as they called witnesses on the second day of the trial in Superior Court in Norwich.

Armadore, 34, and Tyus, 35, are accused of conspiring to kill Thomas, 30, who was fatally shot two days before Christmas when he stepped outside of Ernie's Cafe about midnight to smoke a cigarette.

The jury had learned some details of the murder case as the trial got underway Monday with testimony from first responders and crime scene investigators. 

The focus shifted Tuesday as prosecutors Paul J. Narducci and David J. Smith, with help from Inspector Timothy Pitkin, elicited testimony about the drive-by shooting in front of 24 Willetts Ave. — an incident in which Thomas allegedly shot Tyus.

New London Police Sgt. Matthew Galante, then a patrolman, testified there were two different calibers of shell casings found at the Willetts Avenue crime scene, an indication that more than one weapon was fired.

Detective Richard Curcuro told the jury about his interview with Tyus — who suffered gunshot wounds to the upper thigh and upper back — in the emergency room at Lawrence + Memorial Hospital.

Tyus provided a sworn statement to Curcuro indicating he was in front of his home when he felt a stinging sensation and realized he'd been shot.

"I don't know who shot me, and I'm not having any problem with anyone," Tyus said in the statement.

The jury saw photographs of Tyus in his hospital gown and close-ups of his injuries. Curcuro explained Tyus sustained "through and through" gunshot wounds — in which the bullets entered the body in one place and exited in another — that medical staff characterized as not life-threatening.

Tyus arrived at the hospital in a blue Range Rover, which police noticed had blood in the front passenger seat.

Curcuro, who is expected to testify again as the trial continues, told the jury he questioned people who had come to the hospital to be with Tyus.

He patted down one of Tyus' visitors due to the violent nature of the case, Curcuro testified, and noted in a report that the man, Rashard Johnson, was carrying a large necklace with a medallion of Jesus Christ.

A necklace fitting that description would later become a key piece of evidence in the murder case.

According to court documents, Thomas and Tyus were feuding because Tyus had two gold necklaces, including one with a heavy medallion depicting Jesus, that belonged to Thomas' brother, John "John John" Thomas.

Curcuro testified that Armadore also was at the hospital that day.

"He said he didn't know anything about the shooting, but he was there on behalf of Mr. Tyus, checking on his well-being," Curcuro said.

The state alleges that three weeks later, Armadore, working in conspiracy with Tyus, fired the shot that killed Thomas.

Curcuro testified that he seized Tyus' clothing from the hospital and his belongings, which included two cellphones and more than $3,100 in cash, which was later returned to Tyus. 

Thomas was reportedly with another man in a white Lexus registered to his wife when he allegedly took part in the drive-by shooting on Willetts Avenue.

New London police put out a "BOLO," or "be on the lookout," alert about the car to other police departments, and Waterford police notified them the next day that they had found the Lexus in the parking lot of a condominium complex on Sunset Street, about three quarters of a mile away from Willetts Avenue, Curcuro testified.

Two residents of the condominium complex, Daniel Mullins and Lisa Villano, testified that they saw a man drive the Lexus into their private parking lot, back it into a space and walk away. 

Villano, who called Waterford police when the car remained there a day later, testified that she saw the Lexus' occupant walk out of the parking lot carrying a duffel bag and get into a blue car. Villano said she took down the license plate of the blue car "because I thought it was strange."

Also on the witness stand Tuesday was Daniel Tramontozzi from the state forensic laboratory, who extracted information from the two cellphones seized from Tyus at the hospital.

One of the cellphones contained five pictures, including one of something that appeared to be a large medallion and another that appeared to be a pile of cash.

The trial resumes on Wednesday.

k.florin@theday.com

Twitter: @KFLORIN