Jury Still Deliberating In Joseph Thomas Murder Trial

The jury who will decide the fate of Joseph Thomas enters its second day of deliberations today.

Thomas, 28, is accused of murdering Mentor woman Annie McSween.

McSween, 49, was tending bar at Mario's Lakeway Lounge in Mentor-on-the-Lake on Nov. 26, 2010 and closed the bar by herself.

But she did not make it home that night. Instead, her body was found in a wooded area behind a house that is next door to the bar. She had been beaten and stabbed repeatedly, according to the medical examiner.

Thomas, who was at the bar that night, was arrested and charged with her death after authorities found McSween's burnt clothes in a barrel behind the Mentor-on-the-Lake home where he lived at the time of the murder.

Thomas' defense attorneys argued that, because the clothes were not discovered until April 2011, they could have been left there by the actual murderer after Thomas moved out.

Thomas was indicted on charges of aggravated murder, rape, tampering with evidence, aggravated robbery and kidnapping. He faces a total of 11 felony charges.

The jury's deliberations follow almost two weeks of witnesses and more than a week of jury selection.

The jury was not sequestered during the trial but is being sequestered during deliberations.

If the jury does find Thomas guilty of aggravated murder, there will be an additional hearing to decide if Thomas should receive the death penalty.

More trial coverage:

Jury Begins Hearing Evidence in Joseph Thomas Murder Trial

Prosecutor: Clothes of Murder Victim Annie McSween Found in Suspect's Backyard

Patrons of Mario's Lakeway Lounge Testify About the Night Annie McSween was Murdered

Suspect's Neighbor Recalls Burn Barrel Incident Hours After Annie McSween Was Murdered

Jury Sees Police Interviews Of Murder Suspect Joseph Thomas

Ex-Girlfriends Of Suspect Testify At Trial

Defense Presents Its Witnesses At Joseph Thomas Trial