T-L Photos/GAGE VOTA Sandton Browder, 23, appears in Belmont County Eastern Division Court for preliminary hearing after the alleged murder of 24-year-old Jordan Dean of North Carolina in Bellaire.

ST. CLAIRSVILLE — “I did this for you.” That is what Bellaire Police Officer Jake Lennox told Belmont County Eastern Division Judge David Trouten he heard 23-year-old Sandton Browder tell the homeowner when he arrived on the scene at 631 44th Street in Bellaire last week.

Browder allegedly shot and killed 24-year-old Jordan Dean of North Carolina at the home on Jan. 15.

On Thursday afternoon, the Virginia native appeared in court for a preliminary hearing which saw four witnesses testify with Lennox, Belmont County 9-1-1 Director Bryan Minder, Belmont County Detective Dustin Hilderbrand and Belmont County Coroner Investigator Kenneth Brooks all taking the stand on Thursday to recall the events after the shooting.

Belmont County Prosecutor Kevin Flanagan asked Minder to confirm the authenticity of the 9-1-1 call. Minder replied that he was not the one who answered the 9-1-1 call but confirmed the authenticity after it was played in court.

Lennox then described what he saw when he arrived on the scene.

“I arrived on the scene. I saw a black male that was outside, and the white female that was outside. The black male was identified as Sandton Browder,” Lennox said. “When I got there, he was outside on the ground on his knees with his hands behind his head.”

Browder’s public defender Aaron Miller asked Lennox to clarify who he believes Browder was talking to when he said “I did this for you.” Lennox said he believed that Browder was speaking to the woman who called 9-1-1 after the shots were fired.

Miller then asked Lennox if he had any contact with the homeowner, he replied that he only asked for consent to search the house which she gave.

Once Lennox searched the home, he found Dean at the floor of the master bedroom with his legs and feet going into the hall.

Miller asked Lennox if there was any indication of a struggle. Lennoz testified that there was not.

Hilderbrand’s testimony began by informing the court that he is normally a drug detective but was nearby so came to assist.

Flanagan showed Hilderbrand several photographs from the crime scene and asked him to confirm what was occurring in each picture.

“When I made entry into the living room, I went into what would be considered a dining room area, and then a right up the stairs where I observed the deceased individual and a gun laying to his right,” Hilderbrand said. “At that point in time, I told detective Tristan Thomas to secure the scene and make sure that nobody touched anything.”

Flanagan asked him to clarify why he did that to which Hilderbrand replied that it was clear that a crime had taken place.

“It was apparent that the male was deceased and at that point in time it was a crime scene,” he said.

Flanagan asked Hilderbrand what else he noticed upon entering the second floor. The detective said that he observed a wound to the bottom of the victim’s neck, and that firearm was unloaded.

Brooks testified last and confirmed that Dean had four entry wounds and three exit wounds to his body. He said that the four entry wounds were the left upper shoulder, right lower back and two located in the posterior right arm.

Trouten decided that the court had heard enough evidence and that the state had met its burden of proof.

“This matter will be bound over to the Court of Common Pleas from the grand jury for the proceedings,” Trouten said before adjourning the meeting.