the prosecution was john mcdonough. wearing casual sweaters and sweater vest. >> he was very good at presenting himself as kind of the all-american guy. it was very bizarre because we would go into chambers. he would talk out loud like he was one of the guys. you're on trial for murdering your wife and none of this seemed to affect him one bit. >> as the prosecutor began his case, his opening witnesses focused on april 26, 2010, the day venus vanished. the state trooper first on the scene testified that he believed he was looking at the crime as soon as he talked to venus' parents. >> i pulled in the driveway and was met by a female who was hysterical and crying. >> what did you do next? >> she told me that he took her. he took her. >> early on, mcdonough wanted the jury to meet venus' parents, to see them as the stable, decent and loving people they were. venus was not some kind of wild child bad mother. >> was it odd that your daughter would've left her children alone? >> it was something that would not happen. >> aft