Witness in Ritchie murder trial: "I did lie; I was on drugs"

TAMPA, Fla. (FOX 13) - The state's key witness was back on the stand Tuesday for a second day in the murder trial of Granville Ritchie. But the defense is hoping to paint Eboni Wiley as a serial liar.

To prosecutors, Wiley is the star witness who can point the finger at Ritchie for the murder of 9-year-old Felecia Williams.

"I know I left her with him. ‘You sure you didn't do anything to her?’ and he said, ‘No, no, no,’” recalled Wiley. 

To the defense, Wiley is a serial liar who cannot be trusted.  This morning, during an aggressive cross-examination, Richie’s attorney tried to untangle her web of lies. 

"Yes, I continued to lie. Yes, I did," said a frustrated Wiley.  

On the day on the murder, Felecia Williams asked her mother for permission to spend the day with Wiley, who was a close family friend.  

Wiley said she and Granville Ritchie picked Felecia up from her home and grabbed a bite to eat. Then they headed to Ritchie’s apartment in Temple Terrace. 

Wiley says Ritchie asked her to go get drugs, leaving Felecia alone with Richie. When she returned, Felecia was gone and Richie appeared nervous.  

Wiley says the two had sex then came up with a story to tell police. 

"Yes, I told a lot of stories. I lied. Yes, I can admit that, yes, I did lie. Yes, I was on drugs," Wiley testified.

At times, Wiley wiped tears as she admitted to lying to investigators multiple times.

Prosecutors tried to rehabilitate Wiley by pointing out to the jury Wiley eventually told the truth when she learned Felecia Williams was found dead. 

If Ritchie is convicted of the charges, he faces the death penalty.