The murder trial of a Lexington man began Monday for the alleged killing of a 25-year-old Nigerian man outside a party in 2022.

“You know what happens when you pull the trigger,” Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Mary Tobin told the jurors in her opening statement.

This is what Tobin alleges Woody LaPierre did one September night in 2022, abruptly ending the life of Adetokunbo “Tomi” Okunoye, in a parking lot on Oxford Circle.

LaPierre, 30, was arrested that night and charged with murder.

Prior to the shooting, Okunoye and LaPierre had never met, according to Tobin. They were at an apartment on Oxford Circle for a party.

Okunoye had recently graduated from Xavier University in Cincinnati with his Master’s of Business Administration. He received a full ride to the University of Cincinnati to pursue his second master’s degree in information technology. He was visiting Lexington to see friends and attended the party, according to Tobin.

When the party ended, Tobin said, Okunoye was looking for one of his friends, whom he discovered was passed out in the passenger’s seat of LaPierre’s car. Okunoye went to try and get the woman out of the car, and when he tried, several witnesses recalled LaPierre had a gun, Tobin said.

LaPierre pointed it at Okunoye, shot him in the nose and the bullet struck his brain stem, according to Tobin.

LaPierre fled the scene, Tobin said, while Okunoye’s friends hysterically called 911.

LaPierre left, hid the weapon, threw out his clothes, showered and turned his phone off before going to sleep, Tobin said of the events after the shooting.

Tobin told the jurors Okunoye never had a weapon, never fought with LaPierre and had never met him.

Tobin said the jury would hear testimony from police, first responders and witnesses at the party which would give them all the evidence they need to find LaPierre guilty.

Defense: Actions of LaPierre ‘not murder’

Ben Church, the defense attorney for LaPierre, said the death of Okunoye was tragic, but it was not murder. Church said he did not know why LaPierre was being charged to begin with.

“Every crime is a tragedy, but not every tragedy is a crime,” Church told jurors.

He said jurors would hear from LaPierre himself, who is expected to testify later this week. Church said his client would be the only witness testifying who had not drank at the party and therefore not under the influence of alcohol.

“Listen to his life, his background, and look through his eyes,” Church said. “That is not an easy thing to do — it is not an easy task that I am asking of you. But it is necessary.

“I am pleading with you to listen to the evidence with open minds and hearts and look through his eyes when you go back to deliberate.”