SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — After nearly seven years of delays, a former Missouri State University instructor is standing trial for the murder of Professor Marc Cooper.

Edward Gutting has spent much of the last few years receiving mental health treatment. He’s now been deemed fit to stand trial for killing his colleague in 2016.

The state began presenting evidence and calling witnesses today.

Marc Cooper’s wife identified Gutting as the man who attacked her and her husband. The Cooper’s neighbor also took the stand saying he was outside when Mrs. Cooper ran out of the house yelling for help.

The neighbor told the court he ran back inside to grab a gun. When he came outside again, he said the police were already there.

Dash camera video was shown from the day of the homicide. The two officers who were first on the scene saw Gutting in the street outside of Cooper’s home with his hands behind his head covered in blood.

A crew from the TV show “COPS” was riding along with SPD. Part of its video was also entered into evidence. In that video, you can hear Mrs. Cooper say she was injured and the attacker told her it was between him and her husband.

The second officer called to the stand said he believed Gutting was intoxicated at the time of the homicide. The defense did ask for a mistrial shortly before the cross-examination of the second police officer, saying his testimony of Gutting being intoxicated was a surprise and had not been mentioned in the seven years leading up to the trial.