Jurors in Washington County court yesterday heard audiotapes of a sometimes defiant, sometimes sobbing Terrell Yarbrough of East Liberty claiming to be a man named Michael Poole from New York City, who had no involvement in the disappearance of two college students.

Steubenville police Detective John Lelless testified yesterday that the audiotapes were made on Memorial Day 1999, about 12 hours after students Aaron Land, 20, of Philadelphia, and Brian Muha, 18, of Westerville, Ohio, disappeared from their off-campus apartment near Franciscan University of Steubenville.

Their roommate, Andrew Doran, testified on Monday that he ran to a neighbor's and phoned police after being awakened at about 5 a.m. May 31, 1999.

But, by the time Steubenville police arrived minutes later to the two-story duplex on McDowell Avenue, the students and their assailants were gone.

At about 6 that night, police apprehended Mr. Yarbrough, 29, who was driving Mr. Muha's 1996 Chevrolet Blazer through downtown Steubenville.

Detective Lelless said Mr. Yarbrough didn't acknowledge his real name for two days, as police, FBI agents, the Air National Guard, and other searchers scoured a three-state area for the students.

On June 4, 1999, the remains of Mr. Muha and Mr. Land were found along Route 22 in Robinson, Washington County.

Police believe Mr. Yarbrough and a co-defendant, Nathan "Boo" Herring, robbed and kidnapped the students, driving them several miles into Pennsylvania, where they were marched up a steep embankment and shot to death.

Mr. Yarbrough had already been convicted and sentenced to die for the murders after a trial in Ohio nine years ago, but the Ohio Supreme Court later threw out the murder and conspiracy convictions, saying the case should have been tried in Pennsylvania.

Yesterday, Detective Lelless also showed the jury a pair of gray sweatpants that were stained with what appeared to be blood, and three soiled white socks that Mr. Yarbrough was wearing when he was arrested. On one foot he wore two socks, Detective Lelless said.

Mr. Yarbrough was also found wearing a rosary of blue and white beads with a white cross belonging to Mr. Muha, and a tan ball cap with gang insignia.

Defense lawyer Kenneth Haber, who has pointed to Mr. Herring as the triggerman, asked Detective Lelless whether police followed up on a complaint from a Steubenville man who said he was pistol-whipped by Mr. Herring and another man on the night of May 29, 1999, with a .44-caliber Magnum gun.

Blood spatter on the walls and bedding in Mr. Land's bedroom led police to believe the students were probably pistol-whipped and beaten before they were abducted.

The detective said he didn't recall whether Mr. Herring was asked about the incident.

Mr. Haber questioned Detective Lelless about why blood droplets at the apartment were not tested against a sample from Mr. Herring, who was arrested with cuts and abrasions to his left hand and shoulder.

He also wanted to know why police declined to test Mr. Yarbrough's hands for evidence of gunshot residue. He also challenged assertions from Detective Lelless that Mr. Yarbrough fully understood his rights and voluntarily agreed to waive them to record the audiotaped statement.

Mr. Yarbrough could face the death penalty if convicted. Mr. Herring is expected to stand trial after Mr. Yarbrough's case ends.

Testimony is expected to resume this morning.

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