Stephenville, Texas (CNN)A former deputy testified last week that he overheard the defendant in the "American Sniper" murder trial explain why he killed two men. Gene Cole, who worked for the Erath County Sheriff's Office at the time, testified Friday that on June 22, 2013, he "heard Mr. [Eddie Ray] Routh say, 'I shot them because they wouldn't talk to me. I was just riding in the back seat of the truck and nobody would talk to me. They were just taking me to the range so I shot them. I feel bad about it, but they wouldn't talk to me. I'm sure they've forgiven me.'"
@highlight
Deputy said he heard Eddie Ray Routh say he killed the men because they wouldn't talk to him
@highlight
Routh's uncle said he and Routh smoked marijuana on the day of the slayings
@highlight
Chris Kyle, whose story was told in "American Sniper," and Chad Littlefield were shot to death on February 2, 2013
@placeholder left the house abruptly, apparently because Kyle had arrived to take him to the firing range, Watson said.
The prosecution appeared to be attempting to establish that @placeholder and Kyle were defenseless when shot.