A retired League City police officer tops the prosecution's witness list as the manslaughter trial of James Dolphs Elmore Jr. begins Tuesday in Galveston County.

Steven Cox, who worked crime scene and identification duties for the League City Police Department when searchers found Laura Miller's remains in 1986, is on the prosecution's witness list in the 122nd District Court, CW39 reported. The defense did not submit a witness list and does not plan to call witnesses.

Jurors will hear only the prosecution's case.

As we reported in our jury-selection coverage Tuesday, jury selection wrapped up Monday. Opening arguments were scheduled for 9 a.m. Tuesday, with each side allotted up to 15 minutes.

Elmore, 61, of Bacliff, has pleaded not guilty to a second-degree felony manslaughter charge in the 1984 death of Laura Miller. She was 16 when she disappeared Sept. 10, 1984, after being dropped off at a League City convenience store. Her remains were found Feb. 2, 1986, in an oil field off Calder Road, a site that became known as the Texas Killing Fields.

Prosecutors allege Elmore prepared a vial of cocaine containing a lethal dose and gave it to Clyde Hedrick, who prosecutors say administered it to Laura Miller, causing her death, according to a search warrant affidavit cited by CNN. Elmore also allegedly told a detective he witnessed Hedrick bury Laura's body.

Hedrick, the longtime prime suspect in the Calder Road killings, appears to have taken his own life in March before charges could be brought against him, according to KPRC. Galveston County District Attorney Kenneth Cusick confirmed the ruling.

Tim Miller, Laura's 79-year-old father and founder of the volunteer search organization Texas EquuSearch, is also expected to testify. The Galveston Daily News reported he could be the first witness called. Miller has said he spoke with Elmore more than 30 times over four years after Elmore contacted him in 2022 claiming to have information about the case.

Prosecutors have indicated those conversations, along with statements Elmore allegedly made to investigators, are expected to play a significant role at trial.

After attending a pretrial hearing Aug. 14, Miller told KHOU that seeing Elmore in a courtroom for the first time caught him off guard. "Took my breath away. I got choked up. I had to wipe tears out of my eyes," Miller said.

Other prosecution witnesses include Matt Arceneaux, who was an intern with the Galveston County Medical Examiner's Office in 1986 and assisted with autopsies, and Karey Dodson, who lived with the Miller family and shared a room with Laura in the 1980s. Detective Cory Williams of the Hitchcock Police Department is expected to testify about his work with the Calder Road Killing Field Task Force, created by the Galveston County district attorney's office two years ago.

Elmore elected to have the jury determine both his guilt and his punishment if convicted. A manslaughter conviction carries two to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000, according to the Houston Chronicle.

Attorneys have estimated the trial could last about a week.