LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Editor's note: This story contains accounts of sexual violence and may not be suited for all readers.
New testimony suggests celebrity "SuperChef" Darnell Ferguson had his three children with him the morning he allegedly choked his estranged wife in her home.
The popular Louisville chef turned Food Network star appeared in court again Thursday morning, more than a week after police arrested him in Jefferson County.
Ferguson is facing several charges including burglary, strangulation and terroristic threatening.
He appeared in court over Zoom for a probable cause hearing.
RELATED: Food Network's Darnell 'SuperChef' Ferguson accused of strangling woman, threatening to kill her
Attorneys heard testimony from the lead detective on the case, St. Matthews Det. Mark Richardson, who responded to the home that Jan. 2 morning. Richardson detailed evidence, including the circumstances of the alleged verbal dispute that led to the woman’s injuries.
"He put both of his hands around her throat and started to strangle her. As he did that, according to Mrs. Ferguson, he said 'I'm going to kill you,'" Richardson said under oath in front of a judge. "And the next thing she remembers, she was on the floor."
According to court documents, Ferguson illegally entered the woman's home and, once inside, began yelling at her and punching the walls, damaging her home. The detective noted the couple is separated and going through a divorce.
Richardson said Ferguson called his wife multiple times the night prior to the incident and got no answer. The next morning, Ferguson allegedly drove to his wife's home, with their three children in the car, and entered the home without permission to find his wife and another man in bed together.
Richardson said "the victim and Mr. Ferguson got into a verbal argument" that quickly turned physical.
"He ripped her shorts off that she had on, asked her to spread her legs, and then pointed to her genitalia and said, 'That's mine and no one else's,'" Richardson said. "He calmed down a little bit and stated that he was sorry, then said, 'You need to get yourself together. The kids are here, they're going to be coming inside.'"
The arrest affidavit details the moments Ferguson allegedly grabbed his wife by her neck with both hands and began choking her. On Thursday, Richardson added that Ferguson reportedly told the victim that if she told anyone what had happened, that he'd take his own life.
The woman told authorities she couldn't breathe and lost consciousness. When she regained consciousness, she said she was on the floor.
Police said before Ferguson left the victim's home, he stole her credit card, debit card, and ID.
The judge ultimately decided to keep the strangulation and burglary charges as they are, but threw out the theft charge.
The victim was left with redness, scratches and pain to her neck, and a scratch to her upper thigh. Court records show an emergency protection order was entered on Jan. 2 and granted.
The full list of original charges filed on Jan. 2:
- Burglary.
- Strangulation.
- Assault (domestic violence), causing minor injury.
- Terroristic threatening.
- Menacing.
- Criminal mischief.
- Theft of a stolen debit/credit card.
The evidence will be presented to a grand jury on Feb. 19.
Ferguson's attorneys argued there isn't enough evidence to support the felony charges, saying there's no proof the victim told Ferguson to leave the home and that the photos of the injuries don't show enough to prove strangulation.
Prosecutors though are not buying the reasoning, saying Ferguson "acted very calm and collected and cleared the room of witnesses, and then he dealt with the problem -- which was her."
Ferguson, who’s pleaded not guilty, is out on bond and was ordered not to have contact with the victim. On Thursday, the judge denied a request by the state to raise his bond, which was set at $10,000.
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