Rest Stop Murder Trial Testimony
Nearly a year-and-a-half after the random, cold-blooded murder of 20-year-old Adam Espinoza, the first of three defendants in the case is on trial.
Nearly a dozen witnesses took the stand Tuesday as jurors heard and saw graphic evidence for the first time.
Adam?s mother, Olivia, says her son couldn?t wait to start his new life in California. She cried as she testified and says she was hesitant about Adam driving so far and did not want him to go alone.
“I asked him to please wait, we’d figure out another plan for him to go,? Olivia said. ?I told him to be very safe and if he got very tired to make sure he pulled over.”
And just hours into his road trip from San Antonio to California, surveillance video captured the last pictures of Adam, alive. The jury watched video of Adam buying gas and a soft drink inside a convenience store in Fabens, Texas.
Adam?s sister says she spoke with him around this time, and he told her he was tired and going to stop at a rest area near Anthony, New Mexico.
“I didn’t know until he was actually on the road, he had called me and was excited, he was so happy,? Genevieve Engelbrecht, Adam?s sister, said. ?When he was tired, he didn’t want to like drive too much, so he was getting tired and he was going to stop outside El Paso at the rest stop.”
Later that night, family members told the jury they left dozens of frantic messages and never heard from him again, not knowing he was already dead.
“I am so stressed out right now, I’m so worried about you so call me, please,? Olivia said, in a voicemail she left on Adam?s phone.
Irvin Ramirez, 18, is accused of shooting Adam three times, and later dousing his vehicle with gasoline before setting it on fire with Adam inside.
Jurors saw Adam?s burned out vehicle Tuesday as part of the evidence.
Deputy Sheriff Aaron Solis testified about the grisly scene, and the day he found what was left of Adam?s charred remains inside the car?s trunk, in the middle of the desert.
“I proceeded down to the area and upon doing so I went to the front windshield and the car was completely burned,? Solis said. ?You could see all the way through to the back of the trunk area at which time I shined my flashlight inside and I saw what appeared to be a human skull and ribs.”
The trial continues Wednesday morning.