Jury sees chilling crime-scene photos, hears 911-call

Gruesome crime-scene photographs were displayed on the courtroom’s projector screen during the second day of the Christian Martinez capital murder trial.

The photos were so disturbing, many jurors could only glance at them for a few seconds before turning their gazes to their laps.

Christian Martinez, 23, killed Jovana and Amalia Flores on Jan. 28, 2011. Police say Martinez spotted 20-year-old Jovana Flores when she was jogging past him. Martinez followed her home, got inside her house, then attacked the woman as well as her mother.

Defense attorneys concede Martinez stabbed both women a total of 107 times. They say after he stabbed them to death, he tried to commit suicide. Defense attorneys say Martinez took the knife and nearly cut off his hand from his arm.

When Martinez was not able to detach his hand with the knife he had, attorneys say he rummaged through the Flores’ kitchen drawers, eventually locating a serrated knife. They say that’s when he started sawing off his hand.

Nallely Galindo was Jovana Flores’ sister and Amalia Flores’ daughter. Galindo testified she came home after work that evening and opened the front door to a living nightmare.

“I ran to {Amalia Flores}. She was covered, so I uncovered her face. Her eyes were opened,” Galindo testified. “I called her name out and I shook my mom to see if I could get a response. She was already gone. She had blood all over her. There was a gash on her face and stab wounds all over.”

Galindo’s 911-call was also played for jurors Wednesday afternoon. Her frightened screams, crying “Oh, my God!” again and again echoed throughout the courtroom.

Officer John Valles testified he and a fellow policeman secured the home and found two dead bodies as they moved from front to back.

Ofc. Valles said he found the master bathroom locked from the inside, indicating there was someone inside, so he kicked in the door. That’s when he found Martinez who was only semi-concious.

“I said, ‘Are you OK? Are you OK? What happened? Who’d did this?’ His legs were up on the bathtub. I reached down and pulled the sheets off him. Then i see him blinking up at me.”

Ofc. Valles said emergency medical crews came in to help transport Martinez but he starting fighting against them. The policeman said he had to threaten Martinez with a taser when he would not cooperate.

Defense attorneys say there is no explanation for why the teen killed two women who he had never met. They say that is why they are asking jurors to find Martinez not guilty by reason of insanity.

El Paso County prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.