Trial underway for 2nd suspect in ‘Mexican Jerry’ murder
The murder trial for Jerry Lynn McGavitt, accused of killing 21-year-old Gerardo Luna, began Wednesday in 34th district court with Judge Bill Moody presiding.
Opening statements were delivered to the jury of 9 women and 5 man jury by Assistant District Attorney Amanda Enriquez.
Enriquez told the jurors the victim, Gerardo Luna, who was known as “Mexican Jerry,” was killed inside an abandoned building at 101 N. Mesa in Downtown El Paso on September 5, 2014.
She went on to describe how the victim was stabbed around the neck with a broken mirror, strangled with a ligature then repeatedly struck and beaten with a pipe and mallet by McGavitte as another suspect held the victim. Afterwards Luna was tied up and thrown on top of a matteress.
Enriquez then told the court the group of suspects walked out of the abandoned building but came back and set Mexican Jerry on fire .
Luna’s body was found burned on a mattress in the basement of the building after he was allegedly strangled, beaten, bound, stabbed and gagged to death, according to court documents.
Defense attorney Rafael Morales told jurors there were a number of people involved claiming his client Jerry McGavitte was a reluctant participant and was even struck on the head by one of the other suspects using a mallet on Luna. Morales finished his opening statement by saying evidence would show his client was not an active participant , that was has a reluctant participant.
The presecution called their first witness to the stand, El Paso police crime scene investigator Joseph Valenzuela who told the court he was on of 5 officers called to the scene.
He went on to describe what he found inside the abandoned building. Valenzuela described the trash and evidence found on the first floor and then told jurors about the graffiti found at the entrance to the stairwell leading to the basement where the victim was found. Large letters spelling DEATH AWAITS had been spray painted at the entrance to the stairs. He then told the jury about drops of blood found on the stairs leading downstairs.
Judge Bill Moody then called for a break.
