El Paso Airport Killing: Trial begins for man accused of murdering wife’s boyfriend

UPDATE: The trial has concluded for the day. It is expected to continue 8:15 a.m. Tuesday.

The prosecution and defense presented their opening statements Monday morning.

For the first time in two years, the man accused of murder faced an El Paso jury. Christmann has been held in the El Paso County Jail on a $1.25 million bond since his arrest on Dec. 3, 2021.

The state explained the victim and the defendant's wife had been in a very public relationship. Both were Southwest Airlines employees.

On Nov.19, 2021, El Paso Police investigators said now 52-year-old Bernard Christmann killed Juan Ramon Anzaldo.

The cause of his death was blunt force trauma to his head.

During opening arguments, the prosecution said the marriage of Christmann and his wife, Elaine, was not in a good place. Christmann he had even moved out of their home.

The relationship continued to deteriorate after Elaine and Anzaldo went on a birthday trip together. Anzaldo gifted her diamond earrings.

The prosecution said Christmann started keeping tabs on Anzaldo, even following him.

Anzaldo was killed after leaving work the night of Nov. 19th, 2021.

The prosecution explained one of his tires had been slashed. Anzaldo started to change his spare tire.

Anzaldo had called another colleague to tell him about the slashed tire. Moments later, he was heard on the phone yelling for help.

Multiple Southwest Airlines employees went to the area where Anzaldo would usually park his vehicle. They found the victim dead.

Another airport employee went after an individual seen runnin in the parking lot.

The prosecution says Christmann reportedly ran past 'The Equestrian' Don Juan de Oñate statue at the airport and got into his Ford F-150 parked at the Wyndham Hotel..

The Chief Medical Examiner for the County of El Paso, Dr. Mario Rascon, was the first person called to the witness stand.

He said the victim had injuries on his head and neck including slashes and cuts, fractures and bruises.

Another witness was the general manager of the Wyndham Hotel near the El Paso International Airport.

She said she provided El Paso Police surveillance footage of areas around the hotel the night of the attack. 

The third witness, the security manager at the El Paso International Airport, was also asked to turn over video of the incident to El Paso Police.

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- The trial of the man accused of murdering his wife's boyfriend in the parking lot of the El Paso International Airport in November of 2021 began Monday. El Paso Police say the killing was motivated by a "love triangle."

52-year-old Bernard Walter Christmann is charged with first-degree murder.

On November 19, 2021, Christmann allegedly killed 49-year-old Juan Anzaldo, a Southwest Airlines employee.

Anzaldo was reportedly preparing to leave work at the time. The police affidavit stated Anzaldo called a colleague to tell him his tires were slashed.

Court documents state when the colleague asked Anzaldo who he thought vandalized his car, Anzaldo mentioned the "ex-husband to his current girlfriend."

The colleague told police that he then heard Anzaldo talking to a man, before hearing a scuffle and Anzaldo yelling for help.

The affidavit also stated that El Paso police investigators found blood and detailed notes in Christmann's truck with Andalzo's name, phone number, home address as well as notes detailing Andalzo's whereabouts on certain days.

If he's convicted, Christmann faces five to 99 years in prison.