EDINBURG — A forensic expert said Thursday that it was impossible to determine the exact cause of death for a 32-year-old Edinburg resident because he was decapitated after his throat was slit.
The details were revealed on the fourth day of testimony in the trial for 37-year-old Gabino Salinas, who allegedly kidnapped Jose Angel Martinez, beat him, dragged him through an orchard from behind a white Jeep Grand Cherokee and killed him by slitting his throat Nov. 8, 2017.
Salinas was charged with capital murder, possession of marijuana, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and aggravated kidnapping.
He has pleaded not guilty.
Prosecutors say Salinas, who they believe was the mastermind behind the murder, allegedly killed Martinez as revenge for losing a leg after he was shot during a home invasion earlier that year.
Norma Jean Farley, who conducted the autopsy on Martinez’s body, said she couldn’t determine the cause of death possibly due to the decapitation conducted by Ricardo Moreno, Martinez’s roommate at the time, who said Salinas had ordered him to do so.
Farley ruled the cause of death as homicidal violence with blunt force injuries.
Moreno testified Monday that he had seen Martinez with his throat slit before he was ordered to dismember him with a machete.
The claim that Salinas was the mastermind behind the killing coincided with the testimony of a ranch hand, who said Salinas told Moreno to cut Martinez’s body.
The ranch hand also testified that Martinez was already dead before Salinas’ group arrived at the ranch he was tending.
Co-defendants Benjamin Chavez Sanchez, 25, Sandy Lutz, 32, and Hector Ruben Guerra, 48, are also facing charges of capital murder, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and aggravated kidnapping.
They have pleaded not guilty.
Testimony will resume Monday afternoon.
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