Capital murder trial continues Monday

AUSTIN (KXAN) - The capital murder trial of Areli Escobar, 32, continues Monday.

According to testimony Friday, Escobar left his apartment around 3 a.m. on May 31, 2009. That's in the window of time Bianca Maldonado, 17, was murdered at a nearby apartment.

A phone call from Escobar's former girlfriend, Zoe Lopez, could be key for the prosecution. She tried calling him that night and when the call connected, she heard a woman screaming and moaning.

When she saw reports about the murder, her suspicion grew, and she called police.

Even Escobar's sisters testified that he looked fine that night, but then in the early morning hours, he showed up at his mother's house with scratches and bloody clothing.

He told everyone, including detectives, he was involved in a fight outside a club.

More family members were questioned during the trial Friday afternoon.

Emilio Lopez is the son of the defendant's former girlfriend, and he told prosecutors he received text messages from his mother on the night of the murder two years ago . He reported that she was angry and that some of her texts worried him because his mother thought Escobar had raped someone.

He said his mother discussed with him what had happened with Escobar, the texts and the phone call with the screaming voice on the other end.

Emilio Lopez learned about the murder while watching the news that Sunday night and said he kept his eyes and ears open for anything particularly strange. He said it seemed like too much of a coincidence and he urged his mother to call police and also contacted police himself.

After the witness was dismissed, Nancy Escobar, 21, sister of the defendant was called to the stand. She said she went out the night of the murder with her brother and some other friends. They went to Escapade, a club nearby the Huntington apartments, before coming home sometime between 2:30 a.m. and 3 a.m.

She said her brother was drinking but not drunk. His walking appeared to be normal and he did not appear to be injured and had no cuts or swelling on his face.

Nancy Escobar said Zoe Lopez went straight back to Areli Escobar's room and did not see the two again. It was her assumption that they were upset with each other.

After going to bed, Nancy Escobar said she was awakened by a text message from Zoe Lopez. Nancy said she was angry and she felt Areli Escobar was cheating on her and having sex with another girl.

Nancy Escobar then got a text from her mother asking if her brother had been in a fight at the club because he looked like he had been beat up and had blood on his clothes. Nancy Escobar next texted Zoe Lopez with word of what her mother had just said.

She testified that her brother appeared to be injured the next time she saw him.

Nancy Escobar said Areli Escobar told her he was beaten up at the apartment by some guys who were upset that he was "burning rubber."

Before being dismissed from the witness stand, she said she had never heard of Bianca Maldonado before. On her way out of the courtroom, she gave a small smile to her brother sitting at the defendant’s table.

An interpreter helped with the testimony of Areli Escobar's mother, Valeria Escobar. She struggled with the first few questions, saying she does not remember the details of what is being asked.

She was dismissed from the witness stand, but not before requesting to say something before the court. Her request was denied.

Next, Rosa Escobar was called to testify. She is the woman who introduced Areli Escobar to her friend, Zoe Lopez.

When talking about the phone call she got from Zoe Lopez, she said Lopez was crying hysterically because she thought Areli Escobar was cheating on her. She said Zoe Lopez asked if she knew who the girl was. 

Rosa Escobar testified that Areli Escobar told her he had been jumped, and his back was injured and nose bloodied. He told her he had been in two fights; one before and one after leaving his mother’s house.

Rosa said that a couple of days before he was arrested, Areli Escobar could barely walk and she wanted to take him to see a doctor.