Testimony begins in death penalty case
An Indio woman testified Thursday that she watched hysterically for several minutes as her brother bled, gasped for air and then died after being shot multiple times as he sat in his car near her Towne Street apartment 11 years ago.
Vicki Loera Castro was the first prosecution witness in the trial of Elias Carmona Lopez, charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the execution-style shooting deaths of Erineo Perez and Martin Garcia on Oct. 10 and Oct. 26, 2004. Both victims were shot several times in the face, authorities said.
Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for Lopez, who faces special circumstance allegations of lying in wait, committing multiple murders and murder in furtherance of a criminal street gang.
