Search for ‘El Gallito’s’ body detailed during murder trial
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New testimony was presented Thursday during the third day of a capital murder trial in Cameron County, where a man is accused of killing his uncle.
Salomon Campos Jr. previously pleaded not guilty in connection with the death of his uncle, Harlingen attorney Ernesto "El Gallito" Gonzales.
Authorities say Gonzales was kidnapped and shot. He was reported missing in June 2017 after filing a temporary protective order against some of his family members.
Prosecutors and the defense showed the jury pictures of Harlingen police officers searching Campos’ goat farm where Gonzales’ body was found in 2020.
The initial search of the property happened eight months after Gonzales was reported missing. Scott Vega, the first assigned lead investigator in the case, told the jury they were looking for a newly buried body.
Vega said police searched the property two days in a row, but nothing was found.
According to Vega, Gonzales’ son told police he was able to get into his dad's email, and then access the GPS coordinates of his dad's cellphone.
Vega told the jury the GPS showed Gonzales was at Campos’ goat farm for approximately eight minutes on the morning he was last seen.
Another detective also told the jury the GPS information led to Campos being named a person of interest in the investigation.
Campos wasn't arrested until after Gonzales' body was found in June 2020.
Authorities also reportedly found duct tape, a chain and clothing. Gonzales had to be positively identified through dental records.
Throughout the trial, Campos’ defense attorney questioning Vega regarding missing evidence. On Wednesday, Vega told jurors recordings of four interviews he had done in connection with the investigation “went missing.”
An IT specialist who took the stand Thursday said that in 2017, videos that were not downloaded from the video interview room after three months would automatically get overwritten.
Testimony resumes Friday morning.
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