After two days of weeding through dozens of prospective jurors,
the first-degree murder trial of Hector Zambrano commences Wednesday with opening statements.
The prosecution told the jury of eleven women and three men, including alternates, that the death of 44-year-old Patricia Reyes was premeditated, going back to an incident in Feb. 2004, when Reyes filed for a restraining order against Zambrano following an abusive argument. Prosecutors also said leading up to the homicide Zambrano tried to purchase a gun. Zambrano's defense attorneys told jurors Reyes kept a number of secrets from Zambrano, including having another husband and family in Mexico.
Prosecutors also called its first witnesses Wednesday as well, which included Mesa County Chief Deputy Coroner Dr. Dean Havlik, who officially ruled Reyes’ death a homicide by strangulation.
The case continues Thursday at the Mesa County Justice Center.
