ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — A witness in the trial for Hector Rodriguez, the second Cady Way Trail killing suspect, said Monday Rodriguez told her he had killed before.
Rodriguez is accused of killing two Winter Park High School students with his friend, Jesse Davis, who pleaded guilty and is already serving a life sentence.
Rodriguez's girlfriend's co-worker testified Monday that Rodriguez made the statement the night after the burning bodies of Nicholas Presha, 16, and Jeremy Stewart, 18, were found on the trail in April of last year.
Rodriguez's attorney tried to prevent the jury from hearing the testimony, arguing that it wasn't relevant because Rodriguez didn't give any details linking it to the Cady Way killings, but the judge overruled the objection and the jury heard the testimony.
Channel 9's Kathi Belich was there when Heather Hubbard tried to avoid looking at Rodriguez when she was asked to identify him in court.
Hubbard worked with Rodriguez's pregnant girlfriend at the time of the killings and said he never showed up at the Racetrack to see his girlfriend the night of the teens' deaths.
However, Hubbard said when Rodriguez went there the night after the killings, he approached her angrily over a misunderstanding and threatened her.
"He made the comment that he had killed before and if anyone found out what he had done or if (his girlfriend) talked, he would kill me and my son," said Hubbard.
The jury also heard on Monday that Stewart's blood was found on Rodriguez's shirt after he had washed it.
Stewart's mother testified about how she will never again see her son's cellphone or his Vans sneakers, which he had gotten for his 18th birthday weeks before he was killed.
A Florida Department of Law Enforcement DNA expert testified Monday afternoon that a mixture of DNA, including Rodriguez's, was found on the lip of a Miller beer bottle found at the murder scene.
On Friday, Davis's ex-girlfriend took the stand. Officials said she was one of four people who saw the beginning of the torture of the two teens but didn't call 911.
Angela Patterson told the jury she woke up because of loud voices and then saw Presha and Stewart naked and tied up at her ex-boyfriend's house.
Patterson said Davis and Rodriguez were both holding guns on the teens as they lay on the floor.
"Nicholas wasn't saying anything. I don't think I heard him say a word. Jeremy was begging to let him go. He was just pretty much begging for his life. Hector Rodriguez was saying, 'It's OK, everything will be alright,'" said Patterson.
Patterson said she bent down and saw blood on Stewart's face.
She initially told investigators the she didn't see anything, but later said she felt the need to come forward because someone needed to speak for the dead high school students.
Prosecutor: "Why didn't you?"
Patterson: "I should have. I didn't. I was scared."
Prosecutor: "Were you in fear for your life?"
Patterson: "The situation was very intimidating."
Patterson told the court she had no idea what she saw would lead to the death of the young men.
Rodriguez said Davis dropped him off before killing the teens.
WFTV
