OVIEDO, Fla. — New evidence obtained by Channel 9 gives a better idea of the case prosecutors are building against an Oviedo man accused of murdering his mother.
Joshua Ortiz, 20, is accused of strangling his mother, Jackie Ortiz, in October, stealing her car and driving to Maryland.
The new evidence shows cuts and scrapes to Joshua Ortiz's face, hands and legs, but it's not clear how he suffered the injuries.
WFTV legal analyst Bill Sheaffer said it is clear those injuries, however, could play a major role if the case goes to trial.
"The prosecution will probably rely heavily on the photographs and the injuries to the defendant in this case to show that this woman was struggling for her life at the time that she was murdered," said Sheaffer.
The photos were taken a few days after the killing, officials said.
Other evidence photos show the kitchen of the home, which is where Jackie Ortiz's body was found.
Detectives said they believe Joshua Ortiz killed his mother, then stole her Mustang and headed to Maryland, where troopers arrested him on grand theft charges.
Photos of the car show empty beer cans, towels and garbage.
Oviedo police and Seminole County deputies had been to the Ortiz home on multiple occasions. Police reports show Joshua Ortiz had been accused of battering his mother and on another occasion waving a sword at his father, who is a former Orange County deputy.
The suspect has an arrest record, and has been charged in the past with burglary and theft, according to court records.