LAKEPORT — The defense opened its case Tuesday at the Lake County Courthouse, the ninth day of the John Gray murder trial.
Judge Arthur Mann presided. Attorney Kevin Ikuma represented Gray and deputy district attorney Art Grothe represented the Lake County DA”s Office.
Gray faces a murder charge, with special allegations of inflicting great bodily injury and using a deadly weapon, for allegedly bludgeoning his then-roommate Eric Joaquin to death with a baseball bat during the early morning hours of Feb. 28, 2009.
Joaquin”s body was discovered around 9:30 a.m. that day on the floor of his bedroom in Gray”s house on Del Monte Way in Clear Lake Riviera.
The majority of witnesses called Tuesday were people who lived in Gray”s neighborhood in February 2009.
Julia Spangler, who lived on Sierra Drive in Clear Lake Riviera, testified that she heard two loud noises just before midnight on Feb. 27, 2009. She said the noises sounded like bangs and came from the direction of Gray”s house.
Gray”s house was located on the corner of Del Monte Way and Sierra Drive. Spangler said her house was three of four houses up from Gray”s.
Stacie Robbins testified that she heard loud music and a verbal argument coming from Gray”s house between 10 p.m. and midnight on Feb. 27, 2009.
The loud music played for about an hour and then was shut off, according to Robbins. Sounds from an argument between two men followed for about an hour, she said.
Robbins said Gray”s house was located behind her property on Sierra Drive and that she knew the sounds came from Gray”s house.
Gary Smith, whose house on Sierra Drive sits across the street from Robbins”s house, testified he heard a vehicle leave Gray”s house between 10 p.m. and midnight on Feb. 27, 2009.
A vehicle left Gray”s house, taking off at a high speed and spinning its tires, Smith said, and tire marks were visible the next day on the road at the corner of Gray”s house.
Smith said he has a background in mechanics and described the vehicle as having a “distinct exhaust sound.” He also said he was friends with Gray and that the vehicle he heard was not Gray”s Ford pickup.
Kris Moreno, Gray”s girlfriend between July 1994 and August 2006, was the final witness called Tuesday.
Moreno testified about Gray”s character, saying she knew him to be a “sweet person” and “great with kids.” Moreno said that Gray helped raise her daughter and that her daughter and Gray are still close.
Moreno, who moved out of Lake County in late 2006, said she knew Joaquin and never saw Gray and Joaquin argue. “They got along really well,” she said.
In September 2009, Gray”s family offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person they believe committed the crime.
The trial will reconvene today at 9 a.m.
Contact Jeremy Walsh at jwalsh@record-bee.com or call him directly at 263-5636, ext. 37.
