Closing arguments to start Friday after both sides rest in Uptown Dallas murder-for-hire trial
DALLAS - Closing arguments are set to start Friday after both sides rested their case in the trial for the woman accused of masterminding a hit in Uptown Dallas.
Brenda Delgado is charged with capital murder for the 2015 shooting death of her romantic rival –Kendra Hatcher.
The prosecution said Delgado hired two people to kill Hatcher, who was dating her ex-boyfriend. Then she fled to Mexico.
Delgado did not testify in her own defense.
Jurors on Thursday watched a video of Dallas officers interrogating Delgado days after Hatcher was murdered. She repeatedly told detectives she wasn’t involved.
“A young lady lost her life because of something that you participated in,” the detective said in the video.
“I did not. I didn’t, that’s not the story I’m telling you, this is not,” Delgado replied.
Delgado repeatedly denied she had anything to do with Hatcher’s murder inside the interrogation room.
Coming face-to-face with accusations of being the mastermind of a murder-for-hire plot.
“I think you hated the fact you weren’t good enough,” the detective continued.
“No,” Delgado responded.
“That’s the truth, and sometimes the truth hurts. You weren’t good enough for Ricky. Maybe he didn’t like the way you looked,” the detective said.
“I didn’t,” Delgado said.
The detective tried to appeal to Delgado’s emotions, before backing her into a corner, saying her alleged co-conspirator turned on her.
“All of this is revolving around you,” the detective said in the video.
“I’m telling you, there’s no plan. There’s nothing. There’s no motive. I have no reason,” Delgado replied.
“Oh there’s plenty of motive. You can’t have him as long as she’s alive,” the detective said.
Delgado told the detective she didn’t even know who her ex was dating at the time.
In the video shown Thursday, Delgado never admitted to the murder-for-hire plot, but after the detective left the room following intense questioning, Delgado’s reaction told another story.
“Oh f**k,” Delgado said after a sigh.
The jury also saw surveillance video from after Hatcher’s murder that appeared to show Delgado’s white Lexus at the same place as the vehicle detectives believe was used in the murder.
Before resting their case, prosecutors called a medical examiner to the stand to testify about Hatcher’s gunshot wounds. Other experts gave testimony about the murder weapon on Wednesday.
The defense only called one witness before resting as well -- a digital forensic examiner who specializes in mobile phone forensics and tower analysis. He said the state’s mapping of the records for Delgado and the accused getaway driver, Crystal Cortes, was “sloppy.”
"The state’s mapping was very sloppy. It was not verified. There were allegations made that are not supported," Tom Slovenski testified.
The defense tried to cast doubt on the state's witnesses, with the mobile forensics expert saying the phone Cortes turned over to police was not the phone she used during Hatcher’s murder. The SIM card was switched out, he said.
The defense also noted Delgado readily handed her cell phone over to police, while Paniagua didn’t immediately turn his over.
Cortes testified against Delgado earlier in the trial. She pleaded guilty to a lesser murder charge and agreed to testify against Delgado and the convicted gunman in exchange for a 35-year sentence. The gunman, Kristopher Love, was sentenced to death.
If convicted, Delgado faces a maximum of life in prison because of an extradition agreement with Mexico.
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