SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — Testimony began Wednesday in Spokane in the aggravated murder trial of a man accused of killing five people at a Pasco auto body shop 23 years ago.
The trial of 46-year-old Vicente Ruiz was moved from Franklin County after two mistrials.
The Tri-City Herald reports that prosecutors told the jury Ruiz was identified by the lone survivor of the 1987 shooting. Defense lawyers say it’s a case of mistaken identity. One man already convicted in the case is serving a life sentence.
This is the third trial for Ruiz. His first trial in 2008 was called off when more DNA testing was requested on evidence. The judge halted the second trial in June because the defense had not received some police reports.
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Information from: Tri-City Herald, http://www.tri-cityherald.com
