Medford, Ore. — Tuesday was the start of Jose Valencia-Gaona’s murder trial. He’s accused of stabbing 38-year-old Maria Rodriguez to death in front of her Medford apartment back in September of 2013.
Investigators said Valencia-Gaona waited outside Rodriguez’s Table Rock Road Apartment and stabbed her to death with a butcher knife as she was coming home from the grocery store.
According to police, the two were in some sort of relationship, and called the crime a domestic violence homicide.
The trial began with controversy surrounding what family members chose to wear to court in honor of Rodriguez’s memory, a shirt with her picture
“[We did it] to show that she matters. She has a lot of family. We all care about her,” said Erin Guerrero, a family member of Maria Rodriguez.
However, defense attorneys took issue with the shirts saying they might influence the jury.
“The t-shirts with the picture of the victim in the case impresses my clients’ right to fair trial,” said Chris Missiaen, one of the defense attorneys in the case.
“Your Honor, we respond that it’s their right to free speech,” said Ginger Greer, one of the prosecuting attorneys.
Judge Timothy Barnack sided with the family, allowing them to keep wearing their shirts.
Later in the day, jury members heard the 911 call from a neighbor.
“He stabbed her,” said a frantic Trinity Reid in her 911 call.
“She came in the house and she’s dying on my floor,” Reid told the emergency operator.
Reid also took the stand as a witness.
“Maria was screaming and banging on the front door for help,” she said.
Other neighbors, like Ursala Brackett, testified as well.
“I saw her pinned up against the door with a man’s hand around her throat,” she recounted.
Brackett also said she had a brief conversation with Rodriguez before the attack where Rodriguez said if Brackett saw a suspicious looking man near her apartment, to call 911 immediately.
Brackett’s boyfriend took the stand too, saying he ran outside that night to see a man carrying a knife.
“He swung the knife at me so I had to run,” said Roger Hawkins.
On Tuesday afternoon, prosecutors brought officers and emergency personnel to the stand. Derek Butterfield, a firefighter and paramedic with Medford Fire, described seeing multiple stab wounds. According to Butterfield, there was a stab wound visible on Rodriguez’s thigh, under her armpit and high on her back.
The day of the testimony was difficult for the Rodriguez family.
“She was a mother, she was an aunt, she was a sister, she was a daughter and now none of her family has her anymore,” said Guerrero.
The prosecution is expected to continue bringing witnesses. Then the defense will get their chance to argue their case.
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