Trial begins in 'Xbox slaying' case

July 13th, 2006, 20:04 Posted By: wraggster

The high-profile Florida murder trial known as "the Xbox slayings" began today in St. Augustine, where it was relocated after officials decided the Central Florida town of Deltona, where the murders occurred, would not be able to handle the media attention.

Just a day after the 12-person jury--five men and seven women--was selected, the prosecution presented their opening statements in the case that will decide the futures of Troy Victorino, 29, Michael Salas, 20, and Jerone Hunter, 20.

The three men are being accused of taking the lives of Erin Belanger, 22, Michelle Nathan, 19, Francisco Ayo-Roman, 30, Anthony Vega, 34, Roberto Gonzales, 28, and Jonathan Gleason, 17, in August 2004. The trio, along with Robert Cannon, 19, allegedly beat and stabbed the victims to death after Belanger took an Xbox from the house where Victorino had been squatting.

Prosecuting attorney John Tanner described the gory details he is building his case around. "The girls are screaming, the solid, sickening sound of bats on flesh and bone. You hear the screams of the dog being smashed in the face. It will come alive for you in this trial." He claims the events all happened "in a matter of minutes."

Tanner is going to need to more powerful remarks like that as his side was dealt a devastating blow today. Cannon, the alleged fourth participant in the slayings, refused to testify for the prosecution. The 19-year old had previously made a plea to cooperate and testify against Victorino, Salas, and Hunter, in exchange for being spared the death penalty. Cannon would not take the stand and asked to withdraw his plea.

The defendants are facing six counts of first-degree murder, five counts of mutilating a dead human body, as well as other felonies.

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