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DeSoto trial day 4: Witnesses to tragedy testify
GUAM (Pacific News Center)—Some emotional testimony this morning on day 4 of the De Soto trial.
Emma Dela Cruz was at the Jungle Java cafe the night of the attack.
In court yesterday she cringed when she saw De Soto in the courtroom and later broke into tears. Apologizing several times, Dela Cruz could barely get through a sentence without choking on her words.
On Feb. 12 last year, Dela Cruz said she saw a car speeding by the coffee shop. When she got up to look out she saw a man stab three different people.
An elderly Japanese woman and a younger Japanese woman holding a baby were stabbed in the back, she said. And she pointed out that it appeared the women had no clue they were about to be attacked because their backs were facing DeSoto.
Also testifying was Isidro Tinso, an employee at the Outrigger Hotel.
Tinoso said he took off his shirt, wrapped it around his hands for protection, and chased after DeSoto. Tinoso says he, too, witnessed DeSoto stabbing the two Japanese women and then he jumped on top of DeSoto to stop him.
They rolled around on the ground, but DeSoto managed to get away and run in the opposite direction. Tinoso continued to chase DeSoto, finally catching up to him. Others then stepped in to help get the knife away and subdue DeSoto, he said.
On Day 3 of the trial, several witnesses who were at the Tumon Tragedy crime scene took the stand, describing the murderous mayhem they saw on the night of Feb. 12, 2013.
And for the first time, a video was played back from the Jungle Java’s perspective of what happened that night.
Officer Tommy Salas, with GPD’s crime lab, also testified about the pictures he took of the car’s windshield, suggesting where the impact occurred when the victims were struck as the vehicle sped down the Plaza sidewalk. 12
