By Ashleen Herrarte
RIVERSIDE, CA – The Mario Renteria murder trial proceeded Monday morning here in Riverside County Superior Court with the submission of an audio recording and more law enforcement testimony.
Renteria is on trial for murder, arson, and grand theft auto. On Monday, there was an audio recording played for the court that lasted about half an hour. Much of it included yelling and cursing from Renteria.
District Attorney Stephen Merrill called Detective Dan Moody to the stand to question him about the recording, asking if evidence that was found was taken to the Department of Justice. Moody said he had done so.
Moody said Renteria had told him he was half asleep. Moody also had been told by Renteria that he had snorted crystal two days prior.
DA Merrill then asked whether Moody had seen tracks on Renteria. Tracks are needle marks from when people inject drugs into their bodies. Renteria had no fresh tracts.
DA Merrill then brought up the fact that a pipe was mentioned. He asked Moody whether this had been a ruse or not. Moody agreed that it was a ruse, also known as a lie.
Moody said Renteria had been seen “moving around, all tweaking,” explaining when people were tweaking it meant that people were being overly dramatic with their walk as well as talking to themselves.
Print hits were then brought up and whether Moody had seen them. Moody explained he never received notifications of a hit and that Renteria’s prints were not found in any crime scenes.
DDA Merrill questioned Moody about Jamie, Renteria’s wife. An objection was raised to which Judge John D. Molloy responded, asking DDA Merrill how it is that Jamie is relevant to the questioning of Moody. DA Merrill proceeded by asking Moody about what he learned of Renteria through Jamie.
He questioned Det. Moody on whether he knew that Renteria had mental disorders. Moody confirmed that Jamie had mentioned some of the mental disorders and had told him that Renteria was supposed to be taking medications for them.
The court then broke for recess until Tuesday morning.
