Murder Suspect Palacio's Ex-Wife Testifies Against Him In Miami Courtroom
MIAMI (CBS4) - There was more damaging testimony in day three of Cristobal Palacio's first degree murder trial.
Palacio's 10-year-old daughter resumed her testimony Wednesday, testifying her father wanted her to lie about being abused by her stepfather, Paul Winter.
After her testimony, the little girl's mother, Jennifer Winter, Palacio's ex-wife took the stand. Winter testified she witnessed Palacio murder her new husband, Paul Winter.
"The defendant saw my husband," Winter said. "He looked like he won the lottery. He just smiled."
Winter says she and her new husband were dropping off her son and daughter for a court appointed visit at Palacio's Kendall home in October 2008 when Palacio picked up a gun and fired several shots.
Paul Winter was hit multiple times. He's believed to have been unarmed at the time.
"He walked up to my husband after he was laying face down and he shot him more in the back," Winter said with tears in her eyes. "After he was already dead, he shot him more in the back."
Things heated up on cross examination after Palacio's attorney questioned why she stuck around with her kids in the car knowing Palacio was upset and threatening violence.
"Hindsight is 20/20," she replied. "If I knew my husband was going to be murdered by your client that day, I promise you, we would've left."
It was an emotional rollercoaster in the courtroom for Winter, who had to take a short break on the stand after suffering from what appeared to be a panic attack.
Winter could take the stand again.
The murder trial is scheduled to resume Thursday morning at 10:30 a.m. at the Metro Justice Building.
