No Verdict After First Day Of Deliberations In Arochi Trial
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McKINNEY (CBSDFW.COM) - Eight hours of deliberations failed to produce a verdict in the kidnapping trial of Enrique Arochi and shortly after 9:00 p.m. Tuesday the jury called it a night.
The judge excused one juror who became sick during deliberations and that juror was replaced by an alternate.
Deliberations will resume at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday.
Arochi could face life in prison if convicted of kidnapping still-missing Christina Morris.
During closing arguments Tuesday afternoon, Arochi listened to prosecutors tell a jury that he likely killed Christina Morris not long after they were seen on security camera video walking at the Shops at Legacy in Plano in August 2014.
"He drove her somewhere and he dumped her," said prosecutor Zeke Fortenberry during closing arguments. "Maybe in a dumpster somewhere and got lucky."
Prosecutors point to DNA found in Arochi's car that he said she had never been inside and cell phone signals showing the two were together late into the night she disappeared.
"There's only one reasonable explanation for all the facts the defendant is responsible for the kidnapping of Christina Morris," said Fortenbery.
But Arochi's defense attorney tried to pin Morris's disappearance on her ex-boyfriend and that the evidence against the defendant is shaky.
"They can't give you an explanation," defense attorney Keith Gore told the jury. "Beyond a reasonable doubt is not supposed to be easy."
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