The former girlfriend of an accused killer says the suspect pressured her to lie to police about his whereabouts on the day of the crime and that she agreed to do it because she was scared the suspect would hurt her if she told the truth.
Antero Cruz is charged with the brutal murder of a 14-year-old girl in Golden Hill.
The crime happened on News Year's Eve, 2007, but Cruz was not charged with the murder until last November.
At his preliminary hearing today, Cruz's former girlfriend, Fanny Vidal, who is also the mother of two of his children, recalled how Cruz came home at about 8 p.m. on the night of the alleged murder.
"He went straight to the bedroom," Vidal recalled.
"He seem nervous," she told prosecutor Kristen Spieler. "He told me, 'Baby, if the police ever come and talk to you, tell them I was with you and the kids the whole time.'"
Vidal also testified that Cruz was wearing different clothes than he had on when he left their home earlier that day. She testified that Cruz told her he had blood on his original clothes because he stabbed another man in a street fight.
Vidal said Cruz got up very early the next morning and cleaned his car with a sponge and soap, and later asked her when where she kept the bleach.
Vidal testified that she saw blood in the trunk of Cruz's car.
She eventually told police about that evidence, which led to Cruz's arrest.
Last November, Cruz pleaded not guilty to the murder of Ahlyia Pinson.
He's being held on $1 million bail.
The judge in this case did not allow cameras inside the courtroom for Tuesday’s hearing.
Outside court, Pinson's mother said it was difficult to hear the testimony in today's preliminary hearing.
"You know, it has been very graphic," said Adriana Pinson. "But the Lord has given me a lot of strength, and I'm just here to have justice for my daughter."
