The trial of a woman charged with killing her husband and 14-year-old daughter inside a San Carlos apartment more than five years ago began with emotional opening statements from the prosecutor and defense attorney Monday.
Regina Johnson is accused of shooting her daughter, Aaliyah Johnson in the head and her 56-year-old husband, Rueben Johnson, once in the torso and once in the head on May 30, 2012.
Three days later, police were called to the Lomas del Cerro apartment complex on the 7200 block of Navajo Road. They discovered the bodies of Aaliyah and her father, in a state of decomposition, inside the apartment.
Father, Daughter Found Dead in San Carlos: Images
Johnson stayed inside the apartment with the bodies for three days after the shooting--even putting a pink blanket over her daughter's body, according to the prosecutor.
"No one to tell her to duck, no one to tell her to look out, no one to tell her she was about to be executed as her mother shot her in the back of the head, killing her instantly," said Prosecutor Nicole Rooney. "She was 14-years-old."
But according to Johnson's defense attorney, it was her husband who shot the couple's daughter and that when he dropped the gun, Johnson picked it up and shot her husband.
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"And she was screaming, 'Reuben, what did you do to Aaliyah? What did you do?' And she picks up the gun and she points it at Reuben," said Neil Besse, Johnson's defense attorney.
Beese said the incident occurred during a heated family argument.
He added that Aaliyah's father did not like her boyfriend and was upset she had missed school. When Johnson attempted to intervene, the fighting got out of control, he said.
"And Regina is screaming, 'You shot my baby girl. You shot my baby girl.' And she fires the gun," Besse said.
He added that Johnson was also dealing with depression after losing her job and that was sometimes overwhelming for the family.
But Rooney said Johnson wrote a message to her doctor who prescribed medication to treat her depression.
"This is your fault. You told Reuben to give it to me anyways--five pills," Rooney said. "This is what the defendant has written on the mirror in lipstick for all to find when they come to the house."
According to prosecutors, there was residue on Johnson's hands from the gunshot, but none on her husband's.
If convicted, Johnson could face 100 years to life in prison.
