and parts of the

spinal structure, as well as lung hemorrhage. The injuries would have required

significant blunt force. From the nature of the injuries, the pathologist opined that

multiple blunt impact injuries caused the death. The pathologist also noted that the

victim had coronary disease that may have led to heart failure, as a result of the beating.

The injuries to Saavedra were probably inflicted with fists, a golf club, a beer bottle, and

a chair. The pathologist described the cause of death as a heart attack caused by multiple

blunt force injuries.

       DNA testing of the blood on the sock and the head of the broken golf club

matched the victim, Saavedra. There was also DNA that was consistent with defendant’s

profile as a minor contributor on the sock,         5
       In Court and Out of Court Statements

       Roberts gave various accounts of the events. At trial, she testified that she called

defendant for help moving from Stephen Gardner’s residence on Friday, June 21, 2014,

so defendant sent a young man with a truck to move her belongings. She was moving her

belongings to the restaurant at which Saavedra, her dear friend, worked security and

lived. The restaurant was her “safe house” when she was “at odds” with Gardner.

Roberts wanted to introduce defendant to Saavedra because Saavedra wanted to meet

defendant. Saavedra wanted to meet defendant because they both had backgrounds

serving in the Marines. Later, Edward Cordero, one of defendant’s house mates,