Capital homicide trial of ‘Wild Invoice’ Roberts continues in Lake County
TAVARES — Assistant State Lawyer Wealthy Buxman snapped on a couple of pink latex gloves Friday, reached inside of a protracted paper bag, and pulled out a brief, stout, spherical wood take care of.
It’s, he says, the weapon that “Wild Invoice” Roberts used to rain down a barrage of blows on his female friend, killing her in his camper in December 2017.
He had Dr. Wendy Lavezzi, the manager deputy clinical examiner, give an explanation for Elizabeth Hellstrom’s accidents in slide after slide after her decomposed frame was once discovered within the trunk of her automotive.
It was once onerous to listen to, or even tougher to take a look at. The pinnacle accidents on my own may have killed her, she mentioned. She had a subdural hematoma, which is bleeding at the mind. She have been strangled, her sternum was once fractured, ribs damaged, the fats in her stomach was once ripped from muscle tissues, and her kidney was once break up nearly in part. Her legs and arms had been coated with bruises and abrasions.
Roberts, who’s on trial for first-degree homicide, waived his proper to a jury trial remaining week. He was once in court docket Thursday, when his trial began, however refused to go away his mobile for lawsuits Friday.
Circuit Pass judgement on G. Richard Singeltary is presiding over the trial, and can make a decision each Roberts’ guilt and his sentence — existence in jail or demise. The state is anticipated to relaxation Monday and the protection to position on its case.
Extra trial protection: Capital trial of ‘Wild Invoice’, charged with murdering his female friend, begins in Lake County
From remaining week: ‘Wild Invoice’ waives his proper to jury trial, may not depart his mobile, says court is ‘chilly’
Extra: Trial of ‘Wild Invoice’ Roberts, charged with killing his female friend, begins subsequent week
‘…I close her up’
Assistant State Lawyer Nick Camuccio mentioned in his opening remarks Thursday that the stomach accidents had been in line with stomping.
The wood take care of had each Hellstrom’s and Roberts’ pores and skin mobile DNA on it, however no blood, a Florida Division of Regulation Enforcement crime lab professional testified.
However there was once blood throughout the camper they shared close to DeLand, at the partitions, and in all probability on bedding.
Roberts’ good friend, David McQuilling III, mentioned that he had noticed Roberts strike his 55-year-old female friend a number of instances, as soon as breaking her nostril.
Later, he mentioned, when the 2 shared a mobile within the Lake County prison on unrelated fees, Roberts confessed to him that he had killed her. “The b—h wouldn’t close up, so I close her up.”
Protection lawyer Candace Hawthorne, looking to save her shopper from the demise penalty, requested the pathologist if Hellstrom may have been knocked out earlier than the opposite accidents had been inflicted.
Sure, the physician responded.
Hawthorne requested for the reason that state is bringing up the demise penalty statutory aggravator of heinous, atrocious, and harsh. Roberts may be a repeat violent perpetrator.
Roberts texted a pal claiming that Hellstrom, an established drug addict, had swallowed 30 clonazepam drugs and that he attempted to restore her with CPR.
The post-mortem effects didn’t again up both declare, Lavezzi mentioned.
‘Simply depart her on my own. Let her cross’
Hawthorne additionally pressed McQuilling on his motivation for attesting for the state. He has an open housebreaking and stolen assets case and is definitely angling for a wreck with prosecutors.
McQuilling was once the now not the one person who testified about Roberts’ indignant temperament.
Hellstrom was once “petrified” of Roberts, her good friend Lisa Davis testified.
Davis mentioned Roberts referred to as her house within the fall of 2017 to talk to Hellstrom, difficult that she come again to him.
“I instructed Invoice, ‘Simply depart her on my own. Let her cross,’” Davis mentioned. “And he mentioned if I don’t close up, he was once going to do to me what he was once going to do to her.”
He had already referred to as the Division of Youngsters and Households and complained about her pals when she sought an injunction for defense.
“We knew it was once only a piece of paper and it doesn’t offer protection to someone,” Davis mentioned.
“She mentioned, ‘Perhaps if I simply return to him that he’s going to chill out.’ I instructed her, ‘In the event you return, he’s going to kill you,’” she mentioned.
This text at first seemed on Day-to-day Industrial: ‘Wild Invoice’ Roberts, charged with murdering his female friend, on trial
