sa国际传媒官网网页入口

Derrik Bonner鈥檚 efforts to retrieve his lost property led him to break into two sa国际传媒官网网页入口 apartments in 2022 and fatally shoot a man with a shotgun, prosecutors told jurors Tuesday on the first day of his trial.

Both prosecution and defense attorneys told jurors that Bonner鈥檚 co-defendants will provide key testimony in the trial, scheduled to continue through Friday before 2nd Judicial District Judge Lucy Solimon.

Bonner, 31, is charged with first-degree murder, two counts of aggravated burglary and other charges in the Aug. 7, 2022, shooting death of 60-year-old David Salazar.

sa国际传媒官网网页入口 police found Salazar shot in the chest just inside the front door of his residence at Copper Ridge Apartments near Copper and Tramway NE, according to court records. He died at the scene. A single shotgun casing was found on the floor.

Bonner recruited two co-defendants to help him find and recover property that he believed had been stolen from him, prosecutor David Waymire said in opening statements Tuesday. Waymire didn鈥檛 describe the property Bonner was seeking.

鈥淗e was willing to break into apartments and, ultimately, willing to kill for that,鈥� Waymire told jurors. The search led the three co-defendants to break into two sa国际传媒官网网页入口 apartments that morning, he said.

Bonner鈥檚 attorney, Ashley Reymore-Cloud, told jurors to be wary of the prosecution鈥檚 witnesses, who were complicit in the events that led to Salazar鈥檚 killing.

鈥淭heir star witnesses are actually the ones who set this in motion,鈥� Reymore-Cloud said in opening statements.

Both of Bonner鈥檚 co-defendants pleaded guilty in August to criminal charges for their roles in Salazar鈥檚 death and have agreed to cooperate in prosecuting the other defendants under the terms of their plea agreements.

Maria Acosta, 45, whom prosecutors described as Bonner鈥檚 girlfriend, pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated burglary and two counts of conspiracy to commit aggravated burglary. She faces up to 10 years in prison in connection with Salazar鈥檚 death and a second burglary that morning.

Dustin Smith, 33, pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary and two other felony charges and faces up to five years of probation. Both Smith and Acosta are expected to testify in Bonner鈥檚 trial.

鈥淵ou are going to hear from Maria Acosta, an addict who was dating David Salazar and getting drugs in exchange,鈥� Reymore-Cloud told jurors. 鈥淪he鈥檚 the one who actually sets this whole thing in motion. Think about that when she鈥檚 testifying, and think about her credibility issues.鈥�

Both Smith and Acosta admitted in their plea agreements that they were with Bonner when the three forced their way into Salazar鈥檚 apartment. Bonner was armed with a shotgun, Smith with an ax handle and Acosta with a can of mace spray, the plea agreement said.

鈥淒avid Salazar was home,鈥� according to the plea agreements. 鈥淭here was a verbal and physical altercation between Derrik Bonner and David Salazar. Derrick Bonner shot David Salazar with the shotgun.鈥� The three then fled the scene, the agreements said.

Waymire told jurors he plans to show them security video from a church near Salazar鈥檚 apartment that shows the three co-defendants arrive at Salazar鈥檚 apartment complex and park.

In the video, Bonner can be seen retrieving a shotgun from the trunk of the car and changing into dark clothing and a mask before moving the car to a location closer to Salazar鈥檚 apartment, Waymire said. The video also shows the three co-defendants climb a flight of stairs to Salazar鈥檚 apartment, he said.