FAIRFAX, Va. – Prosecutors presented bloody evidence during the second day of trial against the man accused of murdering college student Vanessa Pham.
The prosecution is attempting to prove Julio Miguel Blanco Garcia stabbed Pham to death after she agreed to give him and his infant daughter a ride to the hospital in June 2010.
The defense argues Blanco Garcia was high on PCP and did not realize his actions at the time.
The jury Tuesday heard from the medical examiner who described Pham’s wounds.
As Dr. Wayne Williams began to describe the autopsy report, Pham’s family got emotional. They wrapped their arms around each other, crying. The court deputy brought the family a box of tissues to dry their tears.
Williams says Pham, 19, was stabbed 13 times and had multiple cuts to her hands, indicating she was trying to defend herself by grabbing the knife used in the attack.
NBC Washington reports that the medical examiner said he “noticed numerous sharp, force injuries,” which were both stab wounds and incise wounds. A single-edged knife caused the stab wounds that killed Pham.
NBC Washington reports the medical examiner said the cause of death was stab wounds to the neck and chest.
Detective Derek Hardy’s testimony included the show-and-tell of several items including a blood-soaked t-shirt Pham wore the day of the killing. Hardy pointed out the holes through the shirt as a result of the stabbing.
Also, jurors saw the weapon, a bloodied knife blade.
Pham had a ‘gaping hole’ in her larynx (Video courtesy ABC 7)
Blanco Garcia, 27, sat in court with his head down, wearing a gray suit and white shirt with a clean haircut.
His defense team does not deny Blanco Garcia is responsible, but argues the killing was not premeditated, a condition of first-degree murder. Blanco Garcia has pleaded not guilty.
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- Prosecutors: Pham tried to help man charged with fatally stabbing her
- Forensic link leads to arrest in Vanessa Pham murder
WTOP’s Megan Cloherty contributed to this report. Follow @WTOP on Twitter.
