Testimony continues in day 4 of El Gallito trial

HARLINGEN, Texas ( ValleyCentral ) — Friday marks day four of the trial for Solomon Campos between defense attorneys and the Harlingen Police Department.

Former detective for the Harlingen Police Department, Joel Yanes, was back on the stand Friday morning.

The defense team has spent the morning questioning Yanes about his work in the murder investigation of Ernesto “El Gallito” González.

Defense attorneys began the day questioning the officer about when Gonzalez’s body was buried on the goat farm where his remains were eventually found.

The witness saying he had no evidence to say when the body had been placed there, only that it was discovered in 2020.

The defense then played an interview Harlingen PD conducted with the victim’s son.

Ernesto Joseph, who goes by EJ, met with HPD to show investigators he was able to access his fathers Google account.

The witness acknowledged no video or audio recording of that meeting was made. Defense attorneys argued the jury would just have to take investigators word about what was discussed at the time.

The court is in a short recess and testimony will start again this afternoon.

Afternoon Update

After a short recess, testimony in the trial of Campos continued. With former Harlingen Police Department Detective Yanes still on the stand.

Defense attorneys pivoted to motive in the second part of the day. Attorney Gamez asked Yanes, “Who benefited from the death of Ernesto Gonzalez?”

The defense team highlighted the protective orders Gonzalez applied for shortly before his death.

Gamez displayed copies of the application for protective order and sworn affidavit on the screen in the courtroom for the jury while Yanes read along.

In the documents, Gonzalez stated several family members he listed as respondents presented a “clear and present danger of family violence,” swearing he feared, “imminent physical harm.”

Gonzalez did not list Campos in the documents as a respondent to the protective order.

In his testimony, Yanes says he did not read or review the protective order documentation.

“I did not follow up on this,” Yanes said.

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