Day 6 of El Gallito trial reveals life insurance policies: ‘Losing my dad was not a benefit to me’

HARLINGEN, Texas ( ValleyCentral ) — Testimonies continued on day six of the murder trial for Solomon Campos who is accused of killing his uncle, Ernesto “El Gallito” Gonzáles, who first went missing in 2017.

Gonzáles’ ex-wife and son, EJ Gonzales, were the first to take the stand Tuesday. EJ, the victim’s son, began testifying at 9 a.m. when the state prosecutor asked him about his relationship with his father, nicknamed “El Gallito.”

Before his father’s disappearance, EJ testified that Gonzales had offered to financially support him.

On Monday, defense attorney Erin Gamez questioned El Gallito’s ex-wife about a life insurance policy being collected by her son.

The topic of the life insurance police was brought up again Tuesday during EJ’s testimony. EJ testified that his father had two different life insurance policies.

EJ was not the beneficiary of either, it was El Gallito’s two ex-wives. However, EJ still received the funds from these policies because he was listed as the beneficiary to his father’s will.

When asked to tell the jury how much of that life insurance money he had left, EJ refused. He stated that doing so would insinuate that he had something to do with his father’s murder.

Shortly after, the judge instructed EJ to share his financial records with the jury.

In total, EJ cashed in $250,000 of his father’s life insurance policy in 2023. EJ became emotional when asked about benefiting from the money.

“Throw it away, give it to charity, I don’t care,” he exclaimed. “Losing my dad was not a benefit to me.”

Later Tuesday EJ said there is only $99,000 left in the estate account —$150k has been spent since he received the money in 2023. He says he has been paying all his family members back for the help he’s received from them.

EJ took the stand for most of Tuesday. At one point, the state prosecutor shifted, asking EJ about the day his father went missing and who he believed were suspects at the time. EJ testified that he spoke to Campos the day of his father’s disappearance and was upset with how Campos handled the situation.

EJ also testified that the Campos gave him a gun to protect himself when El Gallito first went missing.

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