Jurors were told Thursday that a Port Hueneme man killed his girlfriend by stabbing her multiple times in a slaying the prosecutor called a "slaughter."
Prosecutor Bill Haney said Jonathan Aaron, 29, is guilty of premeditated first-degree murder while lying in wait in the death of Victoria Ankerstrom of West Hills.
But Aaron's lawyer, Russell Baker, told jurors in Ventura County Superior Court that his client is guilty of voluntary manslaughter because he never planned to kill Ankerstrom.
Baker said Ankerstrom and Aaron had a tug-of-war over a steak knife inside Aaron's bedroom on Oct. 16, 2009. Aaron took the knife away and stabbed Ankerstrom, Baker said.
"She was trying to save Jonathan. She was trying to save him from himself," Aaron told jurors Thursday during opening statements in Aaron's murder trial.
After killing Ankerstrom, Aaron, who has mental problems, tried to take his own life by stabbing himself, Baker said. He ended up spending a week in the hospital.
However, Haney said a small puncture wound in the back of Ankerstrom's neck shows the knife was being held there before Aaron inflicted deep stab wounds to her back. Haney said she was still alive after the stabbing, so he cut her throat with a large steak knife.
Jurors saw photographs of the crime scene and Ankerstrom's body.
The jury also heard about the couple's relationship. Aaron was very controlling, critical and manipulative, Haney said. Ankerstrom "vacillated emotionally back and forth" with Aaron, whom she loved.
Aaron had threatened to kill himself several times if Ankerstrom left him, Haney said.
She tired of his controlling behavior and went to his house to end their relationship, Haney said. She arrived at the home with three friends, and Aaron's mother was in the house.
Ankerstrom told her friends to wait outside for her to go inside, get her things and say goodbye, according to Haney.
After 30 minutes, the friends knocked on the door and demanded to go inside. Ankerstrom said from behind a closed bedroom door: "It's cool. I'll get my things. I'll be right out," Haney said.
A short time later, there was a "death" scream, Haney said. Ankerstrom then yelled, "No, Jonathan, no."
The two female friends tried to break down the bedroom door. Aaron's mother went outside with a hammer and broke the bedroom window, Haney said.
Aaron was found sitting on the bed next to Ankerstrom with a steak knife sticking out of his stomach, Haney said. His mother took out the knife and tended to his wound while Ankerstrom's friends tried to stop Ankerstrom's bleeding.
Baker told jurors Aaron had never threatened to harm Ankerstrom.
"Each of them thought they were each other's soul mates," Baker said. "He loved Victoria Ankerstrom and never wanted to see her hurt or kill her."
Baker said Aaron and Ankerstrom had sex in the bedroom just before Aaron was "provoked" when she tried to take the knife away. He said Ankerstrom did nothing wrong and didn't deserve to die.
While the knife was sticking out of Aaron's stomach, he said, "Mom, just please let me die," Baker said.
In the hospital, Aaron never asked for a lawyer and answered all the questions from detectives, who, Baker said, thanked him for being honest. Aaron told them he never intended to harm Ankerstrom, Baker said.
Aaron told detectives he couldn't buy a gun to kill himself because he had been in a psychiatric facility, Baker said, adding that Aaron has tried to kill himself five times.
When Baker played a recording of Aaron talking to detectives, Aaron, who stared at the table through most of the opening statements, began weeping.
Aaron also is being tried for a crime that occurred in 2008. He is charged with assault with a deadly weapon, false imprisonment, criminal threats and unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor.
The complainant in that incident, along with a third female who had Aaron's child, will testify in the trial.
No comments:
Post a Comment