Investigator testifies about DNA evidence in fatal stabbing of 20-year-old NC State student
DNA evidence could help convict a man charged with the 2021 killing of his wife, who was a student at North Carolina State University.
A state crime investigator testified Wednesday morning in the trial for Erick Hernandez-Mendez. He is charged with the stabbing murder of his wife, Christina Matos, in April 2021 just days after their marriage. Matos was 20.
On Wednesday, a North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation agent told the jury that Matos' DNA was found on gloves in her husband's car.
Authorities found Matos dead on April 4, 2021, inside her apartment at the Signature 1505 complex along Hillsborough Street in Raleigh. Matos, who was a student at North Carolina State University, was stabbed 16 times, authorities said.
Hernandez-Mendez is expected to testify later this week.
'We were going to help each out': Man charged with killing his wife says they married days before
On Wednesday in court, they played a video interview Hernandez-Mendez had with Raleigh police in April 2021 after his arrest.
"I am married to Christina [Matos and] got married to her on Monday, [March 29, 2021]," Hernandez-Mendez said in the video. "She was my best friend. I liked her. I loved her"
A Raleigh police officer asked Hernandez-Mendez about his marriage with Matos.
"We kept it a secret," Hernandez-Mendez said in the video of his marriage with Matos. "That is who Christina was. She doesn't do her business out there.
"Currently, in this country, unfortunately, I am undocumented. We were going to help each other out."
A crime scene investigator spent hours on Wednesday morning discussing items tested inside the apartment where Matos lived with Hernandez-Mendez and roommate Kailey Lynch-Firicano.
Lynch-Firicano was charged with felony accessory after the fact to murder and obstructing justice.
In the video with Raleigh police, Hernandez-Mendez told officers he and Matos kept their marriage secret from Lynch-Firicano.
Also, Hernandez-Mendez said he regretted marrying Matos, stating she was a stripper and a go-go dancer.
"I thought I could help her change," Matos said in the video. "I believed in her. I knew she could do better. My goal was to fix her."
Other testimony from court on Wednesday
The investigator testified that blood was found under fake nails belonging to Matos and on napkins, tissues and washrags.
A Raleigh detective spent Wednesday afternoon showing text messages extracted from Matos’ phone. A text from March 29, 2021, indicated a rift between her and Hernandez-Mendez.
“To be honest Erick, I’m only doing strictly business with you,” a detective read from the text message. “Don’t talk to me at all unless you need something specific.”
Authorities said Matos and Hernandez-Mendez’s marriage was transactional. He said the marriage was so he could get his green card.
WRAL News has previously reported that Matos’ friends and family said Hernandez-Mendez was in the country undocumented, and he was going to pay her $15,000 in exchange for a marriage license.
