Editor’s Note: An earlier version of this story identified Manuel Marin as Presidente Supermarket’s co-founder, instead he’s a former owner of some Presidente stores.
A key witness in the trial against a former MMA fighter and promoter involved in a 2011 murder took the stand Tuesday.
Ariel Gandulla, who himself is a former MMA fighter and suspect in the case, told jurors he believed he was accompanying promoter Roberto Isaac to collect a debt from the victim, Camilo Salazar.
It was not until later, Gandulla says, he learned that Isaac was allegedly working with Manuel Marin, a former owner of some Presidente Supermarkets, to carry out the killing of Salazar.
He admits to not preventing Salazar's kidnapping, but, he says when he realized what was going to take place, he drove off in the car - leaving Isaac and Marin behind.
Four people in total have been arrested in the case, including Marin.
Prosecutors say he gave his long-time friend, and Ex-MMA fighter, Alexis Vila Perdomo, the task of finding men to kill his wife's alleged lover, Salazar.
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Isaac is accused of driving with Marin and Gandulla to a rural area near Okeechobee in order to torture and murder Salazar.
In September 2019, Gandulla voluntarily returned to the U.S. from Canada and plead guilt to kidnapping Salazar.
He agreed to 36 months in prison.
