A jury Monday heard the recorded testimony of a woman who described the terrifying moments her best friend was allegedly killed by a man who once appeared on "America's Most Wanted."
The trial continued for Abraham Mpaka, a man accused of stabbing and killing his girlfriend, Coty Paul, in 2008.
Christiane Charles, the victim’s best friend, testified in court through a video recording filmed after the murder. Charles died after recording her testimony, but on Monday a judge allowed the jury to hear her video statements.
Charles said Paul came over to her apartment to watch television on Dec. 26, 2008. At one point, Paul went outside to meet up with Mpaka to talk about the $200 he owed her. After that conversation, Paul went back inside Charles’ apartment.
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Shortly after, Charles said she heard her friend scream. When Charles turned to see what was wrong with her friend, she saw Mpaka holding what looked like a knife.
“Then I saw Coty say I’m dead. When I turned around, I saw Abraham put down something and took off running,” Charles said in a recorded statement. “Coty screamed, but I couldn’t tell what size the knife was.”
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Police said Mpaka fled the scene after the murder. Law enforcement agencies reached out to reality television shows like “America’s Most Wanted” to help with the search.
Mpaka was arrested in 2011 by FBI agents inside a library in Minnesota. An FBI agent also testified Monday that Mpaka was watching “America’s Most Wanted” on a computer.
Throughout this trial, Mpaka has been representing himself. He argued and won a legal argument Monday over a social security document the State Attorney’s Office said was not credible. However, after reviewing the document, Judge Robert Watson ruled it met the threshold for permissible evidence.
During cross-examination, Mpaka accused the FBI agents of using voice-altering technology to make it seem as if he confessed.
The trial continues Tuesday
