Testimony begins
in gay murder trial

Testimony began Tuesday in the murder trial of a former Columbia, Mo., police officer charged with killing a college student he'd arrested and then later become involved with sexually. Steven Rios is charged with first-degree murder in the death 23-year-old Jesse Valencia, whose body was discovered June 5 of last year in a neighbor's yard near the University of Missouri campus. The killer choked Valencia into unconsciousness before slashing his throat. Prosecutor Morley Swingle told jurors that Rios initially denied the affair and accused two fellow officers of the crime. But Rios confessed to the affair after being told of witnesses who saw him at Valencia's apartment, including a man who was involved in a threesome with the officer and the victim. Swingle said, "This defendant used his badge for sex and his knife to close the mouth of the victim." Public defender Valerie Leftwich reminded jurors that their role was to consider evidence of only a murder and not the affair. She told jurors Rios was on the roof of the police department with other officers drinking beer when Valencia died. Tuesday's 12 witnesses included investigators, the pathologist who performed the autopsy, and Valencia's most recent sexual partner, who told jurors he last saw the victim walking home. A close-up photo of Valencia's face and gaping wound prompted his mother to sob loudly and run from the courtroom. She later returned but left again before the pathologist's testimony. Because of the long witness list--nearly 60 are scheduled--the trial could last through Saturday. If convicted, Rios faces life in prison. (Mike Wells, Advocate/OutQ news)