Witness Testimony in U-Haul Murder Trial

Day two of a high profile, gang-related murder trial in Santa Maria saw a key witness for the prosecution take the stand.

The witness, who could not be photographed or identified by Central Coast News under strict guidelines in place for the trial, testified she was in her home on West Donovan Road in Santa Maria back in March 2013 and heard the the victim in the case, Anthony Ibarra, being beaten to death by some or all of the six defendants on trial for murder over what the prosecution says was Ibarra’s unpaid drug debts.

“And then the noise went to the back room, that’s when I could hear Anthony saying to let him explain”, the woman said in her testimony.

She testified her home on West Donovan Road was used for the alleged kidnap, torture and murder of Anthony Ibarra on March 17, 2013 for his drug debts.

The woman testified she helped lure her friend Anthony Ibarra to her home on West Donovan Road with a phone call under pressure from some of the defendants who had come to her home.

She testified she heard Ibarra plead for his life from behind closed doors in another room in the house.

“I remember he was just screaming and telling them to stop”, the woman testified, “he was screaming in pain, like whatever they were doing was hurting him.”

Under cross examination from one of the six defense attorneys in the case, the woman admitted she is a recovering methamphetamine addict and former dealer who was high on drugs during the killing of Anthony Ibarra and had prior criminal convictions, was in violation of her probation and had an arrest warrant in her name.

The defense believes the woman traded her testimony for immunity from prosecution for her current offenses and for being an accomplice in the murder of Anthony Ibarra.

Defense cross-examination of the witness is expected to resume Thursday morning at Santa Maria Juvenile Hall Court after a day off on Wednesday.

The trial is expected to last into February.