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The best friend of a young University of North Texas student murdered and set on fire, broke down in court yesterday, as the trial finally got underway.
Jurors heard graphic testimony detailing the final moments of Melanie Goodwin's life.
Prosecutors say a man caught on surveillance camera the night of the killing, carried out the crime back in 2007.
The newest detail to come out in this trial was 19-year-old Goodwin was raped, before she was strangled and her body set on fire. One of her good friends broke down in court yesterday. She was the last person to see her alive.
Melanie Goodwin
"She was always smiling," she said.
Sara Hurley was a friend. The two UNT students worked together the night of her murder.
"She befriended everyone she met... [she was] very close to her family," Hurley said.
Melanie Goodwin's mother received a lot of support at the trial. Much needed support, after hearing her youngest child was raped, beaten, and strangled, before being set on fire.
Ernesto Reyes
"The ultimate question is why? And that's never going to be answered. Why this senseless tragedy happened. Why this random act of violence happened," said family spokesman Matthew Bobo.
The 19-year-old was on her way to her boyfriend's apartment but made the fatal stop at a convenience store after leaving work. Security cameras show her and the suspect Ernesto Reyes inside the store at the same time.
The store employee working the shift testified he overheard the suspect approach the victim and have a conversation.
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"I caught bits and pieces of it. But I heard, 'if you take me here, I'll make it the rest of the way.'"
But, the UNT sophomore never made it home. Her body was found badly burned in Carrollton.
"This defendant committed a heinous crime and hopefully we can convince this jury of it and this individual will get life in prison," said Dallas County prosecutor, Craig Watkins.
