Woman Who Witnessed Fairfield Murders Testifies in Trial

A key prosecution witness took the stand today in the trial of a man charged with three gang-style killings. In an emotional testimony, she told jurors how she witnessed two of the murders in a Fairfield restaurant parking lot. Hector Al-Varenga Retana could get the death penalty if convicted. Local 12 reporter Larry Davis has more on the testimony.

The witness, whom prosecutors asked not to be identified out of concern for her safety, was emotional as she testified how she saw Alvarenga-Retana reach across the front seat of his car and fire several shots into another car. She said she was threatened not to tell anyone what she saw.

Prosecutors say Hector Alvarenga-Retana is known to be a member of the Violent International Gang, MS 13. They say his victims that night were rival gang members.

The shootings took place outside the Casa Tequila restaurant in Fairfield in July of 2008. The witness testified that she was riding in the back seat of Alvarenga-Retana's car, when she heard him say to a friend that he was going to complete his mission. Later they drove around the Casa Tequila parking lot and pulled up next to another car when she says the defendant then opened fire.

The woman says she screamed and cried after the shots were fired and that Alvarenga-Retana put a gun to her head and told her to shut up. Later, she testified he threatened to hurt her family if she told anyone what she witnessed.

Alvarenga-Retana is also charged in a separate killing outside a Corryville Nightspot a week later. The defense claims there is no physical evidence to tie the murders to their client .

WKRC@CINCINNATI