Day 12 of La Mesa Murders trial: Police say Strong was at Rios’ work shortly before the murders

In day 12 of the La Mesa Street Murders trial, a police detective described video surveillance footage that showed Preston Strong was with Luis Rios at RC Liquor store on the day of the murders.

Yuma Police Department Detective Shawn Bledsoe told the jury on Tuesday that Luis Rios, Adrienne Heredia and Preston Strong had been at RC Liquor store on June 24, 2005.

Bledsoe said he was tasked with logging and analyzing surveillance video obtained from the store, which included footage from multiple cameras at the store.

“I started recording the information from the videos of June 24 at about 11:22 a.m. when Rios and Strong were seen in the store,” explained Bledsoe.

Bledsoe said business appeared to be happening as usual with Strong helping Rios out.

According to Bledsoe, Prestron Strong left at about 12:35 p.m. through the front door.

“He was wearing a blue baseball cap and light blue shirt,” Bledsoe said.

According to Bledsoe, Adrienne Heredia arrived at about 3:15 p.m. and stayed for about an hour.

“She also appeared to be helping out at the store,” Bledsoe said.

According to Bledsoe, Heredia left the liquor store at about 4:19 p.m. and Rios was last seen on footage about an hour later, around 5:30 p.m.

“Luis Rios is last seen in the video at about 17:30,” Bledsoe explained, “Luis and Adrienne never came back to the store.”

Bledsoe says a police officer was also seen arriving at the store at about 10:14 p.m.

Days earlier detectives stated that a police officer was sent to the liquor store on the night of the murders to try and gather information about the victims and find a way to identify them.

Bledsoe said that Strong also come back to the store.

Footage showed him entering the store with three other men including Ray Shaya, the liquor store’s owner and Rios’ business partner.

According to Bledsoe, Strong and the other men, except for Ray Shaya, left the store about five minutes later.

Bledsoe said that Strong was wearing different clothing when he came back to the store: a dark t-shirt, denim shorts, white socks and dark boots.

However during cross examination the defense asked Bledsoe about Shaya’s clothing. Footage also showed that Shaya was at the store at about 1:35 p.m.

“When he came back to the store, close to midnight, he was not wearing the same thing,” Bledsoe explained.

During Tuesday’s proceedings, Detective Bill Martin also finished his testimony and was cross-examined by the defense.

Former Yuma Police Department Detective Marty Raebel also took the stand.