DES MOINES, Iowa — The wife of accused murderer Marvin Esquivel Lopez told a Polk County courtroom Tuesday she saw her husband shoot and kill Rossibeth Flores Rodriguez the night of July 16, 2019.
Lopez is accused of killing Flores Rodriguez and her two children, 5-year-old Ever and 11-year-old Daniela, inside the Des Moines home they shared with Lopez and his family.
He faces three counts of Murder in the First Degree.
"It didn't seem real what I saw, I didn't want to believe it," Mariah Esquivel Lopez said.
Mariah said Marvin came home around 10 p.m. the night of July 16, went upstairs to change and when he came to the main level of their home, Flores Rodriguez came up from the basement and an argument began.
Marvin and Flores Rodriguez were yelling in Spanish. Mariah didn't know what they were saying.
Mariah said she saw Flores Rodriguez push Marvin, and that's when Marvin, according to Mariah, pulled a gun out of his pocket and shot Flores Rodriguez.
Mariah Esquivel Lopez said she witnessed Rossibeth fall to the ground and then she became scared for her children, who were sleeping upstairs during the incident.
"I was freaking out, I wanted to get out of there, wanted to get the kids out of there," Mariah told the jury Tuesday. "I ran upstairs and got the kids."
Mariah said Marvin came upstairs with her and got one of the children, eight-year-old Jorge, into the car. Mariah said she was afraid for her children and drove away.
The defense questioned if Mariah had been truthful with the police the night of the shootings. She admitted she had not been honest in her first interview with detectives because she was scared.
At first, Mariah said did not see anything happen, but then told police about what she witnessed between Marvin and Rossibeth.
"I told the truth," she said.
Rossibeth's mother, Rosa Betty Rodriguez, also testified Tuesday about the relationship between her daughter and Marvin.
Rodriguez said Rossibeth came to the United States with the help of Marvin; he assisted her through the immigration process. Rossibeth was looking for a better life for her children and herself and Marvin offered his home as a place to stay.
Rodriguez testified Rossibeth was happy at first living with Marvin and his family in a Des Moines townhome. Rossibeth worked for Marvin and his roofing company.
According to Rodriguez's frequent conversations with her daughter, Rossibeth became afraid of Marvin and was planning to move out of Marvin's home shortly before her death.
Three law enforcement officers also testified about their findings in the case.
The prosecution has two more witnesses to call Wednesday It will then be Lopez's defense team's turn to present its case.
Full video: Wife of Des Moines triple murder suspect testifies she witnessed the killings