Murder suspect calls marriage a 'sham' to gain US citizenship, says roommate killed his wife
Erick Hernandez-Mendez, charged with the April 2021 murder of his wife, maintained his innocence on Monday, testifying his wife was killed by her roommate.
Posted — UpdatedErick Hernandez-Mendez, charged with the April 2021 murder of his wife, maintained his innocence on Monday, testifying his wife was killed by her roommate.
Authorities found Matos dead on April 4, 2021, inside her apartment at the Signature 1505 along Hillsborough Street in Raleigh. Matos' autopsy revealed she was stabbed 16 times.
In court on Monday, Hernandez-Mendez, who was born in Mexico, testified his marriage to Matos was a "sham" to qualify for U.S. citizenship as he pursued a career. He also claimed he watched Matos' roommate, Kailey Lynch-Firicano, stab his wife in their apartment.
When he was asked outright if he killed Matos, Hernandez-Mendez answered "no," saying he only lied to the police and helped clean up the crime scene.
He told the court that the two roommates had a fight over the temperature in the apartment days before Matos was killed. He then testified that he saw Lynch-Firicano stabbing Christina.
"I put my ear to door ... [I] thought she brought a guy over," Hernandez-Mendez said. "[I opened] the door and I saw Kailey stabbing Christina."
Hernandez-Mendez said Lynch-Firicano had a knife in her hand and a rag over Matos' mouth, even getting his attorney to help him demonstrate what the scene looked like.
"They were on their knees like this," he described to the courtroom. "She was coughing and gurgling with blood coming out ... I stayed with her 'til her last breath, and I said I will go get help ... and Christina said no, let me die."
Instead of calling 911, Hernandez-Mendez said he took off his "bloody white shirt" and "jumped in the shower."
"Her being calm scared me more than actual murder, she had no emotion," Hernandez-Mendez said, describing Lynch-Firicano.
He said he didn't tell investigators that version of events immediately after Matos' murder because he was afraid of Lynch-Firicano.
"I was not in my right mind," he said.
Hernandez-Mendez testified that Lynch-Firicano subpoenaed and pleaded the fifth, exercising her right to remain silent and not incriminate herself. Lynch-Firicano, who is charged with charged with accessory after the fact and obstruction of justice, was not present in the courtroom on Monday.
Prosecutors pointed out that Hernandez-Mendez took two years to point the finger at Lynch-Firicano and only came forward only after Lynch-Firicano was arrested.
"I was still in fear, so I never came forward," he said.
On Monday, Hernandez-Mendez spent his first 20 minutes on the stand discussing his family and background. Hernandez-Mendez said he moved with his family from Mexico to the United States as a young child and said he lost his qualification to re-enter the country legally when he was 10.
Hernandez-Mendez said he developed a friendship with Matos after their graduation from Clayton High School.
He claimed he told Matos over lunch at North Hills he would not be able to pursue U.S. residency unless he married a legal citizen. Hernandez-Mendez said Matos offered her help, asking him to marry her so he could get his green card.
In court on Monday, Hernandez-Mendez testified his relationship with Matos was platonic. On the stand, he identified himself as gay and said he and Matos never had sex.
“This was a sham marriage,” Hernandez-Mendez said, adding “there was no intimacy … this was just an agreement” with Matos so he could apply for a green card and pursue a career.
"I married her for convenience and to get my citizenship," Hernandez-Mendez said.
Hernandez-Mendez has repeatedly denied killing Matos.
"I wish I would have called 911, if I did I wouldn't be in this situation today," he said.
Hernandez-Mendez apologized to his wife's family in the courtroom.
"I was in fear, scared and sad," he said. "I went with Kailey's plan cover it up ... I knew as a spouse I would be the first suspect. "I am so sorry for lying in front of you. I would never hurt your daughter. I am so sorry to my family too."
Earlier in the day, Hernandez-Mendez admitted to being a "mama's boy," describing how close he was with his family. Hernandez-Mendez said his mom has not attended the trial for her own mental health.
Last week in court, new pieces of evidence were revealed, including a Walgreens receipt for Clorox wipes and bleach.
On Monday, Hernandez-Mendez testified he bought the items to clean up the crime scene after Lynch-Firicano threatened his family. He said he bought lemonade and tea to make it look like a normal grocery list.
"I didn't want it to look suspicious, [I tried] to make it normal as possible," he said.
Last week in court the jury watched a video Raleigh police had of Hernandez-Mendez just five days after Matos went missing in 2021.
In the video, Hernandez-Mendez showed little emotion when the detective says his wife of just five days is dead.
A Raleigh police detective in the video said a solution used to detect blood in the apartment was a very important clue.
"A blood trail from Christina's room went straight to your room and no where else," a police detective tells Hernandez Mendez in the video. [Is there] something you need to tell me?"
"I don't really have an answer to that," Hernandez-Mendez said in the video. "I don't know. I would never cause harm to [anyone]."
A detective also questioned why there was a knife missing from the butcher block. Hernandez-Mendez said he didn't know.
Related Topics
• Credits
Copyright 2024 by Capitol Broadcasting Company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
