Next Witness: Martin Salinas, former APD officer.Salinas was a patrol officer in Central East Austin on the night of the murder. He had graduated from the police academy about three months prior to murder.
Salinas was on patrol with his field training officer (FTO), who typically rides with new graduates for about three months until they can patrol on their own. Recounting night of the murder: Dispatch told Salinas and FTO to head to scene for "check welfare urgent.”
Dispatch then relayed that CPR was in progress, call was upgraded to a "hotshot" call, responding with lights and sirens.Salinas says he had trouble finding the apartment (The note has entry only through a hidden back driveway and is above a garage). That delayed responders.
Upon entering, Salinas saw two legs sticking out from the doorframe. He could hear Cash begging for help. Salinas helped provide CPR to Wilson. Salinas says it was a difficult scene to walk into.
While administering CPR, he noticed a brass shell casing on the ground beside Wilson's body. As he was performing CPR, EMS arrived on scene. They told him to stop giving CPR so they could take over. Cash at this time was with the FTO. Salinas now saw several spent shell casings.
As the first officer on scene, Salina's responsibility was to call homicide detectives. The apartment and alley was turned into a crime scene. Salinas spoke to Cash, who was "in shock & disbelief."Salinas asked her name, information, victim's name, information. She cooperated.
Cash noted that Wilson's bicycle was missing. It was located 10-20 feet away, Salinas says. Cash was transported to HQ for interviews with homicide detectives. Salinas returned to crime scene to gather bicycle for evidence. Bike placed in back seat of patrol vehicle.
Cash told police that Mo intended to hang out with Colin Strickland. Salinas found Colin's drivers license data after a computer search. Recounting the apartment's condition, nothing seemed out of order. Nothing was disturbed or thrown around. No signs of forced entry.
It appears we are about to watch Salina's redacted body cam footage from visiting the crime scene. The film has not been shown yet, but already Mo Wilson's mother is distraught with her head in her hands. Caitlin Cash and Mo's father put their arms around her in loving support
Body Cam Footage: Salinas arrives on scene with FTO. Timecode is 22:01:30. They arrive at the wrong home initially (1708A, not 1708B). They knock on the wrong door. They are now walking through a garage. They get through garage and finally find the right staircase.
Salinas enters and sees the crime scene. We are looking at Cash performing CPR on Wilson's body. Salinas checks the pulse before starting CPR. The family is not watching this body camera footage. Their heads are down. Cash cannot watch either. Wilson's body is bloodied and lifeless. Cash is on all fours as she talks to the dispatcher on speakerphone. You can hear her whisper to herself, "what the
…”
Salinas continues CPR for what seems like forever. Cash exits the bathroom. Salinas says out loud to his FTO that he observes a shell casing by his right knee. You can see blood gathering around her body.Salinas on the witness stand says that Wilson was not responsive and at this moment, in his opinion, she was dead.
Other officers now arrive. You can hear them say out loud that there are three shell casings at the scene. EMS now on scene and tell Salinas to keep going. They now ask him to pause while they examine the body and gunshot wounds. EMS tilting Wilson's head and notice exit wound.
Salinas now exiting the bathroom. EMS has taken charge of all medical care from this point on. EMS heard saying out loud, "we are going to call it," meaning they will call the doctor and get a time of death.Timecode approx. 22:07:15.
The apartment is now swarmed with police officers processing the scene and looking for evidence. The video has now jumped to when Salinas is questioning Cash outside in the alley. Cash explains what she knows about Wilson's whereabouts that night. Says she didn't know if Wilson had an argument with Strickland.The video has now jumped to when Salinas is in his patrol vehicle and looking up Strickland's information. You can see Strickland's drivers license picture appear on his laptop.
State has no more questions. Defense asks if there were signs of forced entry or signs of disturbance? No, no obvious signs of disturbance, Salinas says. Defense asks when he left APD? Salinas says Oct. 20 was his last day with APD. Salinas says he was mostly a probationary officer, with a short time as a full-fledged police officer. Right now he is unemployed. He is looking for work as a police officer now, but not in Austin.No further questions for Salinas.
