EVERETT — Encarnacion “EJ” Salas IV was confused and angry when he stabbed and slashed his boyfriend to death last year, prosecutors said in court Friday.
The victim, Jesus “Jesse” Cardenas Lopez, 34, wanted their relationship to become more intimate but Salas wasn’t ready.
Prosecutors argued that Salas, 24, became enraged at Cardenas Lopez and stabbed him, then left the room and came back to finish the killing. Defense attorney Paul Thompson argued that Salas acted only in self-defense and was attacked by Cardenas Lopez while denying his advances.
Salas is charged with first-degree murder. Lawyers gave closing arguments Friday in Snohomish County Superior Court. The jury deliberated for about four and a half hours before deciding to continue Monday.
The killing happened Oct. 24, 2014, in the victim’s Lynnwood-area apartment. Cardenas Lopez had 15 knife wounds to his lungs, liver, neck and head. He died from blood loss and breathing problems related to the wounds.
Salas “brutally hacked at Jesse Lopez,” deputy prosecutor Cindy Larsen said.
Arguments Friday focused in part on a slash wound Salas sustained to his forearm. Prosecutors alleged the defendant cut himself after fleeing the scene. Salas’ attorney said the cut came from Cardenas Lopez wielding the knife at the beginning of the fight.
Salas admits he was upset that night, his attorney said.
“Of course he’s upset,” Thompson said. “This guy just made a second pass at him.”
Salas ran away before police arrived. Thompson argued that his client was scared, calling the couple’s fight a “massive blood-letting.”
“He freaked out. He took off,” Thompson said. “That is not consciousness of guilt.”
Larsen disagreed and told jurors that a lesser conviction, such as manslaughter, “would be a cop-out.”
Cardenas Lopez played saxophone and worked as a customer service representative. His mother saw him die in their shared home.
“It was a struggle,” Larsen said. “Someone was struggling to live, and that was Jesse.”
Rikki King: 425-339-3449; rking@heraldnet.com.
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