CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Testimony has begun in the capital murder trial of Ausencio Acosta.
He’s one of six men charged in the April 2018 Balchuck Lane home invasion that left Arturo and Miram Lopez dead.
They were shot during a home invasion in the London Estates subdivision.
The prosecution says the couple was targeted because they were drug dealers and the suspects believe they would find a large quantity of drugs and money in their home.
In opening statements, the prosecutor said Acosta, who was Arturo Lopez's cousin, gave the go-ahead for the home invasion.
The defense argued that Acosta did not organize the crime and wasn't even at the scene.
They say drug cartels ordered the hit because Arturo Lopez had cheated them out of hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash and drugs.
One of the other five suspects in the crime, Adrian Olivarez, has agreed to testify against Acosta and the others.
