Victim’s Boyfriend Testifies About Suspect’s Actions in 2014 Homicide Trial

By Justine Stuber [former] , Sadie Herman [former] - November 6, 2023
Court | Daily Stories | Domestic Violence | Homicides | Suspects | Victims |

On Nov. 2, the prosecution called the victim’s boyfriend to testify about her estranged lover in a 2014 homicide trial before DC Superior Court Judge Michael O’Keefe.  

Marvin Lopez, 43, is charged with premeditated first-degree murder and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, for his alleged involvement in the fatal shooting of 27-year-old Evelyn Arroyo on Dec. 24, 2014, on the 3900 block of 14th street, NW. 

Lopez and Arroyo had been in a romantic relationship since 2012, and Arroyo ended that relationship weeks before the murder. 

According to her boyfriend, the two had met in the months before Arroyo ended the relationship with Lopez, and she had been staying with the witness after breaking off her relationship with Lopez. 

According to the witness, Lopez had seen Arroyo and her boyfriend at a restaurant, allegedly approaching the couple and asking “You having a good time with your new lover?”. This was two-to-three months before the murder. 

The witness further testified that he often heard phone calls between Arroyo and Lopez and stated that he had heard Lopez threaten to kill Arroyo over the phone and saw threatening messages Lopez had allegedly sent her on Facebook including he would shoot Arroyo four times. He also stated that Arroyo had shown him bruises on her body, but did not elaborate on what caused them. 

When Arroyo ended the relationship, Lopez had reportedly taken her phone and car keys so the witness had been driving Arroyo to work. On Dec. 24, 2014, he said he drove Arroyo and dropped her off at her job as a waitress. As he drove away, Arroyo was allegedly shot by Lopez upon entering her workplace. 

The witness learned of a shooting at the restaurant soon after it happened and drove back to the scene, but was stopped as police had closed off the streets. He showed the police his phone, which was still logged into Arroyo’s Facebook as she had been using his after her phone was taken. Upon seeing the phone, police allegedly discovered the threatening messages between Arroyo and Lopez.

During cross-examination, Lopez’s defense attorney, Justin Okezie, questioned the witness regarding the night of the murder. The witness stated he saw Lopez walking near the restaurant after he dropped Arroyo off.

The witness stated that Arroyo did not have a phone with her at the time, and that was the reason he could not get a hold of her after seeing Lopez outside of the restaurant. Okezie questioned him as to why he didn’t instead stop the car, pull over, and inform Arroyo that he had seen Lopez outside. The witness had no immediate answer.

Okezie responded by exclaiming, “You didn’t do that because you never saw Marvin Lopez there outside of the restaurant!”, to which the witness responded by insisting that he had.

Okezie also referenced a previous occasion when the witness when Lopez said to this witness, “You’re doing it right brother!” in reference to Arroyo. Okezie asked if Lopez had ever been aggressive towards the witness. The witness said Lopez had never acted aggressively toward him. 

The prosecution then called Arroyo and Lopez’s roommate, who had been living with the couple a few months prior to the murder. She testified that she could often hear them fighting through the walls. “They were just fighting all the time. Several times I heard him tell her if she wasn’t for him, she wasn’t for anyone,” the witness said. She also testified to hearing Lopez say that if she left him, he would kill her and then himself. 

The roommate said that she often saw bruises on Arroyo’s neck and arms, and once saw Lopez holding Arroyo by the neck for five-to-six minutes. She also testified that she saw Lopez throw Arroyo onto the bed the couple shared. Police had reportedly been to the house responding to domestic assault calls. 

According to the roommate, Arroyo had shown her Lopez’s gun, a small black pistol. Allegedly, Arroyo hid the gun in the trunk of her car for fear of Lopez two-to-three weeks before the murder. 

The roommate then testified on the night of the murder she saw Lopez pacing around the apartment, looking agitated. He was wearing a red shirt and light-colored pants, which matches the description of a man allegedly seen running from the scene of the shooting. She said she saw Lopez leave at approximately 5 p.m., shortly before Arroyo was shot. 

The defense will cross-examine the witness when the trial resumes. 

This trial is expected to resume on Nov. 7.