Woman Slit Boyfriend’s Throat and Hid the Dismembered Body in Secret Room Below Stairs: Apprehended after New Boyfriend Spilled Beans to Police in California
A woman in California is set to face trial for the alleged murder of her ex-boyfriend. It is claimed that she used a frying pan to strike him in the head and a box cutter to slit his throat. The victim’s remains were then reportedly buried in a makeshift tomb on her property.
A judge in San Bernardino County Superior Court has ruled that Trista Ann Spicer will stand trial for the murder of Eric Israel Mercado. The court records indicate that Spicer is facing one count of murder with an enhancement for the use of a deadly weapon in the slaying of Mercado, who was 42 years old.
Spicer has entered a plea of not guilty in the case involving the unfortunate death of Mercado. Mercado had been reported missing since 2014, until his body was tragically found on Spicer’s property in 2022.
In a recent news release, the San Bernardino Police Department stated that detectives from the Homicide Unit conducted a follow-up interview based on a tip regarding potential human remains on a local property.
The interview took place at around 3 p.m. on August 23, 2022. Following the verification of the details given by the informant, law enforcement officials successfully acquired a search warrant for a residence located in the 1400 block of E. Davidson Street.
Investigators discovered a makeshift tomb on the property during the execution of the search warrant. The investigators discovered human remains inside the makeshift tomb, according to the release. Homicide investigators have discovered important details regarding the case involving Trista Spicer and Eric Mercado, who were residing together. Investigators discovered that Mercado had been reported missing by his family in 2014 and had not been seen since.
Investigators have concluded that Spicer is responsible for Mercado’s death, based on the evidence gathered during the investigation. On September 2, 2022, she was apprehended in Yucaipa, California, located approximately 70 miles east of Los Angeles.
Gentry, a convicted felon, allegedly informed the court that he started residing with Spicer in 2019 and the two frequently engaged in substance abuse. In 2022, Gentry mentioned that Spicer was considering a move from California to Illinois, where she had family.
However, before she could make the move, she had an important matter to attend to and sought Gentry’s assistance.
According to reports by Law&Crime, Gentry made the decision to approach the police after having a conversation with his mother, who encouraged him to act in accordance with his moral compass. During the search of the residence, law enforcement discovered a concealed storage compartment measuring approximately 8 feet in width, 6 feet in height, and 3 feet in depth.
Mercado’s body was discovered concealed within a sliced air mattress compartment.
The medical examiner who conducted the autopsy on Mercado informed the police that his nose and eye socket were severely damaged, leading to immediate fatality.
According to records, Spicer has another court appearance scheduled for July 12.
