SAN ANTONIO – The trial is underway for 73-year-old Louis Benevento who is charged with the May 22, 2019 murder of his wife Alicia Wills, 62.
Benevento pleaded not guilty to the charge of first-degree murder and his defense team stated in opening arguments that this is a case of self-defense.
Defense attorney Anthony Cantrell said Wills attacked Benevento, pulling hair off his chest in addition to hitting him over the head with a metal cup and a hammer during an argument.
Afterward, Cantrell claimed that Wills got a gun and pointed it at Benevento inside their home.
“When that happened, he tried to knock the gun out of her hand and she fired a gunshot into the ceiling,” Cantrell said during opening statements.
Their argument would eventually move outside when the defense said Wills took Benevento’s model airplanes and ran over them.
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It was then that Benevento went outside armed with a gun, and as Wills pointed her gun at him, the defense said he fired the gun in fear of his life.
The state started their case with the 911 call that Wills made while outside.
“I know he’s going to kill me,” Wills can be heard saying in the call. After a couple of minutes, she started to scream. Several gunshots can be heard in the audio and then the call goes silent.
During the playing of the 911 tape, Benevento got emotional and broke down crying.
At some point during the trial, Benevento is expected to testify in his defense.
If he is found guilty, he faces 5 to 99 years or life in prison.
