In a chilling testimony, Charles Beltran, co-defendant and former boyfriend of Lisa Dykes, described the horrific stabbing of 23-year-old Marisela Botello on the witness stand, stating he awoke to her cries for help only to see Dykes "with a knife coming down like this," as he motioned a stabbing action. Prosecutors accuse Dykes of murdering Botello, whose body was discovered months after she vanished in Dallas. Botello, from Seattle, was last seen alive in October 2020 after spending a night out in the Deep Ellum district, according to FOX 4 News.
In his account, Beltran recounted how he tried to push Dykes off of Botello but both rolled off the bed and continued to struggle. He then confronted her as to why she had brought another girl over, while Botello appeared dead. Despite having his chance to contact authorities, Beltran instead sought drugs, visited another girlfriend, and even stopped for an oil change on his car—actions he now admits were selfish. He confirmed this in a statement, per FOX 4 News.
Additionally, haunting testimony placed Dykes kneeling before a Grim Reaper statue in a home shared with the fellow accused, a scene conveyed by a neighbor during the ongoing trial that's been live-streamed for public viewing. Over six months passed before Botello's remains were discovered, a mystery unraveling in a Dallas courtroom as the trial exposed a complex web of relationships entwined with desperation to conceal their crime, according to Hoodline.
The gruesome details of the crime came to light as Detective Stephen Prince testified, tying Botello's last movements to Beltran's vehicle, revealing that "We pulled the license plate picture of Mr. Beltran and it matched the person who walked with Marisela to that 7-Eleven that morning," their search for justice is hampered by international flights and delayed proceedings still Botello's family continues to seek closure. While Beltran and another defendant, Nina Tamar Marano, await their trials in early 2024, Dykes stands at the center of the current legal battle, with her defense team claiming she is eager "to address Beltran’s lies," as per FOX 4 News.
