MISTRIAL AZ - Isabel Celis, 6, Tucson, 20 April 2012, found deceased in 2017* *Arrest* #27

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@Niner I popped in to room 675, sadly late, and there was nothing going on. Either it's not being live streamed orrrrr somebody really didn't cancel a meeting. We'll know for sure tomorrow if the audio is being streamed or not when the actual trial starts.
 
Tuesday, February 14th:
*Trial set to begin (@ 10:30am PT) – AZ – Isabel Mercedes Celis (6) (April 21, 2012, Tucson, found Mar. 3, 2017, Id’ed Mar. 31, 2017) – *Christopher Matthew Clements (30 @ time of 1st crime/36/now 41) aka Damion James Johnson indicted (9/15/18) & arraigned & charged (9/24/18) with 1 count of 1st degree murder, 1 count of kidnapping a minor under 15 & 14 counts of sexual exploitation of minors. Plead not guilty. $2M cash only bond. DA will not seek DP.
Murder trial for Isabel began on with jury selection on 2/9/23 & a jury was selected.
Trial starts on Tuesday, 2/14/23 thru 3/3/23.
Court hearings from 8/23/19 to 2/8/23 reference post #568 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...tucson-20-april-2012-arrest-27.464075/page-29
2/9/23 Jury Selection Day 1: Over 90 people were called as prospective witnesses today. The media was not allowed in Judge James Mariner's courtroom during the jury selection process and won't be allowed when testimony begins on Tuesday. The jury was selected on Thursday, Feb. 9 & opening statements are scheduled for 10:30am on Tuesday, 2/14/23.
*Maribel Victoria Gonzales (13) - Trial started 9/13/22 & ended 9/30/22 with a guilty verdict. Sentenced on 11/14/22 to natural life in prison & 17 years for kidnapping.
 
www.kgun9.com

Child murder trial begins in death of 6-year-old Isabel Celis

Clements is already convicted in the kidnapping and murder of 13-year-old Maribel Gonzalez. He’s been sentenced to life without parole in that case.
www.kgun9.com www.kgun9.com

2/13/23

TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Isabel Celis disappeared from her parents' home on Tucson’s east side in 2012. Tomorrow, Christopher Clements' trial for her murder is set to begin.

The disappearance and search for the young girl prompted national and international news coverage.

So how do you pick a jury that will not be influenced by such a high profile case?

Defense attorney Mike Piccarreta is not involved with this case. He says often potential jurors do not have much advanced knowledge even in widely reported cases.

He says the key is for jurors to abide by the judge’s order to consider only what they hear in court, and not try to research the case on their own.

“I was on a jury once that you really feel the weight and responsibility of trying to be fair, most people. So, you know, I think people do try to do the best they can. And almost always they come up with a result that's not unreasonable.”
Click to expand...
Mike Piccarreta, Defense Attoryney
Clements is already convicted in the kidnapping and murder of 13-year-old Maribel Gonzalez. He’s been sentenced to life without parole in that case. The 13-year-old’s remains were found in a remote part of Pima County very near where Isabel Celis' remains were found.

Clements actually led investigators to Celis' remains. He was trying to cut a deal on an unrelated criminal case. Investigators say Clements told them even though he knew the body’s location he had nothing to do with the 6-year-old’s disappearance and death.
 
Isabel, age 6, was taken from her bedroom on April 20, 2012 while her family slept. It will soon be 11 years since this tragedy. She would turn 17 this year - driving, prom, thinking about college entrance exams. This family was robbed of so much by this horrible beast. #JUSTICE FOR ISA.

tucson.com

Trial set to begin for man accused in killing of Isabel Celis

Already convicted in the murder of 13-year-old Maribel Gonzalez, Christopher Clements to face trial in the killing of the 6-year-old girl taken from her midtown Tucson home.
tucson.com tucson.com
 
www.kold.com

Christopher Clements’ 2nd murder trial kicks into high gear with opening statements

Christopher Clements is already serving life in prison for the murder of Maribel Gonzalez.
www.kold.com www.kold.com

2/14/23

[..]

The jury for the trial was picked last week, but the media was not allowed to attend. Tuesday was our first chance to see the group picked to decide Clements’ fate.

The jury is made up of nine men and six women. Though 15 people were selected, only 12 will be actively participating in the trial. The other three will be alternates.

Pima County Superior Court Judge James Marner asked the jurors to remain vigilant about not watching any media coverage of the trial. Marner said he will ask the jurors every morning to ensure they are not watching it.

While the trial is scheduled to last through March 9, Marner said he expects it to be over before then.

Prosecutor Tracy Miller started the opening statements by calling the situation an “unbelievable nightmare” for the Celis family and promised the jury that they would hear from the family.

Miller told jurors that Melissa Stark, Clements’ girlfriend at the time and the mother of his child, told investigators she found a piece of paper under rocks in the front yard of their home. On that paper was Isabel’s name.

“How in the world did Christopher Clements know where Isabel Celis was after all this time,” Miller asked in court.

Miller said hours after Isabel’s abduction, Clements’ cell phone was pinged near where her body was eventually found. Miller also said call logs showed Clements had called the Celis home several times.

Miller told jurors that photos of little girls were found on Clements’ electronic devices.

[..]

“Ladies and gentlemen, there’s not going to be a lot of information about how Clements got Isabel out of her room,” Miller said. “But the evidence leaves no doubt that the person responsible for this is Clements.”

Clements’ lawyers went next and claimed Isabel’s father Sergio Celis was responsible for her death.

His attorney also said no one heard anything the night she went missing and there is no way someone could have entered the home without making a lot of noise.

The defense also claimed Isabel’s father waited 15-20 minutes before calling 911 and that he was calm during the call.

Clements’ attorney said Isabel had written messages in her closet along the lines of “I don’t like Dad” and “Dad is bad.”

The defense also claimed the Celis family deleted text messages from their phones and had been struggling financially.
 
Wednesday, February 15th:
*Trial continues (Day 2) (@ 10:30am PT) – AZ – Isabel Mercedes Celis (6) (April 21, 2012, Tucson, found Mar. 3, 2017, Id’ed Mar. 31, 2017) – *Christopher Matthew Clements (30 @ time of 1st crime/36/now 41) aka Damion James Johnson indicted (9/15/18) & arraigned & charged (9/24/18) with 1 count of 1st degree murder, 1 count of kidnapping a minor under 15 & 14 counts of sexual exploitation of minors. Plead not guilty. $2M cash only bond. DA will not seek DP.
Murder trial for Isabel began on with jury selection on 2/9/23 & a jury was selected. Jury: 9 men & 6 women. Only 12 will actively participate in the trial (other 3 will be alternates). Pima County Superior Court Judge James Marner presiding.
Trial began on Tuesday, 2/14/23 thru 3/9/23. But Judge Marner believe trial will end earlier than the 9th.
Court hearings from 8/23/19 to 2/8/23 & Jury selection (2/9/23) reference post #583 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...tucson-20-april-2012-arrest-27.464075/page-30
2/14/23 Tuesday, Trial Day 1: Opening statements by prosecutor attorney Tracy Miller & defense attorney Eric Kessler.
State witness: Sergio Celis, Isabel’s father. Cross exam will start on Wednesday.
For more info see post #588 (article) here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...tucson-20-april-2012-arrest-27.464075/page-30
Trial continues on Wednesday, 2/15/23.
*Maribel Victoria Gonzales (13) - Trial started 9/13/22 & ended 9/30/22 with a guilty verdict. Sentenced on 11/14/22 to natural life in prison & 17 years for kidnapping. The kidnapping sentence will be served consecutively with the sentence of natural life.
 
Seattle1 said:
The first image of Isa's parents I've seen in 10+ years (at link). :(
Click to expand...
I have seen them occasionally in news stories. From what I remember they have kept a pretty low profile. They even sold or were trying to sell the house they were in when Isa disappeared. You can see how all of this has taken it's toll. Especially now that they will have to relive everything again. The disappearance, finding her and now accusations from the defense again. Heartbreaking.
 
I am surprised I found an article for yesterday's trial!! Also some info on what happened on Tuesday.

www.websleuths.com

MISTRIAL - AZ - Isabel Celis, 6, Tucson, 20 April 2012, found deceased in 2017* *Arrest* #27

@Niner I popped in to room 675, sadly late, and there was nothing going on. Either it's not being live streamed orrrrr somebody really didn't cancel a meeting. We'll know for sure tomorrow if the audio is being streamed or not when the actual trial starts.
www.websleuths.com www.websleuths.com

Feb. 15, 2023
Isabel Celis’ father on Wednesday defended himself against a defense attorney’s claim that he was responsible for his daughter’s disappearance in 2012, while testifying at the trial for the man accused of her kidnapping and murder.
[.....]
Immediately after defense attorney Eric Kessler finished his opening statement Tuesday, Miller called Sergio Celis to the witness stand.
[.....]
Miller interviewed Sergio Celis about his previous work as a trauma technician in the Tucson Medical Center emergency room. He told the jury he had been trained to keep a cool head and make the process run as efficiently as possible.

Celis led the jury through a diagram of the home and told them about the four dogs living with them at the time. He reviewed the events of the night before Isabel’s disappearance and said he went out to get sandwiches for dinner after the family returned late from one of their son’s baseball games.
[.....]
Defense attorney Kessler asked Celis if he tried to be honest when speaking to police about Isabel’s disappearance in the morning and asked why 911 wasn’t the first call he made. Celis first texted his wife and called his parents before calling 911.
[.....]
Kessler continued to question Celis when court resumed Wednesday, with their interaction becoming contentious throughout the morning.

Pima County Superior Court Judge James Marner told Celis to answer only the question Kessler asked and give the prosecutor an opportunity to either object or revisit the issue later.
[.....]
Prosecutors also called a woman who dated Clements in 2012 and lived with him briefly on Wednesday to testify. Clements was living about two miles from Celi’s house when Isabel disappeared.

Corina Rivera said she lived at Clement’s home near East Pima Street and North Craycroft Road for about six weeks before they ended their relationship in May 2012.

Rivera also spoke about her cousin, Joe Vega, who worked as an assistant coach with Sergio Celis on one of the football teams he coached. She said Clements was interested in some of Vegas’ Facebook posts.
[.....]
Rivera told jurors she was at Clements’ house a few days later when police, who had gone door-to-door, came to ask questions about Isabel’s disappearance.

“He had this grin on his face,” Rivera told jurors of Clement’s behavior when he told police he didn’t know anything about the missing girl. “A bit like a sarcastic smile. He grinned a lot.”
 
Thursday, February 16th:
*Trial continues (Day 3) (@ 10:30am PT) – AZ – Isabel Mercedes Celis (6) (missing from home April 21, 2012, Tucson, found in a desert area in Marana, located off of Avra Valley & Trico roads on Mar. 3, 2017, Id’ed Mar. 31, 2017) – *Christopher Matthew Clements (30 @ time of 1st crime/36/now 41) aka Damion James Johnson indicted (9/15/18) & arraigned & charged (9/24/18) with 1 count of 1st degree murder, 1 count of kidnapping a minor under 15 & 14 counts of sexual exploitation of minors. Plead not guilty. $2M cash only bond. DA will not seek DP.
Murder trial for Isabel began on with jury selection on 2/9/23 & a jury was selected. Jury: 9 men & 6 women. Only 12 will actively participate in the trial (other 3 will be alternates). Pima County Superior Court Judge James Marner presiding.
Trial began on Tuesday, 2/14/23 & will go thru 3/9/23. But Judge Marner believe trial will end earlier than the 9th.
Court hearings from 8/23/19 to 2/8/23 & Jury selection (2/9/23) & Trial Day 1 (2/14/23) reference post #589 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...tucson-20-april-2012-arrest-27.464075/page-30
2/15/23 Wednesday, Trial Day 2: State witness: Sergio Celis, Returns for cross exam. Corina Rivera, ex-girlfriend of Clements (2012).
For more info see post #595 (article) here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...tucson-20-april-2012-arrest-27.464075/page-30
Trial continues on Thursday, 2/16/23.
*Maribel Victoria Gonzales (13) - Trial started 9/13/22 & ended 9/30/22 with a guilty verdict. Sentenced on 11/14/22 to natural life in prison & 17 years for kidnapping. The kidnapping sentence will be served consecutively with the sentence of natural life.
 
katydid23 said:
I hope the juror asked that so they could hear why he was not a suspect anymore.
Click to expand...
Not sure. Hope so too. When this happened there were quite a few people who felt he was somehow involved. I'm thinking the arrest and evidence has not changed some peoples thoughts about it all. Makes me a little worried. I'm thankful my number didn't come up for jury duty. whew JMO
 
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