Aaron Moton trial continues for fifth day in Fresno

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The seventeen jurors deciding Aaron Moton's fate watched a recording of the Fresno man's first interview with police from October 2021 on Friday.

"He was just like out ... not moving," Moton said in the tape. "When I went to go get him ... he went up, then went back, like his whole back."

That is how Moton described the scene to police just a day after two-year-old Xander Villalobos died at the apartment his mother, Nikkey Rojas, shared with Moton.

Senior Deputy District Attorney Amy Cobb says Moton brutally killed baby Xander, striking his belly three days shy of his third birthday.

But on Friday, jurors heard what Moton told police -- that he was trying to help.

"You make it sound like you were doing CPR," Det. Ryan Rockwell with the Fresno Police Department said during the interview with Moton.

"I pressed on his chest like right here twice, and I breathed in his mouth twice," Moton said.

The 25-year-old -- accused of murder -- also told police he had a good relationship with baby Xander.

"I used to play with him, man," he said. "So you were the fun parent?" Rockwell asked. "Yeah," Moton said.

The video was played for the jury Friday after a contentious moment in court the day before.

On Thursday, Rockwell took the stand to testify about his interview with Moton.

"He started to lose his color," Rockwell said of Moton on Thursday. "I noticed little beads of sweat started to form on his forehead and started to drip down his nose."

But Moton's defense attorney, Scott Kinney, shot back. He pressed the detective on those details.

"This interview was audio and video recorded, right?" Kinney asked. "Yes," the detective said.

"Shouldn't the jury see it then?" Kinney said. "Objection," senior deputy district attorney Amy Cobb said.

During the first hour of the video Action News saw Friday, Moton appeared calm, even composed as he answered questions.

As the video played in court, Moton thumbed through the 158-page transcript of the interview.

He followed along and, at times, nodded his head.

The trial is set to resume Tuesday with Moton's defense.

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