Triple murder trial continues with new evidence, photos of first crime scene

FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- Photos of a red car and other evidence took center stage at the Fresno County Courthouse on Tuesday as crime scene investigators revealed new details in the Andrew Hammond triple murder trial.

"Those are marking bullet holes, one at each letter card," Fresno Police Department Crime Scene Technician Virginia Cavazos said.

"We use black dusting power to try and locate any fingerprints."

Prosecutors say evidence from the car incriminates Hammond.

He now faces three murder charges for the deaths of Fernando Gonzales, Steven Rice, and Brandon Munoz.

The men each died in separate shootings between 2020 and 2022.

Prosecutors say Hammond was behind them all.

The 28-year-old appeared calm and even friendly in court, but the deputy district attorney says Hammond has a bad temper.

"When the defendant, Andrew Hammond, feels that he's been disrespected," Deputy District Attorney Kelly Smith said Monday, (it) results in the death of not one, not two, but three separate individuals."

Hammond, who thumbed through the penal code in court on Tuesday, faces up to life in prison.

Prosecutors are walking the jury through the facts and evidence from each shooting separately.

On the stand, Fresno Police Department Detective Ryan Rockwell testified about the first scene, where Hammond attended a wake on East Washington Avenue.

It turned deadly after a drunken argument.

"I was able to do a second walk-through when the sun came up," Rockwell said about his investigation.

"You can see all the number stands ... There's also red boxes and rubber gloves," he said about photos of the scene.

It could be weeks until the defense attorney begins his arguments, but attorney Richard Beshwate did admit to the jury Monday that Andrew Hammond pulled the trigger in all three cases.

Beshwate says Hammond was always acting in self-defense.

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