Father testifies in Torre homicide trial, 911 call played back

For two hours, Guam Police Department Lt. Mark Torre took the stand in a case against his son accused in the death of a fellow police officer five years ago. Both defense and prosecution grilled the father on the details that unfolded at the crime scene outside his Yigo home. It's where Sgt. Elbert Piolo was shot and bled out. For the second time, former GPD officer, Mark Torre, Jr. is on trial for the fatal shooting of Piolo. This round, Torre, Jr. faces negligent homicide and aggravated assault charges. 

It was in the early hours of July 13, 2015 when Lt. Mark Torre woke up to a call from his daughter-in-law asking him to come downstairs. Upon exiting his Yigo residence Lt. Torre saw his son known as "Markie" standing outside his son's pickup truck. There he saw Piolo laying on the hood of the truck, back pressed on the hood, shirt off with hands and arms wide open.

 

 

Lt. Torre testified in Judge Arthur Barcinas' courtroom today that as he got closer to the scene he saw Piolo and Markie simultaneously embrace on another and noticed a clear hole between Piolo's armpit and chest but did not see any blood. 

Defense counsel Jay Arriola called Torre's father up to the witness stand this morning. The senior Torre told the court that he stepped closer to the two and Piolo yelled out "Lt. please help me, they shot me, they shot me." He said he immediately told his son to plug the wound. The elder Torre testified he never heard a gunshot from that early morning, and once he approached Markie was applying pressure to the hole and his son did not have his fire arm.

During cross examination, Chief Prosecutor Basil O'Mallen played back the 911 call  recording of Piolo. O'Mallen asked Torre senior if what Piolo said during the call was clear: "he shot me, he shot me." The father confirmed the phrase "he shot me."