BANGOR, Maine — The man on trial for killing his wife Dec. 25, 2013, in their Ellsworth home told police he did not hit Hilary Saenz that day but did strike her in the face two days earlier.
Christopher Saenz, 32 , allegedly beat Hilary Saenz, 29, to death in their Central Street apartment while their two children, then 12 and 8 years old, were in the home.
He is charged with intentional or knowing murder and, in the alternative, depraved indifference murder in the death of his wife. Saenz has pleaded not guilty.
Saenz’s first interview with Maine State Police Detective Jennifer Fiske took place at a neighbor’s home about 7:30 p.m., four hours after his wife was pronounced dead. The interview was played Tuesday, the second day of Saenz’s jury-waived trial.
An emotional Saenz told Fiske he and his wife had been arguing in the days leading up to Christmas and on Christmas Day about Facebook and text messages. He told the detective he had heard from a former girlfriend and his wife was upset about it.
“I don’t understand it,” Saenz sobbed at one point during the 15-minute interview. He told Fiske that his wife fell down and knocked herself out. He said he called a hospital, then 911. Saenz told the ambulance crew, which arrived at 2:52 p.m. Dec. 25, 2013, that she had a seizure, according to testimony Monday.
Fiske said that before interviewing Saenz, she photographed his wife’s body. The detective said the woman had black eyes and bruises on her neck, chest, arms and hip.
Neighbors and co-workers of Hilary Saenz testified Tuesday morning.
Barbara Hegenbart, who lived across the street from the Saenz family, and her daughter Amy Tunney both said the children arrived at Hegenbart’s house between 2:30 and 2:50 p.m. Christmas Day. Both women said the children told them their father had sent them over.
Hegenbart said it was because Hilary Saenz would not wake up. Tunney said the children said their mother had passed out. Both women said that Christopher Saenz arrived about 4 p.m. to tell his children their mother had died. He seemed “wild” and “revved up,” Hegenbart said when asked to describe Saenz’s demeanor.
An Ellsworth police officer was on the scene when Saenz was told his wife had died. The recording from the camera/audio recorder in the cruiser was played Tuesday. While Saenz could not be seen in the recording, he could be heard saying, “No. No. No. No way. It can’t be.” He also could be heard asking to go back into the house to see his wife but was told he could not do so.
Hilary Saenz was employed by Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor and at the Wal-Mart in Ellsworth at the time of her death, Assistant Attorney General Deb Cashman, who is prosecuting the case, said in her opening statement on Monday. Christopher Saenz worked occasionally as a carpenter, she said.
A co-worker from each workplace took the stand Tuesday. Both women described Hilary Saenz as a hard worker and a “great person.”
Ada Jenkins said she worked the overnight shirt as a certified nursing assistant with the victim. Jenkins testified that on the Dec. 18-19 shift, Hilary Saenz was talking on her cellphone a lot and crying. The woman said Hilary Saenz said her husband had taken her new phone to go through it because he thought she was having an affair.
As the two left EMMC after their shifts ended at 7 a.m., Jenkins said Hilary Saenz had her say loudly, “Goodbye, Hilary,” as she held up her old phone, which had a cracked screen. Jenkins said that Hilary Saenz called her on Dec. 24 and asked her to work for her but she was unable to take the shift.
Bobbie Dumont, one of Hilary Saenz’s co-workers at EMMC, said the victim expressed concern that she had short-term memory loss because of a head injury suffered in a car accident in 2003. Dumont said it did not affect her work.
Defense attorney Jeffrey Toothaker of Ellsworth said Monday in his opening statement that Hilary Saenz died of a brain hemorrhage that was a result of lingering, undiagnosed problems from the head injury.
The trial is to resume Wednesday before Superior Court Justice Ann Murray with testimony from Fiske and other investigators.
The trial is scheduled to last two weeks.
Murray is expected to issue a written verdict this summer.
If convicted on murder, Saenz faces between 25 years and life in prison.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence and would like to talk with an advocate, call 866-834-4357, TRS 800-787-3224. This free, confidential service is available 24/7 and is accessible from anywhere in Maine.