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SPOKANE, Wash. — The jury in the Richard Aguirre murder trial are unable to reach a verdict. They began deliberating late Wednesday morning, and announced Thursday afternoon they were hopelessly deadlocked.The defense moved for a mistrial and the judge granted the request. A new trial date has been set for March 7th.
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Heated closing arguments were presented to a jury Wednesday after five days of testimony in the Richard Aguirre murder case. Aguirre is accused of beating and strangling Ruby Doss to death in 1986 after the two were intimate.
Prosecutors say Doss was working in prostitution when she met Aguirre. The say the crime was extremely violent.
“Richard Aguirre’s actions were intentional and pre-mediated. Whatever caused him to be upset with Ruby Doss, caused him to kill her.”
“There’s evidence at least four other men, other men’s DNA (found on her,)” the defense said. “Where is the motive? Mr. Aguirre was a 19-year-old Airman.” Who they say went go on to have a successful career in law enforcement. Aguirre’s defense calling it “admirable” during their opening statement as they fought to defend his name. But prosecutors say there is another side to Richard Aguirre, a much darker one. “This was a crime of anger and strength,” prosecutors said. “He was so angry he didn’t just hit her, he (also) went on to strangle her.” But it’s that, the circumstances that led up to Ruby Doss’ death, that the defense hopes will prove him innocent. “The police officers theory in this case from the beginning is that she was in a fight,” the defense told the jury. “It was a fight for her life. Look at the photographs of the injuries to her fingers, her fingernails. The DNA under those nails … not Mr. Aguirre’s.” The prosecution laying out a much different version of how they believe it all happened. “There is no evidence of a fight, there is evidence of a flight,” they said. “When Ms. Doss was running away, her jackets were pulled off of her. She dropped her knife, she was hit over her head. On what would we find DNA under those circumstances?” But what this case has been centered on, is where DNA was found. And it’s that, that has Richard Aguirre sitting in court for this trial. “Richard Aguirre told his friends he had sex with Ruby Doss,” prosecutors said. “It is his DNA and her DNA on that fresh condom that was found at the scene near where Ms. Doss’ still steaming body was (located.) He talked about it after the investigation into him began. He remembered that night.” The defense has repeatedly questioned if Aguirre was even in the US in January of 1986, instead pointing to him being on military fit in Korea. Prosecutors say he saw a dentist at Fairchild during the same time frame Ms. Doss was killed. The jury began deliberating Wednesday afternoon.
