A five-day murder trial in Dawson County District Court concluded late Friday afternoon with an acquittal. A 12-person jury found 20-year-old Francisco Hernandez-Corona not guilty of First Degree Murder and Use of a Weapon to Commit a Felony. Shortly after the verdict was read, Defense Attorney Brian Davis was grappling with the gravity of the decision. He said verdicts are always emotional for him. He noted that Hernandez-Corona was 19 when he was charged and had spent more than a year in the Dawson County Jail while the case was pending.
Hernandez-Corona had been accused in the July 6, 2021 drive-by shooting death of 23-year-old Marcus Keyser. Keyser was shot with a rifle after walking to his home from a nearby convenience store shortly before 2:00am on July 6, 2021.
Davis maintained that witnesses in the area of the shooting reported seeing only a white car traveling through the area at the time. The prosecution said the suspects were in a gray, Nissan car owned by Hernandez-Corona.
Prosecutor Liz Waterman and Lexington Police Investigator Michael Baker put on evidence showing “pings” from co-defendant Adalberto Saenz-Gonzalez’s cell phone were in the area of the crime scene around the time of the alleged shooting. Hernandez-Corona admitted on the witness stand that he was with Saenz-Gonzalez the entire time from late on July 5, 2021 to their arrests around 2:00am on the morning of July 6, 2021. Among other defenses, Davis maintained that not all of the “ping” data was consistent with information from his own expert witness.
Hernandez-Corona testified in his own defense during the five-day trial.
District Court Clerk Becky Boryca read the jury’s verdict in open court.
After the jury’s verdict was read, District Judge Jim Doyle concluded the trial…”Pursuant to and in accordance with the verdict of the jury I acquit the defendant from the charges in the amended information. He is released from his bond. He is free to go and the case is adjourned.”
Hernandez-Corona’s co-defendant, Adalberto Saenz-Gonzalez, faces similar charges and is set for trial in November.
