The first of five days of testimony began Monday in the trial of an Orange County man accused of fatally beating his girlfriend's 16-year-old daughter.
Sanel Saint Simon was charged in the death of Alexandria Chery, whose body was discovered in July 2014 along a road near the Osceola-Polk County line.
Chery’s mother, Rosalie Joseph, returned home the day of her daughter's disappearance to discover a blood-stained teddy bear in the girl’s bedroom and the odor of bleach.
Saint Simon wanted to make it appear as if Chery ran away from home, court records said. He told investigators that Chery might have moved in with friends, but they said that wasn't true.
"He attempted to mislead officers desperately searching for a missing juvenile, not knowing they should be conducting a homicide investigation," Assistant State Attorney Ryan Williams said Monday.
"There was -- I'll submit to you -- a rush to judgment, because there was a lot of pressure on the police to find the killer," defense attorney Peter Schmer said.
Investigators said Saint Simon borrowed his cousin’s car and parked it near his employer one day before Chery disappeared.
Detectives said Saint Simon lied about leaving work early the day Chery disappeared. He was heard asking a relative to lie to investigators about borrowing the car, they said.
Saint Simon’s and Chery’s cellphones were at the same place hours before Chery's mother reported her missing, records said.
Detectives said they interviewed Chery’s best friend and boyfriend and learned that she told them Saint Simon had done something to her that made her feel uncomfortable, the details of which haven't been released.
Saint Simon could face the death penalty if he’s convicted of first-degree murder, prosecutors said.
