Testimony to begin in Andres ‘Andy’ Avalos Jr. triple-murder trial

Testimony is expected to begin Monday in the murder trial of Andres “Andy” Avalos Jr. as the state plans to present evidence that he’s responsible for the killings of his wife, neighbor and a local pastor.

Avalos is charged with three counts of first-degree murder in the Dec. 4, 2014, deaths of his wife Amber Avalos, 33; neighbor Denise Potter, 46; and the Rev. James “Tripp” Battle III, 31.

If Avalos is convicted, the state will seek the death penalty.

The defense has said it will rely on an insanity defense and will not argue that Avalos didn’t murder his wife, neighbor and Battle. For a successful insanity defense, his attorneys will have to prove that Avalos didn’t understand his actions were criminal or viewed as morally wrong by society.

After a week of questioning 155 potential jurors, a jury panel of 14 was sworn-in late Friday afternoon. The jury — which includes two alternates — is made up of 10 women and four men.

On Monday, the trial will resume at 9 a.m., and jurors will hear opening statements from both sides. The state will then begin to present its case against Avalos with about 100 witnesses subpoenaed to testify.

Among the evidence that the jury could see is Avalos’ recorded confession to detectives with the Manatee Homicide Investigative Unit.

It was a sunny and quiet Thursday — Dec. 4, 2014 — when detectives say Avalos hung his wife, Amber Avalos, 33, from a cord in the laundry room of their Northwest Bradenton home, beat her and then shot her dead. Avalos allegedly then shot and killed his neighbor, Potter, who was at their home at the time.

Avalos then drove to drop off the couple’s then 4-year-old son off at a day care in East Bradenton. He proceeded to the Wal-Mart Supercenter on State Road 64 East, where he left his SUV and took a taxi to Bayshore Baptist Church, 6502 14th St. W.

Witnesses, including Battle’s wife, told detectives that Avalos shot and killed Battle just outside the church’s office.

Avalos then fled and was arrested Dec. 6, 2014 following a 51-hour manhunt led by the sheriff’s office and a public plea from his father.

This story was originally published May 14, 2017 at 6:53 PM with the headline "Testimony to begin in Andres ‘Andy’ Avalos Jr. triple-murder trial."