Former police officer Steven Rios on trial for murdering college student Jesse Valencia

 In Columbia, Missouri, 31-year old former  police officer Steven Rios is on trial for murdering 23-year-old college student Jesse Valencia on June 5^th, 2004.

According to prosecutors, Mr. Rios met Mr. Valencia in April 2004 when he responded to a noise complaint near the college student apartment. Shortly after that meeting, Mr. Rio, who is married and Mr. Valencia started a relationship.

Prosecutors are not sure what went wrong in the relationship, but they believe on June 5, 2004, Mr. Rio rendered Valencia unconscious using a choke hold then cut Valencia’s throat while he was lying on the ground.

Mr. Rio claims that at the time Mr. Valencia was murdered, he was drinking beer on top of the Columbia Police Department building with other police officers after completing his shift.  However, DNA evidence that matched Rios was found underneath the victim’s fingernails and in hairs on Valencia’s shaved chest.