28-yr-old Robert Conrad Zepeda of Brownwood was on the witness stand Wednesday in his aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, burglary of a habitation with intent to commit assault, unlawful restraint, and criminal mischief trial in the 35th District court in Brownwood. Zepeda is charged with an assault on Amanda Moscorro which took place January 26, 2014. Retired District Judge Dan Beck from La Grange is presiding over the case. Zepeda’s attorney, John Lee Blagg, questioned Zepeda on the details leading up to the alleged assault. Zepeda referred to Moscorro as his “common-law wife,” admitting they were not legally married. Zepeda said he intended to see his “wife” to try to win her back after they had separated about five months earlier.
Zepeda testified that he was at a party with Jose Galaviz who told Zepeda that the woman had Jeremy Ortega at her home at that moment. Zepeda told the jury that there was “bad blood” between him and Ortega, and hearing that Ortega was at home with Zepeda’s wife infuriated him. He went to Moscorro’s house to confront Ortega, but had no intention of harming the woman. Zepeda said he beat on the front door. Nobody answered, but Zepeda said he heard “scrambling” noises in the house. Zepeda said he thought Ortega was trying to run away, so he pulled an air conditioner out of the window to get in. Moscorro ran out of the house and headed to a neighbor’s house when Zapeda caught up to her and held her.
He admitted that he physically carried her back into her house. Once inside it turned physical and he admitted that he struck her. Zepeda told the jury that Moscorro ran into her brother’s room where she picked up a cordless drill and hit him with it. He said he didn’t remember much after that, claiming he “blacked-out.” Zepeda said he’d been at her home for at least two hours, but couldn’t recall the details of what had happened during that time. Zepeda told the jury “…I was very angry and I hit her. I couldn’t stop. She grabbed the drill and hit me in the right eye. I’m not going to sit here and lie to the jury. I hit my baby. The whole fight lasted a couple of minutes. I blacked out and just don’t remember.”
He said he came to his senses and saw what he’d done, then took her to the shower to clean her up, and that’s when the police got there. Zepeda told the jury that Officer Aaron Taylor lied about having to call him out of the bathroom several times, and that he came out the first time he was ordered out. Amanda Moscorro was transported to Brownwood Regional Medical Center emergency room where she was found to have a brain bleed, broken orbital bone near the left eye, multiple lacerations, cuts, and broken teeth. Zepeda remains in the Brown County Jail under a $200,000 bond.
