Trial of Albuquerque man accused of murdering masseuse continues

Tuesday was Day 2 of the trial of Juan Carlos Hernandez, who is accused of killing Albuquerque massage therapist Sihui Fang in 2022. Fang's aunt came to Albuquerque from Utah to attend the trial. She said the rest of the family is in China and they have been in mourning since Fang's death. Stay Up to Date: The latest headlines from KOAT Action 7 NewsShe said she had just celebrated Chinese New Year with her niece in Albuquerque days before Fang was found dead in her massage parlor. Ron Honstein, Fang's boyfriend, was the first to take the stand. He said he was with Fang just hours before he got a call that she had been killed. He said he was allowed back into the business the next day. “I was in complete panic and shock, threw some clothes on, jumped in my car and drove to Albuquerque,” he said. He said he noticed things missing from her massage parlor, such as money and both of her cell phones. According to the homicide detective who investigated the case, one of the phones was found at the crime scene and was used to watch surveillance video. The other phone was found about a block away. “It was found by Max Steinberg in the area of ​​720 Cardenas and taken to the Asian Center and dropped off with a note,” Detective Leah Weiss said. “Did you happen to notice if there were any security cameras at all?” “Not at this house. I don't remember,” Steinberg said. Follow us on social media: Facebook | X/Twitter | Instagram | YouTube Earlier in the trial, the defense asked Ezekiel Medina, the owner of a barbershop next door to Fang's business, the same question. “I didn't see anything on the cameras,” Medina said. Medina made the first 911 call after receiving a security alert on his phone that a window of his shop had been smashed. He said he had just come out of a yoga class and then drove to his barbershop. When he arrived, he said, he found a man lying in front of his store. “There was a man lying on the ground with his pants down and he was bleeding,” Medina said. That man was later identified as Jorge Rivera Ramirez, who was convicted earlier this year of first-degree murder, kidnapping and armed robbery. Ramirez's sister said in court that her brother had been picked up by a black car earlier that night, but she couldn't see who was inside. Hernandez was not at the scene when the barbershop owner or police arrived, but investigators said the car led to his arrest. “I spoke with Texas Ranger Villanueva to get a search warrant for that vehicle to find possible evidence related to the murder case,” Weiss said. Weiss said Hernandez was arrested in Gaines County, Texas, four days after Fang's death. Fang's aunt said Fang was like a daughter to her and she couldn't understand why someone would want to hurt her. She said she hopes Hernandez will be held accountable. The trial is expected to last until Friday. Action 7 News On The Go: Download our app for free