Who killed Maria Tritico? Families of the victim speak suspicious when the process begins

We have followed the death of the Tequesta artist Maria Tritico about four and a half since her death years ago.

WPTV was on Monday, when the trial began, the only news team in the courtroom from Palm Beach County, opened as a jury that will decide on the future of the 21-year-old Amari-Wellons.

Wellons was 16 when he was charged As an adult for shooting Maria.

Clock: The process begins for the teacher's murdered murderer

Maria Tritico was a local artist and education director at Lighthouse Artcenta in Tequesta.

She had a beach day with her fiance on the beach on Singer Island when she was shot.

“Maria was a beautiful, beautiful, beautiful soul, she was out for everyone, she made sure that people were protected as I do,” said Chris Trito.

He is the father of the then 31-year-old Maria Tritico, who traveled to the city with the family from Houston to take part in the process.

“To be able to get the punishment part of us behind us so that we can now end the healing as a family is so important for us,” said Chris Tritico.

Chris Tritico became emotional at times during the testimony when they shared what they saw on the day of the shootout.

It turns out that Chris Tritico is a defender who has been practicing for almost 40 years.

He said his legal integrity had prompted him to work for the man who was accused of killing his daughter in order to have an appropriate representation.

See each other earlier

“I would like to make sure that if this case is concluded, that it was concluded that it was constitutionally, properly and quite closed and when this jury is guilty that they said it was guilty because the system works properly,” said Chris Tritico. “The constitution has to work for everyone, even for people we don't like most, and today I am with the person I don't like the most and are 15 feet away from me.”

WPTV received court files that showed that there was a conflict of interest between Wellons and his first lawyer, and was appointed a new representation last year after accused another public defense lawyer to not helped him.

He believes that the current lawyer of Wellons will give him a fair procedure.

The prosecutors said witnesses were fired near the beach near the beach in December 2020 and left the area in what was identified as a car of his grandma.

Check out the previous reporting:Father of the woman who was fatally shot on Singer Island, speaks

That was Paula Augustus, who said Wellons, her grandson, had a day of the beach when she led food.

She claims that Wellons are innocent and ran from the shots and called her to pick him up.

“Wouldn't you run if you see them, so they called me,” said Augustus.

Augustus said she recently lost a grandchild against gun violence and wants fair justice to be held.

Defense claims that other people have been in text messages and social media.

Augustus said she appreciates Chris Trito that she advocates her grandson to have an appropriate representation, and Wellons were on trial because of the first degree murder.

“I feel bad for the family. If he is innocent, nobody wins when he is found to be guilty, nobody has won,” said Augustus.

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