Trial begins for man accused of killing his wife in 2020

LAREDO, TX. (KGNS) - The murder trial of Joel Pellot is officially underway.

He is accused of causing the death of his wife Maria Muñoz back in 2020.

On Monday both sides presented jurors with revealing and shocking allegations on possible motives as well as what happened days before Munoz was found dead.

It’s been nearly three years since Munoz was found unresponsive.

At that time, not much was said about the case or even a possible motive but during opening statements, both sides made some shocking discoveries.

One of the possible motives that was brought to light was the marriage possibly coming to an end.

Webb County Assistant District Attorney Marisela Jacaman accused Joel Pellot, Munoz’s husband of having an affair with a coworker called Arredondo.

She went on to tell jurors he was going to leave her for Arredondo.

A friend of Maria Munoz was set to testify.

Jacaman told jurors, Munoz confessed to her friend that she feared for her well-being.

After she asked her friend to pray for her because Pellot wanted to meet with her.

The Webb County Medical Examiner Dr. Corinne Stern ruled the death as undetermined saying seven different drugs were in Munoz’s system.

The drugs included were narcan, morphine as well as many others.

Pellot was an anesthesiologist.

His attorney Roberto Balli said both him and Maria Munoz were drug abusers and claimed Maria Munoz had suicidal thoughts.

Balli said Pellot injected narcan into Maria with the intention to save her and her death was an accident.

The first witness to take the stand was Laredo Police officer Gerardo Jalomo.

Coming up in our later newscast we have more on the role he played in this case and the latest developments on the trial.

According to Roberto Balli, Joel and Maria met in Puerto Rico 15 years ago.

Marisela Jacaman is set to show Maria’s diary later in the trial to have a closer insight into her life.

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