Shooting victim's mom begged him to stay with her, she testifies today

YOUNGSTOWN

Cristina Olivera testified today in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court that when her son lay bleeding from nine gunshot wounds last February in an East Side street, it wasn’t the blood so much she was concentrating on but his eyes.

“I had to look my son in the eye, beg him to stay with me,” she said during her testimony before visiting Judge H.F. Inderlied Jr. “That one eye was twitching almost like he was a little kid saying, ‘mommy, I need you.’”

Olivera was testifying in the trial of the two people accused of killing her 20-year-old son, Jason Fonseca. On trial are Angel Bell, 20 and Kimani Hodges, also 20.

Hodges faces charges of aggravated murder with a firearm specification, and Bell faces a charge of complicity. Opening statements and testimony began after a jury was chosen to hear the case Tuesday.

Olivera said she was returning to her Ayers Street home after going to the store when she noticed a commotion in the street and several people flagging her down. She then saw her son in the road in front of their house.

“I don’t know if he was bleeding,” Olivera said. “I was just focused on his eyes.”

Read more about the case in Thursday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.