Two days short of the third anniversary of Tarina
Campodonica
’s death, Daren Campodonica sat in a San Jose courtroom and
heard the story of how he killed his wife – or how she died
accidentally – or from suicide. Daren Campodonica is on trial in
Santa Clara County Superior Court, charged with murdering his wife,
Tarina. In his opening statement Monday, De
puty District Attorney Ed Fernandez contended that a 20-year
pattern of domestic abuse started when the two were in high
school.
Two days short of the third anniversary of Tarina Campodonica’s death, Daren Campodonica sat in a San Jose courtroom and heard the story of how he killed his wife – or how she died accidentally – or from suicide.
Daren Campodonica is on trial in Santa Clara County Superior Court, charged with murdering his wife, Tarina.
In his opening statement Monday, Deputy District Attorney Ed Fernandez contended that a 20-year pattern of domestic abuse started when the two were in high school.
It ended March 16, 2002, when Tarina was found dying in her garage with a gunshot wound behind her left ear. She was 35 years old.
Fernandez said he would prove that the defendant shot and killed his wife.
Following Fernandez, Defense Attorney John Garcia said the death was most likely a tragic accident.
“Real evidence will show this was an accidental shooting,” Garcia said.
He also suggested that suicide was not impossible.
Fernandez took the jury of 10 men and two women through the couple’s marriage and the day of Tarina’s death.
“This was the culmination of a 20-year relationship,” Fernandez said. “One of abusiveness, possessiveness, jealousy, control of the defendant over his wife who remained faithful to her marriage vows, devoted to her child, respectful – though fearful – of her husband. This was their last fight.”
He told of witnesses to physical abuse and threats, but also that, as is typical with some abusive relationships, Tarina’s family did not know the extent of the abuse.
Daren, Fernandez said, had a series of affairs and even took the couple’s daughter, 15-year-old daughter, Nicole, Christmas shopping with his latest mistress. He said Daren would go between his mistresses and his wife, unable to give either up.
Caught in the middle was Nicole, who was present with a girlfriend, Myra Bettencourt, in the house at 14990 Venetian Way, off Watsonville Road, during the final hours-long fight, Fernandez said.
“Nicole, who turned 19 last week, is in the same position today,” Fernandez said. “She can’t honor her mother without betraying her father.”
The daughter, along with Bettencourt, will give testimony in the weeks to come. The trial is estimated to last six to eight weeks.
Also on the witness list are Morgan Hill residents Tom and Mary Ellen Salzano and their son, Ethan. The Salzanos were next-door-neighbors of the Campodonicos; Ethan was first on the scene after the shooting, followed by his parents.
The final argument, Fernandez said, began when Tarina discovered 50 calls to a mistress on her husband’s phone bill, the mistress he had promised her he had given up.
The victim said she had had enough and packed a small duffle bag, ready to leave, Fernandez said.
Campodonica objected and, according to Nicole, took her into a spare bedroom and began choking her, the prosecuting attorney said in his hour-long opening statement.
He also begged her not to leave, Fernandez said, took scissors and made a display of cutting himself, then shoved the scissors into a wall, saying he would kill himself if she left.
Nicole told police she heard her mother beg him to stop choking her.
Tarina took the duffle and her purse out to her truck, parked at the curb, where she saw Myra Bettencourt and apologized for subjecting her to a family fight.
“I’m definitely getting a divorce,” Tarina said, though to no one in particular, Fernandez said Bettencourt reported to police.
Tarina then returned into the house where the argument continued.
Nicole and her friend were outside on the lawn, having called a friend to take them away, when they heard a single gunshot from the garage. The Salzanos arrived, according to the police report, and found Tarina on the floor, inside, talking to his mother on the phone and Tarina on the floor of the garage.
Garcia said Ethan Salzano said the defendant was holding a cloth to the victim’s head, trying to stop the bleeding, when he arrived.
Mary Ellen stayed with Tarina as she died, “so she wouldn’t be alone,” Fernandez said Salzano told police.
Fernandez told the jury that he did not know how Nicole would appear on the witness stand, that she has withheld information from police, only telling friends or relatives who then passed the information along, most particularly that she saw her father place the gun in her mother’s hand after the shooting.
“Nicole’s present attitude is not known,” Fernandez said. “She could be angry, she could be cooperative. Nicole said she needs to believe that it was an accident.”
Fernandez said the coroner’s report said the shot from the .22 semi-automatic went through the victim’s earlobe, down into her neck, through the carotid artery and lodged in her spine.
The report said the gun would have been held at a 40 degree downward angle, a highly unusual angle for suicide.
Garcia said that Daren was not the only one having affairs.
“Tarina had outside intimate interests,” Garcia said.
He did not say what, when or how many they were.
He also told the jury that the gun was Tarina’s, taken to the garage after Daren was threatened by his mistress’s husband, that no gunshot residue was found on the defendant’s hands, although they were bagged by police and tested twice and that the memories of several witnesses are not as clear as Fernandez suggested.
Garcia said the daughter would testify that, though she often had to put herself between her parents as they argued, she never saw her father be physically abusive.
“The idea that Daren killed Tarina to prevent her from leaving, that he couldn’t live without her is a ludicrous notion,” Garcia said.
He said Tarina was stressed, suffering from multiple sclerosis and failing eyesight.
“But she was not having such a difficult time that she would end it,” Garcia said.
After both attorneys presented their opening statements, Morgan Hill Police Cpl. Troy Hoefling was sworn in and began to give testimony about the police investigation. He was to be followed by Cpl. Rodney Reno, the first officer on the scene of the shooting.
Campodonica has been in the County Jail since his arrest. The case continues in Dept. 39, Hall of Justice, 190-200 W. Hedding St., San Jose.
Carol Holzgrafe covers City Hall for The Times. She can be reached by e-mail at ch********@*************es.com or phon ing (408) 779-4106 Ext. 201.
