Prosecutors this morning delivered what so far is the closet thing they have to direct evidence against two men accused in the 2006 killings of a family of four along Florida's Turnpike.

A firearm expert told jurors that bullets found in a gun magazine and a box of ammo found in a Briar Bay home appeared to match some of the bullets that killed Jose Luis Escobedo, his wife, Yessica, and their sons, Luis, Julian and Luis Damian.

Daniel Troya and Ricardo Sanchez could face the death penalty if convicted on car jacking charges in connection with the deaths.

Family slain

Jose and Yessica Escobedo with sons Luis Julian (left) and Luis Damian (right). Husband, wife and two children from Greenacres found shot to death off Florida’s Turnpike in northern Port St. Lucie. More news, photos

Prosecutors say the two worked and lived with Danny Varela, who along with Liana Lopez, are also on trial for drug conspiracy and gun charges.

St. Lucie County Sheriffs Office firearm and toolmark analyst Mark Chapman spent the morning telling jurors about similarities between markings on ammunition found at the group's home and bullets fired at the crime scene.

Particularly, Chapman said 9 mm ammunition found in a box in the home's garage matched bullets of the same caliber at the scene.

Chapman also said a .40-caliber bullet found in a gun magazine at the house had similar markings as .40 caliber-bullets fired at the scene, making it likely that the bullets were at some point in the same magazine clip.

The statements fulfilled a promise Assistant U.S. attorney Stephen Carlton made to jurors in opening arguments in the case more than a month ago when he said prosecutors would tie the group's house to the crime scene.

Sanchez's defense attorney, Donnie Murell, tried to discount Chapman's findings on cross examination, saying the evidence fell short of pointing to a particular shooter.

"None of your examinations say who was holding the gun, do they?" Murell asked Chapman.

No, Chapman replied.

Murell also asked Chapman about national studies that challenged the reliability of the types of comparisons he made.

Prosecutors are expected to rest their case this afternoon. Closing arguments in the case could begin as early as Wednesday.

Tags: Escobedo, familyslain, turnpike escobedo, westnews

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