(OBSERVER)Abuse and infidelity were major themes in the tumultuous relationship between murder accused Mikhail Gomes and his ex-girlfriend, text messages between the two revealed.
Gomes has been on trial for the past couple of weeks for allegedly killing 26-year-old Vincia James a mother of one who disappeared on April 7, 2017 and has never been found.
When the trial was adjourned last week, the prosecution’s final witness, Director of Cyber Security in the Ministry of Information, Gordina Hector-Murrell was on the stand.
The expert in digital forensic analysis told the court that on the day James disappeared, she and her ex-lover exchanged three text messages each.
She said the first message sent and received on Gomes’ phone pinged off of a cell tower in Pigotts, while the other two connected with a cell site at the ACT building on Old Parham Road.
However, she did not have cell site information to pinpoint the location of James’ phone.
Murrell indicated that each of the three messages were responded to in exactly two seconds.
When the trial resumed yesterday, she disclosed that James’ number was saved in the accused’s phone as ‘Daren K’, and on the night she disappeared he texted her at 6:53:20 pm saying “oh really now so you can’t charge your phone yet.”
Then at 8:42:43 he said: “you know what you up to” and finally at 8:42:56 he texted “keep it up.”
But the witness failed to share what James’ prompt responses were.
She however went on to read messages between the two extracted from Gomes’ phone for the period May 20, 2016 and April 7, 2017.
In the messages, James appeared to be trying to end the toxic relationship between them but Gomes was attempting to rekindle it.
James mentioned in one message that the accused put his hands on her more than 20 times, and in 2016 she even got a restraining order against him.
But the two continued to speak and even met despite James often dismissing his advances.
In one message James said: “I honestly think you’re the devil.” “You embarrassed me for years,” she also lamented, referring to their fights and arguments.”I don’t want to end up in my grave before my time,” she said on another date.
Another read: “You tried to take my life and then act like you didn’t.”
James spoke about bruises she had to go to work with and having to make up stories to protect the accused.
Some messages were quite sinister with James saying things like “all it takes is five mins to kill me,” and “i don’t want to die”- messages which Gomes deleted.
The alleged murder victim even claimed to have feared for an entire month that he would kill her.
But that wasn’t the only thing bothering the missing woman. She also accused Gomes of cheating and made reference to a message he deleted.
This upset her to the point that she wanted to cease all communication with the accused.
“The best thing is to walk away from your bs. Go and be with whoever you want. I honestly don’t want to continue no kind of friendship with you she said, but the two continued to argue over the matter.
And in response the accused denied the cheating allegation and instead professed his love to James.
Gomes also appeared concerned that James was angry and stressed out and made mention to her hurting his baby.
“I want my child, don’t do anything to it please,” he begged in February 2017.
The two continued to argue back and forth via text.
And then right before the trial was adjourned yesterday, the witness began to share whatsapp messages between the ex-partners from April 1-7 2017.
The trial will continue today.
