ROUND ROCK, Texas — The trial for Terry Miles, the man accused of kidnapping two girls last January after their mother was found dead in her Round Rock home, kicked off on Monday.
Jury selection wrapped up on Monday, and the court heard opening statements and the first witness's testimony on Tuesday.
Miles, who remains in jail, is accused of kidnapping the girls, ages 7 and 14, and taking them to Colorado in January 2018, where they were found uninjured.
In opening statements, prosecutors said the evidence will show that Miles murdered the girls' mother, Tonya Bates, before kidnapping them and taking them to Colorado.
Defense argued in their opening statements that Miles took the girls because he believed he was protecting them.
Defense said Bates lived a "high-risk lifestyle" with "many, many sexual encounters with strangers" and said Bates would ask Miles and the girls to leave from time to time so she could have sex in the house.
The defense argued Bates put out advertisements for sex.
"She may have loved the girls, but she loved herself most of all," said the defense.
The defense said Miles and the girls left one night in late December and returned to find Bates dead.
"If Terry was a threat, they had every opportunity to get out and run," said the defense, explaining the girls didn't express any fear of Miles, but that they expressed concern for his well-being.
They argued the teenage daughter suggested that Miles come live with them as their "live-in nanny."
Prosecutors opened with a different story, saying Bates returned home from work on Dec. 29, 2017. Prosecutors said Bates and Miles got into an argument, which led to Miles killing her and leaving with the girls in the middle of the night.
Prosecutors also said Miles was having regular sexual activity with the then fourteen-year-old girl.
Prosecutors also said the teenage daughter knew her mother was dead.
"Tonya was viciously and violently killed," said prosecutors, explaining they believe the evidence will show Miles is the murderer.
Both girls are expected to testify sometime during the trial.
The federal government called the first two witnesses, which were a FBI special agent and a Round Rock Police Department detective.
Detective Villegas recalled officers conducting welfare checks at the home, starting on Dec. 30, 2017.
He said when officers entered the house on Dec. 31, 2017, they found Bates' body underneath a rug inside the home.
Most of Villegas's testimony focused on the crime scene.
Court recessed mid-cross-examination of Detective Villegas. He's expected to take the stand when court resumes on Wednesday.
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KVUE reporter Molly Oak is reporting live from the courtroom. Follow her on Twitter for updates.
