BACLIFF — A defendant in a murder trial scheduled to begin today is expected to plead not guilty to the Oct. 5, 2007, slaying of an acquaintance.
Robert Villanueva, 39, was charged in the beating death of Albert Lacy, 74, in his home in the 4400 block of 11th Street in Bacliff.
Jury selection is scheduled to begin today in Judge Wayne J. Mallia’s 405th District Court in Galveston.
Robbery was a motive in the case, Galveston County Prosecutor Bill Reed said.
Winston Cochran, Villanueva’s attorney, intends to challenge the admissibility of Villanueva’s videotaped statement with sheriff’s office investigators.
"It will probably be one of the big issues early in the trial," Cochran said.
Two people have been charged in the case, Cochran said.
"Depending on which version you believe, there could be somebody else involved in this as well," Cochran said.
Lacy, who also was known as A.W., opened his home to homeless men, and he was building a house large enough to act as a halfway house when he died, relatives said.
Lacy was a native of Liberty County but spent 40 years in Galveston County. Lacy sold property south
of Kemah and began building his dream house, a five-bedroom halfway house for underprivileged men, relatives said. Lacy operated a dirt-moving business. He was known to pay employees in cash and to carry money on him, a friend said.
The trial is expected to last through Friday, Reed said.
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