Bar owner, detective testify in Marine murder trial
SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage) — The owner of the business where Marine servicemen were stabbed and the detective spearheading the investigation into the incident took the witness stand during day two of The State of Texas v. Ray Vera.
Beginning in the Tom Green County Courthouse on April 3, the second day of the trial started with the State calling Richard Hayslip to testify. Hayslip, the owner of the Whiskey River Saloon, shared his perspective on the pair of fights that would hospitalize multiple Marine servicemen and end the life of Staff Sgt. Bryce Rudisell.
Hayslip told the jury that he went to the saloon after a general manager working on the night of Oct. 2, 2022, contacted him, claiming that a fight had broken out in the establishment. Though three employees had called the police, Hayslip learned that multiple stabbings had occurred by the time he arrived. He then stayed at the location to assist police and investigators.
Hayslip also stated that the location had 16 cameras functioning at the time of the incident, with two situated outside the bar capturing footage of the second fight that would result in the stabbings. Approximately 6 hours of footage, spanning from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. that day, were taken from each camera and given to investigators.
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Moving to the defense, Attorney Jason Sosa brought the Whiskey River Saloon’s security into question. Hayslip stated that, although the business only had one security guard contracted by Lionheart Security Services present that night, the guard did all that he could to break up the initial fight.
“I think he intervened very quickly and responsibly,” Hayslip said.
Sosa also questioned Hayslip about how alcohol is monitored at the bar and whether he believes inebriation could instigate fights. In response, Hayslip said that bartenders monitor patrons’ alcohol consumption and that “sobriety is not the issue that controls peoples’ actions.”
Afterward, District Attorney John Best called Jason Chegwidden to the stand. Chegwidden, a San Angelo Police Department detective who has been in the department for 15 years, explained how he became involved in the investigation and how it proceeded.
Chegwidden stated that he was called to the scene at approximately 1:14 a.m. Upon his arrival, he learned from other detectives that the stabbing victims had been taken to the hospital and that Rudisell had succumbed to his injuries.
Now handling a homicide investigation, he spoke with witnesses about pieces of evidence at the scene and reviewed surveillance footage taken from the bar’s 16 cameras. According to Chegwidden’s testimony, the incident unfolded in this manner:
A fight broke out at approximately 1 a.m. after tensions boiled over during a verbal exchange between members of the Marine servicemen’s group and Vera’s group. One individual in Vera’s group, Julian Suarez, was seen attempting to use a glass beer mug to strike one of the servicemen’s group members.
The Marine servicemen’s group left the bar via the front door.
Vera’s group left shortly afterward at a “faster” rate than the servicemen’s group.
Suarez is seen striking one of the Marine servicemen in the back of the head with a glass beer mug.
A second fight begins in the Whiskey River Saloon’s parking lot as members of both groups join the melee, including Rudisell, who is seen exiting his vehicle.
Vera is seen wielding a knife during the second fight.
Rudisell walks away from the fight and leans against a vehicle.
Chegwidden also stated that eyewitness accounts and footage revealed that a black SUV drove away from the scene, eventually leading investigators to Raymond Scott, a member of Vera’s party during the incident. Detectives would then obtain a search warrant for Scott’s home and investigate the house for evidence, where they would find a shirt bearing suspected blood stains and multiple knives and knife sheaths.
During an interview, Scott claimed that he did not bring a knife to the bar that night due to weapons not being allowed in the saloon.
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According to Chegwidden, Vera would be arrested later during the day of the incident on outstanding warrants for traffic violations. He was then interviewed regarding the fights.
During the interview, he stated that he remembered nothing about the events of the night except that he was celebrating a friend’s wife’s birthday and that he “was just there to have a good time.” When investigators stated that footage showed him wielding a knife, Vera could be seen shaking his head as he spoke. Vera was arrested on a charge of murder following the interview.
A search warrant would be executed at Vera’s residence later during the day of the incident. Investigators found a T-shirt and a pair of jeans that were possibly bearing blood, a pair of red shoes, paper wristbands and a switchblade.
Chegwidden and the other investigators would then set to work on obtaining other evidence from those involved in the fights. Swabs were taken from several members of both parties, and Rudisell’s clothing was taken after his death.
After being passed to the defense, Chegwidden would reveal that he held concerns about whether the saloon’s lone security officer was sufficient given the establishment’s 400-plus occupancy limit.
“One person to control that many people may be difficult,” Chegwidden said.
He also shared that Suarez seemed to be an instigator of both fights, though it was difficult to conclusively say who started the altercations.
“There was a big pile of people, but he was kind of the lead on that,” Chegwidden said.
Concho Valley Homepage will continue to provide coverage of the proceedings of The State of Texas v. Ray Vera whenever possible. Be sure to visit our website, Facebook pages or mobile app to stay up to date on the trial’s progress.
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