Cordovas speak out for first time after Levi Chavez trial
Tera Chavez's father: 'It was hard to swallow'
Since their daughter’s death, it’s been a tough road for Joseph and Theresa Cordova.
Five and a half years ago, their daughter, Tera Chavez, was found dead. They believe she was murdered by her husband and former Albuquerque police officer Levi Chavez.
A jury recently made it official that he did not. He was cleared on charges of first-degree murder and tampering with evidence on Tuesday.
“We’re doing OK, yeah. Right now. We had a difficult day yesterday,” said Joseph Cordova. “Time goes on and life goes on …we’re going to move forward.”
For the Cordovas, the trial is still fresh in their minds after an excruciating few weeks of testimony.
“I'll state the obvious. We were very disappointed in the verdict,” said Joseph Cordova. “We knew from the onset of the pretrial hearings that it was going to be a very upward battle for the prosecution.”
For most who watched the trial from start to finish, there wasn’t much surprise following the acquittal.
“Walking into the courtroom and waiting for the verdict -- the eyes of the jury and the eyes of the court reporter pretty much gave it away to us. We knew before it was even said,” he said. “We could feel it as we got down from our vehicle …the jury was outside on break …and they saw us and they started crying (and hugging each other).
Much of the physical evidence and therefore the motive wasn’t allowed in court.
Tera Chavez’s father said he doesn’t blame prosecution for the acquittal at all.
“If all the evidence was allowed into this trial, I definitely feel that the verdict would have been much different,” he said. “We just couldn't meet beyond a reasonable doubt.”
The evidence he is referring to is Levi Chavez’s truck. It was at the center of the prosecution’s case.
Court documents reveal that Tera Chavez planned to turn in her husband for staging the theft of his truck.
But the jury never heard Tera Chavez’s statements, per the judge’s orders.
“I’m not pointing a finger at the jury,” said Joseph Cordova. “They did what they could do …with the limited evidence that was allowed. I could see how the jury came to that conclusion.”
Still, the verdict was not easy to handle for the Cordovas.
“It was hard to swallow,” he said.
VIDEO: Full Interview Tera Chavez s parents speak out Part 1
VIDEO: Full Interview Tera Chavez s parents speak out Part 2