Bella Bond murder trial: Week one

BOSTON — Week one of the "Baby Doe" murder trial of Michael McCarthy wrapped up with Rachelle Bond’s testimony.

The prosecution is building its case that McCarthy killed 2-year-old Bella Bond because he believed she was a demon.

On the first day of witness testimony, Yessiomara Torres took the stand and told the jury that her neighbor Rachelle Bond changed after meeting boyfriend and murder suspect Michael McCarthy.

“She started to be more distant and using drugs,” said Torres.

On day two, McCarthy’s longtime friend Michael Sprinsky took the stand describing McCarthy’s obsession with the occult and his fascination with Charles Manson.

“A lot of dark stuff… talking about demons,” said Sprinsky.

Sprinsky walked the jury through the day Rachelle allegedly told him McCarthy killed Bella and confronted him via text message.

“I said she told me everything. Can't stop puking. She says you killed Bella,” said Sprinsky.

Day three took the jury out to the crime scenes crucial to this case, including: the Maxwell Street apartment where prosecutors say Bella’s body was kept in the fridge for days while Bond and McCarthy went on a drug binge, the Seaport where her body was allegedly dumped, and Deer Island where her remains were found weeks later.

The jury also stopped at the Quincy plumbing shop belonging to McCarthy's father, where investigators say McCarthy got the dumbbells to weigh down the duffle bag containing Bella’s body before the couple allegedly dumped it.

On day four, McCarthy’s brother Joe took the stand in an attempt to convince the jury his brother’s knowledge of the occult came from their family’s Catholic upbringing.

To end the week, the prosecution’s star witness Rachelle Bond took the stand. At the end of the trial, Bond walks away free on two-years’ probation for her testimony.

But her credibility is a challenge for the prosecution as Bond described her background with drugs, prostitution and letting McCarthy stay into her apartment indefinitely after giving him drugs.

Just three weeks after moving in, he allegedly locked the toddler in a closet.

One night in May or June 2015, Bond says she walked in on McCarthy punching Bella so hard, she bounced off the bed. Bond says she tried CPR, but….

“Her head was swollen and grey,” said Bond.

Bond told the jury McCarthy told her “it was her time to die. She was a demon.”

Bond said she blacked out at least two times over the 48-hour period.

Fearful of McCarthy, but she allowed him to inject her with heroin, while they took the items they needed to dump Bella's body in the Seaport.

“He killed my child. I wasn't well,” said Bond.

Bond will be back on the stand with more gruesome testimony of the night her daughter died on Monday. The defense will then get to cross-examine her.

This week, the Medical Examiner is expected to take the stand. The ME had never been able to determine a cause of death due to the condition of Bella’s remains.

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Cox Media Group