More than half a dozen new witnesses took the stand in Oakland County court on Thursday for the murder trials against Carlos Juan Hernandez and Joshua Zuazo.

Prosecutors allege that in October 2024, Hernandez and Zuazo posed as DTE workers and claimed they needed to check a gas leak in Hussein Murray's home. Officials allege the men took Murray to the basement and beat him to death before they tied up Murray's wife and assaulted her. Linda Murray was able to escape.

Most of Thursday's testimony centered around the forensic and police investigations, including officers and technicians in Detroit, Oakland County and Caddo Parish, Louisiana, where Hernandez was pulled over for a traffic stop.

"Louisiana State Police was notified by a task force that there was a wanted vehicle, and there was a BOLO out. So, LSP was helping with the pings and then determined it was in Caddo Parish and then called up on us for assistance," said Lieutenant Detective Casey Jones with the Caddo Parish Sheriff's Office.

Jurors heard an analysis of evidence found in the car that Hernandez was driving at the time, as well as DNA found at the crime scene.

"I am comparing two different hypotheses against one another: the person of interest, versus an unknown, unrelated person. You can think of it as a teeter-totter, where both of these hypotheses are competing, and whatever one is stronger, there will be a value associated with it," said forensic analyst Siera Ramirez with the Oakland County Sheriff's Office.

A small delay in testimony came soon after lunch, when jurors were reminded of their responsibility to avoid talking to anyone involved in the case or doing any internet searches connected to the trial.

"We all have our cellphones, we always walk around with them, we all have them with us. They are not to be used unless they are used for something that has nothing to do with the court. Nothing else is to be considered during your deliberations," said Michigan Sixth Circuit Court Judge Yasmine Isshak Poles.

Hernandez and Zuazo are charged with felony murder and two counts of false imprisonment.

Testimony is expected to continue on Friday.