CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV) -- What started out as a leadership exercise, ended up bringing justice to the family of a murdered Charlotte woman.
Last week, Mecklenburg County's Deputy District Attorney paired up with one of the younger prosecutors in the office. The combination won a conviction against Victor Alfonso Cruz Garcia.
Cruz Garcia stabbed Jennifer Fuentes at a home on Ingleside Drive in 2009.
"Once we got started. It was great," said Deputy DA Bart Menser. "I was really nervous going in," he added.
It had been 15 years since Menser prepared for a trial, though he's been with the Office for decades.
Administrative duties kept him out of court. Menser works a community liaison, media contact, records keeper, and helps manage the office under District Attorney Andrew Murray.
However, last Fall, Menser got a request from the Homicide Team: come back to court. Murray thought it would be a great way for Menser to share his experience, and understand the challenges facing their team.
Gabi Macon became his partner. "I learned from him just really how to work a case and how to deal with those issues as they come up," she said.
One of her biggest takeaways: learning how to step back and help a witness realize their value to a case and open up in the interview process.
"Sometimes, I would go in headstrong," said Macon smiling.
Menser said he learned more through the experience than perhaps Macon gained. He said it gave him a greater appreciation for how the job has changed and the new challenges that come with it.
"There's more work. The files are bigger," said Menser talking about all the copies of media files and paperwork.
He said it was also a challenge working through an interpreter. None of their witnesses spoke English.
Macon said it was an honor to work with him. The trial preparation took several weeks. It was especially intense in the final stretch.
As difficult as a murder case may be, there were light moments too.
"I really got to see his funny side. He's a jokester," said Macon.
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