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Closing Arguments Conclude In Nova Professor Murder Trial

FT. LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) – A Broward jury will begin deliberating Tuesday morning the fate of Randy Tundidor Sr.

He is accused of murdering Nova University professor Joseph Morrissey two years ago, investigators say over a landlord tenant dispute.

On Monday the jury heard closing arguments.

Prosecutors say Tundidor Senior stabbed Morrisey nine times with a large hunting knife.

During the trial, which is now in it's third week, the jury heard Tundidor's two sons testify against him.

Randy Tundidor Jr. who says his dad masterminded the crime, has already pleaded guilty to robbing the Morrissey's.  However he says it was his father Randy Tundidor Sr. who inflicted the fatal stab wounds.

"This was a horror story," prosecutor Tom Coleman reiterated what he said at the start of the trial.

In his closing he replayed a taped conversation Sean Tundidor had with his father after the murder.

Sean Tundidor cooperated with Plantation police on the investigation because he didn't want to see his brother Randy Junior blamed for murdering Morrissey.

In the nine minute interview Tundidor Sr. said Randy junior didn't listen to what he told him to do. And that the police have nothing linking him to the crime.

"Play it, listen to it," Coleman urged the jury.

Coleman also showed the jury remnants of items burned at the window tinting shop that Randy Tundidor Sr. owned: a wallet, running shoes and zip ties.

Tundidor Senior had told investigators he was burning his son's crack pipe.

In fact the defense argues that Randy Junior was a crack cocaine addict who robbed and murdered Joseph Morrisey for money to support his drug habit.

Tundidor Senior's lawyer, Christopher Pole said, "there is nothing in the testimony of any witness to prove Randy Tundidor Sr. committed this offense."

Pole said there is no physical evidence inside the crime scene, not one fingerprint of Randy Tundidor Sr.

And he says Morrissey's widow, Linda, who was in the next room as her husband begged for his life, never identified Randy Tundidor Sr.

'If there was a second person on a walkie talkie, it wasn't Randy Sr. because she never identified his voice," said Pole.

 

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