FBI agent says last call from Monsalve’s phone was to Brown
Prosecution, defense rest their cases in murder trial; Brown chooses not to testify
FBI Special Agent Michael Easter testifies Monday about activity on the cellphones of Bernard Brown and his ex-girlfriend Moreira “Mo” Monsalve around the time she was last seen on Jan. 12, 2014. The Maui News / LILA FUJIMOTO photos
Bernard Brown talks with his attorney, Randall Hironaka, during a break Monday in Brown’s 2nd Circuit Court trial.
FBI Special Agent Michael Easter testifies Monday about activity on the cellphones of Bernard Brown and his ex-girlfriend Moreira “Mo” Monsalve around the time she was last seen on Jan. 12, 2014. The Maui News / LILA FUJIMOTO photos
Bernard Brown talks with his attorney, Randall Hironaka, during a break Monday in Brown’s 2nd Circuit Court trial.
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WAILUKU -- The last call from the cellphone of Moreira "Mo" Monsalve was made to the phone of her ex-boyfriend Bernard Brown and came from the general area that included his apartment in Wailuku, an FBI special agent testified Monday.
After the outgoing call from her phone at 12:07 a.m. Jan. 13, 2014, call activity stopped, "which, in my opinion, means that the device is now either off, in airplane mode or outside coverage," said FBI Special Agent Michael Easter.
He was the last witness in the 2nd Circuit Court trial of Brown, 51, who has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder of Monsalve.
Brown told police the 46-year-old mother of three left his apartment at Iao Parkside at 10 or 10:30 the night of Jan. 12, 2014.
During the trial that began Aug. 1, about 35 people testified, including family members and friends who said they haven't seen or heard from Monsalve since that night.
On Jan. 16, 2014, after receiving a report that Monsalve's pink Coach purse was found in a dumpster at Papohaku Park in Wailuku the night before, police searched the dumpster and found Monsalve's cellphone in pieces.
Easter, who is a member of the FBI Cellular Analysis Survey Team, said he was asked to review the cellphone records of Monsalve and Brown to identify cell site activity and determine the general area of the phones when calls were made based on their use of cellphone towers.
On Jan. 12, 2014, Monsalve's phone was in the area of Brown's residence on Piwai Lane during an outgoing call at 9:42 a.m., Easter said. During another outgoing call at 10:19 a.m., he said her phone was in a different location near the University of Hawaii Maui College, where she had gone to a financial aid workshop with her younger son.
Later in the morning at 11:22 and 11:47 a.m., activity on her phone was consistent with being in the area of Schafer Corp. in Kihei, where Monsalve worked, Easter said. Surveillance video showed her entering and leaving the business that day. Her phone was still in the Kihei area at 12:30 p.m. when there was an outgoing call to Brown's phone at 12:30 p.m., Easter said.
Another call to Brown's phone at 4:30 p.m. was consistent with the area of Hang Loose Lounge in Kahului, Easter said. Witnesses said Monsalve had been at the bar with her daughter, Alexis Felicilda, before dropping her off at Kahului Airport, then returning to the bar.
At 7:16 p.m., when her phone made an outgoing call, it was back in the area of Brown's residence, Easter said.
He said the cell sector covering Brown's residence includes other addresses in the area, including in Sand Hills.
Easter said a review of Brown's phone records from Jan. 12 to the morning of Jan. 13, 2014, showed his phone was using the same cell tower consistent with his residence and Valley Isle Car Service, where he dropped off Monsalve's car on Jan. 13. Calls from his phone to Monsalve's phone were made at 12:22, 1:12, 3:11, 3:58 and 3:59 p.m. Jan. 13, as well as later in the night until 11:03 p.m., Easter said. He said Monsalve's phone records don't show those calls "because her phone's no longer registering with cell sites."
The calls would have gone to her voicemail, he said.
The last call from Monsalve's phone to Brown's phone didn't show the location of his phone because it was routed to voicemail, Easter said.
He said the records also showed text messages between the phones, including one from Monsalve's phone to Brown's phone at 2:46 a.m. Jan. 13.
The location of the phones during the text messages couldn't be determined based on T-Mobile cell tower data available in 2014, Easter said.
Both the prosecution and defense rested their cases Monday.
Questioned by Judge Peter Cahill, Brown said it was his decision "not to testify" in the trial.
Closing arguments by attorneys are scheduled Wednesday.
* Lila Fujimoto can be reached at lfujimoto@mauinews.com.