Arguments in the Rios case continued right through Wednesday evening.

Defense attorney Gillis Leonard was on the attack, going after Valencia's former lover Ed McDevitt about knives McDevitt owned at the time of Valencia's murder. Leonard questioned why Columbia Police didn't seize those knives during the initial search of McDevitt's apartment.

Prosecutor Swingle paraded a dozen or so of Rios' former collegues including Columbia Police Sgt. Stephen Monticelli. Monticelli was the officer who initially did the interview with Rios back in 2004. Leonard asked him why that interview was not recorded.

"We don't videotape interviews up until a point, it would be an admission type thing. We would just record that portion of it," Monticelli said.

Next Det. John Short, who also was at that interview, took the stand.

"I felt that he was looking at the CAD screen to see if the body had been discovered yet. I asked him if that was true. He said no. He adamantly said no," Short said.

Prosecutors will continue their case at about 8:15 a.m. Thursday. 

Steven Rios' new trial entered its second day Wednesday with testimony from victim Jesse Valencia's former lover.Prosecutor Morley Swingle is still calling witnesses inside the courthouse to build his case against Rios.

During testimony Wednesday, defense attorney Gillis Leonard went after victim Jesse Valencia's former lover Ed McDevitt, but cameras were not allowed to roll during his testimony.

Leonard questioned McDevitt about knives he owned with serrated blades. Valencia died from a neck wound caused by that kind of a blade. Leonard pointed out that Columbia Police never seized the knives during the search of McDevitt's apartment. He also pointed out that no one can verify McDevitt was sleeping at home when Valencia was murdered.

McDevitt's roommate, Eric Thurston, was also questioned during cross-examination about McDevitt's whereabouts in the early hours of the morning of Valencia's murder. He had difficulty recalling if McDevitt was home when he left to go to another man's apartment.

"Didn't I just tell you, I'm not going to tell you an exact time. Because I never once looked at my watch all night to verify the time I walked out the door, came in, got on the phone, got on the internet, got picked up," Thurston said during the trial. "Who does these things overnight, while drinking? Sorry."

Tuesday the prosecution in the Rios trial called on expert witnesses and other witnesses who had personal relations with Jesse Valencia. The witnesses who had personal relations with Valencia were asked to describe the last time they were in contact with Valencia to help establish a timeline of the night before Valencia was found dead.

They all made comments about Valencia's habit to keep his hands and fingernails clean. This is key information because Steven Rios' DNA was found underneath Valencia's fingernails. A DNA expert testified that DNA can be washed away by someone who keeps their hands clean.

Earlier Tuesday the testimonies for the prosecution were centered around whether Rios carried a clip knife believed to be the murder weapon that was never found.

During the cross-examination Rios' attorney, Gillis Leonard, tried to show how evidence during the investigation may have been tainted.

On Monday attorneys chose 12 jurors from Clay County, while the Missouri Supreme Court selected Judge Frank Conley to preside over the retrial.

The former Columbia police officer has been behind bars since 2005 for the murder of MU student Jesse Valencia. Rios met Valencia at a party in 2004. On June 5, 2004 Valencia's throat was slashed near his  apartment. Police suspected Rios after discovering he and Valencia had an alleged affair.

In 2005, the courts convicted Rios of murdering Valenica and sentenced him for life without parole.

In 2007, an appellate court said testimony from Valencia's friend Joan Sheridan should not have been used opening the case again for a retrial.

Stay with KOMU 8 News and KOMU.com for further updates.