NCIS San Angelo: Navy Investigator Testifies in Whiskey River Trial

SAN ANGELO, Texas – Like a scene from an early 2000s TV drama series, a Naval Criminal Investigation Service NCIS investigator took the stand Friday in the Tom Green County courthouse to testify about enhancing surveillance and cell phone videos of the fatal stabbing at Whiskey River Saloon.  

NCIS Criminal Investigator Robert Lee is on the military team investigating the stabbing death of Bryce Rudisell, a Marine stationed at Goodfellow Air Force Base who was stabbed to death Oct. 2, 2022 in a fight in the parking lot of the downtown bar. 

Lee testified for the prosecution saying he worked with three separate videos; one surveillance video from inside Whiskey River, one from the patio outside overlooking the parking lot and one snapchat video from a witness in the parking lot.  

Lee explained that he enhanced the videos by placing a circle around certain people of interest including the defendant Ray Vera and the deceased Bryce Rudisell. 

During the course of his testimony, District Attorney Best showed the three videos to the jury.  The clearly show Vera stabbing the four marines in a matter of seconds.  

Best also secured still photos from the video showing the beer mug used to hit one of the victims from behind, and Vera holding a knife. 

Testimony began Friday morning in courtroom A of the Tom Green County courthouse with the playing of the 9-1-1 calls from the fatal night.  One of the recordings says 'some bikers started a fight' inside the bar and then went outside...'biker guys' were fighting.

Defense attorney Jason Sosa objected to playing the part about 'biker guys' but his objection was overruled by Judge Dusek. 

Another 9-1-1 call say, "a guy has been stabbed in the chest in the parking lot," and "Officers are on the way."  The 9-1-1 calls reflect a chaotic scene in the parking lot with three marines down with stab wounds and one down after being struck in the head with the beer mug. 

Then Best called San Angelo Police Officer Zane Daniel.  They played Daniel's body camera footage for the jury which showed in great detail the scene with the wounded men on the ground and bystanders tending to them when EMT's arrive.  

The video shows EMT's taking over treatment then the men were transported to the hospital.

Under cross examination, Daniel testified that he had seen several bar fights working the night shift.

Then Best called NCIS investigator Robert Lee to the stand as mentioned earlier.  

After Lee was released, Best called Adrian Carrasco to the stand.  Carrasco was at the bar that night and recorded part of the fight in the parking lot using Snapchat on his phone.  

Best then called Colton Rich to the witness stand.  Rich said he had been to a concert in Christoval and stopped by Whiskey River afterwards.  Rich said he witnessed the fight and it was more than just a regular bar fight because it continued outside and the "dudes involved got stabbed."

Best then called Brandon Poiner to the stand.  Poiner testified he was friends and neighbors with Cole Hunsberger, who was one of the Marines stabbed that night.  

Poiner said they were all at Fiddlestrings Bar celebrating before they went downtown.  Poiner says the Marines were going downtown to get tacos at a food truck and just went into Whiskey River for a beer. They were going to have beer and tacos before going home.  

Poiner testified that the D.J. began playing Cumbia music and the dance floor got crowded.  Then there was some shoving and words were exchanged between the bikers and the Marines before the fight on the dance floor.  

Security then broke up the fight and escorted both groups outside.   That's when it turned from a bar fight to a fatal stabbing.  

As we reported Thursday, Judge Dusek advised both sides that there would be a larger law enforcement presence at the courthouse to keep between the parties witnessing the trial as they leave the courthouse.  

On Friday, the group of Marines supporting Rudisell's father was about three times as large as it was the day before.  Also, courthouse security had additional deputies in the courtroom and in the hallways.  

Testimony will resume Monday morning in the courthouse.  The trial is expected to conclude next week.