Girlfriend testifies in tears

FAU student slain in shooting

The girlfriend of slain Florida Atlantic University student Nicholas Acosta testified through tears Tuesday as she described the violent events that left her boyfriend dead.

Kayla Bartosiewicz’s emotional testimony came during the second day of the trial of Donovan Malik Henry, 19, of Miramar, who is accused of setting off the events that led to the Dec. 29 attack at University Park Apartments.

Bartosiewicz, 20, was with Acosta when he was shot to death. She said five men charged into the couple’s apartment and demanded they get on the floor.

She said one of the men, Alex Gillis waived a Glock as he yelled: ‘You think I’m kidding? You think this is a game?’ Then he shot Acosta twice, without giving him a chance to get on the floor, she said.

“I ran into the hallway and said ‘they shot my baby, they shot my baby.’ I was in a state of shock.” No one was left in the apartment when she returned and tried to help Acosta by applying pressure to the wounds, she said.

Henry had arranged to purchase marijuana from Acosta on the night of the killing, but the drug deal was a “mere ruse” to steal from the victim, prosecutors contend.

In pretrial pleadings, Henry’s attorney Scott Skier argued his client had no idea Acosta would be robbed let alone killed during the drug buy. Henry was “a pawn” of the real robbers, the defense lawyer said

Prosecutors say even though Henry didn’t pull

“I ran into the hallway and said ‘they shot my baby, they shot my baby.’ ” Kayla Bartosiewicz during her testimony

the trigger, he is just as responsible for Acosta’s death.

Within two months of the killing, Boca Raton police arrested Henry along with cousins Alexander Gillis and Adonis Gillis, and Rodrick Woods, all from Miami Gardens. A fifth man seen on surveillance video running from the scene with a mask has not been caught.

Police have identified Alexander Gillis as the shooter, which he has denied.

Woods in July pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of second-degree murder and has promised to testify against the others.

Woods, 24, testified against Henry Tuesday, wearing a blue jail jumpsuit and chains around his hands and waist.

Henry contacted the group weeks before the night Acosta was killed, Woods said, telling them he had a friend he wanted them to rob who was “sweet,” meaning no hassle and easy to deal with. Henry allegedly told his friends there was no need for a gun, that all it would take to rob Acosta was a beating.

“We initially thought it was a joke,” he said. “We didn’t go along with it until the day of.”

Henry was the only one who knew Acosta, Woods said.

Woods admitted to taking the bag of marijuana that had been on the kitchen counter in the apartment. Bartosiewicz admitted to initially lying to detectives about the presence of marijuana in the apartment.

“I didn’t want Nick to be remembered that way,” she said. “Because he was so much more than that.”

In addition to Woods, a handful of Boca Raton detectives and other officials, including Dr. Gertrude Juste, the medical examiner who performed Acosta’s autopsy, testified Tuesday.

The gunshot wounds on Acosta’s torso caused him to bleed internally and die of blood loss, Juste said.

The trial, before Circuit Judge Krista Marx, will continue Wednesday with witnesses for the prosecution and defense. It is expected to conclude by the end of the week.