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Wendell murder suspect appears in court as witnesses recall deadly shooting

Cesar Aguilar appeared in a Gooding County courtroom Thursday as witnesses shared disturbing details about the fatal shooting of Matthew Bodsford
Witnesses testify in preliminary hearing for Wendell murder suspect.
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GOODING, Idaho — A Wendell man charged with murdering Matthew Bodsford in broad daylight in December appeared in a Gooding County courtroom Thursday morning for his preliminary hearing.

Idaho News 6 was in that courtroom as witnesses took the stand and shared disturbing details about the fatal shooting.

Bodsford's girlfriend testified about the incident, stating it began as a domestic dispute between Bodsford and Cesar Aguilar, the father of one of her children.

"Cesar called to pick up my son, and we told him he couldn't go with him. Cesar got upset," the witness said.

WATCH: Witnesses shared disturbing details in court Thursday during the preliminary hearing for a Wendell man charged with murdering Matthew Bodsford.

Witnesses testify in Wendell murder suspect's hearing

The dispute escalated to the point where Bodsford and Aguilar agreed to meet at an auto parts store in Wendell to fight. Once there, the witness said it all happened fast.

"I parked the van and he was walking back and I just looked over at Matt, and he went (sigh) and then all of a sudden there was just gunshots," the witness said.

RELATED: 'He's not a monster': Family speaks for Wendell murder suspect as case is delayed

When asked by state prosecutor Trevor Misseldine how many gunshots there were, she testified to hearing several.

"It sounded like four," the witness said.

"After the gunshots, I looked up to see Matt not moving and I could see Cesar in the truck behind and he waved the gun at us and then we got out of the car, ran out to check on Matt and he flipped us off and he took off," the witness said.

RELATED: Less than 24 hours later, suspect charged with first-degree murder in Wendell shooting

Misseldine asked what she found when she checked on Bodsford.

"The first thing I saw was a bullet hole in his head," the witness said.

"Yeah, there was blood everywhere. The way he shot it, it splattered all over me and the cupholders were just filled with it," the witness said.

She wasn't the only witness inside that van who testified. Her 14-year-old daughter was also there and took the stand.

"So, Matt rolled the window down, he pulled a gun out and just, he shot him," the 14-year-old said.

The lead detective on the case then introduced surveillance video of the incident from across the street. Aguilar's defense requested that the video be sealed and not recorded by the media, which Judge Casey Robinson granted.

Seeing the video himself, Idaho News 6 reporter Joey Martin says he noticed less than 10 seconds passing between Aguilar approaching the van and shots being fired. The video then shows Aguilar pulling off as a large group of bystanders approaches the scene.

After Thursday's testimony, Robinson bound the case over to district court and set an arraignment hearing for April 14.

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