Five witnesses for the prosecution took the stand Thursday in the trial of a day laborer accused of murdering a New City mother.

Ronald Douglas Herrera-Castellanos, 30, is on trial for raping, stabbing and strangling Mary Nagle inside her New City home last April. Thursday?s testimony included accounts from a man who found a bag of bloody clothes and the detective who interviewed the accused murderer.

Mike McDonald says he found a black garbage bag on May 8 containing bloodstained clothes. The prosecution says the clothes belonged to Herrera. A woman living across the street from the Nagles testified she saw Herrera leaving the Nagles' property with a black garbage bag.

The Clarkstown police officer who flew the search helicopter and spotted Herrera also testified. The prosecution plans to call its DNA experts Friday and wrap up its case early next week. Herrera faces life in prison without parole if convicted.

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