Josue Flores trial: Surveillance video shows final moments of 11-year-old's life

HOUSTON - Surveillance footage of what prosecutors say is the killer running away after murdering Josue Flores was shown to jurors on Tuesday. Flores’ father was in court as emotional video was also shown of his 11-year-old son’s last moments alive.
     
As prosecutors present their case against Andre Jackson, the heartbreaking video was shown to jurors of 11-year-old Josue Flores leaving Marshall Middle School wearing his blue backpack. It’s a bag that's now bloodstained, with slashes on it, and on display in the courtroom as evidence.

RELATED: Andre Jackson's murder trial underway nearly 6 years after 11-year-old Josue Flores' death

"He was such a smart boy. He had so much going for him," says Community Activist Carmen Nuncio.  
   
In the video, the 11-year-old has no idea he’s about to cross paths with a mad man. Prosecutors pointed out a terrifying timeline. At 4:39 p.m. on that day in May 2016, Josue is seen walking home from school. 

Just one minute later, out of view of cameras, witnesses saw a grown man suddenly stab the 4’10," 77-pound child more than 20 times in a deadly and unprovoked attack that lasted mere seconds.

"How quickly it happened, and how the suspect left the crime, and how calmly that suspect that’s in the video walked away from a murder scene," says Stella Mireles Walters, who’s the founder of Safe Walk Home, a program created after Josue’s death to make sure adults in the neighborhood are watching as children walk home from school.    

BACKGROUND: Josue Flores death: Andre Jackson’s trial for murder of Houston boy

At 4:42 p.m., the first of more than half a dozen surveillance cameras captures a man walking and looking at his hands, then putting on his jacket, and he’s later running away. Prosecutors say the man in the video is Andre Jackson. 

Defense attorneys did not deny it’s Jackson, but they say witnesses initially said the killer had bushy hair and was carrying a bag.

"This case is going to be all based on reasonable doubt," explains Houston Defense Attorney Rick Detoto, who is not working this case, but he did stop by to observe. He says one of the toughest hurdles for the defense is getting past, what prosecutors say, is Josue Flores’ DNA on Jackson’s jacket that was recovered from Jackson’s room at the Salvation Army.

"I haven’t seen all the videos in this case, but there are some arguments to be made that you can’t prove that’s the same jacket that’s seen on the video," Detoto explains.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE ON THE JOSUE FLORES CASE

After six years, loved ones are ready for justice. 

"He's an innocent little boy. He did no wrong. He went to school and didn’t come home and that just kills me. It kills me," Nuncio says.  

"I can say it’s been a struggle for the family as well. They are very saddened and hopeful at the same time," Venus Rodriguez with LULAC adds. 

MORE: Andre Jackson indicted in murder of Josue Flores

You may remember Jackson was arrested in 2016, then released after DNA results came back inconclusive. He was arrested again in 2019 after investigators say new technology gave them a more accurate reading of the DNA.
   
The trial is set to resume Tuesday morning at 9:30 a.m.