Father of Amanda Dabrowski takes the stand on day 3 of trial for man accused of daughter’s murder

WORCESTER, Mass. — Amanda Dabrowski’s father took the stand Wednesday as the trial of the man accused of his daughter’s murder entered day three.

Jurors in the Carlos Asencio trial first hand heard from a medical examiner about Amanda’s stab wounds. Then detectives shared photos of the abandoned truck where Asencio was allegedly living in the days before her murder.

As we learned on day one of the trial, prosecutors say Amanda suffered 58 stab wounds in an attack that lasted 55 seconds at O’Connors Restaurant in Worcester in July 2019.

The prosecution says Asencio murdered Amanda, his ex-girlfriend out of revenge. They dated for three months before Amanda broke it off.

His defense is arguing Asencio suffered from mental illness and has only questioned witnesses that could speak to his alleged mental state. One witness, a woman who was homeless around the time of the murder in 2019, testified Asencio told her he was schizophrenic just days before Amanda was murdered. That woman had only met Asencio days earlier when he too claimed to be homeless in the Worcester area.

Amanda’s father, Ed Dabrowski, testified on Wednesday about what he had found under Amanda’s car when it was returned to him after her murder.

“As I was walking up my driveway, I saw a cell phone hanging from the rear of the car held on by duct tape,” Ed Dabrowski testified in court.

Investigators on the stand later showed photos of what Mr. Dabrowski showed them in the driveway of his Webster home.

As 25 Investigates first reported, investigators believe Asencio put that phone on Amanda’s car to track her.

Day four of the trial will continue on Thursday in Worcester.

Previous coverage:

25 Investigates: man accused of murdering woman at Worcester restaurant seeking insanity defense

25 Investigates: Trial date set for the murder of Amanda Dabrowski

25 Investigates: Family of woman murdered in Worcester settles suit against her former employer

Justice and answers on hold for parents of woman murdered at popular Worcester restaurant a year ago

Woman stabbed inside Worcester restaurant has died; N.H. man charged with murder

Man accused of killing woman at restaurant allegedly attacked her at home in April

Man accused of murdering ex-girlfriend may have been tracking her location

Man accused of killing ex-girlfriend fled, re-entered US before alleged murder

Woman stabbed in Worcester restaurant sought help from police before murder

25 Investigates: Local woman fired 2 days after surviving domestic violence

Man accused of killing ex-girlfriend to remain in hospital, judge rules

Court docs: Suspect attacked ex at home, Worcester restaurant after breakup

Mass. congressman ‘frustrated’ by lack of answers from feds in Worcester murder

Worcester murder victim attempted to protect herself from man accused of killing her

Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW

©2023 Cox Media Group