WILKES-BARRE -- Prosecutors at Hugo Selenski's double murder trial told the jury "what you will hear will shock you, will horrify you, and will break your heart."
Prosecutors and the defense are giving their opening statements Wednesday morning at the trial of one of our area's most notorious criminals.
The trial has finally begun almost 13 years after prosecutors say Selenski killed Michael Kerkowski and Tammy Fassett.
Wednesday morning we heard the prosecution walk us through what they believe happened in 2002.
The assistant D.A. said he's "taking jurors on a journey through the world of Hugo Selenski," a journey he's been waiting a long time to take them on.
The prosecution went first in the opening statements, detailing a plot they say Hugo Selenski hatched to steal thousands of dollars from Michael Kerkowski by killing him and his girlfriend Tammy Fassett.
The prosecution talked about Seleski blowing through $200,000 in 2002, despite only legally earning $187,000.
The assistant D.A. said Selenski took advantage of Kerkowski's legal troubles; the pharmacists was about to be sentenced for illegally selling prescription drugs.
The assistant D.A said Selenski made it look like Kerkowski and Fassett fled to avoid sentencing, but instead the prosecutor described the beating, torture and strangulation of Kerkowski, telling jurors, "imagine the terror, folks."
The prosecution took just over an hour to lay out its case.
In their opening statement, defense attorneys tried to blame Paul Weakley for the murders.
Follow developments in the trial on our liveblog.