Surveillance video focus of duct tape murder trial testimony

Surveillance video was the focus of attention in court Wednesday at the duct tape child murder trial in McKinney.

Grace Ford, 2, was suffocated with duct tape over her mouth. Her father's ex-fiance, Melinda Muniz, is charged with capital murder.

Before the crime, police say Muniz took the little girl shopping for supplies allegedly used by Muniz to stage a cover up.

That surveillance video may have been the most impactful for jurors when it was shown in court on Wednesday. Much of the day's testimony was spent recounting Muniz's moves the day of Jan. 9, 2014, when she claimed an intruder broke in to their Plano apartment and raped Muniz and duct taped Grace's mouth.

Muniz was taken to Parkland Hospital that day, but the nurse who administered the rape kit testified there were no visible signs of rape. The defense pointed out signs of rape aren't always immediately visible.

A Plano detective testified pieces of duct tape were found at the apartment the day police were called. There were also zip ties in Grace's bedding. Prosecutors said Muniz was buying those items when she was seen on surveillance video from inside Dollar Tree.

The video doesn't show what Muniz was buying, but a Plano detective says they went through Dollar Tree sales receipts and saw someone that afternoon bought zip ties, silver duct tape, kitchen shears and cotton swabs all in one purchase.

Detectives also recovered nude selfies of Muniz on a phone along with a nude video of herself and a shirtless selfie of a man who was not her fiancé Mitch Ford.

Ford testified yesterday she was exchanging those images with her trainer and that's why he called off the engagement.

The very next day Muniz claims an intruder broke in.

Testimony will continue for a third day on Thursday.