Deliberations Start in Yakima River Canyon Murder Trial

Jury deliberations will continue Friday in the murder trial of Marco Gallegos who's accused of killing two men in the Yakima River Canyon.

The fate of Macro Gallegos is in the hands of the jury. Throughout this trial there has been testimony about gangs and drugs all centered on the double murder from December 2012.

The prosecution claims Gallegos was in a gang at the time of the murders of Michael Eby and Ryan Pederson. They say Gallegos shot Eby in a garage after he got into a fight with a fellow gang member. Ryan Pederson, who was friends with Eby, was then driven out to the Yakima River Canyon by the Rosa Damn. There Pederson was shot and the car was abandoned with Eby's body in the trunk.

This is what both sides said in their closing arguments.

"Mr. Gallegos viciously murdered Mike Eby and is a participant and an accomplice in every way in ensuring Ryan Pederson is murdered and doesn't talk," Prosecutor Troy Clements said.

"There is no real evidence against Mr. Gallegos other than inconsistent stories of three people who have a lot to lose," Defense Attorney James Kirkham said.

Three people, some of whom were in a gang with Gallegos, testified against him, saying he pulled the trigger on Eby. The defense said the testimony of those three had lots of holes, claiming they were simply trying to take the blame off themselves for shorter sentences.

The most dramatic scene in court Wednesday was when the prosecution showed pictures of the two men who were shot. Family members of the victims openly cried and some had to leave the room. The jury has finished deliberating Wednesday, but won't continue again until Friday.