Graphic crime scene photos and what appeared to be bloody items pulled from donation bins were shown to jurors on the second day of Jose Morales’ murder trial at Milford Superior Court.

Morales, 48, of New Haven, is accused of killing his girlfriend, Christine Holloway, in her home in Ansonia over five years ago.

Sgt. Kevin Duggan, of Connecticut State Police, testified about processing the crime scene at 6½ Myrtle Ave. Duggan and other investigators with CSP were called in by Ansonia police after they discovered Holloway, 43, dead in her bathtub the night of Dec. 2, 2019.

During Duggan’s time on the stand, the jury saw photos of Holloway’s body naked and slumped over in the tub. Most of Holloway’s family understandably chose to leave the courtroom before the pictures were displayed.

Morales’ attorney, Ed Gavin, objected to the photos being shown, calling them “overly prejudicial.”

Judge Shari Murphy overruled the objected, noting the state’s charging information requires them to prove Morales used an instrument to hit Holloway multiple times in the head and torso, creating, “several round shaped marks that measured approximately one inch in diameter, severely fracturing her skull.”

Earlier in the day, a former Kiducation employee, who picked up donations from the nonprofit’s bins on Dec. 4, 2019, took the stand.

Mira Watkins said she and her coworker made a disturbing discovery while emptying the clothing bins located in a church parking lot in Derby.

“We first saw a diaper genie,” Watkins testified.

"OK, and what did you notice about it?" asked Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorney Howard Stein.

“That it was covered in a red substance,” Watkins answered.

"And what did you think it was?" Stein said.

“Blood,” replied Watkins.

Watkins told the jury she took a picture of it and sent it to her boss, who told her to bag the item and bring it back to the warehouse in Hartford. Watkins said she and her coworker put on gloves and put anything with the substance into separate plastic bags. That included a towel which also had what Stein called “tissue-like” material. A picture was displayed on the monitor for the jury.

Mary Ann Tettelbach, Watkins’ supervisor, testified next, telling the court she unloaded the donations from the truck the next morning, Dec. 5, 2019, and noticed a piece of mail addressed to Holloway among the bagged items. Tettelbach said she Googled Holloway’s name and learned of the investigation into Holloway’s death and her daughter’s disappearance. When police forced their way into Holloway’s home as part of a wellness check, there was no sign of Vanessa, the 1-year-old child she shared with Morales.

Tettelbach testified her next move was to call police, who quickly responded.

“I told them that I had a letter on top of some stuff that we had collected at a clothing bin, and it had matter on it, and I was very concerned,” Tettelbach recalled.

Along with the testimony Tuesday, a juror was excused after sending the judge a note about an issue. The nature of why he couldn’t serve wasn’t put on the record, but both sides agreed to him being dismissed. An alternate was chosen to replace him, leaving just two alternates left for what’s expected to be a month-long trial. A juror was excused Monday before the trial began after alerting the court to a last-minute scheduling conflict.

Morales is charged with murder and evidence tampering.