Special to The Herald-Sun
RALEIGH -- Prosecutors on Monday continued to paint a portrait of Robert Reaves, the former pastor accused of murdering a N.C. Central University student, as a man driven by sexual desires who has an unreliable alibi.
Testimony Monday included two young men who said they rebuffed sexual advances from Reaves months before the body of 21-year-old Latrese Curtis was found on Interstate 540 in Wake County in January 2008. Curtis was stabbed dozens of times.
The prosecution has said Reaves killed Curtis because she was sleeping with Reaves' housemate Steven Randolph, who also had developed a sexual relationship with the former minister.
Superior Court Judge Donald Stephens agreed to allow jurors to hear Monday's testimony from the two men, even though it did not directly relate to Curtis' murder, provided prosecutors use it to attempt to prove a motive in the slaying or offer evidence that Reaves was physically capable.
Testimony last week and Monday featured male witnesses who said Reaves offered free rent in exchange for sex. It also included former Brinks Security technician John Ross, who Monday described a 2007 altercation in which he said Reaves made sexual advances toward him while Ross was trying to set up the minister's home security system.
According to Ross, Reaves said he could get him a job as a male prostitute. "He said I had good features and I could make a lot of money" as an escort, Ross said. "... I got very uncomfortable and I wasn't sure where it was going."
Another of Reaves' former roommates said his relationship with Reaves deteriorated after Reaves asked him about a possible sexual encounter.
Jurors also heard Monday from another Brinks representative who testified the home alarm system at Reaves' house was disabled and enabled several times the night that Curtis' body was found. Reaves has told investigators he could not have committed the murder because he was at a church function.
Reaves' car was found abandoned on I-540 the night Curtis' body was found. Curtis' car was also found and prosecutors produced DNA evidence last week that they say indicates Reaves touched the steering wheel of her car.
Prosecutors said they expected to wrap up their case Tuesday.
Reaves was a minister at Cedar International Fellowship in Durham. If convicted, he could face life in prison.
