Crown Counsel Leeroy Banner led evidence in the prosecution's case that shortly after midnight on December 4, 2009, 40 year-old Mercedes Carillo, her daughter, her son and Lawrence, were all in the family home In Burrell Boom. Carrillo received a phone call, and that caused the couple to start to argue. Carillo called the police on Lawrence, who fled the house before officers responded. About an hour later, he returned, but Carillo locked him out of the house. He damaged the door to get back in, and he then went after Carillo and started to physically abuse her. He then pulled out a knife and stabbed Carillo several times, and that's when her kids tried to intervene to save her life. Her son struck him across the back with a guitar, while her daughter grabbed another knife and stabbed him. By that time, he had already stabbed Carillo 5 times in the chest and abdomen, and that's when he tried to save her life by rushing her to KHMH. She arrived there, but died shortly after.

In his defense, Lawrence gave a dock statement in which he said that his intention was not to kill Carillo. He said that he was under the influence of crack cocaine, Campari and marijuana.