Opening statements are scheduled Thursday morning in the first-degree murder trial of a man accused of raping a Colorado Springs woman and slashing her throat more than seven years ago.

Martin Mendiola is accused in the Jan. 26, 2004 death of Patricia Gonzalez-Arvizu, 29, whose body was found inside a mobile home at 1025 Garner Street. Her infant child was discovered nearby, unharmed.

Mendiola. 40, was days away from being released from prison in December 2009 when investigators said they were able to match his DNA to evidence recovered at the crime scene. He had worked for the victim’s husband’s painting company under a false name, police said.

Gazette legal affairs reporter John Ensslin will be live blogging from the courtroom. For details, visit “The Sidebar” blog at http://thesidebar.freedomblogging.com/