ELMIRA, NY (WENY) -- The torture-murder case in Chemung County court wrapped up its seventh day on Thursday, March 7th. One of the four men involved in the case testified about what happened that night in 2021.

Thomas Bovaird testified about what he remembered from the night of January 29th and 30th, 2021. Bovaird recounted for the jury what he said happened to the victim, Juan Jose Gotay, up until Bovaird left. 

Bovaird said he got a text from Malik Weems the night of January 29th saying there was an emergency. After Bovaird pulled up in his car to the house on Partridge Street in Elmira, he said Eddie Marte wanted him to help move Gotay, who had already been shot and was tied up, being held in the basement of a home on Broadway Street. 

Bovaird said he agreed to help move Gotay who was tied up and so Malik Weems and Kavon Sanders (the other two co-defendants in the case) carried Gotay and put him in Bovaird's trunk. Bovaird says he could see that Gotay's face was bruised, he was bleeding, and his legs and hands were bound. 

Bovaird then says he drove to a house on West Avenue where Weems and Sanders brought Gotay into the kitchen, where Weems and Sanders then moved him to the downstairs area of the home. Bovaird said once Gotay was on the floor, Marte told the three others to kick and punch Gotay.

Bovaird said Marte directed Weems to cut off the victim's clothes with a serrated knife. Then Bovaird said Marte and Weems used a small blow torch lighter to burn Gotay's buttocks, testicles, and ears. Bovaird also claimed Marte and Weems beat Gotay in the face with a metal pipe. Bovaird testified that, Marte ordered at gunpoint them to cut out Gotay's tongue and mutilate Gotay's eyes with a rusty nail.

The District Attorney showed an image of what appeared to be part of Gotay's tongue in a jar. The D.A. also showed a video allegedly taken by Weems, showing Gotay naked with his arms being tied behind his back.

At first, Bovaird said he wasn't allowed to leave the scene after mutilating Gotay. Bovaird said after arguing with Weems, at one point it was okay to leave after Weems talked with Marte.

Gotay's body was later found in April of 2021, in a remote area in Ulysses in Potter County, Pennsylvania.

During cross examination, defense attorneys went back and forth with Bovaird talking about how he lied in his May 2021 sworn statement. The prosecution then rested its case Thursday afternoon. Judge Campanella gave the defense an hour to either make a motion to dismiss or to determine if they'll present evidence at the time. 

On Friday, (3/8) the court will look at any evidence if Marte's attorneys present it and will decide if Marte will testify.

As for Bovaird, he is awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to second degree murder in June of 2023 for his role in Gotay's death. He faces a sentence of 18 years to life in state prison.