Worcester, Massachusetts – Startling revelations have emerged in the trial of Carlos Asencio, shedding light on his journey across the border from Mexico. Asencio, currently standing trial for the murder of Amanda Dabrowski in July 2019, disclosed crucial details about his escape during an evaluation conducted by a psychologist at the Worcester House of Correction.
Clinical psychologist Dr. Paul Zeizel, testifying on behalf of the defense, recounted his interviews with Asencio, primarily focusing on his mental health. However, Assistant District Attorney Ed Karcasinas skillfully extracted information regarding Asencio’s flight and subsequent reentry into the United States leading up to the fatal incident at O’Connor’s Restaurant & Bar in Worcester.
Through Zeizel’s testimony and the presentation of physical and digital evidence by the police, a timeline of events began to take shape. Asencio revealed that after his attack on Dabrowski in her Ayer home on Easter of 2019, he fled to Canada with no specific plan in mind. Desperate to distance himself, Asencio embarked on “the first flight out as far as he can go,” which fortuitously led him to Cancun, Mexico.
During his month-long stay in Mexico, Asencio recounted to Zeizel that all his money was stolen, prompting him to seek assistance in reentering the United States. He contacted a lawyer in Boston, who advised him to turn himself in. However, the lawyer’s exorbitant fee rendered this option unaffordable for Asencio.
It was then revealed, based on Zeizel’s report, that Asencio had paid for information on how to reenter the United States. The exact method of his reentry was not explicitly discussed, but Worcester Police Department Detective Joe Essex testified that bus tickets dated June 1, 2019, were discovered in a wallet bearing Asencio’s name at the scene of Dabrowski’s death.
Among the wallet’s contents were a ticket from McAllen, Texas, located near the Mexican border, to Houston, under the name Carlos El Toro. Another ticket under a similar name, from Houston to Atlanta, was also found. The wallet held various items such as a Georgia lottery ticket, a New Jersey transit ticket, a New York MTA metro card, an MBTA CharlieCard, and a Union Station parking ticket dated June 16, 2019.
In addition to these findings, Detective Essex uncovered a parking ticket for the Montreal airport, as well as bus and transit schedules for different cities, alongside credit cards in Asencio’s name.
Providing further insight into the case, intelligence analyst Michael Terrio from the New England State Police Information Network testified about Google location data extracted from a ZTE phone found taped beneath Dabrowski’s car. The phone, along with another device, was linked to a common Google account named “samelliot1492,” with the application “Find My Device” installed on the second phone.
According to the data, on June 29, the device was traced to Merrick Street in Worcester before moving south toward Webster. Between 3:45 and 4 a.m. the following morning, it pinged near Dabrowski’s parents’ home on High Street Extension. The phone made several trips back and forth from that location before traveling north toward Worcester shortly before 6 p.m. on July 3.
At 6:18, the device was detected near O’Connor’s restaurant, where Dabrowski tragically met her fate less than two hours later, succumbing to fatal stab wounds.
Asencio’s defense maintains that he does not dispute the basic facts of the killing. Instead, they argue that he should not be held criminally responsible for his actions. The trial’s fifth day, set to commence on Friday, will feature testimony from a psychiatrist representing the commonwealth, alongside another witness. The unfolding events of the day may determine whether the jurors will hear closing arguments on Friday.