Fear of HIV Virus Cited in Crossbow Attack

A man accused of shooting an arrow through his former male lover’s head will testify that he believed his ex-companion had given him the HIV virus, defense attorney Art Herrera said during opening statements Wednesday in the man’s attempted-murder trial.

Describing defendant Jesse Solis as a victim in an abusive relationship, Herrera told the jury that Solis used to show up at work with bruises on his body after fights with his ex-lover, Arthur Ekvall.

Solis is standing trial in Superior Court for attempted premeditated murder and auto theft. The 25-year-old San Diego man is accused of shooting Ekvall in the back of his head with an arrow fired from a crossbow while Ekvall was sleeping at Solis’ apartment.

Solis survived the attack because the arrow that entered his head amazingly missed his brain, optic nerves and every major artery and vein.

While Herrera said that Solis was in an dysfunctional relationship, he did not go so far as to claim that his client was acting in self-defense when he fired the arrow at his former lover, who was the first witness in the trial.

When the June 8 attack occurred, Ekvall testified that he awoke after the arrow’s impact, “screamed in agony” and thought his “brain had exploded.”

Ekvall, 30, who was the first witness to testify in the trial, said he was spending one last evening with Solis before terminating their 16-month relationship. He said that Solis told him he wanted to see him one more time and then he would leave him alone.

“I couldn’t live with him,” Ekvall said. “He drove me crazy. He was always asking where I was and who I was with.”

Throughout their stormy, off-again, on-again relationship, Ekvall said Solis was extremely jealous and possessive.

Ekvall told the court of various instances when Solis became violent, including a time when he smashed in the headlight of Ekvall’s car. He also told the court that Solis had slit his car’s tires during another fight.

After being shot with the arrow, Ekvall testified that he got out of bed while the arrow was protruding from his head. He testified that he saw the lights go on and Solis holding the crossbow, apparently trying to reload it.

“Oh my God, you shot me,” Ekvall recalls saying to Solis at the time. “I can’t believe you shot me.”

Ekvall says he remembers Solis replying, “That’s for everything you’ve done to me.”

After walking into the other room and telling Solis that he could go to jail for what he did, Ekvall said he told Solis to call 911. As Solis dialed, Ekvall ran out of the apartment and went to the manager’s apartment. From there, they called 911 and an ambulance came and rushed Ekvall to the hospital, where he had surgery to remove the arrow.