SAN BERNARDINO, CA – A San Bernardino woman faces the possibility of spending decades in prison after being convicted of killing her ex-boyfriend, whose remains were hidden for years in a makeshift tomb on her property.
A jury found Trista Ann Spicer, 46, guilty of second-degree murder, with the additional finding that she used a deadly weapon. The verdict stems from the 2014 death of Eric Mercado, 42, a case that remained unsolved until a tip led police back to Spicer’s home eight years later.
The case began to unravel in August 2022, when detectives received word that human remains might be concealed in the yard of a residence on East Davidson Street. Acting on this information, authorities questioned Spicer and soon obtained a search warrant for her property.
During their search, investigators discovered a concealed compartment in the backyard. Inside, they found a body wrapped in what authorities described as a sliced air mattress. The remains were later identified as those of Mercado, who had been missing since 2014. Family members had previously reported his disappearance, but his whereabouts remained a mystery for nearly a decade.
Central to the prosecution’s case was testimony from Waylan Gentry, Spicer’s boyfriend at the time the investigation reopened. Gentry told jurors that Spicer approached him about removing Mercado’s body from beneath some concrete steps, on the eve of her family’s plans to sell the home. Gentry recounted his disbelief when Spicer first claimed her former boyfriend was buried under the stairs. After confiding in his mother, he ultimately contacted the police.
The discovery shocked investigators. The storage compartment where Mercado was found measured approximately 8 feet wide, 6 feet high, and 3 feet deep. Officials described the area as a makeshift tomb, constructed to hide the crime.
A medical examiner testified that Mercado suffered severe facial injuries consistent with blunt-force trauma, which authorities said would have been fatal in seconds. He also sustained a deep neck wound.
Throughout the trial, Spicer maintained that she acted in self-defense, describing a background of substance abuse and alleged domestic violence in her relationship with Mercado. She claimed their struggles began after he pressured her to use methamphetamine again. Spicer told the jury that Mercado had become increasingly violent and, on one occasion, assaulted her over a disagreement about dinner. It was during this altercation that she said she struck him with a frying pan and subsequently cut his throat.
With the trial concluded, Spicer is scheduled for sentencing in January 2026. She faces a potential sentence of 16 years to life in prison. Authorities have not publicly announced whether they will seek additional penalties related to the concealment of Mercado’s body.
Mercado’s family, who had spent years searching for answers, were present throughout the proceedings. The case left a lasting impression in the quiet San Bernardino neighborhood where Mercado vanished, and where Spicer lived undetected for nearly a decade with her secret.