Golfito, Costa Rica ? A woman who called herself a friend of defendant Kattia Cruz testified Thursday that Cruz confessed to a role in the May 2001 slaying of Kansas University student Shannon Martin.

The witness claimed she had spoken to Cruz, 29, a week after the crime at a bus station in the capital city of San Jose. The witness said Cruz confessed involvement in the crime and told her that she had been threatened by her two co-defendants, Luis Alberto Castro Carrillo, 33, and Rafael Zumbado Quesada, 52.

It was the strongest testimony yet for prosecutors in the trial, which began Tuesday in Golfito, the Pacific Coast town where Martin was stabbed to death early May 13, 2001, after leaving a party at the nearby Jurassic Bar. Her body was found along a dark airstrip access road in the early-morning hours. She had been stabbed 13 times.

Martin was in Costa Rica to complete research just weeks before her scheduled graduation from KU.

The witness’ testimony about her friend’s confession brought tears to the eyes of Cruz, who had remained emotionless during the first two days of trial.

Testimony from several other witnesses placed Cruz and Castro together in the early-morning hours after Martin’s slaying.

The police officer who detained Castro for questioning said Castro was picked up at 5:30 a.m. the day of the slaying in downtown Golfito and that Cruz was nearby hailing a taxi. The officer said Castro was bare-chested with his shirt draped over his shoulder. Several subsequent witnesses claimed that Castro was seen in the days after the crime with scratch marks on his neck.

Prosecutor Erick Mart–nez also called to the stand a witness who claimed Castro gave her the knife that was entered Wednesday as the weapon used in the slaying.

The public defenders representing the accused cross-examined the witnesses, asking them if they had been coached in their testimony or if they had been offered reward money.

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The witnesses denied the defense’s allegations.

With one day left for prosecutors to present testimony and material evidence, the case against Zumbado still is hanging on police testimony based on Cruz’s statement and two other witnesses who claimed Cruz told them Zumbado was Martin’s executioner.

The defense, meanwhile, called to the stand two character witnesses, both of whom offered little information and neither of whom were cross-examined by the prosecution or the three-judge panel.

Five final witnesses are scheduled to take the stand today, and documentary evidence will be entered in the afternoon.

Juan Carlos Arce, personal attorney for Jeanette Stauffer, the victim’s mother, said the prosecution would request a weeklong recess this afternoon to prepare for closing arguments, which he claims are the most important element of the trial.

Stauffer, a Topekan who has traveled to Costa Rica 11 times since her daughter’s slaying to pressure the investigation to move forward, appears frustrated and exhausted by the whole process.

“This has been a horrible week,” she said.