The murder trial got underway this week for Dale Derrick Rodriguez Jr., accused of bludgeoning a man to death in the middle of Salt Lake Boulevard.

Rodriguez, 42, and the victim, Jesse Waikiki, 33, didn’t know each other — or that they had been sleeping with the same woman, Nisa Harada, defense lawyer Michael Green told a state jury Wednesday.

But that changed during an encounter at her Aliamanu home early the morning of Dec. 9.

The Honolulu Medical Examiner’s Office said Waikiki died from blunt-force injuries to the face.

Deputy Prosecutor Scott Bell told the jury in opening statements that Rodriguez had both hands on a metal bar when he delivered forceful blows to Waikiki as the victim was on the ground on his back. He said Waikiki suffocated on his own blood, bits of bone, teeth and tissue.

Green said Rodriguez beat Waikiki in defense of himself and others after seeing Waikiki strike and knock out Harada. He said Waikiki then taunted and threatened Rodriguez.

There is little dispute between the prosecution and defense as to what led up to the fatal beating.

Both sides say Rodriguez had lived with Harada and her two teenage daughters in the Aliamanu home but had moved out shortly before the fatal beating. They say Rodriguez went to the home to move back in and found Waikiki there. Rodriguez walked out when he realized that Waikiki was not an intruder.

While Rodriguez and Harada were standing next to his truck on the street fronting the home, both sides say, Waikiki struck Harada, knocking her unconscious to the ground. A neighbor who saw what happened then struck and knocked Waikiki to the ground.

Green said Rodriguez struck Waikiki twice in the face only after it appeared that Waikiki was attempting to get up.

Bell said Rodriguez remained on the scene and told one of the responding officers, “I saw the male strike the female. After that I don’t know what happened.”

Waikiki had been released on parole Dec. 4, just five days before his death. He had state convictions for assault, a car break-in, car theft, harassment and drug and drug paraphernalia possession.