Alexander Armstrong, Merlino's half-brother who admitted to having felony convictions for carnal knowledge of a child and failing to register as a violent sex offender, said he saw his brother when he left for work the morning of the murder. He said he next saw him around 9:30 p.m., which would not have left enough time for him to assault Tran and then return to Victoria. He also said he was asleep when his brother got home that night.