10/28/2009 10:00:00 PM Carol Kennedy murder case: Officials present evidence at DeMocker hearing
Steven DeMocker
Les Stukenberg/The Daily Courier
Yavapai County medical examiner Philip Keen shows defense attorney John Sears an autopsy photo in Yavapai County Superior Court Tuesday during an evidentiary hearing in the Carol Kennedy murder trial.
The Yavapai County Medical Examiner, a Yavapai County Sheriff's Office detective and a deputy presented evidence about the victim's injuries, the crime scene and information found on computers Wednesday during Steven DeMocker's evidentiary hearing before Yavapai County Superior Court Judge Thomas Lindberg.
DeMocker stands charged with murdering his ex-wife on July 2, 2008, a little more than a month after their divorce.
Yavapai County Medical Examiner Philip Keen said murder victim Carol Kennedy suffered a series of 10 severe blows to her head.
"I can't tell you which blow was fatal, but the combination of blows caused swelling in the respiratory and cardiac center and caused death," Keen said. Keen said the blows to her skull were consistent with a wood-type golf club.
Lead defense attorney John Sears asked Keen who brought him the golf club, and Keen said the Yavapai County Sheriff's Office did at his request.
Next, Yavapai County Sheriff's Office Detective Steve Page said when he searched DeMocker's laptop, his work computer, his daughter's laptop and Kennedy's tower-style computer, he found DeMocker had searched the Internet for information on compressed gases, carbon monoxide, and other restricted chemicals, as well as how to hide a homicide as a suicide.
When Sears objected, Deputy Yavapai County Attorney Joseph Butner said he was trying to show the offense was committed in a cold and calculated manner. Lindberg then overruled Sears' objection.
Page described how DeMocker had obtained a federal employer identification number and had requested information on ordering carbon monoxide, a restricted chemical, from Praxair and another chemical manufacturer, but he never did order it.
Later Page presented e-mails between Kennedy and DeMocker from May 1, 2008, to July 2, 2008, that he said showed a continuing dispute over money in their divorce. Page said Butner requested those e-mails a week ago this past Monday when Sears questioned him.
Finally, Yavapai County Sheriff's Deputy Douglas Brown described the crime scene when he responded to Kennedy's home. Brown described blood spatters as far as 8 feet from Kennedy's head on the walls and objects in the room. Brown said he noted some inconsistencies at the crime scene.
"I recall a large pool of blood near the stomach area but no wounds there," Brown said. Brown said it made him think that the body had been moved from the position where it had fallen. Also, a ladder in the room had no blood spatter on it, but the walls near it and three storage tubs in the hallway behind it did, Brown said. The last inconsistency was that blood had dried on a fallen storage shelf in a way that indicated the shelf had originally been upright when the blood had dried and it later changed position, Brown said.
The hearing will continue Thursday afternoon in Lindberg's court.
Posted: Thursday, November 05, 2009
Article comment by:
friend of the family
Distant relatives shouldn’t try to represent how this kind of story affects Carol’s close family.
Posted: Tuesday, November 03, 2009
Article comment by:
get over yourself already
To: Please Report With Respect...I am a family member and I am not offended by this report. We already had information on how Carol was killed, I don't find this graphic at all. As well anyone sitting in the courtroom is getting much more information that has been written. Please get over yourself.
Posted: Tuesday, November 03, 2009
Article comment by:
another fool
TO: Posted: Friday, October 30, 2009
Article comment by: No name provided
You are all fools for even bothering to read this stupid newspaper.
Really???? that's interesting that you have now classified yourself as one of the fools by reading and commenting...lol
Posted: Friday, October 30, 2009
Article comment by:
No name provided
You are all fools for even bothering to read this stupid newspaper.
Posted: Thursday, October 29, 2009
Article comment by:
No name provided
Nobody is forced to read what is in the newspaper. There are still facts that have not been reported, and perhaps not even heard by the reporters yet. I bet that some of those complaining about the reporting have watched a murder movie or two in their lifetimes. Debate, yes, just try not to bicker amongst one another. Nobody knows anything yet, with the exception of those that were there.
Posted: Thursday, October 29, 2009
Article comment by:
Really?
Interesting: What's interesting is that of a several-hour hearing just a few (rather poorly chosen) tidbits are printed in the paper, and here you are trying to play detective and draw conclusions as if what you have read is the totality of the matter. Interesting indeed!
People - Protest the crime NOT the reporting of it. The reporter is simply telling us about the facts that are being testified to.
This is an unfortunate incident but the people of Yavapai County have a right to know what is taking place in the county. And parts of a murder trial are usually gruesome. That is why they called it "murder". Lisa Irish: please keep reporting.
Posted: Thursday, October 29, 2009
Article comment by:
Wow.
Never in my life have I seen such extremely poor and insensitive journalism. This seems like it was pieced together by a twelve-year-old. As any even half decent reporter knows, it is gauche and unseemly to publish a story containing such graphic descriptions. This family was well known in the community and had many friends, not to mention their daughters are still here. This is disgusting, I am appalled that the Editor allowed this to be published. Wow.
Posted: Thursday, October 29, 2009
Article comment by:
interesting
OK Perry Mason fans explain this. They said they found internet searches for gases on Ms. Kennedy's home computer too, but they didn't say when those searches were conducted. They were supposedly separated for a long time before the murder (years it said somewhere). Of course he will have to explain those searches for gases in court. What golf club with the Sherrif's office bring to Dr. Keen at his request? Presumably not the murder weapon because there has been no mention of a murder weapon anywhere. Thirdly with all that blood all over the place anyone who did this crime would have had a LOT of blood on their clothing and elsewhere. If they found no evindence of blood anywhere in association with DeMocker that makes his case a lot stronger IMO. And of course there was no attempt to use lethal gases to kill her either.
Posted: Thursday, October 29, 2009
Article comment by:
Please Report with Respect
As Journalism 101 teaches future journalists, it is inappropriate in such a small community to report these graphic details. Prescott is surrounded by Carol's friends and family and the Courier needs to keep this in mind as they continue to cover this story. Exercise some sense and community courtesy, report what we need to know.
