[IN] Parents of Amanda Bach Speak about their daughter and her killer
Feb 28, 2013
Thursday, February 28, 2013
02282013 - VIDEO - Parents of Amanda Bach Speak about their daughter and her killer
[IN] Parents of Amanda Bach Speak about their daughter and her killer
02282013 - VIDEO - Sandra and William Bach: Parents of Amanda Bach Speak about their daughter and her killer
Sandra and William Bach:
Parents of Amanda Bach Speak about their daughter and her killer
Lakeshore Public media
Regionally Speaking
Steve Walsh
February 28, 2013
lakeshorepublicmedia.org/parents-of-amanda-bach-speak-about-their-daughter-and-her-killer
[IN]Sandra and William Bach: Parents of Amanda Bach Speak about their daughter
and her killer - Feb 28, 2013
Amanda’s parents, Sandra and Bill Jr. talked about their daughter and the man convicted of her murder on Regionally Speaking with Steve Walsh.
The conviction of 20-year-old Dustin McCowan on February, 25, 2013, brings to a close one chapter in the life and untimely death of 19 year old Amanda Bach of Portage. Her body was found about 300 yards from McCowan’s home in Wheeler Sept. 17, 2011.
Amanda’s parents, Sandra and Bill Jr. talked about their daughter and the man convicted of her murder on Regionally Speaking with Steve Walsh.
02282013 - News Article - Indiana Man, 20, Convicted in Amanda Bach Murder - 20-year-old Dustin McCowan found guilty in September 2011 murder
Indiana Man, 20, Convicted in Amanda Bach Murder
20-year-old Dustin McCowan found guilty in September 2011 murder
20-year-old Dustin McCowan found guilty in September 2011 murder
NBC News - Chicago, IL
Feb 28, 2013
Updated 12:33 AM CDT
A northern Indiana jury has convicted a man in his ex-girlfriend's fatal shooting following a nearly month-long trial.
The Porter County jury found 20-year-old Dustin McCowan of Wheeler guilty of murder late Tuesday night in the September 2011 killing of 19-year-old Amanda Bach.
Friends of the slain woman shouted "Remember Amanda" outside the courtroom following the verdict, while McCowan closed his eyes and sat down after the verdict was read. A judge set McCowan's sentencing for March 28.
Bach's mother, Sandy Bach, said she and her husband were pleased that the verdict provided justice for their daughter.
"Amanda did not not deserve to die at the hands of this sick, jealous coward," said Bach. "She had so much more to share and give of her life."
Chief Deputy Prosecutor Matt Frost tells The Times of Munster he's gratified by the verdict.
Bach's body was found about 300 yards from McCowan's home.
While there's been a verdict in the case, investigators said their probe isn't over. Detectives vowed to continue to look into behavior of McCowan's father, a Crown Point police officer, who refused to let authorities search his property.
"This is not going to end. We've focused on a lot of stuff and there's still more information that we're going to focus on with this case," said Detective Cmdr. Jeff Biggs.
02282013 - News Article - Mom: No winners in McCowan murder conviction
Mom: No winners in McCowan murder conviction
NWI Times
February 28, 2013 - 12:00 am
February 28, 2013 - 12:00 am
VALPARAISO - Just hours after a jury found Dustin McCowan guilty of murdering her 19-year-old daughter, Sandy Bach told reporters Wednesday morning there are no winners in the case.
"This is a bittersweet victory," she said.
Bill Bach, father of murder victim Amanda Bach, said he wasn't even certain how he was feeling in the early wake of the verdict.
"It really hasn't totally sunk in," he said.
The couple were among those on hand just before 11 p.m. Tuesday when 20-year-old McCowan was found guilty of shooting Amanda Bach in the throat during the early morning hours of Sept. 16, 2011, and disposing of her body along railroad tracks near the Union Township home he was living in at the time with his father.
McCowan, 20, who was standing when the verdict was read, closed his eyes and then sat down and looked toward the floor.
Twenty-two police officers stood guard inside the courtroom of Porter Superior Court Judge Bill Alexa when the verdict was read.
Cheering could be heard from outside the downtown courthouse minutes later. Supporters shouted, "Remember Amanda!"
"Finally, some justice," Bill Bach said Tuesday night.
"It doesn’t bring her back, but justice did prevail," Sandy Bach said.
Bill Bach praised the efforts of prosecutors and police.
When asked how he and his wife endured the trial, which included graphic testimony and photos, he replied, "By focusing on getting justice for Amanda."
"She was brutally murdered," Bill Bach said.
Sandy Bach added, "By a coward."
"He can’t kill again," Bill Bach said.
Bill Bach said he is hoping for the maximum when McCowan is sentenced at 2 p.m. March 28, but pointed out McCowan still will be a young man when he’s released. McCowan faces between 45 and 65 years behind bars.
Defense attorney John Vouga said Tuesday night he plans to appeal the decision.
"We knew we had an uphill battle with this being a Porter County jury," he said.
Defense attorney Nicholas Barnes was surprised by the verdict.
"I’m saddened for the McCowan family," Barnes said. "Justice was not served here today."
Chief Deputy Prosecutor Matt Frost said Tuesday he was gratified by the verdict, which he said showed that 18 months of work by his office and police was not in vain.
Deputy Prosecutor Cheryl Polarek said there was a lot of evidence.
"All the things pointed to Dustin McCowan," she said.
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
02272013 - VIDEO - Investigation of Officer Joseph Elliot McCowan in Amanda's murder
[IN] Investigation of Officer Joseph Elliot McCowan in Amanda's murder
Feb 27, 2013
02272013 - News Article - Bach family, Porter Co. officials news conference
Bach family, Porter Co. officials news conference
NWI Times
February 27, 2013 - 2:59 pm
[IN] Bach family, Porter Co. officials news conference - Feb 27, 2013
Porter County law enforcement officials and Amanda Bach's family spoke with the media following Tuesday's conviction of Dustin McCowan in Bach's murder.
02272013 - News Article - Dustin McCowan guilty of murder in 2011 NW Ind. case
Dustin McCowan guilty of murder in 2011 NW Ind. case
WLS-TV Chicago IL
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
[IN] Dustin McCowan guilty of murder in 2011 NW Ind. case - Feb 27, 2013
(VALPARAISO, Ind.) (WLS) -- Jurors handed down a guilty verdict in the murder trial of northwest Indiana's Dustin McCowan, who was accused of killing his former girlfriend.
The verdict came late Tuesday. McCowan, 20, of Wheeler, did not take the stand in his own defense. The son of a Crown Point, Ind., police officer, McCowan was charged with the murder of Amanda Bach, 19, in September of 2011.
Chief Deputy Prosecutor Matt Frost tells The Times of Munster he's gratified by the verdict.
Friends of the slain woman shouted "Remember Amanda" outside the courtroom following the verdict, while McCowan closed his eyes and sat down after the verdict was read. A judge set McCowan's sentencing for March 28.
There were hugs after the verdict came down but it does not end Bach's parents' heartbreak.
"Our lives have totally changed," her mother Sandy Bach said. "It's not the same without Amanda."
Bill and Sandy Bach broke their public silence to praise the work of police and prosecutors who earned a conviction against McCowan.
"Amanda needed some justice," her father Bill Bach said. "This wasn't really justice but it was small, little, it was a small piece of satisfaction I guess."
"This is a bittersweet victory. Although justice has been served there really are no winners here," Sandy Bach said.
For nearly three days, while friends and family searched for Amanda Bach while she missing, McCowan went on a road trip.
While her parents prayed, he partied.
Bach's body was eventually close to railroad tracks found about 300 yards from McCowan's home.
Prosecutors said the bullet in her body matched the ammunition in McCowan's father's gun, which was missing.
Dustin McCowan was said to have been jealous about his and Bach's drifting relationship.
The conviction frees up investigators to look into whether Dustin McCowan's police officer father helped him cover up the crime.
Neighbors report seeing his Crown Point squad car at home shortly after Amanda Bach disappeared.
It's an emotionally charged case, not just for Amanda Bach's friends and family, but also police and prosecutors who view them like family.
"I've gotten to know them. Sorry. This was tough," Porter County Sheriff's Police Capt. Jeff Biggs said.
02272013 - News Article - Police believe McCowan's father may have helped in cover-up
Police believe McCowan's father may have helped in cover-up
NWI Times
February 27, 2013 - 10:03 am
nwitimes.com/news/local/porter/portage/police-believe-mccowan-s-father-may-have-helped-in-cover/article_3e895058-a124-585a-8e79-7cd0f1a1770e
VALPARAISO - Porter County police confirmed Wednesday morning they are looking into the possibility that the father of convicted murderer Dustin McCowan — Crown Point Police Officer Joseph Elliott McCowan — aided his son in attempting to cover up the crime.
Capt. Jeff Biggs, commander of the sheriff's detective bureau and lead investigator in the McCowan case, said during a news conference that the effort will focus on determining whether Joseph Elliott McCowan aided in getting rid of evidence in the case.
Dustin McCowan, 20, was found guilty late Tuesday of murdering his former girlfriend, 19-year-old Amanda Bach, of Portage, on Sept. 16, 2011, and dumping her body just 300 yards from his then-Union Township home.
Two messages left Wednesday on Joseph Elliott McCowan's voicemail at the Crown Point Police Department were not returned and a home phone number could not be found. But he had denied under oath Feb. 13 during his son's trial that he was involved in any cover-up.
Crown Point Assistant Police Chief Jim Janda did not return a call Wednesday seeking comment, but Chief Pete Land said Joseph Elliott McCowan is currently scheduled off using his vacation time.
A former inmate at the Porter County Jail testified during the three-week trial that Dustin McCowan told him he hid Bach's cellphone in an abandoned house near his own home and his father later collected it.
A neighbor of the home Joseph Elliott McCowan and his son were living in at the time of the murder told jurors she saw the elder McCowan's police car at home on the night in question.
McCowan confirmed the validity of work records showing he was on the job at the time in Crown Point.
Prosecutors told jurors that Joseph Elliot McCowan picked up his son in his squad car on the morning Bach went missing and took a short drive before returning to the house and saying nothing to his friend's son, who was there for support.
Police never have found the gun used in the killing or Bach's cellphone.
Joseph Elliott McCowan testified he discovered a .38-caliber, five-shot revolver missing from under a couch at his home on Sept. 17, 2011, the day Bach's body was found.
He said he had the Smith & Wesson gun since 2005 or 2006 and had last seen the loaded weapon Sept. 12, 2011, days before Bach was shot once in the front of the throat.
An FBI firearm examiner testified during the trial that the bullet removed from Bach's body is on the same design as cartridges turned over by Joseph Elliott McCowan for the missing gun.
The examiner said the bullet could have been fired from a few different types and makes of guns in the .38-caliber family. The defense argued investigators would not have even known about the missing weapon if Joseph Elliott McCowan had not provided that information.
A former inmate at the Porter County Jail has said Dustin McCowan told him while they were locked up together that he shot someone named Amanda and buried the gun so well it will never be found.
Dustin McCowan, who showed little reaction to Tuesday's guilty verdict, is scheduled to be sentenced at 2 p.m. March 28 by Porter Superior Court Judge Bill Alexa.
02272013 - News Article - Dustin McCowan Convicted Of Killing Ex-Girlfriend Amanda Bach
Dustin McCowan Convicted Of Killing Ex-Girlfriend Amanda Bach
CBS News, Chicago, IL
February 27, 2013 - 9:04 AM
[IN] Investigation of Officer Joseph Elliot McCowan in Amanda's murder- Feb 27, 2013
VALPARAISO, Ind. (CBS) – 19-year-old Amanda Bach was shot and killed two years ago. Now a jury convicted her ex-boyfriend Dustin McCowan of murder.
CBS 2’s Marissa Bailey talked to Bach’s family about what it took to catch the killer.
Sometimes hugs are the only way to say thank you and today Amanda Bach’s parents said "thank you" to those who, after months of agony, helped convict their daughter’s killer.
"Amanda needed some justice and this really isn’t justice for her but it’s a small little piece of satisfaction I guess," said Bill Bach, Amanda’s father.
20-year-old Dustin McCowan was found guilty Tuesday of murdering Bach in 2011.
Investigators say after a short relationship, McCowan became jealous. He shot Bach once in the throat, then dumped her body on traintracks just 300 yards from his house.
There was no DNA and police never recovered the gun, but instead relied on cell phone pings and text messages as evidence.
"This was a largely circumstantial case which I like to analyze it as each piece of evidence is a small arrow that pointed at the guilt of Dustin McCowan," said Matt Frost, Porter County Chief Prosecutor.
And with the trial now behind them, Amanda’s family and police say goodbye. A bittersweet ending to a story that should never have happened.
Dustin McCowan’s father is a Crown Point police officer.
Investigators say they are looking into whether or not he helped his son cover up Amanda’s murder. So far, charges have not been filed.
Dustin McCowan will be sentenced in March.
02272013 - News Article - Reactions to guilty verdict in McCowan trial
Reactions to guilty verdict in McCowan trial
NWI Times
February 27, 2013 - 12:58 am
Attorneys and the family of Amanda Bach responded to the guilty verdict handed down to Dustin McCowan in the her murder.
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
02262013 - News Article - McCowan guilty of murder in death of Amanda Bach
McCowan guilty of murder in death of Amanda Bach
NWI Times
February 26, 2013 11:57 pm
February 26, 2013 11:57 pm
VALPARAISO - A Porter County jury took six and half hours to find Dustin McCowan guilty of murder late Tuesday night in the Sept. 16, 2011, slaying of his former girlfriend Amanda Bach.
McCowan, who was standing when the verdict was read, closed his eyes and then sat down and looked toward the floor.
Twenty-two police officers stood guard inside the courtroom of Porter Superior Court Judge Bill Alexa when the verdict was read shortly before 11 p.m.
McCowan’s mother cried in the courtroom, as did Bach’s mother, who was holding a photo of her daughter.
Cheering could be heard from outside the downtown courthouse minutes after the verdict was announced. Supporters shouted, "Remember Amanda!"
Bach’s parents, Bill and Sandy Bach, said they were pleased with the verdict.
"Finally, some justice," Bill Bach said.
"It doesn’t bring her back, but justice did prevail," Sandy Bach said.
Bill Bach praised the efforts of prosecutors and police.
"We never lost faith in them," he said.
When asked how he and his wife endured the trial, which included graphic testimony and photos, he replied, "By focusing on getting justice for Amanda."
"She was brutally murdered," Bill Bach said.
Sandy Bach added, "By a coward."
"He can’t kill again," Bill Bach said.
Bill Bach said he is hoping for the maximum when 20-year-old McCowan is sentenced at 2 p.m. March 28, but pointed out McCowan still will be a young man when he’s released.
Defense attorney Nicholas Barnes asked for each juror to be polled after the verdict was read, requiring each one to affirm his or her decision before the courtroom.
Defense attorney John Vouga said he plans to appeal the decision.
"We knew we had an uphill battle with this being a Porter County jury," he said.
Barnes was surprised by the verdict.
"I’m saddened for the McCowan family," Barnes said. "Justice was not served here today."
Chief Deputy Prosecutor Matt Frost said he was gratified by the verdict, which he said showed that 18 months of work by his office and police was not in vain.
Deputy Prosecutor Cheryl Polarek said there was a lot of evidence.
"All the things pointed to Dustin McCowan," she said.
The jury began its work at 3:45 p.m. Tuesday after listening to a total of four hours of closing arguments from prosecutors and defense attorneys.
Closing arguments became heated when Barnes accused prosecutors of hiding witnesses and otherwise deceiving the jury during the three weeks of the trial.
Frost told jurors he was disturbed by the accusations.
"We gave them everything," Frost said. "He (Barnes) should be ashamed of himself, but he won't be."
Barnes also criticized police for failing to carry out a complete investigation and eliminating other potential suspects.
Among those Barnes referred to was Wheeler resident Nick Prochno, who led police to the area where Bach's body was found.
"This is a person that fits having done this," Barnes said. "Dustin McCowan, this boy, did not kill her."
Frost said all evidence points to McCowan as the killer, and not Prochno.
"Is it no wonder no one wants to get involved anymore?" Frost asked the jury.
Barnes pointed out that no DNA or bodily evidence was found linking McCowan to the murder.
"The science will set Dustin McCowan free," Barnes said.
Frost told jury there are greater limitations to DNA evidence than is portrayed on television.
"Real life is not like a CSI program," Frost said. "Science is not setting Dustin McCowan free".
Barnes had compared the case against McCowan to a rotten peach.
"It's time to throw this peach away," he said.
Earlier Tuesday Polarek told jurors the only element of murder in dispute is whether Dustin McCowan is the person responsible for killing Bach.
Polarek spent most of the morning recapping the evidence presented over the past three weeks that she believes shows McCowan is guilty of the Sept. 16, 2011 murder.
Polarek said the defense is trying to blur the facts.
"It is a classic throw everything at the wall to see if it sticks," Polarek told jurors.
Polarek also offered potential motives for the slaying, including that McCowan had falsely believed that Bach was pregnant and that Bach was coming in between him and a friend.
Tuesday morning began with friends of Bach showing their support outside the Porter County Courthouse.
Christine Duda stood in the freezing rain outside the courthouse holding a sign that read, "She who leaves a trail of glitter is never forgotten."
"Her personality just sparkled," she said in reference to glitter on the sign. "She’s testing us right now," she said about the winter storm that was just starting to hit the area.
02262013 - News Article - Dustin McCowan trial: Jury in deliberations
Dustin McCowan trial: Jury in deliberations
WLS-TV News, Chicago IL
February 26, 2013
February 26, 2013
(VALPARAISO, Ind.) (WLS) -- A jury is deliberating the murder trial of a northwest Indiana man accused of killing his ex-girlfriend in 2011.
Dustin McCowan did not take the stand in his own defense.
He's the son of a Crown Point, Indiana police officer and is charged with the murder of Amanda Bach.
The defense argued that there's no physical evidence in the case
02262013 - News Article - Supporters of Amanda Bach gather at courthouse
Supporters of Amanda Bach gather at courthouse
NWI Times
February 26, 2013 11:44 am
[IN] Supporters of Amanda Bach gather at courthouse - Feb 26, 2013
With the verdict in the Dustin McCowan murder trial expected soon, supporters of Amanda Bach and her family gathered at the Porter County Courthouse.
02262013 - News Article - Supporters gather outside courthouse before closing arguments in McCowan trial
Supporters gather outside courthouse before closing arguments in McCowan trial
NWI Times
February 26, 2013 - 9:51 am
Monday, February 25, 2013
02252013 - News Article - Murder trial ending Tuesday
Murder trial ending Tuesday
NWI Times
February 25, 2013 - 1:50 pm
VALPARAISO - After three weeks of evidence and testimony, the jury is expected to begin deliberating Tuesday on the fate of Dustin McCowan -- accused of murdering his former girlfriend Amanda Bach.
Security, heightened during the trial for the large crowds of supporters present for each family, is expected to be enhanced even further Tuesday. There is also talk of demonstrations outside the courthouse.
Prosecutors and the defense will be given up to two hours each Tuesday morning to sum up the weeks of evidence presented during the trial.
The jury will then be provided with instructions from the court before heading off behind closed doors with the goal of coming up with a verdict. The group needs to come up with a unanimous decision to either free or convict McCowan.
The defense wrapped up its case Thursday after presenting 11 witnesses over a two-day period. Prosecutors presented 43 witnesses over the 2 1/2 weeks prior.
McCowan, 20, is accused of shooting 19-year-old Bach in the throat during the early morning hours of Sept. 16, 2011 after she showed up at the Union Township-home he was living in at the time with his father. Bach's partially clothed body was found the following day less than 300 yards from the house in wooded area along County Road 625 West at the Canadian National Railroad tracks.
Prosecutors have presented witnesses who said they saw McCowan walking in the area on the night in question and heard gunshots, a man's voice saying, "Amanda get up," and a female responding, "I can't believe this is happening."
An FBI witness also testified a puncture in the sidewall of Bach's car tire appeared to have been created by a stabbing from a knife.
McCowan, who opted against taking the stand to tell his side of the story, maintains his innocence. His defense team spent much of the trial criticizing the police investigation as inadequate. The defense has raised question about the involvement of other individuals, including the Wheeler man who helped police locate Bach's body.
Conflicting evidence was presented about the whereabouts of McCowan's cellphone during the time period in question and how long Bach's body had been lying outside based on the maturation of fly eggs. There was testimony McCowan repeatedly sent text messages to a friend from 1:36 a.m. to 4:07 a.m. on the day in question saying he was coming over and yet never showed up.
There was no DNA or other bodily evidence presented directly linking McCowan to the crime. While the gun used in the crime was never found, McCowan's father testified that one that could have been used was discovered missing from his house. An FBI witness said several types and makes of guns could have been used.
Both sides also presented testimony about McCowan's decision to follow through on a planned trip to Indiana University in Bloomington on the day Bach went missing, and his decision not to return to help search for her body.
Both sides also presented testimony about McCowan's decision to follow through on a planned trip to Indiana University in Bloomington on the day Bach went missing, and his decision not to return to help search for her body.
Thursday, February 21, 2013
02212013 - News Article - Client Files Suit against City Judge - Lake Station mayor's stepdaughter files suit against city judge, city
Client Files Suit against City Judge
Lake Station mayor's stepdaughter files suit against city judge, city
The Scott King Group Lawyers
NWI Times
02/21/2013
www.scottkinggroup.com/News-Detail.aspx?type=2&newsID=81
LAKE STATION | A former city court clerk has filed a lawsuit claiming the city judge who fired her June 7 holds office illegally because he did not meet residency requirements.
The suit was filed Wednesday in Lake Circuit Court on behalf of Miranda Brakley, a former city court clerk, Brakley's attorney Scott King said.
Brakley is the stepdaughter of Lake Station Mayor Keith Soderquist. The suit filed Wednesday, on Brakley's behalf, includes a six-count complaint seeking a court determination that Lake Station City Judge Christopher Anderson illegally holds office.
The basis of the complaint is Anderson had moved from Lake Station to Hobart before the November 2011 municipal election. State law deems his office vacated if he is not a resident, King said. "Our investigation has revealed that no later than Nov. 4, 2011, prior to the last municipal election, Anderson filed a document stating he was a resident of Hobart and that he continued that residency well after Jan. 1, 2012, when the current term of office began," King said.
King said when Brakley was fired from her job June 7, Anderson was not the judge because he did not live in Lake Station. "Therefore, her firing was unlawful," King said.
The complaint also alleges Brakley was fired for political reasons and that Anderson breached a written contract with Brakley when she was fired. The complaint seeks monetary damages from Anderson and the city of Lake Station as well as injunctive relief returning her to her job as soon as possible.
"I adamantly deny all allegations," Anderson said, when reached by phone. Soderquist could not be reached for comment.
Brakley was also the subject of a State Board of Accounts audit released earlier this month.
The state is asking Brakley to pay back $37,182 for unapproved leave payments received as former court clerk and the cost of the audit. King has maintained Brakley doesn't owe the city or state any money because she hasn't done anything wrong. He filed a response on Brakley's behalf to the State Board of Accounts.
Charles Pride, an office supervisor for the State Board of Accounts, said the financial errors were discovered in the routine annual audit of Lake Station. He said the report will be forwarded to the state's attorney general. "There's a possibility of criminal charges, but that's up the the attorney general who will handle this from this point forward," Pride said.
King said he believes his client has been caught up in the middle of drama between the City Council and Anderson.
02212013 - News Article - Fired court deputy alleges Lake County judge serving improperly
Fired court deputy alleges Lake County judge serving improperly
Post-Tribune (IN)
February 21, 2013
Lake Station Mayor Keith Soderquist ’s stepdaughter is suing City Judge Christopher Anderson, claiming he can’t legally serve as judge because he doesn’t live in Lake Station.
Miranda Brakley’s attorney, Scott King, says in a release that evidence shows Anderson, who first took office in 2008, moved to Hobart before he was re-elected to office in November 2011 and when his new term started in January 2012.
“Thus, when he dismissed our client from her job, he was not nor is he now the judge of the Lake Station court,” King says in the release.
Brakley worked as a deputy for the Lake Station court until June, when Anderson fired her. A report by the State Board of Accounts has since found that Brakley never deposited about $16,000 worth of bond money; she later turned it over in December, claiming it had been sitting in her car without her knowing it.
The State Board of Accounts also found that she improperly received about $13,000 when she was fired in vacation and other leave that she had not earned or was not owed. Along with demanding she pay the money back, the State Board of Accounts also claims she should pay more than $24,000 to the state to cover the cost of its investigation.
King disputed the report when it came out earlier this year.
Brakley’s lawsuit, filed Wednesday in Lake Circuit Court, claims that Anderson illegally fired her because he doesn’t live in Lake Station. It claims that by state law, Anderson must live in Lake Station to serve as its judge.
She also says in her suit that Anderson punished her because he supported Soderquist ’s rival, Brian Cretton, in the most recent election for mayor .
She is asking that a judge rule that Anderson is no longer the Lake Station judge, to reinstate her to her position with the city and to award her damages.
02212013 - News Article - Dustin McCowan opts against telling his side of the story
Dustin McCowan opts against telling his side of the story
NWI Times
February 21, 2013 - 3:30 pm
VALPARAISO - The evidence portion of the Dustin McCowan murder trial wrapped up Thursday afternoon with the accused opting against taking the witness stand to tell his side of the story.
The defense rested after presenting 11 witnesses over the past two days, as compared to 43 witnesses presented by prosecutors over the 2 1/2 weeks prior.
Closing arguments and deliberations will begin Tuesday, according to Porter Superior Court Judge Bill Alexa.
A defense witness told jurors Thursday morning that calls placed from McCowan's cellphone on the night he is accused of killing his former girlfriend Amanda Bach were placed from his home.
The testimony from private investigator and former state police Officer Ryan Harmon conflicted with evidence presented earlier this week by prosecutors that McCowan's cellphone was shown during the early morning hours of Sept. 16, 2011, to be at several locations around and between where 19-year-old Bach's body and car were found. They were discovered not far from McCowan's then-Union Township home.
Harmon said he came to his conclusion by locating the cellphone towers in the area in question, mapping how far out their signals carry and then looking to see where they overlapped.
Prosecutors did not use this overlapping technique, which is the best approach considering the lack of GPS technology available, he said.
"These plots are not GPS," he said of the maps provided by prosecutors that show individual locations of cellphone activity rather than sweeping signals areas from the towers.
Harmon acknowledged in response to a question from the jury that the plots presented by prosecutors fell within the tower signal area.
Chief Deputy Prosecutor Matthew Frost did not question Harmon's findings, but rather questioned him about his three recent convictions for providing false information to police during an investigation.
Harmon said the convictions resulted from political attacks stemming from his investigations into public corruption. He said he maintains his innocence and is appealing.
Frost also asked Harmon whether it was true he was pressured to retire as a state police officer and left in disgrace. Harmon said no to the latter question and said he simply retired.
Also testifying Thursday on behalf of the defense was Les Blythe, co-owner of Blythe's Sport Shop in Valparaiso and Griffith, who said that more than half of the guns sold at his two stores each year fit the diameter description of the weapon used in Bach's slaying.
Each store also sells 20,000 rounds of that type of ammunition each year, he said.
The only question posed by Frost was whether Blythe knew how many Smith & Wesson .38-caliber revolvers were reported missing from McCowan's house. Blythe did not know.
Porter County Deputy Coroner David Souders testified Thursday he saw some blood under Bach's body from the area where it was recovered along County Road 625 West at the Canadian National Railroad tracks.
But he could not say if that is the area where she had been shot.
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