02112013 - News Article - Police: McCowan shirt like one found with homicide victim's DNA

Police: McCowan shirt like one found with homicide victim's DNA

NWI Times
February 11, 2013 - 3:45 pm

nwitimes.com/news/local/porter/valparaiso/police-mccowan-shirt-like-one-found-with-homicide-victim-s/article_5603f96d-bf35-55d7-8819-a24c1e9bebd7

VALPARAISO - The orange long-sleeve T-shirt containing the DNA of murder victim Amanda Bach is like one found among the jail belongings of the person charged with the killing – Dustin McCowan.

The link was made Monday afternoon by Porter County Sheriff's Department Lt. William Young, the lead evidence technician, as the second week of the McCowan murder trial began.

McCowan, 20, is charged with the September 16, 2011 slaying of Bach, a former girlfriend, whose body was found less than 300 yards from his then-Union Township home.

In response to questioning from the defense, Young said no DNA or similar evidence was found that links McCowan to Bach's death and no DNA evidence was taken from anyone else but McCowan and Bach as part of the investigation.

Young also said the bullet removed from Bach's body could have come from at least 10 different types of guns.

He also explained that McCowan's father's Crown Point police car was investigated because McCowan had reportedly taken a drive with his father on the morning Bach is believed to have been killed.

During a break in Monday afternoon's proceedings, a male juror was dismissed after admitting he had violated a court order by starting to discuss the trial with his wife. He said he also began sharing the story with other jurors, but they stopped him.

Jurors were shown graphic photos Monday of Bach’s body during the autopsy and where it was discovered among high weeds along railroad tracks in Union Township.

The photos from the scene showed Bach lying on her back with her arms over her head and five shirts and bra pulled up around her wrists.

Jurors showed no obvious reaction, but McCowan looked down at the floor in front of him, and covered his ears as the condition of the body was described by Young.

Young said fly eggs were found on the body, but that none were collected. He resisted claims by the defense that the eggs could have helped determine how long the body was at that location before it was discovered.