Nona Dirksmeyer, 2005 Miss Arkansas pageant contestant found dead in her apartment

[FDInLaw]

Kevin's behavior would be considered bizarre only if one first assumed he killed her. If he didn't kill her, Kevin's behavior was with-in parameters of extreme grief. I have seen extreme grief. I have seen a mother clutching the lifeless, mangled body of her infant toddler, crushed under the wheels of a feed truck, hysterically screaming, crying, wailing. It took four grown men to pry the dead body of that child from her maternal grasp. I have seen a father, when informed his son was killed in Vietnam, running up and down the street, hysterically screaming, crying, wailing, pulling wads of hair from his head. I did not consider Kevin's behavior bizarre. If Kevin had been proven guilty to my satisfaction, then and only then would I consider it bizarre.
I understand why those who believed Kevin did it thought his behavior odd. But please understand why those of us who were unsure of his guilt found nothing at all odd about it.

There was enough light in the apartment for Whiteside to see the body from outside, enough light to call 911, enough light to read addresses from mail and enough light for the EMT to see Kevin, in extreme grief, on the body before she turned on the lights in the room.
Why would this change your opinion? Either you find Kevin's behavor bizarre or you do not. For me there is more. . . like Kevin's apology to an officer. Kevin knew that his behavor was harmful to the investigation.

I sure hope that if Dunn is responsible they have more on him, 'cause as it stands now I just really don't know.

[TJEddie]

I see Kevin's behavior at the crime scene as being very similar to some of the behavior I'm seeing on this forum. The psychologial trauma of losing something one has become very attached to can be overwhelming and may be met with denial. Vacillation between levels of acceptance and denial is common......there may be moments of "Ok, it's looking like what I'm attached to might be dead," but then there are moments of, "No, wait.....maybe this thing I'm attached to can be kept alive." Those with the greatest levels of attachment may require more absolute levels of proof before the letting go process can really take hold.

But hey......that's just the way I think and analyze things.

[FDInLaw]

I see Kevin's behavior at the crime scene as being very similar to some of the behavior I'm seeing on this forum. The psychologial trauma of losing something one has become very attached to can be overwhelming and may be met with denial. Vacillation between levels of acceptance and denial is common......there may be moments of "Ok, it's looking like what I'm attached to might be dead," but then there are moments of, "No, wait.....maybe this thing I'm attached to can be kept alive." Those with the greatest levels of attachment may require more absolute levels of proof before the letting go process can really take hold.

But hey......that's just the way I think and analyze things.
Hanging on to hope beyond reason is a normal response in such circumstances. Running your fingers through the blood to see how fresh is bizarre IMO.

Any one incident can be explained away. . . it's the whole picture that always bugged me. Kevin's first (I'm so worried) phone call was placed when Nona should have been taking an exam. There wasn't that much time that lapsed between then and when he had a friend go check on her. He lied about how many calls he made and when he first started calling. Then Kevin had to be asked to get off Nona's body AFTER he spoke with the 911 operator and managed to calmly state (in comparison with his Mother) that he thought she was dead. I could see him trying to resuscitate her when she was first found, but after this? If he really thought there was a chance to save her would he have been on the phone? Would he have been frantically searching the apartment for the address??? He knew she was dead, that she had been killed, yet he fumbled all over the apartment when asked several times NOT to. Janice and Ryan managed to follow instructions.

This is just so old. . . this whole discussion. Kevin was tried for Nona's murder and found not guilty. Even if he is responsible there is NOTHING we can do about it. I personally hope that it was not him, but I'm not going to change my opinion without evidence. I'm going to waltz over to Dunn's thread. . . y'all have fun (*sarcasm*).

[lane99]

How Kevin Jones reacted upon finding the victim is not inconsistent with how innocent people have been seen to behave in any number of similar traumatic situations.

Simply put, any analysis which relies on the premise that no innocent person would have reacted as he did, is an analysis which relies on a premise that is easily disproven.

[lorettalockhorn]

I see Kevin's behavior at the crime scene as being very similar to some of the behavior I'm seeing on this forum. The psychologial trauma of losing something one has become very attached to can be overwhelming and may be met with denial. Vacillation between levels of acceptance and denial is common......there may be moments of "Ok, it's looking like what I'm attached to might be dead," but then there are moments of, "No, wait.....maybe this thing I'm attached to can be kept alive." Those with the greatest levels of attachment may require more absolute levels of proof before the letting go process can really take hold.

But hey......that's just the way I think and analyze things.

Wow, that analogy is a stretch even for someone with a relatively vivid imagination. No way to be sure, but I don't think most people who have stayed with this forum/case from the beginning or thereabout knew Kevin or Nona or both. Could be very wrong, of course. The people here who have an axe to grind with the people who would persevere to keep Nona's memory alive and pray that there will some day be justice for her could at least find some way to understand that even though Kevin was found not guilty, he was not found innocent. That thought is pretty far reaching into the community also (from what I can tell). Do you deride your neighbors and co-workers also because they simply don't believe as you do? Or do you just use the anonymity of the internet to disparage?

There is no timeline on grief. Just because Kevin appears to have moved on and can party and drink and pose for the media and make this tragedy about him doesn't mean that everyone is ready to forget Nona.

[lorettalockhorn]

How Kevin Jones reacted upon finding the victim is not inconsistent with how innocent people have been seen to behave in any number of similar traumatic situations.

Simply put, any analysis which relies on the premise that no innocent person would have reacted as he did, is an analysis which relies on a premise that is easily disproven.

People have stated their opinions that they found the behavior odd, bizarre, disgusting, ghoulish etc. Do you have some statistics? Something outside of anecdotal evidence as Solo posted?

[lane99]

...Not sure what's so hard to understand about Kevin wanting to contaminate himself with her blood, just in case his shower after the murder left behind any of her DNA. Time has nothing to do with that theory...

Out of curiousity, how many other cases do you know of where a criminal has made a clean escape, only to come back to the crimescene and RE-contaminate themselves, just on the chance that the police might track them down in the future and find some microscopic trace evidence that they (the perpetrator) overlooked?

Now THAT sounds like bizarre behaviour to me. I've heard of people making a getaway. But I can't offhand think of anyone making a comeonback. But maybe you know of some precedents like this?

[FDInLaw]

Out of curiousity, how many other cases do you know of where a criminal has made a clean escape, only to come back to the crimescene and RE-contaminate themselves, just on the chance that the police might track them down in the future and find some microscopic trace evidence that they (the perpetrator) overlooked?

Now THAT sounds like bizarre behaviour to me. I've heard of people making a getaway. But I can't offhand think of anyone making a comeonback. But maybe you know of some precedents like this?Any speculation about you being knowledgeable just went out the window. . . it would be difficult, this day and age, for anyone to make a "clean" get-away. Would it not be advantages for a murder to have another reason for their presence on the scene? The answer is, YES!

No, this is not the first case where it was suspected that the perpetrator staged finding the body to legitimize his presence there. Do your own research. :read:

Sorry for being snippy. . . I'm in a mood.

[lane99]

...Would it not be advantages for a murder to have another reason for their presence on the scene? The answer is, YES!

Sorry for being snippy. . . I'm in a mood.

Apology accepted :-)

So he had never been to her apartment before? He was her boyfriend, so I was assuming he had been. Which would give him ample excuse for his DNA to be there.

[FDInLaw]

Apology accepted :-)

So he had never been to her apartment before? He was her boyfriend, so I was assuming he had been. Which would give him ample excuse for his DNA to be there.

What about finger prints made in her blood? There is some physical evidence that would not have an excuse. Thus the whole argument about the bloody print on the lamp bulb that he "didn't" touch.

[lane99]

What about finger prints made in her blood? There is some physical evidence that would not have an excuse. Thus the whole argument about the bloody print on the lamp bulb that he "didn't" touch.

But, you see, that's just the point. IF this had been a deliberate plan, he simply needed to say, "oh, i remember now, i grabbed the light bulb and moved it away" His problem is solved.

For him to insist he never touched it is strongly indicative of him telling the truth as he remembers it. Clearly he's wrong. He did touch it. But it's just as clearly an honest mistake.

Your point about the possiblity of leaving damning evidence is a good one. However, was there any indication that there was an attempt to clean up the crime scene at the time of the murder? Any indication that the victim was wiped down? If not, it would seem the killer was not particularly focused on eliminating trace evidence.

[TJEddie]

Wow, that analogy is a stretch even for someone with a relatively vivid imagination. No way to be sure, but I don't think most people who have stayed with this forum/case from the beginning or thereabout knew Kevin or Nona or both. Could be very wrong, of course. The people here who have an axe to grind with the people who would persevere to keep Nona's memory alive and pray that there will some day be justice for her could at least find some way to understand that even though Kevin was found not guilty, he was not found innocent. That thought is pretty far reaching into the community also (from what I can tell). Do you deride your neighbors and co-workers also because they simply don't believe as you do? Or do you just use the anonymity of the internet to disparage?

There is no timeline on grief. Just because Kevin appears to have moved on and can party and drink and pose for the media and make this tragedy about him doesn't mean that everyone is ready to forget Nona.

I didn't think I would have to explain my post, but apparently I need to be a little clearer. I was in no way referring to keeping Nona's memory alive. I was referring to keeping the belief in Kevin's guilt alive.

[TJEddie]

Hanging on to hope beyond reason is a normal response in such circumstances. Running your fingers through the blood to see how fresh is bizarre IMO.

Any one incident can be explained away. . . it's the whole picture that always bugged me. Kevin's first (I'm so worried) phone call was placed when Nona should have been taking an exam. There wasn't that much time that lapsed between then and when he had a friend go check on her. He lied about how many calls he made and when he first started calling. Then Kevin had to be asked to get off Nona's body AFTER he spoke with the 911 operator and managed to calmly state (in comparison with his Mother) that he thought she was dead. I could see him trying to resuscitate her when she was first found, but after this? If he really thought there was a chance to save her would he have been on the phone? Would he have been frantically searching the apartment for the address??? He knew she was dead, that she had been killed, yet he fumbled all over the apartment when asked several times NOT to. Janice and Ryan managed to follow instructions.

This is just so old. . . this whole discussion. Kevin was tried for Nona's murder and found not guilty. Even if he is responsible there is NOTHING we can do about it. I personally hope that it was not him, but I'm not going to change my opinion without evidence. I'm going to waltz over to Dunn's thread. . . y'all have fun (*sarcasm*).

I understand your position, FD. I really do. (*no sarcasm*)

[FDInLaw]

But, you see, that's just the point. IF this had been a deliberate plan, he simply needed to say, "oh, i remember now, i grabbed the light bulb and moved it away" His problem is solved.

For him to insist he never touched it is strongly indicative of him telling the truth as he remembers it. Clearly he's wrong. He did touch it. But it's just as clearly an honest mistake.

Your point about the possiblity of leaving damning evidence is a good one. However, was there any indication that there was an attempt to clean up the crime scene at the time of the murder? Any indication that the victim was wiped down? If not, it would seem the killer was not particularly focused on eliminating trace evidence.
The killer is believe to have turned the thermostat down. I'm curious to know more about Dunn's alibi and whether or not he tried to build an alibi later in the day.

[FDInLaw]

IIRC there were no prints found on the lamp where it would have had to been held to make the fatal blow. . . this suggests to me that it was wiped down or the perp wore gloves. . . if it was the murder weapon. The missing stick has always haunted me. Did Kevin take it so that he could get back in? Did Dunn leave that way and take it with him? Or. . . was it the murder weapon??? The lamp could have just been knocked over and tangled up in the fight. Just thinking out loud. . .

[lorettalockhorn]

Out of curiousity, how many other cases do you know of where a criminal has made a clean escape, only to come back to the crimescene and RE-contaminate themselves, just on the chance that the police might track them down in the future and find some microscopic trace evidence that they (the perpetrator) overlooked?

Now THAT sounds like bizarre behaviour to me. I've heard of people making a getaway. But I can't offhand think of anyone making a comeonback. But maybe you know of some precedents like this?

I know of none personally; that's one of the beauties of living in BFE where murders are relatively infrequent and even more rarely a mystery. Of course, there are plenty in fiction and I suppose that there may actually be some statistics on murderers who "discover" the body. (I think there was some talk earlier in this thread about an episode of CSI whereby the killer lowered the thermostat and found the corpse.) Does life imitate art? Or does art imitate life? Anyway, I think it's a great theory of why Kevin went to Nona's apartment despite the fact that he had no reason to expect her to be at home.

Kevin wouldn't need to be tracked down would he? Wasn't it well known that he and Nona were an item? Didn't folks beside JJ know that he was going to the Christmas party with her that night? It had to be fresh on the oranizer's mind, having been eleventh hour and all.

And while I have seen people prostrate with grief (but no one snatching himself bald), none of those instances had to do with murder or the contamination of a murder scene.

[lorettalockhorn]

I didn't think I would have to explain my post, but apparently I need to be a little clearer. I was in no way referring to keeping Nona's memory alive. I was referring to keeping the belief in Kevin's guilt alive.

Glad you clarified so that I won't think of you as reprehensible for criticizing people for their inability to grieve on your schedule.

Don't get why it's such a problem that people think that Kevin could be guilty. Do you harangue people in the OJ thread too? (Is there an OJ thread?) Or people who support the defense in the Scott Peterson thread? (Assuming there is one.)

There are simply people on both sides of trial issue who think the jury got it wrong. :shrug:

[Amy]

I know of none personally; that's one of the beauties of living in BFE where murders are relatively infrequent and even more rarely a mystery. Of course, there are plenty in fiction and I suppose that there may actually be some statistics on murderers who "discover" the body. (I think there was some talk earlier in this thread about an episode of CSI whereby the killer lowered the thermostat and found the corpse.) Does life imitate art? Or does art imitate life? Anyway, I think it's a great theory of why Kevin went to Nona's apartment despite the fact that he had no reason to expect her to be at home.

Kevin wouldn't need to be tracked down would he? Wasn't it well known that he and Nona were an item? Didn't folks beside JJ know that he was going to the Christmas party with her that night? It had to be fresh on the oranizer's mind, having been eleventh hour and all.

And while I have seen people prostrate with grief (but no one snatching himself bald), none of those instances had to do with murder or the contamination of a murder scene.


I don't have particular names/cases on hand, but in the Forensic Files and Cold Cases in particular, there are instances where the perp IS the one to have "found" the body. In some of the cases, the perp was expecting/hoping for another person to find the body, but when no one does, s/he goes back to the scene to "discover" the murder.

[TJEddie]

Fingerprints on the lamp base and pole info....


"Bacon, who is a certified latent print examiner, said he was unable to match latent prints found on the floor lamp base and on the lamp pole near the base with known prints from Jones, Janice Jones, Ryan Whiteside or James “Trey” York.
When questioned about state crime lab fingerprint examiner Bobby Humphries’ decision that the same latent prints were unsuitable for comparison, Bacon said, “I respect his opinion.”
“Does that make him wrong?” Phillips asked.
“No,” Bacon said. He added the prints were unsuitable for comparison through the Automated Fingerprint Identification System, a computerized database used by law enforcement to help identify fingerprints."

And.....

"When asked about latent fingerprints found on the base of the floor lamp not belonging to Jones, Frost said Bobby Humphries, the fingerprint examiner from the State Crime Lab, informed him the prints were not suitable for comparison.
“But Chief Bacon, your boss and a certified latent print examiner, said they could be used for comparison,” Bristow said, adding that Bacon had been able to compare them to Jones‚ prints. He asked Frost if the RPD took fingerprints from anyone other than Jones.
Frost said Trey York, an ATU student who went on a date with Dirksmeyer, was fingerprinted when police interviewed him, and Bacon said the latent prints did not match with York’s.
“If the prints aren’t identifiable, there’s no reason to print anyone else,” Frost said."


http://www.couriernews.com/archived_story.php?ID=15392&Search=Rolfe

[lane99]

People have stated their opinions that they found the behavior odd, bizarre, disgusting, ghoulish etc. Do you have some statistics? Something outside of anecdotal evidence as Solo posted?

Don't have it personally at my fingertips. But, yes, there will be some published psychological papers that would indicate the behaviour in question in within expected parameters for human beings (known to be innocent of any crime) confronted with such traumatic circumstances.

[FDInLaw]

Fingerprints on the lamp base and pole info....


"Bacon, who is a certified latent print examiner, said he was unable to match latent prints found on the floor lamp base and on the lamp pole near the base with known prints from Jones, Janice Jones, Ryan Whiteside or James “Trey” York.
When questioned about state crime lab fingerprint examiner Bobby Humphries’ decision that the same latent prints were unsuitable for comparison, Bacon said, “I respect his opinion.”
“Does that make him wrong?” Phillips asked.
“No,” Bacon said. He added the prints were unsuitable for comparison through the Automated Fingerprint Identification System, a computerized database used by law enforcement to help identify fingerprints."

And.....

"When asked about latent fingerprints found on the base of the floor lamp not belonging to Jones, Frost said Bobby Humphries, the fingerprint examiner from the State Crime Lab, informed him the prints were not suitable for comparison.
“But Chief Bacon, your boss and a certified latent print examiner, said they could be used for comparison,” Bristow said, adding that Bacon had been able to compare them to Jones‚ prints. He asked Frost if the RPD took fingerprints from anyone other than Jones.
Frost said Trey York, an ATU student who went on a date with Dirksmeyer, was fingerprinted when police interviewed him, and Bacon said the latent prints did not match with York’s.
“If the prints aren’t identifiable, there’s no reason to print anyone else,” Frost said."


http://www.couriernews.com/archived_story.php?ID=15392&Search=Rolfe
Ugh. . . yet another reminder of the fact that Nona's prints were not taken. This whole mess is giving me whiplash I swear, I just can't stop shaking my head in frustration. The prints in question could be Nona's for all we know.

Thank you for digging this up Eddie.

[lorettalockhorn]

I don't have particular names/cases on hand, but in the Forensic Files and Cold Cases in particular, there are instances where the perp IS the one to have "found" the body. In some of the cases, the perp was expecting/hoping for another person to find the body, but when no one does, s/he goes back to the scene to "discover" the murder.

Well, sure it happens. And once we found out that Kevin lied about the number and times of his supposedly unanswered phone calls to Nona, and that he lied about Nona having canceled her supper with the Little, and once he decided at the last minute to be his mother's Christmas party date even though he was planning on proposing to Nona that night, etc. ad nauseum, ad infinitum, it just seems logical to me that he was not so much nervous about Nona not answering his calls, but more likely nervous that no one had found her body.

[lorettalockhorn]

Don't have it personally at my fingertips. But, yes, there will be some published psychological papers that would indicate the behaviour in question in within expected parameters for human beings (known to be innocent of any crime) confronted with such traumatic circumstances.

That should be interesting reading. You'd almost think that kind of thing would make headlines. Or maybe I'm the freak for thinking that it's perverse to touch the blood and brain matter of a corpse. Or to not recoil at what must have been horrific to see and what would have registered as a crime scene that needed to be preserved.

[hawgustusgloop]

People have stated their opinions that they found the behavior odd, bizarre, disgusting, ghoulish etc. Do you have some statistics? Something outside of anecdotal evidence as Solo posted?


Don't have it personally at my fingertips. But, yes, there will be some published psychological papers that would indicate the behaviour in question in within expected parameters for human beings (known to be innocent of any crime) confronted with such traumatic circumstances.

So, I guess that's a 'no'?

[FDInLaw]

I understand your position, FD. I really do. (*no sarcasm*)

No, I don't believe you understand my position. . . or you would not have accused me of trying to chase Lane of the board for posting pro-Kevin. If you need evidence that I encourage people with differing views to post here, look at your own reputation points. It saddens me that after all this time we apparently do not have an understanding. But then, this is not the first time that someone has assumed the absolute worst in me. The cliché "you can't please everyone" comes to mind.

[TJEddie]

Ugh. . . yet another reminder of the fact that Nona's prints were not taken. This whole mess is giving me whiplash I swear, I just can't stop shaking my head in frustration. The prints in question could be Nona's for all we know.

Thank you for digging this up Eddie.

Right.....or they could be Gary Dunn's. I wonder if the new investigation turned up another latent print examiner who deemed the prints suitable for comparison. I hope so. If not, I guess they could trot the prints up to Nixa, MO and let James Bacon take another crack at them.....he has the credentials and he says they're readable.

[FDInLaw]

Right.....or they could be Gary Dunn's. I wonder if the new investigation turned up another latent print examiner who deemed the prints suitable for comparison. I hope so. If not, I guess they could trot the prints up to Nixa, MO and let James Bacon take another crack at them.....he has the credentials and he says they're readable.
Let's hope that the new PA has had this looked at again.

[TJEddie]

Let's hope that the new PA has had this looked at again.

I'd bet my much appreciated reputation points that he has. ;)

[FDInLaw]

I'd bet my much appreciated reputation points that he has. ;)

But, in the mean time, you are still in the dog house with me buddy. . .

:tongue:

at least till the end of the week. :D

[lane99]

IIRC there were no prints found on the lamp where it would have had to been held to make the fatal blow. . . this suggests to me that it was wiped down or the perp wore gloves. . . if it was the murder weapon.. . .

According to TJEddie's link, there were indeed fingerprints found on the lamp.
Which would suggest to me that is was not wiped down.

[TJEddie]

But, in the mean time, you are still in the dog house with me buddy. . .

:tongue:

at least till the end of the week. :D

I can accept that.....as long as you don't put loretta in charge of feeding me.

[lane99]

Although I tend to assume that the information one receives when getting a general overview of a crime includes the most salient and strongest evidence available, I wondered if perhaps not so in this case, since the evidence I had heard was so flimsy.

However, in looking into it here, that does seem to be all they had. Kevin Jones is very lucky he had an intelligent and reasonable jury. They should be very proud of themselves. In spite of the so-called evidence against him being shamefully lacking, there are no doubt some juries that would have rolled over and convicted him.

That the prosecutor's office has apparently said that under the same circumstances they would charge Mr. Jones all over again is a sign to me of people who are unwilling or unable to learn from their mistakes. Assuming of course, and I am willing to give the benefit of the doubt in the absence of evidence to the contrary, that the original charge is the result of an honest mistake, and nothing more ominous.

[lorettalockhorn]

I can accept that.....as long as you don't put loretta in charge of feeding me.

Hey! I'm an excellent cook. (Okay, maybe just good.) And there's nothing a GRITS loves more than an extra guest at the table.

[FDInLaw]

According to TJEddie's link, there were indeed fingerprints found on the lamp.
Which would suggest to me that is was not wiped down.The unidentified print was found on the base, was it not? The base is thought to have been the surface hit Nona's head. I think it is unlikely that the perp was holding the lamp there when the blow was made. . . I guess it is possible though, but keep in mind the tremendous force involved. Guess in mind it is possible that the perp held the lamp in the mid section when the blow was made, and then only wiped down that section. The lamp was found in several pieces. Maybe the perp did not feel the need to wipe down each one? JMO

[TJEddie]

According to the Courier info I posted earlier, there were latent prints on the base of the lamp and on the lamp pole near the base.

[TJEddie]

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT AND GENERAL DISCLAIMER: To those who have asked, I have absolutely no inside knowledge about this case. All I know is what I read in the funny papers.

[FDInLaw]

According to the Courier info I posted earlier, there were latent prints on the base of the lamp and on the lamp pole near the base. Do we know if these prints were made in blood? IIRC they were not. If the lamp was the final blow, the perp would have had blood on his/her hands from making the cuts around Nona's shoulders and neck. If the blow to the head was first I don't see why the other actions were necessary if you know what I mean, so I see this as unlikely. JMO

My mind is getting dusty, need to go back and read. :read:

[upallnight]

I don't have particular names/cases on hand, but in the Forensic Files and Cold Cases in particular, there are instances where the perp IS the one to have "found" the body. In some of the cases, the perp was expecting/hoping for another person to find the body, but when no one does, s/he goes back to the scene to "discover" the murder.

Well, I still think KJ's actions makes him look guilty. He sent Ryan there when all along, Nona was to have dinner with her little. He could have went by new China first, it is on the way. From what I could see on the either 48 hrs. or dateline-KJ took a right to go to Nona's instead of going just maybe one more block up (not even that) to see if her car might be at New China. You can get to Nona's either way. KJ knew she was to be there eating with her little and more than likely would be there and not at her house. Don't know if she was to pick up the little and get her home safe to, but I would think so. Maybe they would have already eaten and left but IMO, it would have been a good idea to check there first since she was suppose to be there around that time. Like FD said, that stick seems to stay on my mind also. And, they better have more on GD IMO than has been made public or they might have a really hard time getting a conviction. IMO they had more evidence that I am aware of on KJ than on GD at this point and as to what has been made public. Then again there may be more or the one thing we don't know about that could prove GD is guilty. It all seems so hush-hush and I am sure with good reason or hope so anyway. I just don't get why some think we are picking on KJ, the evidence speaks for itself, I could go on and on and on why he looked guilty IMO. I remember KJ saying on the TV show-check everything, that's all I will say on that because of the way it made me think as to his guilt. And I hated thinking that way, but I did. I do not want KJ to be the one who committed this crime by any means. Not saying I would not think GD did it if the evidence is clear and points towards guilt in his direction. At least he could be punished for doing it if he did it. That will never happen if KJ did it. I just really am concerned with just the dna of GD, not clear as to how they got they got that dna and the whole chain of custody issue so to say. Who all was involved in it and so forth and so on, was Kevins attorney(s) involved more than they should have been? I don't know, just so many questions and so little being made public. Hopefully it will all be made clear and soon or as soon as possible. I will believe it when I see and hear it all and wait until then to base my opinion on that. Capital Murder-just thinking they must have more, or do they? In the mean time, my opinion still stands and the proof will be in the evidence as to guilty or not guilty on GD. Lord, I feel so bad for Carol either way.

[lorettalockhorn]

Watched 48 Hours last night for the umpteenth time to catch the updates, and I had never caught on before that when they asked him about taking the lie detector test, Kevin specifically said that he would take a DNA test. That really stood out to me having not watched in a long time; maybe in light of the fact that his team found Dunn's DNA and paid for the testing.

[odette]

(CBS) This story was first broadcast on Feb. 9, 2008. It was updated on Sept. 18, 2008.

48 Hours - Sept. 20, 2008

Who Killed The Beauty Queen?

A Beauty Queen Falls Victim To An Ugly Crime

(CBS) This story was first broadcast on Feb. 9, 2008. It was updated on Sept. 18, 2008.

On Dec. 15, 2005, the small town of Russellville, Ark., was rocked by the news that 19-year-old college student and aspiring beauty queen Nona Dirksmeyer had been found murdered inside her apartment.

Nona's boyfriend Kevin Jones says he had been trying to reach her numerous times by phone but that his calls and messages had gone unanswered. Eventually, he and his mother decided to stop by Nona's apartment, where they discovered Nona's body.

As correspondent Richard Schlesinger reports, Nona had been murdered, beaten to death and left in her blood-spattered living room.

As paramedics responded to the 911 call, Kevin called Nona's stepfather, Duane Dipert, who in turn called his wife - Nona's mother - Carol. "He met me close to the elevators. And I was just tinglin' all over. And I said, 'She's dead, isn't she?' And he said, 'Yeah,'" Carol remembers.

It was a grisly end to a life Nona struggled to fill with beauty. "I think she was just a really caring person that didn't wanna see anything go hungry or be abused," Nona's mother recalls.

Beautiful as she was, Nona was a most unlikely beauty queen. "She was really shy. Like almost painfully shy," remembers Nona's friend Adrielle Churchill, who had already won a beauty pageant.

Asked what attracted him to Nona, Kevin says, "If I didn't say her looks, I would probably by lying. I mean 'cause that's a big part of it, you know, when you're young. And her personality, too."

When Nona started competing in pageants, Kevin started to notice changes in his girlfriend. "It did help her self esteem a lot," he says.

By the time they were at Dover High School, Nona and Kevin were inseparable.

Kevin's mother Janice Jones, a school librarian, says Nona and Kevin were good for each other. "She just made him a kinder, sweeter person. He gave her confidence, and supported and cheered her on in her struggles."

And Nona had a great deal to struggle with. She said years earlier, when she was just a child, she was sexually abused by her biological father. He died when she was just ten. And for years, she told almost no one about the abuse. But she did tell Kevin just after they started dating.

Carol says her daughter never told her, and that she didn't find out about the abuse until Nona's father was dead. Nona made preventing child abuse her cause when she appeared in pageants.

By the summer of 2005, Nona and Kevin had finished their first year of college together at Arkansas Tech University in Russellville. But Kevin was transferring, some 90 minutes away, to the University of Arkansas.

"I didn't like the fact that I had to be away from her," Kevin says. "I really looked forward to going back home on the weekends."

And Kevin was "back home" on Dec. 15, 2005. The couple had already spent time together, and Kevin says he expected to hear from Nona after she took a final exam, but didn't.

Kevin says he always managed to get a hold of her. He continued to call and message her until about 6 p.m., when he had promised to escort his mother to a school holiday dinner.

When the time came to drive to the party, Kevin says he was concerned that Nona hadn't called back. "And he said, 'Mom, I can't go to this party and wonder if she's okay,'" Janice remembers.

Kevin contacted his friend Ryan, who was delivering pizza in the area. He asked Ryan to check if Nona's car was parked outside her apartment. It was.

Ryan knocked on the door and told Kevin there was no answer. That's when Kevin and his mom raced to Nona's apartment.

Kevin and Ryan tried but failed to open the front door, so they ran around to the sliding door in the back. Kevin says he forced open the sliding glass door, ran inside, and turned Nona over.

When police arrived, they had to make sense of the gruesome scene. Was Kevin really a grieving boyfriend? And why was he covered in so much blood? ...

Continued @ Link ...

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/09/18/48hours/main4458174.shtml

[SaraSidle]

Watched 48 Hours last night for the umpteenth time to catch the updates, and I had never caught on before that when they asked him about taking the lie detector test, Kevin specifically said that he would take a DNA test. That really stood out to me having not watched in a long time; maybe in light of the fact that his team found Dunn's DNA and paid for the testing.

How did you feel about the 48 hours? I fell asleep before it started ( I am so mad at myself) so I have no opinion.

[Me-ow]

i find this to be telling and sad if Kevin got off on the technicallity of a word-

t wasn’t just that there was blood on the bulb; it was the texture of the blood that was critical. Was it wet or dry when it was discovered?

If the blood was dry, that proved it had time to harden, and that meant Kevin left it while murdering Nona hours before police were called. But if the blood was still wet when police arrived, it meant that Kevin was telling the truth, and it must have been left when he was trying to revive Nona, just before the 911 call.

Words are important here. This is how police and prosecutors described the texture of the blood: "tacky."

"It could have been tacky," Bacon said.

"The appearance of tacky," the prosecutor said.

"Tacky" would be a word that would course through the courtroom.

In fact, it created a huge problem for Tom Bevel, the prosecution's blood expert, because it contradicted his own theory that blood was put on the bulb at the time of the murder. "Blood on the bulb, on both sides, was placed there at the time of the killing, as opposed to some later time frame," he explains.

"If this blood is tacky, could it have been deposited on this light bulb at the time of death?" Schlesinger asks.

"If the blood is tacky, it certainly could not have been deposited there at the time of death," Bevel says. "No way."

But Bacon stands by his initial observation, and his word, tacky. "It was the best way that I knew how to explain it. Five days later when I looked at it, it had the same appearance."

"When it would certainly have been dry," Schlesinger remarks.

"Correct," Bacon agrees.

Jurors says that word - "tacky" - was very important in this case.

And it's a potent weapon seized by Kevin’s lawyers, Michael Robbins, Kenny Johnson, and Bill Bristow. "If any portion of it had the consistency of being tacky, then that’s indicative of it being put there at the time the body was discovered," Robbins explains.
Bacon says he was referring to a blood stain on another part of the bulb away from Kevin’s palm print, but he says the jury never understood that.

[odette]

Link -- Dirksmeyer murder suspect in court this week (http://www.kfsm.com/Global/story.asp?S=9048671)

[lorettalockhorn]

How did you feel about the 48 hours? I fell asleep before it started ( I am so mad at myself) so I have no opinion.

Hey Sara! Personally I thought the program was poorly researched. There were inconsistencies that Schlesinger never asked Kevin to explain. Not really a fan of this type of program (for that reason) before, and certainly not now. There is quite a bit of discussion about the 48 Hours and Dateline program earlier in this thread after they first aired.

Link -- Dirksmeyer murder suspect in court this week (http://www.kfsm.com/Global/story.asp?S=9048671)

Thanks Odette. According to The Courier, Dunn's appearance is scheduled for today:

http://couriernews.com/archived_stor...a%20dirksmeyer

Gosh, another public intoxication charge for Kevin. Guess we should all be grateful that he doesn't (seem to) drive when he gets drunk.

[FDInLaw]

Hey Sara! Personally I thought the program was poorly researched. There were inconsistencies that Schlesinger never asked Kevin to explain. Not really a fan of this type of program (for that reason) before, and certainly not now. There is quite a bit of discussion about the 48 Hours and Dateline program earlier in this thread after they first aired.



Thanks Odette. According to The Courier, Dunn's appearance is scheduled for today:

http://couriernews.com/archived_stor...a%20dirksmeyer

Gosh, another public intoxication charge for Kevin. Guess we should all be grateful that he doesn't (seem to) drive when he gets drunk.Huh? Kevin is in trouble again?

[lorettalockhorn]

Do public intoxication arrests raise insurance rates like moving violations do? Anyone?

[lorettalockhorn]

Huh? Kevin is in trouble again?

http://www.co.washington.ar.us/sheriff/summary/Detainee.asp?bn=4081023

KJ and GD in court on the same date.

So 48 Hours stated that Kevin has returned to UofA after being denied admission at Tech, but I thought he was in school in Ft. Smith.

[FDInLaw]

http://www.co.washington.ar.us/sheriff/summary/Detainee.asp?bn=4081023

KJ and GD in court on the same date.

So 48 Hours stated that Kevin has returned to UofA after being denied admission at Tech, but I thought he was in school in Ft. Smith.Janice was at Gary's hearing this morning.

[FDInLaw]

Well, it looks like Kevin is still his own worst enemy. If not lying to the police he's out boozing. I feel for his Mother that is so intent on re-building his image. It's all a lost cause if Kevin does not cooperate. JMO



Hugs for Janice. :rose:

[lorettalockhorn]

Janice was at Gary's hearing this morning.

Instead of Kevin's? hmmm

Forgot to ask; does Dunn have an attorney?

[hawgustusgloop]

Instead of Kevin's? hmmm

Forgot to ask; does Dunn have an attorney?

Great question, I thought they were supposed to appoint him one today.

Kevin is really racking up some real-world experience for his law career.

[FDInLaw]

Instead of Kevin's? hmmm

Forgot to ask; does Dunn have an attorney?
Is there anyway we can find out who posted bail for him? (Or if someone did?) :shrug:

[lorettalockhorn]

Great question, I thought they were supposed to appoint him one today.

Kevin is really racking up some real-world experience for his law career.

Wonder what kind of law he is planning on practicing. A record may not matter to his clients; but I would think it would to his employers.



Is there anyway we can find out who posted bail for him? (Or if someone did?) :shrug:

I didn't see that information on the site; he was out in less than 2 1/2 hours; maybe after he sobered up and quieted down he was allowed to post his own bail. :shrug:

[SaraSidle]

Thanks Loretta! thanks for the info Odette.

[FDInLaw]

Wonder what kind of law he is planning on practicing. A record may not matter to his clients; but I would think it would to his employers.





I didn't see that information on the site; he was out in less than 2 1/2 hours; maybe after he sobered up and quieted down he was allowed to post his own bail. :shrug:
He might have just used a credit card. I wonder if Mommy even knows? :shrug:

[hawgustusgloop]

He might have just used a credit card. I wonder if Mommy even knows? :shrug:

Maybe she doesn't...perhaps that is why she was at Gary Dunn's hearing instead of Kevin's?

[TJEddie]

Random thoughts on today's postings.....

1) The texture of the blood on the light bulb was not a technicality. It was the crux of the case against Kevin.

2) Kevin clearly needs to lay off the fire water.

3) I'm not surprised that Janice Jones attended Dunn's hearing. Nona was a significant presence in the Jones family, and Janice made a public promise to both Nona and Kevin to see this thing through.

4) Although I guess pleading not guilty to capital murder would seem like a no brainer, I'm surprised Dunn apparently went through that significant step without an appointed lawyer. Surely he has someone acting in a temporary capacity?

[upallnight]

Hey Sara! Personally I thought the program was poorly researched. There were inconsistencies that Schlesinger never asked Kevin to explain. Not really a fan of this type of program (for that reason) before, and certainly not now. There is quite a bit of discussion about the 48 Hours and Dateline program earlier in this thread after they first aired.



Thanks Odette. According to The Courier, Dunn's appearance is scheduled for today:

http://couriernews.com/archived_stor...a%20dirksmeyer

Gosh, another public intoxication charge for Kevin. Guess we should all be grateful that he doesn't (seem to) drive when he gets drunk.

Good Lord, what is he, The poster boy for self inflicted wounds? Enough is enough and he needs to be cut off from those oops I did it again funds or what ever ya call it. I agree L as far as grateful he doesn't seem to drive when he gets drunk, that I know of any way-someone better use some corrective actions to prevent that. I think if my child pulled a no no-I would want them to learn from their mistakes and not bail them out of it. I love my kids to but I try to teach them they are responsible for their own actions, that by all means includes breaking the law. I would let their little butts do the time for their crime so to say. Then they would know from us you get the respect you give to others. You want to stay out of trouble, it's up to you-you have the choice to behave or not behave. Anyone can stir up drama and blame everyone and everything else but it all comes down to what did YOU do to get you in the trouble your in! Anything you do good or bad effects the whole family in one way or another. Good grief, I just would not except bad behavior no matter what the problem is. It just makes matters worse all the way around. Ughhhhhhh! :shrug: If he did not kill Nona he may have major problems from all that has happened, but these sort of things does not help and he may need help, professional help. If he did kill Nona, well-fill in the blanks. And I know I will probably get a reply about this post but go ahead, simply it is not good for Kevin, his family or anyone else and this boy needs to stop point-blank-period! OK, I will stop.

[JustCallMeNora]

Random thoughts on today's postings.....

1) The texture of the blood on the light bulb was not a technicality. It was the crux of the case against Kevin.

2) Kevin clearly needs to lay off the fire water.

3) I'm not surprised that Janice Jones attended Dunn's hearing. Nona was a significant presence in the Jones family, and Janice made a public promise to both Nona and Kevin to see this thing through.

4) Although I guess pleading not guilty to capital murder would seem like a no brainer, I'm surprised Dunn apparently went through that significant step without an appointed lawyer. Surely he has someone acting in a temporary capacity?

TJ, 2) While I will agree that Kevin may be his own worst enemy, and should definitely straighten up, I still say the guy must have some psychological damage after all this. 3) I am not surprised Janice attended Dunn's hearing either. It is a logical step after she has publicly stated she desired for an investigation in the case to continue, and this is a huge moment.

[TJEddie]

TJ, 2) While I will agree that Kevin may be his own worst enemy, and should definitely straighten up, I still say the guy must have some psychological damage after all this.

From what I've seen, I don't think Kevin deserves the labels his own worst enemy or psychologically damaged any more than he deserved the labels murderer, mama's boy or narcissistic sociopath. Kevin has had to deal with some horrific things while under intense public scrutiny.....a tall order for any young man. All in all, I think he's handled it well. The 2 PIs suggest to me that Kevin doesn't handle liquor well. IMO he'd be well served to lay off it.

[sololobo]

If Dunn is the killer, he had two pressing problems after leaving Nona's apartment. He needed an alibi and he had to dispose of a stick, a condom, a cell phone battery, his bloody clothes and possibly a knife. He had to assume he would be a suspect considering his past record and his apartment would be searched. The items were not found near the complex. His mother provided him with an alibi later discredited by investigators. When was this alibi created? Before the police arrived? Were the incriminating items disposed of before the police arrived and where? At his mother's house? When was Dunn first questioned?

[sololobo]

How long was the killer in the apartment and /or what time did he exit? As TJ pointed out earlier, the bathtub was wet when Det. Frost arrived. Also, the thermostat was turned off and the temperature was 60 degrees after the police arrived. The sliding glass door was still open when when Det. Frost arrived and 911 told Kevin and company to leave the front door open so EMT could easily locate the apartment. The temp outside during that time period was approximately 39 degrees with a six mph wind. How long would it take for the temp to drop to 60 under these conditions?

[Me-ow]

Random thoughts on today's postings.....

1) The texture of the blood on the light bulb was not a technicality. It was the crux of the case against Kevin.


Bacon says he was referring to a blood stain on another part of the bulb away from Kevin’s palm print, but he says the jury never understood that.

But Bacon stands by his initial observation, and his word, tacky. "It was the best way that I knew how to explain it. Five days later when I looked at it, it had the same appearance."

why does everyone say his mother took back her alibi or was discredited? she has told them that her memory is shot b/c of all the chemo and other treatments due to the cancer. she has told them what she said in 05 when first questioned is what happened however now her memory is swiss cheese; as is prone to happen when you've battled cancer several times and gone thru a damn lot of treatments.

[lorettalockhorn]

ME-ow, I can understand (I think) the jury's difficulty in understanding the semantics of Bacon's statement, and IIRC, he stated at some point that he was referring to the appearance of the blood and that the appearance had not changed, and that of course he hadn't actually touched the blood to see if it felt tacky. Seems clearcut to me. But maybe it came down to the jury simply not believing his testimony, or finding it nonsensical.

I'm probably the guilty party you speak of when it comes to Mrs. Chenowith's alibi for GD. My understanding was that she did give him an airtight alibi at the time, but he has since placed himself at the apartment at the time of the murder. If my extrapolation of the sketchy facts sounds disparaging, I do apologize to Mrs. C.

[TJEddie]

If Dunn is the killer, he had two pressing problems after leaving Nona's apartment. He needed an alibi and he had to dispose of a stick, a condom, a cell phone battery, his bloody clothes and possibly a knife. He had to assume he would be a suspect considering his past record and his apartment would be searched. The items were not found near the complex. His mother provided him with an alibi later discredited by investigators. When was this alibi created? Before the police arrived? Were the incriminating items disposed of before the police arrived and where? At his mother's house? When was Dunn first questioned?

Good questions, solo. I'm curious about the wife and kids who reportedly lived with him at the time of the murder. I wonder what, if any, information they might have. I wonder if any of them were questioned by the police. Seems we heard a number of things reported by various neighbors about cats, cars, boyfriends, etc., but nothing from the Dunn family. Of course I wonder when and why Dunn and his wife split. Lots of questions.....

As for your other post about the temperature in Nona's apartment, I would think a small apartment would cool down pretty quickly with two doors open. Unfortunately, given the quality of the first investigation, I'm wondering about the reports of the heat being off at the time of discovery. With so many warm bodies milling about (weren't there about 20 logged in at the crime scene?) I can see somebody deciding it was too warm and turning the heat off......maybe the same guy who picked up the cell phone. Sigh.

[The R]

i find this to be telling and sad if Kevin got off on the technicallity of a word-

t wasn’t just that there was blood on the bulb; it was the texture of the blood that was critical. Was it wet or dry when it was discovered?

If the blood was dry, that proved it had time to harden, and that meant Kevin left it while murdering Nona hours before police were called. But if the blood was still wet when police arrived, it meant that Kevin was telling the truth, and it must have been left when he was trying to revive Nona, just before the 911 call.

Words are important here. This is how police and prosecutors described the texture of the blood: "tacky."

"It could have been tacky," Bacon said.

"The appearance of tacky," the prosecutor said.

"Tacky" would be a word that would course through the courtroom.

In fact, it created a huge problem for Tom Bevel, the prosecution's blood expert, because it contradicted his own theory that blood was put on the bulb at the time of the murder. "Blood on the bulb, on both sides, was placed there at the time of the killing, as opposed to some later time frame," he explains.

"If this blood is tacky, could it have been deposited on this light bulb at the time of death?" Schlesinger asks.

"If the blood is tacky, it certainly could not have been deposited there at the time of death," Bevel says. "No way."

But Bacon stands by his initial observation, and his word, tacky. "It was the best way that I knew how to explain it. Five days later when I looked at it, it had the same appearance."

"When it would certainly have been dry," Schlesinger remarks.

"Correct," Bacon agrees.

Jurors says that word - "tacky" - was very important in this case.

And it's a potent weapon seized by Kevin’s lawyers, Michael Robbins, Kenny Johnson, and Bill Bristow. "If any portion of it had the consistency of being tacky, then that’s indicative of it being put there at the time the body was discovered," Robbins explains.
Bacon says he was referring to a blood stain on another part of the bulb away from Kevin’s palm print, but he says the jury never understood that.

You good people know a WHOLE lot more than I do about this case, but IMO the entire blood on the bulb business is tacky to say the least.

To me the premise is full of holes, as some other aspects of the prosecutorial side of the case against KJ were. Regardless of involvement, it appears, to me anyway, he was well served by due process.


ALLMO,
R

[upallnight]

You good people know a WHOLE lot more than I do about this case, but IMO the entire blood on the bulb business is tacky to say the least.

To me the premise is full of holes, as some other aspects of the prosecutorial side of the case against KJ were. Regardless of involvement, it appears, to me anyway, he was well served by due process.


ALLMO,
R

Amen to that R! :read:

[FDInLaw]

Bump!

[Amy]

I wasn't getting notices in my email, so was wondering if there has been no news therefore no activity.

Guess, no news?

[FDInLaw]

I wasn't getting notices in my email, so was wondering if there has been no news therefore no activity.

Guess, no news?

Things have been quiet. With the gag order in place it may stay this way for awhile.

There is a new forum for Anne Pressly. Please join us if you can (open invite for everyone!).

http://boards.crimelibrary.com/forumdisplay.php?f=498

:seeya:

[FDInLaw]

http://www.silive.com/columnists/index.ssf?/base/opinion/1222776904158560.xml&coll=1

[lorettalockhorn]

So, not only has Mr. Leddy found KJ not guilty, he's found him innocent. Guess he hasn't read up on Kevin's background and propensity to not only be in trouble with the law, but to have anger issues as well; cite his arrest for public intoxication and his treatment of Krystal(Crystal?).

>>While a panicky Jones begged police to recheck their facts

Did he ask them to recheck facts? Or did he ask them to check everything? Some may interpret his statement to mean "check the condom wrapper (that was planted) for a known felon's DNA".

>>In July of last year, a jury acquitted Jones after only eight hours of deliberation.

Did the jury acquit Jones, or did they indict RPD's lousy investigation?

hmmm Pretentious police mentality. Does he mean in the showy sense? Gosh, I though RPD was staid during the whole investigative period; weren't citizens demanding answers? Or maybe he means in the sense of demanding merit. The investigation didn't justify it in this case, but most of us were raised to give it automatically to law enforcement. And some of us may still think The State had their guy the first time. Oh wait. Make that plenty. Plenty of folks think Killer Kevin murdered Nona.

>>police interrogations are serious business that are best approached with the assistance of legal counsel from the outset.

Amen. It's always great to find a point of agreement with a Yankee/legal expert.

[Brown hound]

And some of us may still think The State had their guy the first time. Oh wait. Make that plenty. Plenty of folks think Killer Kevin murdered Nona.


Plenty of folks think that the jury got it right. Did you hear all the evidence that they did? I should think not...You are not only still condemning Kevin, but also saying that you are smarter than the whole group of people just because they didn't agree with the OPINION that you had formed so long before the trial even began. Tacky means tacky, and Bacon, of all people should have known what the word meant. It was his JOB, to know and to be able to accurately describe it in a court of law at a later date. I sure hope that he has gotten additional training since leaving Russellville.

Label Kevin all you want, it is reflective of you.

[lorettalockhorn]

And some of us may still think The State had their guy the first time. Oh wait. Make that plenty. Plenty of folks think Killer Kevin murdered Nona.


Plenty of folks think that the jury got it right. Did you hear all the evidence that they did? I should think not...You are not only still condemning Kevin, but also saying that you are smarter than the whole group of people just because they didn't agree with the OPINION that you had formed so long before the trial even began. Tacky means tacky, and Bacon, of all people should have known what the word meant. It was his JOB, to know and to be able to accurately describe it in a court of law at a later date. I sure hope that he has gotten additional training since leaving Russellville.

Label Kevin all you want, it is reflective of you.

Glad you use that word OPINION; that's what I was stating. My opinion. And also pointing out that many people who know more about the case than the attorney who wrote the piece believe so also. But you know that. Not sure when I decided Kevin is guilty; maybe you can tell me.

Tacky appearance and tacky texture are two different things. Bacon didn't touch the blood. YEA! Something done right!

There can be umpteen articles written all about KJ's innocence and his parents can pay out the wazoo to create a new image for him, but there are plenty of people who believe that Kevin killed Nona. And plenty of people are waiting for overwhelming evidence to prove otherwise. Not even sure a confession by Dunn would be convincing at this point.

Thanks for your permission to "label" Kevin.

Whatever that means.

[FDInLaw]

And some of us may still think The State had their guy the first time. Oh wait. Make that plenty. Plenty of folks think Killer Kevin murdered Nona.


Plenty of folks think that the jury got it right. Did you hear all the evidence that they did? I should think not...You are not only still condemning Kevin, but also saying that you are smarter than the whole group of people just because they didn't agree with the OPINION that you had formed so long before the trial even began. Tacky means tacky, and Bacon, of all people should have known what the word meant. It was his JOB, to know and to be able to accurately describe it in a court of law at a later date. I sure hope that he has gotten additional training since leaving Russellville.

Label Kevin all you want, it is reflective of you.Did you like the article? Kevin being innocent is the premise of the author's argument. Personally, I'm still waiting to hear more of the case against Dunn before I decide whom I believe is truly guilty. I did think it was a well-written piece though. I do hope that in time that we will all know who is responsible for Nona's death. May the day come when there is no longer a question of guilt.

May Nona rest in peace. . . :rose:

[lorettalockhorn]

This new trial seems eons away. Well, maybe not for the Dunns. Seems like everyone is pretty well gagged, but at least the defense isn't naming names of likelier suspects in The Courier like Kevin's team did.

I'll assume that Brownhound approves of Leddy's piece. He doesn't even bash the guy for not having heard all the evidence presented in court* (like the jury did) and expressing his opinion anyway.

*Assuming Leddy wasn't in court and Brownhound somehow knows that.

[FDInLaw]

This new trial seems eons away. Well, maybe not for the Dunns. Seems like everyone is pretty well gagged, but at least the defense isn't naming names of likelier suspects in The Courier like Kevin's team did.

I'll assume that Brownhound approves of Leddy's piece. He doesn't even bash the guy for not having heard all the evidence presented in court* (like the jury did) and expressing his opinion anyway.

*Assuming Leddy wasn't in court and Brownhound somehow knows that.
It sure does seem like forever to wait. Been trying to keep busy on other forums (I noted that you are too. . . you've been running some kind of marathon over on Casey's thread! :) ).

Is Brown Hound a guy? :shrug: Has he/she ever told us?

[lorettalockhorn]

It sure does seem like forever to wait. Been trying to keep busy on other forums (I noted that you are too. . . you've been running some kind of marathon over on Casey's thread! :) ).

Is Brown Hound a guy? :shrug: Has he/she ever told us?

Dunno. Shoulda said (s)he instead of he. (S)he's a mindreader, though. Knows that I think I'm smarter than the whole group of people (whoever they are). The jury maybe? Wonder when Brownhound decided Kevin was innocent; before, during, or after the trial? Trying to remember when (s)he showed up to post. Right after the trial? Seems like (s)he focuses on who was or wasn't in the courtroom. Didn't (s)he rag on Ox about that?

[One2Snoop]

It sure does seem like forever to wait. Been trying to keep busy on other forums (I noted that you are too. . . you've been running some kind of marathon over on Casey's thread! :) ).

Is Brown Hound a guy? :shrug: Has he/she ever told us?

And I can't thank Loretta enough for keeping up on the updates for Caylee - awesome job! You're hired LOL. :beer:

Question about Kevin - since he's been tried on murder charges for Nona and found not guilty what happens if LE eventually finds evidence to prove his guilt? He can't be tried on murder charges again, correct? What then?

[sololobo]

So, not only has Mr. Leddy found KJ not guilty, he's found him innocent. Guess he hasn't read up on Kevin's background and propensity to not only be in trouble with the law, but to have anger issues as well; cite his arrest for public intoxication and his treatment of Krystal(Crystal?).

>>While a panicky Jones begged police to recheck their facts

Did he ask them to recheck facts? Or did he ask them to check everything? Some may interpret his statement to mean "check the condom wrapper (that was planted) for a known felon's DNA".

>>In July of last year, a jury acquitted Jones after only eight hours of deliberation.

Did the jury acquit Jones, or did they indict RPD's lousy investigation?

hmmm Pretentious police mentality. Does he mean in the showy sense? Gosh, I though RPD was staid during the whole investigative period; weren't citizens demanding answers? Or maybe he means in the sense of demanding merit. The investigation didn't justify it in this case, but most of us were raised to give it automatically to law enforcement. And some of us may still think The State had their guy the first time. Oh wait. Make that plenty. Plenty of folks think Killer Kevin murdered Nona.

>>police interrogations are serious business that are best approached with the assistance of legal counsel from the outset.

Amen. It's always great to find a point of agreement with a Yankee/legal expert.

Perhaps Mr. Leddy read up on Dunn's background. Dunn's propensity for run-ins with the law and anger issues trumps Kevin's. Dunn's treatment of the Bona Dea jogger trumps Kevin's "alleged" treatment of Krystal.

Unless Kevin had a portable DNA lab in his vehicle, I doubt the wrapper was planted. The odds of finding a wrapper with the DNA of a known felon who was convicted of a similiar crime and who just happened to live in the same apartment complex would be astronomical.

[FDInLaw]

And I can't thank Loretta enough for keeping up on the updates for Caylee - awesome job! You're hired LOL. :beer:

Question about Kevin - since he's been tried on murder charges for Nona and found not guilty what happens if LE eventually finds evidence to prove his guilt? He can't be tried on murder charges again, correct? What then?

Kevin cannot be tried for the same crime again. If the State finds evidence that suggests Kevin's guilt, I doubt we will hear about it. What would be the point? "We failed big time and there is a murderer on the streets." I doubt that they would willingly make such a statement. For one, it could provoke vigilante justice. JMO

[lorettalockhorn]

Perhaps Mr. Leddy read up on Dunn's background. Dunn's propensity for run-ins with the law and anger issues trumps Kevin's. Dunn's treatment of the Bona Dea jogger trumps Kevin's "alleged" treatment of Krystal.

Unless Kevin had a portable DNA lab in his vehicle, I doubt the wrapper was planted. The odds of finding a wrapper with the DNA of a known felon who was convicted of a similiar crime and who just happened to live in the same apartment complex would be astronomical.

I'll have to re-read the piece; didn't realize that Mr. Leddy was actually writing about Dunn's guilt or innocence.

Don't see that a DNA lab would be necessary if Kevin knew the facts that Mr. Dunn was a convicted felon and lived nearby Nona. But that does bring a funny image to mind.

[hawgustusgloop]

Dunno. Shoulda said (s)he instead of he. (S)he's a mindreader, though. Knows that I think I'm smarter than the whole group of people (whoever they are). The jury maybe? Wonder when Brownhound decided Kevin was innocent; before, during, or after the trial? Trying to remember when (s)he showed up to post. Right after the trial? Seems like (s)he focuses on who was or wasn't in the courtroom. Didn't (s)he rag on Ox about that?

(S)he showed up awhile back claiming to have read a retraction in the Courier after the whole orgy/rape? incident thing...this article was supposed to have stated that there was no rape, it was consensual, and no one watched. Brown hound stated (s)he was going to call the Courier or something and find it, but alas, it never happened. Also, when a recent article said a misunderstanding caused the crime lab not to test the wrapper for DNA, I said (and linked something to support it) that I didn't remember it happening that way. Brown hound disagreed and presumably went to find where (s)he had read it, but we haven't heard any more about that one either.

[lorettalockhorn]

(S)he showed up awhile back claiming to have read a retraction in the Courier after the whole orgy/rape? incident thing...this article was supposed to have stated that there was no rape, it was consensual, and no one watched. Brown hound stated (s)he was going to call the Courier or something and find it, but alas, it never happened. Also, when a recent article said a misunderstanding caused the crime lab not to test the wrapper for DNA, I said (and linked something to support it) that I didn't remember it happening that way. Brown hound disagreed and presumably went to find where (s)he had read it, but we haven't heard any more about that one either.

Hey Hawg! :seeya: I'm hoping that Brownhound will show back up and provide us those links. And maybe also explain just when it was that (s)he decided Kevin was not guilty. Was it before, during, or after the trial? Of course, (s)he didn't join until after the verdict and has been highly critical of anyone who didn't hear everything that the jury did, so I guess (s)he stayed away from any pre-trial information, lest (s)he be prejudiced.

Also not sure why it's such a stretch for anyone to imagine that Kevin could have known that Gary Dunn was out of prison and living near Nona. After all, wasn't GD's mother living just a hop, skip and a jump away from the Bayou ? Cafe? Mightn't Dunn's parole been a topic of discussion? Mightn't his mother living nearby have made it easy for someone to step outside the cafe and hide something in her shed?

Or maybe Dover isn't a hotbed of gossip like so many little towns and Gary was never discussed.

[Brown hound]

(S)he showed up awhile back claiming to have read a retraction in the Courier after the whole orgy/rape? incident thing...this article was supposed to have stated that there was no rape, it was consensual, and no one watched. Brown hound stated (s)he was going to call the Courier or something and find it, but alas, it never happened. Also, when a recent article said a misunderstanding caused the crime lab not to test the wrapper for DNA, I said (and linked something to support it) that I didn't remember it happening that way. Brown hound disagreed and presumably went to find where (s)he had read it, but we haven't heard any more about that one either.

I have no idea what you are talking about on the second issue.....That is probably why you haven't heard from me. I will admit that I saw something in the Courier about the "rape/orgy." So sorry that my only goal in life is not this thread.....There are very few posters that can stay here for this long with differing views from you.

[FDInLaw]

Define "can." Some choose to leave, others break TOS. . . I'm not seeing any real victims here. Of course, this won't stop the whining and asinine rumors that some in the so called "persecuted minority" propagate. :cool:


Sorry. . . not feeling very compassionate today. :rolleyes:

[FDInLaw]

My personal favorite is the missing link for Kevin's private "I'm sorry" statement. The only place a normal joe could have heard it was in the courtroom, yet some chick from Wisconsin did? Laughing my freakin' but off! Why do come folks have to lie all the time? I mean, come on. . . :rolleyes:

[hawgustusgloop]

I have no idea what you are talking about on the second issue.....That is probably why you haven't heard from me. I will admit that I saw something in the Courier about the "rape/orgy." So sorry that my only goal in life is not this thread.....There are very few posters that can stay here for this long with differing views from you.

From TJEddie's link:

"Russellville police detective Mark Frost testified that he was told by state Crime Laboratory technicians shortly after Dirksmeyer’s death that the wrapper could not be tested for DNA and fingerprints. The detective said he later learned that he had misunderstood."

I don't remember it happening this way, is this for real? That is a BIG misunderstanding.

I remember it happening this way. I'm going to start searching through the old trial posts. I remember reading it in there.

This is what I was referring to. I am not sure how this thread could constitute a goal in someone's life, but if you say so...

[sololobo]

Fact: The Arkansas Democrat reported "Frost testified that he was told by state Crime Laboratory technicians shortly after Dirksmeyer’s death that the wrapper could not be tested for DNA and fingerprints. The detective said he later learned that he had misunderstood." Arkansas Democrat Gazette, NWA edition

http://www.nwanews.com/adg/News/216115/

Fact: The Courier did not mention "misunderstood" in their articles during the trial.

Neither paper printed a full transcript of this testimony. I do not understand why this trivial matter would have anything to do with the murder of Nona.

[FDInLaw]

Quote:
Right now Little Rock Police are deep into the investigation of who killed TV anchor Anne Pressly, so detectives can't say much, but one criminal profiler who has helped unravel other high profile cases like this one is speaking out.

A criminal profiler is someone who analyzes a crime scene to help identify a suspect. An Arkansas profiler has come up with a possible description of Anne Pressly's attacker. He believes it's a man 18 to 26 years old who has a whole lot of rage.

Reviewing reports from crime scenes is Glenn Owen's expertise. "I think she resisted and he beat her until she stopped resisting," Owen said.

An investigator for the Bowie County prosecutor in Texas and a former army criminal investigator of 10 years, Owen profiles highly publicized cases. Anne Pressly's is one he wants brought to justice. Sitting in a courtroom, Owen described the type of killer he believes is responsible. "A lot of times you'll see blunt force trauma because it's a rage type of killing," he said. It’s the work of what he calls a disorganized killer.

Owen says it could take time for authorities to nab the person responsible. But he says he's seen this type of attack before, a suspect who sleeps during the day and roams the streets at night. “There's a reason behind that. A disorganized killer is usually a high school dropout. He usually comes from a broken family. He usually doesn't work," Owen described. That causes the killer to engage in random, spur-of the moment acts.

"I was listening to Nancy Grace when they spoke about this and had so-called experts on talking about this and they think it could be a stalker because she is a beautiful girl and somebody was mesmerized, stalked her and did this to her. I'm just not seeing that," Owen said.

Instead, he sees a person who either followed the anchor home with intent to rob or assault her or possibly someone who started checking doors looking for a victim.

"Have you ever been wrong?” we asked.

“Yes," he admitted.

Owen also profiled the case of Nona Dirksmeyer. Police arrested one man who was later acquitted. Owen says he knew all along they had the wrong man and suggested it to prosecutors. The second suspect arrested in that case actually fit the description of his profile.

Again, Owen doesn't claim to be always right. He says about 70% of the time, though, he is.
>snip<

http://www.fox16.com/news/local/stor...e56ee2&rss=315

[FDInLaw]

"Most DNA laboratories are run by law enforcement agencies. The private ones, like DNA Labs International, number fewer than 20 in the United States. Noppinger took time between cases to discuss the field of DNA analysis—the emerging uses as well as some of its ethical considerations—for Minnesota magazine.


Briefly describe your business. Our business is primarily forensic DNA testing for casework. Our clients are typically prosecution, law enforcement agencies, and some defense attorneys. We do international work also. Our south Florida location makes for easy access for the Caribbean island countries. We work cases and testify for the Bahamas, Cayman Islands, Turks and Caicos, and the Virgin Islands. . .

We’re also participating in a 2005 murder case from Arkansas, Jones-Dirksmeyer, that may be featured on [the CBS television program] 48 Hours Mystery."

http://www.alumni.umn.edu/printview/DNA_Doesn_t_Lie.html

[lorettalockhorn]

Hearing set for suspect in Dirksmeyer case


Story date: Feb. 10, 2009

By Michael Ford
Reporter
A pre-trial hearing is scheduled at 1:30 p.m. Feb. 17 in the case against a Dover man suspected of killing an Arkansas Tech University student. The hearing will be held at the Pope County Courthouse before Circuit Judge William Pearson.
Gary W. Dunn, 29, is accused in the Dec. 15, 2005, slaying of Nona Dirksmeyer at her apartment on South Inglewood Avenue in Russellville. Dunn was arrested in August near Center Ridge in Conway County, and is being held on a $1 million cash-only bond at the Pope County Detention Center.
Dunn is scheduled to stand trial April 13-24.
The state Public Defender Commission, which was appointed to represent Dunn, hired Jeff Rosenzweig and Bill James, both of Little Rock, to handle the case.
Multiple law enforcement sources have confirmed Dunn lived in the same South Inglewood Avenue apartment complex where Dirksmeyer lived at the time of her death. Robert White of Bigelow, who identified himself to The Associated Press as Dunn’s uncle, confirmed Dunn lived at the complex, but said he did not know if the pair lived there at the same time.
Dunn was convicted of second-degree battery in 2003 and sentenced to six years in prison after he assaulted a 24-year-old woman at a park in Russellville in 2002. State sentencing guidelines allowed for his release as early as 2004 or 2005, including time off for meritorious good behavior.
Dirksmeyer, 19 at the time, was found dead in her apartment by her boyfriend, Kevin Jones; Jones’ mother, Janice Jones; and Ryan Whiteside. Jones later told police he asked Whiteside, a pizza delivery man, to check on Dirksmeyer after he was unable to reach her and became concerned about her welfare.
Kevin Jones was arrested in connection with the murder in March 2006, and was found not guilty by a Franklin County jury July 19, 2007.
During Jones’ trial, state medical examiner Charles Kokes testified Dirksmeyer died as a result of a depressed skull fracture on the back of her head investigators determined was inflicted when she was struck with the base of a floor lamp found inside her apartment the night of her death.
Dirksmeyer, a 2004 graduate of Dover High School, was the reigning Miss Petit Jean Valley at the time of her death.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Copyright 2009 Russellville Newspapers, Inc.

http://couriernews.com/story.php?ID=20618

[FDInLaw]

A man charged with capital murder for the slaying of an Arkansas Tech student is set for a pretrial hearing on Feb. 17.

>snip<
After a high-profile trial in Franklin County in 2007, a jury acquitted Dirksmeyer's boyfriend, Kevin N. Jones, of the killing. A special prosecutor launched a new investigation into Dirksmeyer's death after police said DNA found on a condom wrapper matched Dunn.

Dunn's trial is scheduled for April 13. He is being held on a $1 million cash-only bond at the Pope County Detention Center.

Authorities say Dirksmeyer died from a skull fracture that occurred when she was struck by a floor lamp.

The 29-year-old Dunn was convicted of second-degree battery in 2003 and sentenced to six years in prison after he assaulted a 24-year-old woman at a park in Russellville in 2002, though state guidelines allowed early release.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)






http://www.todaysthv.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=79939&catid=2#comments

[SaraSidle]

http://www.todaysthv.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=79939&catid=2#comments

APRIL??????? way too long from now

[upallnight]

APRIL??????? way too long from now
I agree Sara but hopefully if it does go to trial in April, and if Dunn did kill Nona they have all the evidence they need together to get a conviction. I tend to think they will ask for a change of venue but not sure if they will or not. I just pray when Dunn does go to trial they have all their p's and q's together so to say. Just so, so sad! Nona sure is missed, she sure was one special person to what seems to be so many people. My heart goes out to Carol. Lord only knows her pain, so much for her to have to endure. Hope you are doing good Sara and God Bless you!

[SaraSidle]

I agree Sara but hopefully if it does go to trial in April, and if Dunn did kill Nona they have all the evidence they need together to get a conviction. I tend to think they will ask for a change of venue but not sure if they will or not. I just pray when Dunn does go to trial they have all their p's and q's together so to say. Just so, so sad! Nona sure is missed, she sure was one special person to what seems to be so many people. My heart goes out to Carol. Lord only knows her pain, so much for her to have to endure. Hope you are doing good Sara and God Bless you!

hey upallnight. I jut get so frustrated with how long these trials are put off all the time. More for the families than for me. Closure for them must be awful. I know our legal system is better than most it still does not seem right. Hope you have a good Valentine's Day. IMO sara

[upallnight]

hey upallnight. I jut get so frustrated with how long these trials are put off all the time. More for the families than for me. Closure for them must be awful. I know our legal system is better than most it still does not seem right. Hope you have a good Valentine's Day. IMO sara

I so agree Sara. It must be so hard on Nona's mom to have to go through it all again. I can't even imagine the pain she has been through but to have to go thru it all again. You are so right, just don't seem right! I hope the guilty person is punished. The sad thing is, Nona is gone forever. But, thanks to you and so many others, she is not forgotten! I wish the world was filled with Nona's and her mom. Nona's voice was simply amazing, she was just a beautiful person it seems, heart, body and soul. I know she is in the arms of the lord. I did not know her well as to say but she was the type of person you just knew that had that something special this ole world needed. Her mom seems to be like that also so I guess like mother like daughter. Very, very special family! Hope you had a good valentines day to! Mine was nice, any day with family is nice in this hustle & bustle world. Love those little grandchildren. They make my heart go pitter patter! For Nona-:rose:

[FDInLaw]

Since the trial date was set, I've expected that it would not stick for one reason or another. However, it hit me a few days ago that this defendant is sitting in a cell. Maybe, he wants a speedy trial? I don't know. Guess we'll find out tomorrow.