After 7 days and nearly 50 witnesses the Jackson County District Attorney’s office is wrapping up their presentation in the William Simmons murder trial.
This as scientific anthropologists provide contradictory opinions on the stand.
University of Oregon Forensic Anthropology Professor Dr. Jean McLaughlin looked at Kaelin Glazier’s remains with this 2-million dollar electron microscope. she says sharp force trauma caused this injury to Kaelin Glazier’s rib before she died.
“You would have to come through here to injure it with a sharp object.”
That concurs with testimony Wednesday from Jackson County Medical Examiner Dr. James Olson.
Neither doctor could say with absolute certainty how Glazier died or what caused the injury to her rib, though a knife could have done it… Dr. Veronica Vance agreed.
“If it didn’t hit any other bony structure it certainly is possible if it came through here I suppose. It depends on the size of the knife then too.”
“Sure.”
Dr. Vance, a forensic scientist and anthropologist with the Oregon State Police did not however agree her fellow scientists on everything.
She maintains her belief that the 10-millimeter injury on Glazier’s 4th right rib happened after she died.
“What I saw continued to be
postmortem.”
One thing they can all agree on – animals… likely rodents and a large dog or coyote damaged the remains.
They also dismissed the possibility that the body was moved after decomposition began… calling it virtually impossible.
“I’m not sure I could have set the body up that perfectly.”
Based on the the vegetation growth around the body and the deterioration of the clothing, the body had been in the field on Haven Road for at least 5 years… maybe even as far back as 1996 when the 15-year old disappeared.
“Certainly I think that’s a definite possibility, absolutely.”
Also testifying late today, Dr. Steven Symes, an expert in sharp force trauma… he agreed with McLaughlin in saying the wound occurred around the time of Glazier’s death.
If that name sounds familiar it’s because Dr. Symes is working with Ashland PD in the David Grubbs case.
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