SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — It was all about the evidence in the courtroom for the second day of Craig Wood’s murder trial.
Hailey Owens
The jury on Tuesday heard from several officers who collected evidence surrounding Hailey Owens’ murder.
The prosecution showed photos of items collected from Wood’s home, his truck, a laundromat and from the dumpster where Hailey’s clothes were found.
Some of those pictures included a gun safe and several weapons found inside Wood’s home.
Some items were brought into the courtroom including bleach bottles. The jury also got to see with their own eyes the tub in which investigators found the girl’s body more than three years ago.
Police say Wood shot Hailey with a caliber 22 weapon. In court, the state focused on why he might have chosen that over several other weapons he had at home.
“If someone is shot in the head with a 22 it would typically make a smaller or larger mess than a larger caliber weapon?” asked prosecuting attorney Dan Patterson.
“It tends to make a smaller mess,” FBI Agent Jonathan Tucker responded.
The prosecution later called FBI special agent Brian Pickens who collected evidence at a laundromat – clothing and bedding items that belonged to Wood.
From there the investigation continued at a strip mall in Springfield.
“It’s an alleyway, a secluded alleyway with no sidewalks, no foot traffic,” said Pickens. “Looking for items that would pertain to the investigation.”
Sergeant Todd King was one of the Springfield Police Officers who searched that area.
“That is the dumpster where I found Hailey Owens clothing items,” King said.
Denim shorts, a pink striped shirt, a sports bra and a pair of underwear.
Hailey’s mother, visibly upset, avoided looking at the screen while these photos were shown and eventually stepped out of the courtroom. The officers testifying said surveillance footage from a business showed them what they were looking for.
“To see if anyone had put something in the dumpster that was located behind the building,” said Kent Shipley, a retired Springfield police officer.
At Wood’s home, photos were taken of his pick-up truck. Pickens said he swabbed the passenger seat for DNA.
Investigators also found a Wal-Mart receipt that showed the purchase of a laundry bag and duct tape. The date on it was Feb. 18.
Hailey’s mother, Stacey, also took the stand Tuesday. No video or audio recording was allowed.
The trial resumes roday at 9 am.
Jennifer Abreu of Missourinet media partner KOLR-TV contributed this story
