The defense in the trial of Kenneth Dion claims that there is no evidence that proves Dion beat, raped and killed an Anchorage teen at McHugh Creek 16 years ago.
At the Anchorage courthouse Wednesday, the defense continued cross examination of the medical examiner, Dr. Norman Thompson, who performed Bonnie Craig’s autopsy.
On Tuesday, Thompson told the court that an autopsy concluded Craig most likely died from injuries to her head and patterns showed it was a homicide.
But defense attorney Andrew Lambert pointed out Wednesday that Thompson cannot be certain of how Craig fell.
As Lambert showed pictures of the crime scene, he told the jury that there was not a lot of blood found at the scene to indicate beating, and that it's a possibility that her 11 head lacerations could have happened from rocks during her 30 foot fall at McHugh Creek.
Lambert also addressed the vaginal injury Craig had and said that injury could have possibly occurred during consensual sex or during her fall.
Thompson answered that although he's skeptical, he cannot rule out those possibilities.
“There’s just a lot of unknowns here,” said Lambert.
“I think there are a lot of unknowns here,” replied Thompson.
“And what we got here is finding unknowns from one point to the other,” Lambert said.
“That’s one way to phrase it, yes,” said Thompson.
It was another difficult day for Bonnie Craig's family, who sat in court as autopsy pictures of Craig were shown again Wednesday morning.
Craig’s mother, Karen Foster, said she continues to believe Dion is behind Craig’s death.
“To have your daughter's body up there in front of all the people is awful and to have the defense try to claim that all those injuries and the pattern and the shape they are is from a tumble is just so bizarre,” said Foster.
Thursday, the prosecution will readdress the medical examiner. A trooper who responded to the scene is expected to take the stand.
