OMAHA, Neb.-
“Jessica O’Grady is not missing,” said the prosecutor. “Jessica O’Grady is dead.”
And Leigh Ann Retelsdorf told jurors on Wednesday, the man who killed O’Grady and got rid of her body is the defendant, Christopher Edwards, her former boyfriend.
Edwards, 20, has been charged with second-degree murder and use of a weapon. He faces 21 years to life in prison. O’Grady’s body has not been found.
As Edwards’ trial opened, Retelsdorf said the last time anyone heard from the 19-year-old University of Nebraska at Omaha student was May 10, 2006. Talking on a cell phone from her car, O’Grady said she was headed to the home Edwards shared with his aunt in northwest Omaha.
A week later, Douglas County sheriff’s officials told O’Grady’s family about the blood found in Edwards’ bedroom—O’Grady’s blood.
It was on the ceiling, walls, headboard, bedside table, television, TV stand, bookcase, desk chair, clock, candle, picture frame, box spring.
Edwards had told investigators that a girlfriend had menstruated on his bed, Retelsdorf said. But when asked about the blood on the ceiling, she said, Edwards said he’d cut one of his fingers.
O’Grady’s blood also was found on hedge shears in his car and inside his car trunk.
And more DNA evidence was found on what investigators say was the murder weapon: a Bangkok battle sword with an 18-inch-long blade. The sword was found in Edwards’ closet.
But all that blood evidence can’t prove she’s dead, said Edwards’ attorney in his opening remarks.
Steve Lefler told the jurors that DNA results are not absolute proof.
“DNA is a wonderful thing,” he said. “It’s not infallible.”
The prosecution can’t prove the DNA samples came from O’Grady’s saliva, skin, red blood cells or white blood cells, he said.
And, Lefler said, he intends to ask several witnesses whether they can prove O’Grady is dead.
“There’s not one doctor that’s going to tell you that she’s dead,” he said.
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Information from: Omaha World-Herald,
