Crime Library: Criminal Minds and Methods

The Murder Trial of Casey Anthony

Forensic Experts

 

Dr. John Schultz
Dr. John Schultz

The testimony that was probably the most difficult for the jury to process came from the forensics experts. Dr. John Schultz, a forensic anthropologist who had canvassed the crime scene, described what he had seen in the photos of the bones found—they had been found in the woods, scattered 15 feet apart—as evidence of the bones having been "chewed on by animals."

Dr. Jan Garavaglia, the Orange County Medical examiner who had ruled Caylee's death a homicide by unknown means, was a star witness for the prosecution, despite the fact that she had very little scientific evidence to go on.

She said that "some roots had grown through the hair, holes through the hair mat that indicated insect activity."

Dr. Jan Garavaglia
Dr. Jan Garavaglia

She testified that she had seen the worn baby blanket from the scene—and that it contained very faded images of Winnie the Pooh and Tigger. Caylee's room had been heavily decorated in Winnie the Pooh memorabilia. The faded quality was consistent with the notion that Caylee's body had been in the woods for a long time; she hadn't been found until December 2008.

The prosecution also made much of the duct tape found on the skull.

Dr. Jan Garavaglia, testified: "There is no reason to put duct tape on the face after they died."

The prosecution even showed a video animation of Caylee's face with duct tape on it, morphing into a skull, which the defense rejected outright as a "fantasy."

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