Day Ten - Defense Closing Argument And Prosecution Rebuttal

Erin Corwin and her mom, Lore Heavilin/Facebook

It's kind of difficult to write about the closing argument of defense attorney David Kaloyanides. He spoke to the jury in a very commanding and forceful way. But it was the content of what he said that didn't make sense to me.

He interpreted the evidence a certain way, and tried to convince the jury to interpret it as he did. Basically, that Christopher Brandon Lee is guilty of voluntary manslaughter, because the prosecution didn't prove its case for first degree murder with the special circumstance of lying in wait.

I think anyone who has been reading this blog knows this just isn't true. The evidence is simply overwhelming that Lee planned to murder Erin Corwin as soon as he learned she was pregnant with his baby. Lee came up with the molestation "confession" nonsense so he could try and hoodwink the jury into believing there was provocation to kill Erin. To me, Lee's provocation claim defies all logic and common sense

Fortunately, ADA Sean Daugherty had the last word in the form of his rebuttal. He equated Kaloyanides' plea to the jury to ignore all of Lee's previous lies, to the Wizard's plea in "The Wizard of Oz" to "pay no attention to that man behind the curtain."

He argued against Kaloyanides' assertion that the video of Erin's body in the mine shaft proved Lee threw Erin in after all of the mine blowing-up materials. Daugherty proved Kaloyanides' claim was incorrect by showing video of Erin's body in the mine shaft, with one of the tires clearly covering Erin's head. As Dr. Frank Sheridan testified, Erin suffered a fracture to the skull while her heart was still beating. He believed the fracture was caused by a blow to the head, not from her head hitting an object (like the bottom of the mine shaft). Daugherty suggested to the jury that it was the tire falling on Erin after Lee threw her in the mine shaft that caused that fracture.

Oh, one more thing. Guess who showed up for the prosecution's rebuttal case? Nichole Lee. She was not wearing her infamous white shoes, but red platform pumps and a black skirt suit. She also had on a necklace from which a giant cross hung. From her seat next to other courtroom observers, she spoke out at least twice during Daugherty's rebuttal, but I could not hear exactly what she said, so I doubt the jury could.

Now the jury has the case. I believe those reading this blog want the same thing I do - justice for Erin Corwin, and peace for her family. It is a long time coming.

Day Nine - The Cross-Examination Of Christopher Lee, And A Visit From Nichole Lee

Erin Corwin/Facebook

Hats off to ADA Sean Daugherty for his patient, calm, methodical cross-examination of Christopher Lee. And he's only just begun. Court doesn't resume until Tuesday, Nov. 1, so we'll have to wait until then to hear how he continues to dismantle Lee's defense of why he killed Erin Corwin.

After the lunch break, the judge called in Nichole Lee, who was wearing a bright blue dress and (I believe) the same white pumps she wore that once garnered a compliment from a juror.

Before the jury was allowed back into the courtroom, Judge J. David Mazurek told Nichole that while the defense no longer wished to call her as a witness, the prosecution was interested in having her testify in its rebuttal case. I noticed Nichole began to shake. She said defiantly to the judge that her lawyer would be present if she was called to testify.

Then, the judge informed Nichole that as Liberty Lee's guardian, she needed to have the child available to testify if the prosecution wished. At this point the shaking increased, and she wiped a tear away from her face. When the judge was finished with her, Nichole stormed out of the courtroom and into the hallway. There was a loud booming sound. (It sounded to me like she threw the sunglasses she was holding, and perhaps her purse, and they hit the ground with a bang.) Everyone in the courtroom could also hear her shouting in the hallway. The bailiff then went outside to the hallway to get her under control.

The jury was let in, took their seats, and defense attorney David Kaloyanides finished his direct examination of his client.

It was now Daugherty's turn to cross-examine Lee.

Daugherty started in by establishing that Lee lied to the detectives who questioned him the day after he murdered Erin, when he claimed did not know her well; Lee lied to these same detectives later in the day in the Vons parking lot, when he called Erin a liar and said he had a brief texting relationship with Erin that only involved kissing; Lee lied to Detective Hanke during the multi-hour interrogation about having a sexual relationship with Erin, about knowing she was pregnant, and about seeing her on June 28, 2014, the day she went missing.

"You lie when you're ashamed of yourself," said Daugherty to Lee. "You lie when you're scared."

"Yes," Lee answered.

"Are you scared now?" Daugherty asked.

"Yes," Lee said, his voice flat.

"You're not lying today to protect yourself?"

"No."

Then Daugherty laid out all of the "coincidences" Lee claimed happened in the weeks, days, and moments leading up to Erin's murder:

• He Googled how to dispose of a dead body.
• He had a conversation with fellow Marine Andrew Johnson about the best way to dispose of a dead body, and asked specifically about the Amboy salt pits. 
• He drove to the exact mine shaft on the day he murdered Erin that he had visited a week before with friend Joseph Hollifield, and later described to Isabel Megli as a place so remote, "No one would ever find it."
• He had the murder weapon, a homemade garrote, in his Jeep.
• He murdered Erin just days before he was scheduled to leave the Marine Corps.

Daugherty also poked holes in Lee's ridiculous assertion that Erin molested Liberty:

• Chris Lee never called police after Nichole accused Erin of molesting Liberty.
• Nichole never called police after she "suspected" Erin of molesting Liberty.
• Neither parent took Liberty to a pediatrician to examine the little girl for signs of abuse.
• Both Nichole and Chris Lee still allowed Liberty to spend time with Erin.

And there was this exchange:

Daugherty: "You continued having sex with the woman you're wife thought was molesting your daughter?"

Lee: "It wasn't on the forefront of my mind."

The toughest, but most effective part of Daugherty's cross-examination of Lee was when he asked the defendant to demonstrate how he strangled Erin, using a stuffed cloth dummy. Lee stepped down from the stand, took the garrote, and twisted it around the dummy's neck. In one quick, horrifying motion, Lee spun around so that he was facing the opposite way of the dummy, his back touching the dummy's back.

The dummy was jerked up in the air by the force of Lee's action. It was such a shocking moment that I thought I heard a gasp from somewhere in the courtroom. Lee reenacted the murder with such callousness, and RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE JURY, that I can't imagine the jurors weren't as haunted by what they saw as I was.

Daugherty interrupted his cross so the court could take its recess, which will last until court resumes Tuesday at 10 a.m.

Apologies again for not posting in a timely manner. The migraine has stayed with me, which is not usual for me. Bad ones usually last about three days. Just grateful that the wonderful readers who visit this blog are so patient with me!

Day Nine - Christopher Brandon Lee Confesses To Murdering Erin Corwin

Erin Corwin/Facebook

Sorry it took me so long to write and post this. I'm battling a Migraine that came on during Christopher Lee's chilling and horrifying testimony. Yes, the defendant's words literally made me ill. And I'm sure I'm not the only one.

It's not exactly common for the defendant to testify on his own behalf in a murder trial. So I was shocked when defense attorney David Kaloyanides called Christopher Brandon Lee as his first witness. A fellow courtroom reporter mused it must be to make Lee seem more human for the jury, and I agreed. Boy, were we wrong.

Kaloyanides started with questions of Lee that allowed him to wax poetic on his idyllic childhood in Alaska. Lee said was fond of thing most kids like to do, like play with throwing stars and swords (???). Anyway, soon the questioning moved on to his relationship with Erin. Some key points:

• Lee admitted he and Erin had a sexual relationship.
• Lee admitted Erin told him she was pregnant, and that she was upset because she didn't know if Lee or husband Jon Corwin was the father.
• Lee said he was in love with Erin Corwin, and admitted it was he who wrote the love note that prosecutor Sean Daugherty showed the jury the day before. Lee said he gave it to Erin after Nichole had discovered the affair by looking at the texts he wrote to Erin. 

Then Kaloyanides asked Lee about the day Erin disappeared: June 28, 2014:

• Lee admitted he picked up Erin at the spot where her car was found off base in Twentynine Palms
• Lee claimed he was planning to build a tire fire in a remote mine, but didn't tell Erin this little nugget. Instead Lee testified he told Erin he was taking her out "for a surprise" while on a hunting trip.
• Lee testified he threw down the mine shaft the propane tank, the tires, the water jugs filled with gasoline, and the torch made of his t-shirt and a stick, all to start a mine fire. While doing this, Erin was supposedly just sitting in his Jeep, listening to music.
• Lee said was so upset he could not start the mine tire fire that he decided to play Russian Roulette in his jeep. This upset Erin, said Lee, so she walked away into an adjacent mine shaft.
• Lee testified was unable to kill himself with the gun, so he called Erin to come back out of the mine shaft. 

This is where things get dicey. Writing down the excuse Lee gave for murdering Erin - putting down it in black and white - somehow feels like I am giving it legitimacy. I AM NOT. It is such a ludicrous assertion that I believe it will turn any juror against Lee who wasn't already convinced he is a soulless, cruel, lying, cold-blooded murderer.

Lee testified that out in the desert, after his unsuccessful game of Russian Roulette, Erin admitted to him that she had molested his daughter, Liberty. (Lee testified earlier that Nichole saw "suspicious" irritation on Liberty's genitals, and automatically assumed she was molested, and by Erin Corwin, although neither parent called law enforcement or a pediatrician - in fact, both parents continued to let Erin babysit Liberty.)

Lee testified that a "red hot knife went through his heart" upon hearing Erin's "confession" and he lost it. As luck would have it, he just happened to have a garrote in his hand when Erin "confessed" and he got so angry he strangled Erin to death, then dumped her body down the mine shaft.

Lee was calm during his testimony. He looked scared. He appeared to try and express some true emotion, even making crying sounds at one point. But there were no tears, and no tissues were used. His vocal affect was flat, and much of what he said sounded rehearsed to me. We heard him used that same flat, vocal affect during the videotaped interrogation with Det. Hanke, when everything he said was a lie. But now, because he's under oath, he is somehow supposed to be believable?

After this revolting testimony, the court took a lunch break. I'll write about what happened after the lunch break in the next post...

Day Seven - Video Of Christopher Lee Interrogation

San Bernardino Sheriff's Department Sgt. Daniel Hanke was called back to the stand, so the prosecution could continue to play Hanke's videotaped interrogation of Christopher Lee, which took place in the early morning hours of July 1, 2014.

Erin Corwin/Facebook

The first 90 minutes of the interview aired in the courtroom Wednesday of last week. For a review of what was said, you can click here.

ADA Sean Daugherty pushed play, and Chris Lee described to Hanke how his wife Nichole found out about his texting relationship with Erin. Chris said Nichole was suspicious enough to remove the SIM card from his phone, put it in her laptop, and read what her husband was texting to Erin. Chris said Nichole was furious with him, because Chris and Erin both told each other "I love you" via text.

Hanke pressed Chris on his true feelings for Erin. Chris replied:

"I thought I was in love with her, but it was a make-believe life I was in love with."

Hanke asked Chris about the physical contact between Erin and him. Chris said it consisted solely of four kisses. Chris also admitted he considered leaving Nichole for Erin, but he decided against it because of his young daughter, Liberty:

"If I didn't have Liberty, I might have."

Chris also said when he and Erin were at their closest, they never fought.

"We thought we were perfect together."

Hanke then steered the conversation to Chris's movements the weekend Erin disappeared. Chris seemed okay with this, because he described the months he was involved with Erin as...

"Part of my life I wanted to move past."

Chris went through a rough timeline of Friday, June 27, 2014 (the day before Erin went missing) until the following Sunday. Chris said he and Nichole and Liberty went out to White Rock Horse ranch. On the drive home, they stopped at Stater Bros. market so Nichole could buy bread, and Chris could talk to his friend Skyler (not sure about the spelling) in the parking lot about going coyote hunting the next day. Skyler could not because of a shoulder injury.

Chris said he woke up at six on Saturday morning, talked to Conor Malakie about going coyote hunting, then went on the trip by himself. Chris claimed he got lost on the trip, and that at one point, a stranger shot a handgun at him. He also told Hanke he visited a mine (which to me, sounded like the mine shaft next to the one where Erin's body was found) and used his rifle to shoot at rocks to make sure his rifle was "on." He said he picked up all the casings.

When he got home that afternoon, according to Chris, Nichole was in a panic because she hadn't been able to reach him by cell phone all day. Chris said Nichole was crying and even had an asthma attack because of her frantic state.

I'm going to cut to the chase a bit, because detective Hanke and then his sergeant started to corner Chris with evidence they said they had that proved Chris was with Erin on the day she went missing. Keep in mind, law enforcement officials can lie to suspects they are interrogating, and it's perfectly legal. So, Chris was told that his tire tracks matched those that were next to Erin's car (this proved later to be false). But Chris then changed his story, and said he did see Erin's car that morning, drove up to it to check out the tires, and then drove away. He claims he never saw Erin.

Chris was also told that his DNA could be compared to the DNA on file of Erin's embryo. Now, there was no DNA from an embryo. But what struck me is that Chris Lee never said, "Erin was pregnant?" He just listened silently, as if he already knew that she was.

However, despite the detectives pleas to Chris to confess his knowledge of what happened to Erin, he sat stoically, silently, except for the occasional statement:

"I didn't meet her on Saturday."

Time for bed. Court continues tomorrow (Tuesday) at 10 a.m. with the remainder of the Chris Lee videotaped interrogation. Goodnight, all.

UPDATE: Day Six - Afternoon Session With Isabella Megli And Chris Lee Interview Video

Erin Corwin Missing Poster/Pinterest

This post covers the courtroom action for Wednesday's session after the lunch break. Again, there is no court today because a juror suffered a death in her family, and needed the morning to attend what sounded like a funeral service.

Isabella Megli was the first witness called by the prosecution after the lunch break. Megli is the owner of the White Rock Horse Rescue. (She refers to herself as "Isabel Megli" on the White Rock Horse Rescue website, which is why I referred to her that way in previous blog posts.)

I could not see Christopher Lee's face from where I was sitting in the courtroom, but the prosecutor pointed out that the defendant was smiling at Megli. Megli was not smiling back.

Megli testified she met Erin Corwin when Erin sponsored a horse at the ranch. (The horse, Cassy, is pictured below.) Although Megli was not allowed, due to the defense objections of hearsay, to answer many of the questions ADA Sean Daugherty asked her, Megli did make some damaging points:

• Chris and Nichole Lee were at White Rock Horse Rescue on the afternoon and evening of June 27, 2014, the day before Erin disappeared. Chris asked Megli if he could have her propane tank (which Megli identified as looking like the one found in the mine shaft next to Erin's body). When Megli asked if Chris wanted the tank for a barbecue,  Chris said no, "He was going to use it to 'play games.'"
• The Sunday before June 28, Christopher Lee told Megli he had been out exploring areas in the desert. He told her he found a mine that was so remote, "No one would ever find it."
• Megli testified that on June 29, both Nichole and Chris were at Megli's horse ranch. Megli said she heard from Nichole that Erin Corwin was missing. Nichole said she believed Erin was playing a game and hiding but, as Megli testified, "She (Nichole) didn't care if she (Erin) was dead."
• When the prosecutor asked Megli if Nichole said to her that Christopher Lee was "too stupid to keep his lies straight" she said "Yes."
• Megli testified that prior to Erin going missing, Nichole Lee told her she wanted to kill Erin, "If Erin didn't stay away from her husband."
• Megli said Nichole Lee told her after Erin disappeared: "(If) there is no body, there is no case."
• Megli testified Chris Lee never returned the propane tank he borrowed.

The defense did not cross-examine Megli.

Erin Corwin's horse, Cassy

The next witness was San Bernardino Sheriff's Department Sgt. Daniel Hanke, who conducted a roughly six hour interview with Christopher Lee on July 1, 2014. Ninety minutes of that video was played in court Wednesday afternoon.

Lee went willingly with Hanke to the Sheriff's Department substation. Hanke testified Lee said to him on the drive from base to the sheriff's station:

"I really want to help you guys find her, because as much as she lied to me, I really cared about her."

Hanke started the interview by chatting warmly with Lee about Lee's daughter, his plans for life after leaving the Marines, the annoyance of having to pack up everything and move back to Anchorage, Alaska. Lee was fidgety, scratching his legs often and crossing his arms in front of him.

Lee claimed not to be able to remember simple facts, like where in Oregon a friend of his lived, or even Erin's last name. Lee blamed this fogginess on combat-related memory problems. He also explained why he lied about his relationship with Erin when law enforcement approached him the morning after Erin went missing:

"It didn't seem pertinent at the time."

Hanke asked Lee to describe how his relationship with Erin developed. Lee said the two bonded over their shared unhappiness with their life circumstances. Lee said he was suicidal after returning from a deployment in Afghanistan, because he missed the simplicity of his life there and wanted to go back:

"I was indifferent about life."

Lee said he and Erin first kissed after playing the video game Halo together on Xbox. They also had a shared love of the television show "The Walking Dead." Lee told Hanke he was able to confide in Erin all of his problems and his desire to kill himself - things he could not tell anyone else:

"She was a secret, so I could tell her my secrets." 

Lee said he and Erin would text each other several times an hour every day. He described his relationship with Erin as his make-believe life:

"She was my happy place."

Lee claimed the physical part of his relationship with Erin consisted only of kissing, and for only a couple of weeks.

The prosecution plans to play the rest of the video in court on Monday. Until then...

Day Five, Part Two - FBI, USMC, And CSI

FBI Special Agent Kevin Boles was the first witness of the day as the prosecution continued its case-in-chief. Boles is part of the FBI's Cellular Analysis Survey Team, or CAST. Boles testified about the location of both Erin Corwin's cell phone and Chris Lee's cell phone on June 28, 2014 - the day Erin went missing. Some key findings:

• By comparing Erin and Chris Lee's respective phone records, Boles surmised both were traveling in an easterly direction from the Twentynine Palms Marine Base around 7:30 the morning of June 28.
• At roughly 7:36 a.m., Chris Lee's phone was in the same location where Erin Corwin's Toyota Corolla was later found abandoned.
• The last activity of any kind on Erin's phone was at 8:04 a.m. on June 28.
• The last activity on Chris Lee's phone was at 8:22 a.m. until 3:13 p.m. that same day.

The second witness to testify was a Marine veteran named Andrew Johnson, who currently works as a Shipfitter at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Washington state. Johnson was in the Marine Corps from 2010 until 2016. He was based at Twentynine Palms and was in the same Company as Chris Lee.

Johnson testified he approached the San Bernardino Sheriff's Department in July 2014 after learning of Erin Corwin's disappearance. Johnson said he told the Homicide Detail about a conversation he had with Chris Lee before Erin Corwin went missing. According to Johnson:

• Chris Lee asked Johnson about ways to hide or get rid of a body.
• Lee specifically wanted to know about the salt evaporation channels in Amboy, and whether a body could be submerged in the chloride pits.
• When Johnson asked Lee, "Who do you want to kill?" Johnson said Lee responded, "Don't worry about it," and gave him a "strange smile."
• Johnson testified he saw Lee make a list on in a notepad with two columns. One had "tools" with things like a shovel and chemicals, possibly lye. The other column had a list with the price of those items.

Erin and Jon Corwin/Facebook

The third witness of the day was a Crime Scene Specialist with the San Bernardino Sheriff's Department named Susan Jaquez. She told the jury about the items of evidence she processed for fingerprints and DNA. Most of these items have been discussed on this blog before, including the items recovered from the same mine where Erin's body was found; Jaquez mentioned the tire, the two water cans which contained traces of gasoline, the propane tank, the homemade torch, and the Sprite bottle.

Jaquez also talked about twine she recovered from Chris Lee's Jeep. Both the prosecution and defense stipulated that an FBI analyst determined the twine from Lee's Jeep and the twine from the homemade torch were of the same "color, construction, and composition" and likely from the same source.

Both sides also stipulated that on Aug. 17, 2014 a member of the Anchorage Police Department pulled over a Chevy Suburban driven by Chris Lee, with wife Nichole Lee in the passenger seat.

The final witness of the day was Detective Woods, who was recalled to discuss the search warrant he served to examine the Suburban in Anchorage. Woods recovered several items of note, including two spools of paracord, knives, and blue climbing rope.

But the most important discovery was a garrote situated underneath the front passenger seat. (Because we all keep homemade garrotes in our vehicles, right?) The garrote was made with two pieces of white plastic, braided paracord, and black electrical tape.

That's it for today. Bedtime. Court resumes tomorrow at 10 a.m.

Day Five, Part One - Wife Of Defendant Makes An Appearance

I'll be breaking today's post into two parts. Here's part one...

Court was scheduled to begin at 10 a.m., or "ten-ish" as presiding Judge J. David Mazurek likes to say. Before the jury was allowed in, Nichole Lee, the wife of the defendant, made an appearance in the courtroom. She was with her attorney, who said his client wanted to testify "over my advice." Judge Mazurek told Nichole that while she had been subpoenaed to testify by the prosecution, ADA Daugherty declined to call her. However, defense attorney David Kaloyanides did want Nichole to testify for the defense, and so she was still under subpoena. She had a smile on her face the entire time she stood before the court.

I'm going to describe how she looked, because this was actually an important factor in the morning's events. Nichole's long blonde hair hung loose down her back. She had her husband's dog tags around her neck on a chain. She was wearing a black skirt suit with off-white piping, and matching off-white pumps.

Cut to a few minutes later, after Nichole had left the courtroom. The sound of a woman's voice, raised and angry, could be heard coming from outside the courtroom. I turned around to see Nichole Lee in the vestibule that separates the courtroom and the hallway where the jurors wait to be called in. The bailiff approached the judge and told him he caught Nichole Lee talking to one of the jurors.

Both Daugherty and Kaloyanides were visibly dismayed at hearing this. Both attorneys asked the judge if he would call in the juror Nichole was seen chatting with, and ask what the two women were discussing.

The juror was called in and Judge Mazurek asked her about the topic of the conversation she had with the blond woman outside. Nichole's name was not used. The juror said she had complemented Nichole on her shoes, and Nichole was talking about where she got them. That was it, according to the juror.

Just a side note: all of the jurors wear yellow buttons on their shirts that indicate they are jurors, so it's hard to imagine Nichole didn't know she was speaking to a member of the panel deciding her husband's fate. As Kaloyanides said in open court of Nichole,

"This witness is unpredictable, and I'm not sure (the interaction) was benign."

I'll try to get the second part of this post up within a few hours...

Day Four - Prosecution Calls Five Witnesses

The first witness Deputy District Attorney Sean Daugherty called Monday morning was Paul Anastasia, a engineer medic and firefighter with the San Bernardino County Fire Department. Anastasia was the search and rescue member who recovered Erin Corwin's body on Aug. 17, 2014 from the mine shaft where searchers discovered her body on Aug. 16, 2014.

Anastasia described the air in the mine shaft as not habitable for humans, and the temperature there to be at least 100 degrees. He spent about a half hour in the mine shaft, placing Erin's body in two coroner's bags. Anastasia also noticed what he deemed to be a homemade torch, and made sure to bring it up with him when he left the mine. (In his opening statement to the jury last week, Daugherty said the torch was made, in part, with a t-shirt that contained the DNA of Christopher Lee.)

The second witness was Pedro Ligorria, a member of San Bernardino County's Search and Rescue team. He was a member of the search team that first discovered Erin's body in the mine. Ligorria testified that he found a bullet casing near the collar of the mine, and placed it in a plastic evidence bag using gloved hands.

Erin Corwin/Facebook

The third witness was someone court watchers have seen every day of the trial, because he sits next to ADA Sean Daugherty at the prosecution table. Detective Jonathan Woods works homicide detail for the San Bernardino Sheriff's Department. He is also the case agent for this trial, collecting paperwork and reporting to the District Attorney's office.

Woods relayed how the recovered evidence was examined and bagged by members of Crime Scene Investigation. Crucial pieces of evidence included the propane tank, two 20 liter water cans that had gasoline in the bottom of the containers, and a Sprite bottle.

Woods attended Erin's autopsy. He testified as to how Dr. Frank Sheridan, the Chief Medical Examiner for San Bernardino County, removed a garrote made of paracord and rebar from around Erin's neck. Woods also explained how dental records were needed to positively identify the body found in the mine as Erin Corwin.

San Bernardino County Sheriff's Detective Bryan Zierdt was the first witness to testify after the lunch break. Zierdt described a conversation he had with Nichole Lee in the days following Erin's disappearance. Nichole said her husband Chris kept the .22 caliber rifle Zierdt was inquiring about in a room at Isabel Megli's residence at White Rock Horse Rescue ranch. 

Nichole, daughter Liberty, and Zierdt drove out to White Rock. They entered Megli's residence, and Megli gave Zierdt permission to search one of the rooms. Nichole went right back to the room in question, reached up to a shelf, and took down a case that contained the rifle in question. 

The final witness of the day was Sgt. Mauricio Hurtado with the San Bernardino Sheriff's Department. Back in 2014 he was a detective on the same four-man homicide detail team as Detectives Woods and Zierdt. Hurtado described how CSI specialists processed the scene surrounding Erin Corwin's abandoned car. He testified about the footprints that were seen leaving the driver's side of Erin's car, and towards another vehicle. Hurtado originally believed the tire tracks of that vehicle matched Chris Lee's jeep, but further investigation revealed they did not. 

Hurtado also testified about the searches he conducted of the Lee residence, the Corwin residence, a U-Haul truck rented by the Lees, and Megli's residence. There was one piece of evidence Hurtado described that I had not read about before: a purple latex glove retrieved from the side pocket of a pair of men's camouflage shorts that were found in Megli's living room.

Court continues Tuesday morning at ten.

Marine Vet Could Face 2nd Murder Charge In Death Of Erin Corwin's Fetus

First published on Home Post Aug. 21, 2014 | 10:57 a.m. | By Beth Ford Roth

The final results of Erin Corwin's autopsy could determine whether or not Marine veteran Christopher Lee is charged with murder in the death of Corwin's fetus. 

Erin Corwin

Lee has already been arrested and charged with murdering Corwin, 19, who may have been pregnant with his child.

San Bernardino County District Attorney Michael Ramos told the Desert Sun an additional murder charge against Lee is possible if the autopsy can determine whether or not Corwin was actually pregnant, and how far along she was in her pregnancy. 

Ramos said California law allows a murder charge to be filed in the death of an unborn baby just four to six weeks into the fetus's development.

Corwin's sister-in-law, DeeAnna Heavilin, was interviewed by the Desert Sun last month about Corwin's pregnancy:

"We don't know exactly how far along she is with this pregnancy. She only found out about the pregnancy two weeks before she went missing and a doctor hasn't confirmed a due date yet."

As Home Post previously reported, Corwin's body was discovered in an abandoned mine shaft on Aug. 16. 

On June 28, Corwin had told her husband, Marine Cpl. Jonathan Corwin, she was heading to Joshua Tree National Park to scout photography locations. 

Cpl. Corwin reported his wife missing the next day.

The couple lived in an apartment at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, next door to Christopher Lee and his wife Nichole.

Lee was in an Anchorage courtroom Thursday morning, where he waived his rights against extradition to California to stand trial for Corwin's murder.

Deputy DA Clint Campion of Anchorage told KTUU-TV he expects Lee to be transferred to California within a week:

"I would say (in) the next couple of days. The judge set a hearing for Sept. 8 to make sure he's actually gone."

 

Erin Corwin's Body Discovered, Alleged Lover Arrested In Her Death

Originally published on Home Post Aug. 18, 2014 | 12:42 p.m. | By Beth Ford Roth

Searchers discovered the body of missing pregnant Marine wife Erin Corwin on Aug. 16 in a 100-foot mine shaft on Bureau of Land Management land in the Mojave Desert, law enforcement officials announced Monday.

Dental records were needed to confirm Corwin's identity. An autopsy conducted Monday morning concluded the manner of death to be homicide, according to San Bernardino County Sheriff John McMahon.

Christopher Lee mug shot

Christopher Lee, the Marine veteran who police believe was romantically involved with Corwin, was arrested in Alaska on Sunday evening for her murder.

The Desert Sun reports Christopher Lee is being detained in Anchorage on a federal hold awaiting extradition back to California.

San Bernardino County District Attorney Michael Ramos told reporters:

"If Lee does not waive extradition he should be back in our county in four to five weeks.."

For those of you just learning about the case, here's some background:

On the morning of June 28, Corwin told her husband, Marine Cpl. Jonathan Wayne Corwin, she was heading to Joshua Tree National Park to scout photography locations. Cpl. Corwin reported his wife missing the next day.

The couple lived in an apartment at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms. 

Family members of Corwin say she was three months pregnant when she disappeared.

Marine Cpl. Jonathan Corwin and Erin Corwin

A probable-cause affidavit filed by Detective Cory Emon of the San Bernardino Sheriff's Department indicated Corwin was involved in a romantic relationship with Lee, whom she met at White Rock Horse Rescue.

Emon wrote in the affidavit that a friend of Corwin's in Tennessee told detectives that she may have been pregnant with Lee's baby, and not her husband's:

"[The friend] knew Erin and Lee were going on a day trip together on 06-28-14, for a celebration of Erin’s pregnancy."

Yet despite this "celebration," Corwin had confided in her Tennessee friend that Lee was worried his wife would divorce him if she knew of the affair — and would take away their child.

Detective Emon's concluded in the affidavit:

“It is highly likely Erin could have been harmed by an unknown firearm. Sometime after Erin left with Lee, her phone was de-activated (turned off).”

Also in the affidavit, White Rock Horse Rescue Ranch owner Isabel Megli shared with detectives a conversation she had with Christopher Lee's wife Nichole following Corwin's disappearance:

"Nichole made statements to Isabel about the detectives having missed something at their residence when it was searched because detectives did not search the garage.

"Nichole told Isabel that without a body the detectives did not have a case against them and the detectives would never find the body."

There is also forensic evidence that ties Christopher Lee's vehicle to Corwin:

(P)olice found a single set of shoe tracks at Corwin's abandoned vehicle. The tracks led from the driver side door of her Toyota and then disappeared next to a set of tire tracks.

According to The Desert Sun, the court document states that tracks found at the scene are "consistent" with the tire tracks left by Lee's Jeep.

Detectives 'Looking For A Crime Scene' In Erin Corwin Case (Video)

Originally published on Home Post July 23, 2014 | 10:05 a.m. | By Beth Ford Roth

Erin and Jonathan Corwin

Detectives with the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Specialized Investigation Division are "looking for a crime scene" in the disappearance of pregnant Marine wife Erin Corwin, according to a department press release.

Several media outlets have obtained a probable-cause affidavit filed by Detective Cory Emon that indicates Corwin was involved in a romantic relationship with a married Marine veteran named Christopher Lee, whom she met at White Rock Horse Rescue.

According to what Emon wrote in the affidavit, a friend of Erin's who lives in Tennessee told detectives

“...Erin may be pregnant with Lee’s child.

"[The friend] knew Erin and Lee were going on a day trip together on 06-28-14, for a celebration of Erin’s pregnancy."

Yet despite this "celebration," Erin had confided in her friend from Tennessee that Lee was concerned his wife, Nichole, would divorce him and take their child away if she found out Erin was pregnant with his baby. 

Christopher and Nichole Lee with their daughter

Detective Emon's assessment of what may have happened on June 28, the last day Erin's husband, Marine Cpl. Jonathan Corwin, saw her alive, is not hopeful:

“It is highly likely Erin could have been harmed by an unknown firearm. Sometime after Erin left with Lee, her phone was de-activated (turned off).”

Also in the affidavit, White Rock Horse Rescue Ranch owner Isabel Megli shared with detectives a conversation she had with Nichole Lee following Corwin's disappearance:

"Nichole made statements to Isabel about the detectives having missed something at their residence when it was searched because detectives did not search the garage.

"Nichole told Isabel that without a body the detectives did not have a case against them and the detectives would never find the body."

The Desert Sun reports there is forensic evidence that may tie Christopher Lee to Erin Corwin on the day she disappeared:

[P]olice found a single set of shoe tracks at Corwin's abandoned vehicle. The tracks led from the driver side door of her Toyota and then disappeared next to a set of tire tracks.

The court document states that tracks found at the scene are "consistent" with the tire tracks left by Lee's Jeep.

Not surprisingly, HLN's Jane Velez-Mitchell has a whole lot to say about this case, especially the fact Lee was arrested after police searched his home:

 

NCIS Involved In Erin Corwin Case; Search Warrants Info Revealed

Originally published on Home Post July 21, 2014 | 8:18 a.m. | By Beth Ford Roth

Erin Corwin/Facebook

The Naval Criminal Investigative Service has confirmed its investigators are involved in the search for Erin Corwin. 

The pregnant 20-year-old was last seen three weeks ago at her home on the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms. 

Spokesman Ed Buice told The Desert Sun that NCIS is helping the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department with their probe into Corwin's disappearance:

"We're assisting them as far as some of the more military aspects of the investigation. The military world is sometimes very confusing to non-military investigators. We help them connect the dots and find a way through the red tape."

As Home Post has previously reported, Marine Cpl. Jonathan Wayne Corwin told law enforcement officials he last saw his wife on June 28, before she left to drive to Joshua Tree National Park. He reported Erin missing the following day. 

Meanwhile, San Diego television station CBS8 has learned new details about the search warrants executed by sheriff's deputies at the home Erin Corwin shared with her husband, and the apartment of Marine Corps veteran Corporal Christopher Lee and his wife Nichole. To watch that news report, click here.