Brought to you by WBIW News and Network Indiana
Last updated on Thursday, September 20, 2018
(BEDFORD) - Jurors were educated on blood splatter patterns Thursday in the murder trial of Lincoln Pickett.
Pickett is charged with killing 29-year-old Kami Ratcliff on Jan. 21, 2016 in the back seat of his red Blazer after an argument. Police say he then waited a week before burning her body in a burn pit at his home at 3413 US 50 West.
Forensic Pathologist Dr. James Jacobi testified that the three small fragments made up of connective tissue, muscle, and fat that was found on the upper door well of the passenger door were from the face or scalp area of the person sitting in the back seat.
In his professional opinion, Dr. Jacobi believes that "due to the significant blood loss it is very likely the wound would have been fatal. With that much blood and the tissue fragments, it was likely a head injury."
Indiana State Police Sgt. Dean Marks, who is a blood splatter expert, testified about the 15-inch by 15-inch blood stain on the back passenger seat, where Kami was allegedly sitting at the time of her murder.
He says the crusty outline stood out and left a distinctive outline of "someone who was sitting there."
"There was a large volume of blood that was flowing and dripping to create this pattern," he added. "They were seated in the position for a long period of time before the body was removed."
Sgt. Marks also testified about blood splatter found on the headrest of the back right passenger seat, on the headliner, the seatbelt, the interior passenger window, the rear side window in the back of the Blazer and the left passenger window behind the driver's seat.
Jurors learned the difference between blood patterns:
The blood on the headrest, passenger side windows was high energy impact splatter from a gunshot event, Sgt. Marks testified.
The blood patterns on the back of the front passenger seat and on the left passenger seat and the back passenger small side window behind the driver's seat was from someone coughing or breathing and expelling the blood from their body.
"The blood was expelled out of the mouth or nose," he added. "They coughed or hacked or had blown the blood out causing the dense pattern."
The back passenger seat where Kami was allegedly sitting was filled with blood. So much that it created a thick crusty ring around her body where she was sitting. The blood pooled onto the floorboard dripping through onto the undercarriage of the vehicle.
Stg. Marks also testified to the findings of the body tissue found in the upper door well of the passenger side door.
"It could have only gotten there if the door had been open," he added. "The vehicle could not have been traveling at a high rate of speed or the tissue would have just been blown out of the door. It would not have landed where it did."
When asked by Prosecutor Michelle Woodward what Sgt. Marks conclusion was he stated:
"In my opinion, the victim most likely was shot in the head area. It couldn't have been in the hair or clothing area because that would have hindered the blood's flight. She was shot in the airway, face or cheek area, nose or sinus or throat. It was a shot on the right side of that area."
He says after being shot, Kami moved to the left coughing or expelling blood, creating the blood pattern on the left side of the back seat and the left door window. At some point either before or after moving to the left, she leaned forward, causing the blood pattern on the back of the front passenger seat.
After Sgt. Marks testimony the court recessed for lunch and after lunch they traveled to the secured location where the red 2000 Chevrolet Blazer was being stored and viewed the interior of the vehicle.
The state rested and Public defender Joseph Lozano, who is representing Pickett, called his first witness, ISP Detective Michael Robbins.
Robbins was asked about the questioning of Jasmine Pickett, Lincoln's ex-wife and if he saw any injuries on her. Jasmine testified that Lincoln had got violent with her just before Kami's murder - striking her in the head hard enough to break the skin and bleed.
He also asked if detectives recovered any surveillance video from the gas station where Lincoln's sister, Allayna O'Neal and her boyfriend, Mel Rousch, had stopped with Lincoln to put gas in a Subaru that he was borrowing.
He also asked about any surveillance video from the gas stations or other businesses along State Road 37 or State Road 60 on the day of the murder that would have captured Lincoln's red Blazer.
Detective Robbins told the court that they did not have any video showing Lincoln or the red Blazer.
When they learned about the three stopping at the Loogootee gas station, it had been more than 10 days since they had been there. The store did not keep the footage because they reuse the tapes. Police didn't attempt to recover video from the Mitchell businesses.
Testimony will begin Friday at 8:30 a.m. in Lawrence Superior Court II with Judge William Sleva presiding.
1340 AM WBIW welcomes comments and suggestions by calling 812.277.1340 during normal business hours or by email at comments@wbiw.com
© Ad-Venture Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved.