During a search of a an accused murderer's home, after finding the murdered child, police located child pornography, cameras, video recordings, journals and over a dozen guns. They also found a spent .22 caliber shell casing and a small hat. The hat is believed to have been the same one that was worn by the slain child that witnesses saw being abducted within two blocks of her home, as reported by the Star Tribune.
Other items found in C.W.'s home included a three-ring binder filled with pornographic photos of children, computers and handwritten journals. Court records also include that the floor of the basement was wet with bleach – and prosecutors allege that C.W. attempted to clean the crime scene evidence away.
C.W. has been accused of kidnapping H.O., a fourth grade girl, as she was headed home after visiting her best friend. Only two blocks from safety, neighbors reported their horror as they watched the child being snatched up into a pickup tuck. The neighbors chased after the truck but were unable to catch up to it to rescue the child.
From the Green County Jail C.W. answered questions via video put to him from a judge. His lawyer said that C.W. plans to plead not guilty. Several of H.O.'s family members also attended the hearing.
Between court records and search warrants it has been released that H.O.'s body was located in trash bags and plastic containers in C.W.'s basement.
According to prosecutor Dan Patterson, the child was shot in the back of the head and had marks on her wrists that indicate she had been tied up. While the preliminary autopsy has been completed, the case will have to be closed before the county medical examiner's office releases the final results to the public.
Patterson has yet to state whether or not he will seek the death penalty.
Along with kidnapping, C.W. is charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action. Public defender Chris Hatley said that his client plans to contest all of the charges.
The assistant prosecutor, Todd Myers, is challenging the use of a public defender in the case as police also found a $1 million trust in C.W.'s name – indicating that "he can afford his own attorney."
Hatley told the court that "it's frankly none of his (Myers') business."
A follow-up court appearance is set for March and a preliminary hearing will be in in April. In the meantime Circuit Judge Dan Imhof said that he would consider the matter of C.W.'s supposed income.
Prior to his arrest C.W. worked as a football coach, substitute teacher and teacher's aide for 16 years at a middle school in Springfield.
Hours after H.O.'s kidnapping police located C.W., holding a rolls of duct tape, after he parked his father's pickup truck outside of his home.
If you have the funds to contact a criminal defense attorney to handle your case you should do so immediately. While having a public defender serves a need for those that can't afford an attorney, the best defense you can get will be with an attorney that is invested in your case!
