Pssst....following the James Arthur Ray sweat lodge trial? There's another very interesting case seated in the exact courtroom and I happen to know that it's coming to a TV near you.
A USB stockbroker named Steven DeMocker is accused by Yavapai County of a very bloody murder.
Camp Verde Murder Defendant Steven DeMocker--shares a judge with James Arthur Ray
DeMocker's ex-wife--the divorce had gone through just about 3 months before--was found clubbed to death in the couple's former home, in which she was still living. Very sadly and very Hollywood, the former Mrs. DeMocker was on the phone to her mother when she exclaimed "Oh, no!" and the line went dead. In Tennessee, Carol Kennedy's mother frantically sought help and Carol was found in an ugly scene with her skull bashed in.
The case has been wrapped in many layers of mystery, including the discovery of unknown DNA under Kennedy's fingernail in what seemed to be evidence of a defensive action against her attacker. DeMocker, who is accused of killing her to get out of expensive alimony and other divorce-related financial obligations, did not match that DNA and his defense vigorously claimed that was slam dunk evidence exonerating him.
However. The DNA eventually was traced to a man who had no connection whatsoever to Kennedy or DeMocker. In fact, he had died within 24 hours of Kennedy in the same county and had certainly been in no condition to beat anyone to death. He had died of bleeding from failed heart surgery. "In the same county" is the key part--his remains were taken to the same facility as Kennedy's were. His DNA could only have ended up under her fingernail as a result of cross-contamination of the fingernail clippers used by lab personnel.
In spite of the lab snafu, and it certainly is not what anyone wants to see in a murder trial, the cause of death has been confirmed by an outside medical personnel, including Maricopa County's forensic anthropologist, Dr. Laura Fulginitti. Yes, "forensic anthropologist" is the same profession made famous by actress Emily Deschanel as Temperance Brennan in
Bones. Real-life bone lady Fulginitti happens to also have done the very gruesome examinations in the dismemberment case in my book,
WHAT SHE ALWAYS WANTED about convicted killer Marjorie Orbin.
(click to buy link below)
In my experience with Dr. Fulginitti, if she says a golf club was the murder weapon, you should probably start looking for golf clubs. And in this case she does. Fulginitti's science testimony is, in my experience, a courtroom treat. Her science always flows, as the scientists like to say, "elegantly." In other words, in her hands 1 + 1 always equals 2 and then,
voila, you can see that 2 for yourself.
There are many other twists and turns to the DeMocker story and it has caught the attention of national shows that have been in the same obscure Camp Verde courtroom for the James Ray trial.
Shhhhhh!!! Don't tell where you heard it, but look for the DeMocker case on a national show coming soon!
Jame's Ray's Judge Warren Darrow is presiding over the DeMocker trial. In the last few days, the also troubled DeMocker case has been kicked upstairs to the presiding judge for possible re-assignment. Trouble is....that Camp Verde Courthouse staff is very small. There's Darrow, the presiding judge himself and only one other who can be considered for the DeMocker case. Presumably, the other two also have heavy workloads but only Darrow has the uber-complicated, unprecedented and Beverly Hills-defended sweat lodge case. (Attys had argued Darrow was too tied up with the James Ray case to give enough time [and courtroom space] to the DeMocker case.)
ADD: If you want to talk about the Ray case, the discussion has gravitated to this post.
Join in or start a new thread here. :)
