UPDATE 12:30 p.m.
SYCAMORE – Video of a detective's interview with Michael Greenwell played in court this morning during his trial showed Greenwell, when asked if he killed Brent Petrakovitz, repeating the question and asking why he would kill his friend.
Michael R. Greenwell, 29, of DeKalb is accused of killing Brent Petrakovitz, 44, in September 2009. Petrakovitz's body was found outside Greenwell's truck in a remote area north of Pleasant Street and west of Peace Road in DeKalb.
The truck and body were burned, according to police. The DeKalb County Coroner's Office said Petrakovitz died from head trauma. Greenwell pleaded not guilty in December 2010 to three counts of first-degree murder and one count of concealing a homicidal death.
Greenwell was interviewed Sept. 6-7, 2009 by DeKalb Police Detective Steve Lekkas, one of the state's witnesses who testified today at the DeKalb County Courthouse. Lekkas recounted his experience working on the case, as investigators looked into who was responsible for Petrakovitz's death.
Lekkas said he spent several hours with Greenwell, from the evening of Sept. 6, 2009, through the morning of Sept. 7. Police first informed Greenwell his truck had been found, since he had made three calls to DeKalb Police dispatchers about his truck being missing; Greenwell then came to the police department for questioning.
Greenwell told police that the group had been partying at Walter and Yvette Zick's house the night of Sept. 5, 2009, when, around midnight or 1 a.m., Petrakovitz took his truck to drive to downtown DeKalb to meet a woman at a bar.
The story then changed, Lekkas said, as Greenwell told him that Petrakovitz had gone downtown to take part in a drug deal. Greenwell again changed the story, telling Lekkas that Petrakovitz had actually planned to rob a drug dealer while at a bar in downtown DeKalb.
Lekkas testified that Greenwell gave him many ideas about who could be responsible for Petrakovitz's death, from drug dealers, to members of a motorcycle gang Petrakovitz had once been a part of, to Petrakovitz's ex-wife's family.
Police hadn't told Greenwell where his truck was found, Lekkas said, but Greenwell made an assumption that his truck had been burned in a field. Lekkas also said he noticed a patch of hair near the right side of Greenwell's forehead and some hair on his right forearm appeared singed.
When Lekkas asked Greenwell if he had left the Zicks' home at all the night of the party, Greenwell said no. But Lekkas learned security video from the Road Ranger gas station on Sycamore Road showed Greenwell buying cigarettes around 2:45 a.m.
Collectively, police determined Greenwell was no longer a witness, but a suspect in Petrakovitz's death, Lekkas said. Video of Lekkas interviewing Greenwell showed Lekkas ask, "Did you kill Brent?" Greenwell, who spoke slowly and mumbled a bit during the interview, repeated the question and asked why he would kill his friend.
The trial began Tuesday. Public defender Regina Harris, who represents Greenwell, told jurors the case is not about who killed Petrakovitz, but why he died and whether Greenwell acted in self-defense.
Prosecutor Phil Montgomery with the DeKalb County State's Attorney's Office told the jury Greenwell beat Petrakovitz to death near the Zicks' firepit before dumping his body in a grassy area in DeKalb and setting both his truck and Petrakovitz's body on fire. Greenwell initially told police Petrakovitz took his truck, which couldn't be found. Greenwell has admitted to police he killed Petrakovitz and burned his body, but has claimed he acted in self-defense, Montgomery said.
The trial continues this afternoon.
Original Thursday article:
SYCAMORE – As the trial of a DeKalb man charged with murder continued Wednesday, a DeKalb Police detective identified a crowbar, burned denim and a bar of soap as items collected at the crime scenes.
Michael Greenwell, 29, is accused of killing Brent Petrakovitz, 44, in September 2009. Petrakovitz's body was found outside Greenwell's truck in a remote area north of Pleasant Street and west of Peace Road in DeKalb.
The truck and body were burned, and the DeKalb County Coroner's Office has said Petrakovitz died from head trauma. Greenwell pleaded not guilty in December 2010 to three counts of first-degree murder and one count of concealing a homicidal death.
On Wednesday at the DeKalb County Courthouse, DeKalb Police Det. Angel Reyes identified evidence police collected from the grassy area where Greenwell's truck and Petrakovitz's body were found Sept. 6, 2009.
Prosecutor Stephanie Klein with the DeKalb County State's Attorney's Office showed Reyes a crowbar that was found next to Petrakovitz's body. Klein also had Reyes identify a burned cellphone, keys on a key chain, a belt and remains of jeans found near Petrakovitz.
A red gasoline container and spout and a white herbicide container also were found at the scene.
Items found near the fire pit in the backyard of Walter and Yvette Zick's home on 13th Street – where Walter Zick testified he saw Greenwell beating and kicking Petrakovitz the night of Sept. 5, 2009 – included bits of sand saturated with blood, pieces of jeans, a jeans button and pieces of a zipper.
Zick, who also is charged with concealment of a homicidal death, testified Tuesday that Greenwell burned his clothes in the fire pit after killing Petrakovitz.
A green bar of soap was recovered near a hose outside the home, which Zick testified Greenwell used to clean blood off himself. Reyes also said he took two buccal swabs from Greenwell, which were sent to the Illinois State Police crime lab as a DNA sample.
Forensic scientists Cynthia Torrisi and Laurie Lee with the Illinois State Police crime lab in Rockford testified about the blood and DNA analysis they conducted on samples sent by DeKalb Police.
Torrisi, who retired in December, said a swab of a spot on Greenwell's right hand and dirt from the fire pit tested positive for blood.
Lee explained heat – such as that from a fire – can degrade DNA, breaking it into smaller pieces and making it harder for scientists to detect. The swab from Greenwell's hand showed DNA from Greenwell and another profile from which Petrakovitz cannot be excluded.
Unless a full DNA profile is obtained, she said, it can't be said for sure the DNA belongs to Petrakovitz.
At one point Sept. 5, 2009, Yvette Zick testified she and Petrakovitz's girlfriend drove to the Road Ranger on Sycamore Road in DeKalb to get cigarettes.
Upon their return, Greenwell was driving away in his truck and only Walter Zick was at the house, Yvette Zick said. When Greenwell came back to the house on foot, he was out of breath and had blood on his hands, she said.
She testified Greenwell said he dropped Petrakovitz off with the truck and went to a bar downtown. As for the blood on his hands, Greenwell said he hit a wall, Yvette Zick said.
When questioned by prosecutors, David Darby testified Greenwell never mentioned killing Petrakovitz or that Petrakovitz attacked him while Greenwell stayed at Darby's home the day after the incident. Darby, who said he was a friend of Petrakovitz and Greenwell, also saw no visible injuries on Greenwell.
During cross-examination by assistant public defender Charles Criswell, who represents Greenwell, Darby acknowledged he wasn't looking for injuries on Greenwell's body. Darby said he was mad at Petrakovitz at the time of his death.
Darby also testified that a container of herbicide was missing from his garage after the incident.
When the trial began Tuesday, prosecutor Phil Montgomery told the jury Greenwell beat Petrakovitz to death near the Zicks' fire pit before dumping his body in a grassy area in DeKalb and setting his truck and Petrakovitz's body on fire.
Public defender Regina Harris told jurors the case is not about who killed Petrakovitz, but why he died and whether Greenwell acted in self-defense.
The trial will continue today.