Posted on 04/21/2005 4:18:43 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
HOMOSASSA - Jessica Marie ``Jessie'' Lunsford spent the last hours of her life bound and buried alive in a partial kneeling position while she clutched one of her favorite dolls, a purple stuffed dolphin, prosecutors say in documents released Wednesday. When her body was found buried March 19 in a 4-foot- deep grave, the 9-year-old Citrus County girl was wrapped in two plastic trash bags that were knotted at her head and feet, the state attorney's office said in 292 pages of evidence - released to the defense Tuesday - that revealed the nature of her death.
The files include statements from investigators, the coroner's office and John Evander Couey, 46, the convicted sex offender who investigators say gave them a statement saying he raped and killed Jessie.
The documents released Wednesday say Jessie's wrists were bound with stereo wire and two of her fingers poked through the plastic, arguably an indication she tried to escape her makeshift tomb.
The documents also say she was kept alive for an unspecified period near the home she shared with her father, Mark, and grandparents, Archie and Ruth.
Authorities say Couey gave them information only her killer would know.
Jessie was buried 150 yards from her home, behind a trailer Couey shared with three other adults.
She was dressed in shorts and a tank-top shirt, different from the nightgown authorities and her family say she wore before she disappeared.
A coroner's report states she suffocated.
The documents say there was no other sign of trauma.
Assistant State Attorney Pete Magrino would not discuss the taped statements by Couey or other details of the case.
The recording ``will not be released to the public until the trial,'' Magrino said.
Couey is charged with first- degree murder, sexual battery on a child under 12, kidnapping, and burglary with battery.
Prosecutors say they will seek the death penalty if he is convicted on the murder charge.
Couey, despite his recorded statement to authorities, has pleaded not guilty.
His court-appointed attorney, Assistant Public Defender Dan Lewan, could not be reached for comment.
Investigators say Jessie's grave was partially concealed by a mound of leaves and debris that littered the back yard where she was buried. It is still not known whether she was buried before deputies, volunteers and search dogs combed the yard in the first days of their search.
Citrus County Sheriff Jeff Dawsy has said Couey's account of things was jumbled because he was in a drug haze at the time of the crimes. Evidence collected near the grave includes two glass crack-cocaine pipes and three pornographic magazines, according to investigators' statements.
Other sheriff's interviews suggest that Couey's three housemates used alcohol and drugs and may have harbored him from deputies seeking to arrest him on a misdemeanor violation of probation charge shortly after Jessie was reported missing.
Last month, his half sister, Dorothy Marie Dixon, 47; Madie Catherine Secord, 27; and Matthew Oley Dittrich, 31, were charged with misdemeanor obstruction, but prosecutors dropped the charges, saying Florida lacks a law making lying to deputies a crime in their case.
Meanwhile, investigators searching Couey's bedroom say they seized the sleeve from a Shirley Temple videotape, ``Curly Top,'' and several items of bedding or clothing that tested positive for blood or could contain blood samples. The file has no information about the source of the blood.
They unsuccessfully sought a pair of leather gloves authorities say Couey said he wore during the abduction.
On Feb. 23, the night she was last seen alive by her family, Jessie went to church. She was discovered missing by her father the next morning, a day she anticipated taking the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test, documents say.
A door of the family's mobile home was found unlocked.
Prosecutors say sometime during the night of Feb. 23 or early the next morning, Couey slipped into the Lunsford home and snatched the girl, leaving no signs of a struggle and without waking her grandparents, who were sleeping in another part of the house.
At the time, authorities say, he had not reported his move to Jessie's neighborhood. Registered sex offenders are required to report a change of address.
Couey was stopped on a probation violation March 12 in Savannah, Ga., but the warrant did not carry out-of-state arrest authority, so he was released. He was arrested on a revised warrant March 17.
The next day, after he underwent a polygraph test but before he knew the results, he made a statement of guilt, authorities say.
My thoughts, exactly! However, based on past observations, I would NOT bet the farm that there will not be someone who will [try] and make a case to keep this scuzzball from being executed.
I find it extremely troubling that legislation to deal harshly with these vile animals is being debated or stalled. There should be no question or debate!
Why don't they take that leg iron off Martha Stewart's ankle and make it available to guys like Couey?
Ditto. At that point, I would have nothing to lose.
This problem is becoming so widespread that I firmly believe that we should use the death penalty for anyone who rapes a child under the age of 12. The people who do this are never going to get better, and it can be counted on that they will almost always progress from child rape to child rape/murder at some point. Almost all of these pedophiles that kill have a previous record of child rape, and are back out on the streets after serving their sentence. I think it's high time we started doing something about the being back out on the streets part.
You shouldn't compare that repulsive mutoid to an animal. He is far lower than any animal. No animal is so cruel.
An absolute monster.
You're right! Calling these pieces of scum animals is way too polite and unworthy! They are piles of rotting crap! How's that for a description?
yes if only his death could give the child her life back
They look like something out of "Deliverance."
Evil must have the life taken from them.
The only term that accurately describes them is "subhuman." It appropriately objectifies them as something so vile they are appropriately deemed to be on a moral plane lower than rattlesnakes.
He deserves death by scaphism.
Horrifying - prayer for the family.
I don't know what that is. But if it's slow and painful, I agree.
I'm sure that during the trial we'll hear how the killer had a bad childhood, wasn't loved, used dope, never had a new bike, never had a puppy of his own, is retarded and really isn't that bad of a guy as long as you over look the raping , kidnapping and killing.
"yes if only his death could give the child her life back"
How about yes because it may potentially spare another child's life!
should not have clicked on this one -- horrifying.
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