Casey Anthony Latest News: Investigator Smelled Human Decomposition in Car
A crime scene investigator who searched Casey Anthony's car on July 17, 2008, two days after Caylee Anthony was reported missing, testified in the trial Friday that he smelled human decomposition when he opened the door to the car.
"Professionally speaking, my opinion was that it was the smell of human decomposition," said Crime Scene Investigator Geraldo Bloise, who said he has seen dozens of dead bodies over his 23 year-experience in the U.S. and Puerto Rico.
Bloise is the latest witness to say they smelled a foul order from Casey Anthony's Pontiac Sunfire.
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Casey's father, George Anthony, and the tow yard manager had testified earlier in the trial that they smelled human decomposition from the trunk of the car on July 15, 2008. When Cindy Anthony, Casey’s mother, called a 911 dispatcher to report Caylee missing that same day, she said the car smelled "like there's been a dead body" inside. Lee Anthony, Casey's brother, also told the court he smelled an "offensive" smell coming from his sister's car when he visited the Anthony home on July 15, 2008.
Casey Anthony is being accused of murdering her 2-year-old daughter Caylee. If convicted, the 25-year-old Florida mom could face the death penalty.
For the first time in the murder trial, jurors were shown pieces of physical evidence on Friday.
Bloise identified several pieces of physical evidence removed from the car, including hairs and the interior lining of the trunk. Prosecutor Linda Drane-Burdick had them marked for the record.
Bloise also testified that spraying the trunk liner with a chemical called Blue Star came up negative for the presence of blood. He noted that the test only checks for the presence of blood and not other fluids.
The state plans to call an FBI expert who is expected to testify that the hair came from a decomposing body.
An air analysis expert is also expected to testify later in the trial that the air analysis of a piece of the trunk liner was consistent with human decomposition.
The defense claims that Casey Anthony did not kill her daughter but that Caylee accidentally drowned in the family swimming pool on June 16, 2008, and that Casey’s father sexually abused Casey and helped cover up Caylee's death.
Prosecutors claim that Casey Anthony used chloroform to knock out Caylee and put duct tape over her nose and mouth, thereby suffocating the toddler.
Testimony will continue Saturday morning at 9 a.m.
