Front Page  »  

Dystiny Myers murder testimony begins in prelim hearing

December 4, 2012

Dystiny Myers

Firefighters who responded to the burned body of Dystiny Myers testified Monday about statements made by one of the defendents during a preliminary hearing on the murder of the 15-year-old Santa Maria girl. [Tribune]

The trial, rescheduled to begin February 4, will consist of five defendants and two juries, one of which will hear the death penalty case of Ty Michael Hill.

Hill’s attorneys objected to evidence brought forth about statements made by Cody Lane Miller after the killing of Myers on September 26, 2010, so they summoned the firefighters who encountered Miller while responding to a grass fire.

Cal Fire Captain Emma Lauritson said an agitated Miller approached them with his face covered in blood.

“He said he’d been hiding in the bushes and he didn’t want to die and he needed help,” Lauritson said. “And that’s why he came to us.”

Miller seemed to be saying “insane gibberish,” seasonal firefighter Marshall Goodwin testified. But then he began to discuss the murder.

“He said that they had murdered a little girl and that’s what the fire was, and that they had forced him to carry the body,” said seasonal firefighter Ernie Landeros. “

Stephanie Dininni, of Cal Fire, said Miller told the firefighters that group that killed Myers had charged him with silencing her and that he had put a sock in her mouth.

The firefighters also testified that Miller said he carried Myers’ body in a black duffel bag while she was still breathing, then “chickened out,” causing the others to beat him with a shovel. Afterward, Miller ran away and hid.

First responders testified that they tried to get Miller to lie flat to treat him, but he said he couldn’t because Hill had raped him.

According to court documents previously filed, the remainder of the group intended to kill Miller and bury him in the same pit as Myer.

Hill’s attorneys contend that Miller did not make credible statements to the firefighters and that he did not speak to them in a spontaneous manner.

Defense attorney Bill McLennan asked the emergency personnel if they questioned Miller about the murder. Dininni said they did in order to determine if Myers was still alive.

Additionally, Deputy District Attorney Tim Covello confirmed in court Monday that Nipomo resident and defendant, Jason Adam Greenwell, will enter a plea in exchange for his testimony.


Loading...
Subjects:                     
Related:


14 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

I can imagine this is how Hills attorneys will react.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dx32b5igLwA


0

This could have been the most perfect unsolved crime, no direct witness, no body (chemical and fire disintegrated)


0

“the remainder of the group intended to kill Miller and bury him in the same pit as Myer”


One team killing another team until no more witnesses-wow-like special op or black op-real pros.


0

“One team killing another team until no more witnesses-wow-like special op or black op-real pros.”


Except these weren’t highly trained military OPs specialists, these were hopped up tweeker perps who could have done any sicko crime their drug induced minds thought up…


Regardless of any help lawyers or compassionate minded simpletons project for these animals,or any possible sentence they “might” receive, one thing is very clear and truly sad: a young woman was killed and tortured, then set on fire… No punishment will ever bring her back…


0

Won’t putting them away forever cost the taxpayers a large fortune?


I support the death penalty for what I think are some pretty good reasons.


Just kill ’em (all 5 of them) and feed their remains to the big cats at the zoo. Save society from further risk and save taxpayers the expense of incarcerating this bunch.


0

Its costs far more to execute a criminal than it does to lock them away forever without the possibility of parole. Death penalty cases receive special housing and special appeals and attorneys. Their appeals process alone can last up to 15 years. It costs at least 3 times more to execute someone than it does to throw away the key.


0

Good point Cindy – If it were up to me, it wouldn’t that difficult, time consuming, or expensive. If I’m going to dream, at least let me dream big.


0

Errr…. it wouldn’t BE that difficult, etc. Sheesh.


0

Destiny was beatened and choked to incapacitation or near to death and hog tied to later be melted or disolved in chemical lye but there was not enough of the chemical so fire was used to finish until interruped by the fire department.


It is hard for me too to swallow that the cost of a murder trial can differ largely based on the sentencing option of death row or life w/o parole.


0

150 years ago they would have not made it past the nearst oak tree.


0

Until the Ben Cartwright and Sons show up and spoil your fun.


0

I sincerely believe that the laws need to be revised regarding the death penalty. People involved in this case are animals, not humans, there is no question about their guilty – maybe about who may have actually done what , but they were all involved in this disguesting act – they deserve nothing more that a trial, a verdict and the penalty administered as issue by the court. NOTHING SHOULD DELAY THE SENTENCING. PERIOD! Waste no government money on this. As DNA, and new technology is developed, these cases found guilty need to be resolved promptly. An example of process: How about a trial, two appeals within 2 years and then carry out the sentence. It is the damn attorneys making a living and reputation for themselves that creates this problem. If the State paid them $200 an hour, $50,000 maxiumum cost, this would all be solved. Where is simplicity in this mess!


0

These types of predators know they will serve little time and no death penalty. The are less than animals, animals kill for food, these creeps killed for the fun of it…

I for one would love to see a swift justice, like a public hanging on the courthouse steps right after the trial…


0

Absolutely the worst of humanity. Put them all away forever.


0