ASHLAND – The medical examiner who conducted autopsies on the bodies of Elizabeth Griffith and Stacey Stanley testified in court Tuesday about his findings.
Dr. Todd Barr, a pathologist in the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s office when he conducted the autopsies for Ashland County, identified the cause of death for both victims as asphyxiation caused by cervical compression.
Barr said the women’s carotid arteries and jugular veins revealed that the pressure applied to the victims’ necks had come from the sides. This indicates strangulation had been caused by a “sleeper grip” or by a binding around their necks.
Last Friday, the prosecution in the capital murder case against Shawn Grate showed the jury video of the defendant demonstrating his method on Ashland Police Detective Brian Evans. The video showed Grate using what Barr described as a sleeper grip.
After completing the autopsies, Barr watched the video. He testified that what he saw in the video was consistent with his autopsy findings.
Barr also testified about the appearance and state of dress of the women’s bodies. He said it was immediately obvious when he saw Griffith’s body that foul play was likely.
“A person doesn’t die in this state naturally,” he said.
Griffith was not clothed but had clothing tied around her extremities, tying her hands and ankles behind her back. One of the bindings on her ankle was also attached to her neck.
Stanley was clothed and had a white scarf tied around her neck.
Both bodies showed blanching, or whitening of the skin caused by lack of blood flow, underneath the bindings. Barr testified this indicated the bindings were present either at or shortly after the time of death.
Griffith’s body was in a state of advanced decomposition and was identified using dental records. Stanley’s body was also partially decomposed but could be identified by next of kin and by fingerprints.
The jury viewed several autopsy photos, which depicted the bindings and the blanching as well as a state of decomposition.
Barr testified that it would be difficult, if not impossible, to find any signs of sexual violence or DNA evidence indicating sexual activity. He collected a rape kit anyway.
Among the eight other witnesses to testify Tuesday was Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation forensic scientist Christine Hammett.
Hammett said she visually investigated several pieces of evidence, including samples from the rape kits and homemade sexual devices found in 363 Covert Court. That’s where the defendant, the surviving victim and both bodies were found.
She identified semen and a red-brown stain in a sample from Jane Doe, the surviving victim of alleged kidnapping and rape. She also found blood on one of the sexual devices.
Hammett swabbed the evidence to collect samples for DNA testing, but she did not conduct the DNA testing herself. Another scientist who conducted the testing is expected to testify later in the trial.
At the conclusion of court proceedings Tuesday, the prosecution had just two witnesses remaining.
Judge Ron Forsthoefel told the jury to arrive at 10:30 Wednesday rather than at the normal 9 a.m. start time. He indicated he and the attorneys on both sides would meet to iron out some issues prior to the jury’s arrival.
The defense has requested additional funding to hire Mindset Consulting Group of Albuquerque, New Mexico to conduct what neuropsychologist Dr. John Fabian called “space age” testing and analysis to compare Grate’s brain scan to a group of control subjects.
Because The Ohio State University will not permit the consultant to use the same machine where Grate had his original MRI, the defense is requesting a new MRI of Grate to be done at Cleveland Clinic.
The total cost for the tests and the consultant is approximately $24,000.
