Opinion ID: 1233834
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Stark's Testimony.

Text: Stark testified that he was working on his retaining wall on August 24, 2002, from 10 a.m. until 2:30 or 3 p.m. He then went inside, took his clothes off at the bottom of the stairs in the basement to avoid tracking dirt through the house, and went upstairs to clean up. Stark left his house at 3 or 3:15 p.m. in his flatbed pickup, to power wash in Valley, Nebraska. Stark testified that he power washed until 1:30 a.m. on the morning of August 25, 2002. When he returned to his house after work, Stark testified that his vehicle was backed up to his garage door. Stark went inside to let his dogs out and sat down in the backyard with a beer and smoked marijuana. McNeill came from the south side of Stark's house to the backyard and joined Stark for a beer and some marijuana. Stark testified that McNeill wanted to play pool, so the two men proceeded to the basement. Stark explained that when he went downstairs, he saw a blue tarpaulin at the bottom of the stairs containing what appeared to be a body. When Stark inquired about it, McNeill stated that he fucked up and that this is [Fortune]. Stark responded that they had to get rid of the body, worrying that the police would suspect him, since he had had an affair with Fortune and the murder took place at his house. Stark testified that he helped McNeill carry Fortune's body to the garage and load it into the vehicle. The two men drove out toward Fort Calhoun, Nebraska, where they dumped Fortune's body on the side of the road. Stark stopped at a carwash to clean the vehicle, went home, and fell asleep on the couch after showering. Stark testified that McNeill cleaned the basement.