Opinion ID: 889130
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Immediate Aftermath

Text: ¶ 20 Randy arrived home at about 5:10 p.m. and saw Amy's car. He discovered Amy's body and called 911. Officer Hagen of the Helena Police Department arrived at the Vook's residence at about 5:30 p.m. Amy's pants were down below her waist. Blood was on her face and shirt. Paramedics arrived and confirmed that Amy was dead. The contents of Amy's and her children's bedrooms were scattered on the floors of those rooms. The police found Amy's body partially stuffed in a sleeping bag. A comforter beneath Amy smelled of urine. Red staining and fecal material covered the comforter. A white Ecko t-shirt lay underneath the comforter. The t-shirt was soaking wet and did not smell of urine. ¶ 21 John Foster (Foster) picked up his girlfriend, Jennifer Casman (Casman), from work at about 5:30 p.m. Casman dropped Foster at home and went to her mother's house to pick up her children. Someone knocked on the back door while Foster waited for Casman to return. Foster opened the door to find Giddings standing on the porch. Giddings was wet and he wore no socks or shoes. Giddings was nervous, jittery, and high. ¶ 22 Foster allowed Giddings to enter the house. Giddings told Foster that Mike Mix just killed his girlfriend. Giddings was panicky. He told Foster that he could not see how someone could be thrashed around and beaten like that. Giddings described a strong odor of feces. Giddings claimed that he had seen blood vessels popped out on Amy's lips when Mix killed Amy. Giddings told Foster that Amy was under some towels and things in the laundry room. Giddings called Donald Duff (Duff) at 5:50 p.m. to ask for a ride. Duff's girlfriend did not like Giddings, so Duff declined. ¶ 23 Foster called Casman at 5:56 p.m. and told her to hurry home because he wanted to get [Giddings] out of there. Foster told Casman to have the kids immediately go to their rooms when they arrived. Foster loaned Giddings a shirt and a pair of shorts. Giddings took off his clothes, including his Sponge Bob boxers, in the kitchen. Giddings was in a hurry. He cried off and on. Giddings asked for a plastic bag. He said he had some things to put in the plastic bag. Giddings went outside and then returned looking for the Sponge Bob boxers. ¶ 24 After Casman arrived, Giddings placed a full plastic bag and some cardboard boxes in the trunk of Casman's and Foster's car. The group departed for Duff's trailer with Casman driving. Giddings sat in the backseat. He rocked back and forth and cried intermittently. Casman and Foster noticed a gas or turpentine smell coming from the trunk of the car. ¶ 25 Casman drove Giddings to Duff's trailer. When they arrived, Foster quickly got out of the car and opened the trunk. Giddings asked Foster for a ride to the mountains so that he could burn the contents of the trunk. Foster refused. Giddings began unloading the trunk. He tried to hand Foster a carpenter's level. Foster refused to touch the level because he sensed something was bad. Giddings tearfully gave Foster a hug and asked him not to tell anyone about any of it until it came out on the news. ¶ 26 Giddings walked towards Duff's door. He carried the plastic bag, the box, and the level. Duff told Giddings you're not bringing that in here. Giddings wore cutoffs and a t-shirt. He wore no shoes or socks and was highly agitated. ¶ 27 Duff asked Giddings what's going on? Giddings responded It isn't good. It isn't good. Giddings put his head down and cried. Giddings provided Duff with the following account. Mix had called Giddings to ask for help. Giddings claimed that when he arrived at the Vook's house Mix was unable to talk. Giddings heard gurgling from under the sheets. He pulled the sheets back and saw Amy lying on her back with blood all over her face and mouth. Giddings got scared and grabbed a rag and cleaner and sprayed down everything that he had touched. He fled. ¶ 28 Casman and Foster drove from Duff's trailer to the police station to report what had happened. They arrived at the police department at 6:35 p.m. Detective Ekola searched their car. He smelled a strong odor of a flammable material, such as gasoline. Several police officers drove to Duff's trailer.