Opinion ID: 2222135
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: discovery and investigation of crime

Text: On the morning of April 29, 2000, two men found the body of a young woman, later identified as Amy Stahlecker, on the bank of the Elkhorn River near the intersection of West Maple Road and Highway 275 in Douglas County, Nebraska. Stahlecker's body had multiple gunshot wounds, including a shot to the back of the head that exited through the face and two shots to the face that exited through the back of the head. The men notified law enforcement officers of their discovery, and the Nebraska State Patrol began an investigation of the crime. The body was found at a point along the river where the river was spanned by a bridge that was part of West Maple Road. At and near the bridge, West Maple Road was a four-lane concrete road with two eastbound and two westbound lanes separated by a concrete median. Investigators found a large blood smear and a trail of blood drops on the bridge, the median, and the eastbound lanes of West Maple Road. The trail of blood drops led from the median to the north side of the bridge directly above where the body was found. Blood from the stain was later tested, and the DNA was consistent with that of Stahlecker. On the median, investigators found bullet and scalp fragments and a bracelet that had been worn by Stahlecker. A white Ford Explorer with a blown tire was found along Highway 275 near an intersection with West Maple Road and near the location where Stahlecker's body was found. It was later discovered that the Explorer was owned by Stahlecker's friend, Angella Dowling. On Friday evening, April 28, 2000, Stahlecker left her mother's home in Fremont, Nebraska, and went to her cousin's home in Arlington, Nebraska. Stahlecker and her cousin then joined Dowling, and the three drove in the Explorer to Omaha for dinner. After dinner, they met other friends at a bar in Omaha and stayed there until about 1 a.m. on April 29. Stahlecker's cousin and Dowling decided to stay in Omaha with their respective boyfriends, and it was determined that Stahlecker would drive the Explorer to Fremont for the night and then return to Omaha the next morning to pick up the other two women. Although Stahlecker's subsequent route is unknown, she was apparently heading west on Highway 275 toward Fremont when the Explorer blew a tire near the spot where the Explorer was found that same morning. An autopsy on Stahlecker's body revealed various abrasions and contusions in addition to the gunshot wounds to the head and face. Bruises were found on both forearms and on some fingers of the left hand. Contusions and abrasions were found on both legs, and there was a gunshot wound to the hip. The forensic pathologist who testified at trial opined that bruises on the right knuckles could have been defensive injuries sustained while Stahlecker was still alive. The pathologist also opined that the gunshot wound to the back of the head which exited through the face was the fatal wound and was a distant shot that was not fired at close range. The two shots to the face were fired at an intermediate range within 2 feet of the face. In the pathologist's opinion, the two shots to the face were not the fatal shots and were the result of very rapid gun discharge or were fired at a time when Stahlecker was unconscious. The autopsy revealed that Stahlecker had a blood alcohol content of .156 when she died. The autopsy also revealed semen in the vaginal area, indicating intercourse shortly before death; however, the autopsy showed no evidence of vaginal or anal tears or bruising. Investigators had no suspect in the killing until May 2, 2000, when a Washington County deputy sheriff was contacted by Michael Hornbacher through a mutual friend. The deputy was acquainted with Hornbacher as well as Cook, a friend of Hornbacher and the defendant in this case. Hornbacher told the deputy that Cook had confessed to killing Stahlecker. The deputy interviewed Hornbacher at his office in Omaha, and Hornbacher later went to the Nebraska State Patrol offices where he gave investigators oral and written statements. Based on the information provided by Hornbacher, investigators went to the Norwest Financial branch office in Council Bluffs, Iowa, where Cook worked. The investigators did not formally arrest Cook but told him he needed to come with them to the State Patrol offices in Omaha to be interviewed regarding the Stahlecker investigation. Investigators transported Cook to Omaha and did not allow him to drive his own vehicle, a Ford F-150 pickup truck. Officers took Cook's truck to the State Patrol offices while Cook was being interviewed. They later returned the truck to Council Bluffs, obtained a search warrant, and brought the truck back to Nebraska State Patrol headquarters in Omaha, where the truck was searched. The search revealed blood traces on the interior of the driver's side door and floormat. Later DNA tests showed that the blood traces were consistent with Stahlecker's blood. Clothing fibers found on the passenger-side seat were consistent with the fabric of underwear worn by Stahlecker. During the interview, investigators photographed Cook's face and body. Cook's hands and forearms showed substantial scrapes and cuts. Cook's supervisor at Norwest Financial later testified that she had noticed the injuries to Cook's arms and hands on Monday, May 1, 2000, and that he had told her he was injured after falling off his bicycle over the weekend.