WILMINGTON, Ohio -- New evidence linking Vincent Doan, Carrie Culberson and Tracey Baker will be presented in Clinton County Common Pleas Court this week, the prosecutor said Wednesday.
Experts will testify two strands of hair matching Ms. Culberson's were found in the trunk of Mr. Baker's auto, Clinton County Prosecutor William Peelle said in his opening statement in Mr. Baker's trial. Mr. Baker is accused of helping his half-brother, Mr. Doan, cover up the death of the Blanchester woman in August 1996. Ms. Culberson's body never has been found.
Mr. Baker is charged with two counts of obstructing justice, one count each of tampering with evidence and gross abuse of a corpse.
The crime lab able to match the strands of hair to clumps of hair Ms. Culberson's mother, Debra, saved in a bag two years ago after her daughter had been beaten.
Ms. Culberson "was pulling handfuls of hair out," her younger sister, Christina Culberson, testified about her then-bruised sister.
During his opening statement, defense attorney Scott J. Frederick said even after the extensive investigation, there wasn't a lot of evidence.
Mr. Baker "could not have been around" the night Ms. Culberson disappeared, Mr. Frederick said.
