Auburn detective, former police testify on Day 3 of Lori Slesinski’s murder trial
AUBURN, Ala. (WTVM) - We now know more about the investigation that occurred following the disappearance of Lori Slesinski in 2006.
Today multiple Auburn police officers testified to what they found in Slesinski’s home days after she was last seen.
Lee Hodge was an Auburn police officer in 2006. He found evidence on June 13 in Slesinski’s mobile home, the day she was reported missing.
Derrill Richard Ennis was charged for the murder back in 2006. Prosecutors claimed Ennis was infatuated with Slesinski and sent her love notes.
When Slesinski told him they were just friends, prosecutors argued things took a turn for the worst.
The first witness to take the stand today was Auburn Detective Terry White, who was shown evidence that was collected and transported as evidence.
“It is a bent wire coat hanger.”
Next, Hodge, a former Auburn Police officer, said he received a call on June 13 about Slesinski reported missing and was told to report to her mobile home at Ridge Wood on lot 288.
“The door looks like it could have been forced. The door looked kind of splintered,” explained Hodges.
Hodge said he noticed scuff marks on the walls, bedding shuffled, phone cord missing, kitchen rugs missing, and the temperature inside was turned to extremely cold. But two items stood out to him the most.
“Yes, ma’am, this is the trashcan top that was located inside the trailer in the officer slash storage room area,” confirmed Hodges.
“Is that the earring you collected?”
He replied, “Yes, ma’am”
“I am going to leave it in there. What is that?”
“That is a small gold loop earring,” Hodge answered.
“There seems to be something on it.”
“A piece of hair.”
That day officials sent out a ‘BOLO’ for Slesinski and her Blue Mazda Tribute.
The next day, her car was found burning in the cul-de-sac of DeKalb Street in Auburn, right behind the bowling alley where Ennis worked.
Hodge said he found a piece of evidence a few feet away from the car.
“I locate a hand-rolled cigarette, partially burned hand-rolled cigarette in this area here,” stated Hodges.
A forensic scientist was also on the stand today. He told the jury a blood sample taken from Slesinski’s door matched a DNA sample Ennis gave to police.
It also matched the semen from Slesinski’s bedsheets. Additionally, authorities discovered black fur-lined handcuffs and pants with light-colored hair fragments in Ennis’s vehicle.
Copyright 2022 WTVM. All rights reserved.
