DAY 4: Former detective takes stand in trial for 2006 murder of Auburn woman

OPELIKA, Ala. (WTVM) - Wednesday marks day 4 in the murder trial of Lori Slesinki.

The Auburn University graduate disappeared 15 years ago with nothing but her abandoned, burned car left behind.

Her body was never found, but Derrill Richard Ennis was arrested years later for her murder.

[CLICK HERE for a recap on former Auburn Police Officer’s testimony in court.]

As day 4 begins, the first witness at the stand is former Auburn detective Charles Buckner. On June 15, 2006, Buckner said he took a swab of blood from inside of Slesinki’s mobile home door as evidence. He says a Budweiser beer bottle was taken in as evidence found at the end of DeKalb Street - where Lori’s burned car was found.

Buckner also confirms a knife was found in Ennis’s vehicle in the middle console, and a pair of pants from the back seat. Buckner says he was in charge of a computer that tracked Ennis’s vehicle. He said a tracker was placed on his car to know his whereabouts.

Former Auburn Police officer Randy Armstrong searched on June 14, 2006, the defendant’s 1993 Dodge Intrepid that was sold to him by Slesinski. A day after Slesinski was reported missing.

Items found in the back seat include, two tiki torches, Clorox cleaning spray, flair bottles, shoe polish, two bottles of air fresheners, Febreze, growing formula, bathroom cleaner, PH test, a cloth and a cleaning brush.

Auburn police part time cold case detective Chris Murray says on June 17th, he went back to Slesnski’s mobile home and retrieved a stretched out coat hanger found on the bottom left side of her bed.

Stay with News Leader 9 as we continue to cover the trial.

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