At Fisk murder trial, CSIs take stand

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - The scene where the bodies of Norma and Robert Bean were found in a gravel pit was described in graphic detail Monday as the trial of their accused murderer entered its second week.

The Beans were kidnapped from their Howard City home and murdered in a gravel pit in October 2008. Robert Fisk is accused of taking part in the robbery, kidnapping and murder. Another man, Tim Stephan, has already been sentenced for the crime.

Monday's early testimony centered around the evidence crime scene investigators found. Norma Bean was found on her back, while Robert Bean was face down. DNA of "fleshy material" was found on a hunter's orange sweat shirt and on a camouflage jacket, though the prosecutor has not identified who owned that sweatshirt.

The Kent County Sheriff's Department found gun powder residue on Fisk's hands after he was arrested. However, the residue was collected but never tested because of several factors, a crime scene technician testified.

Defense attorney Damian Nunzio wanted to know why residue is collected in the first place.

"If you don't collect it, there's no question later on," said Louis Hunt of the sheriff's department crime scene unit. "But if there was opportunity, potentially based on the details, it doesn't exist any more. So we collect a lot of things on cases that we may never use. They might just not be probative on the case."

Ann Hunt, a DNA lab tech from the Michigan State Police, took the stand. She testified DNA found on Fisk's sweatshirt, camouflage jacket, camouflage mask, white mask and a stain on his jeans matched Norma Bean's DNA.

Investigators collected bank records and found someone tried 11 times to use Norma and Robert Bean's ATM card on Oct. 6, 2008. The surveillance camera at the Sand Lake branch camera didn't work, and the photo quality at the Howard City bank branch was poor quality.

The day began with one witness re-taking the stand to deliver testimony because the court stenographer's recording device failed last week. It should have no effect on the trial, according to court sources.

Testimony wrapped up for the day around 1 p.m. and will resume Tuesday morning.

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