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Accused murderer Christoval Dimas was described this morning as "a very cold type of person" by the lead investigator in the Crystal Gayle Homister murder.
Tom Brindle, who was then a detective sergeant with the Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department and is still considered the lead investigator in the case, made the statement in a pretrial hearing on motions to exclude some evidence in the case.
Brindle, who is now director of the Central Dispatch Center, said a statement made to him during a car ride after a noncustodial interview was made when Dimas had "a very sober state that told me that this guy could turn in a heartbeat. ... I will never forget that look."
Dimas, 26, of Ligonier, is on trial in Kosciusko Circuit Court in connection with the death of Homister, 22, of Elkhart.
Homister's burned remains - a partial skeleton - were found in April 2000 in a wooded area off CR 1050N on the east side of Lake Wawasee. Homister was reported missing Jan. 7, 2000, by family members who were concerned with her disappearance. Her family reportedly suspected foul play from the beginning, and information released early in the investigation suggested Homister was to testify in an armed robbery trial about the time she disappeared, but that information was not confirmed by authorities. No motive for the crime was revealed during the ongoing investigation in the case.
In his opening statement, Kosciusko County Prosecutor Charles Waggoner described Dimas as "a talker" and said Dimas talked about Homister's murder before authorities knew she was dead. Waggoner said evidence to be presented during the five-day trial in Kosciusko Circuit Court "will be chilling to you."
Among the evidence collected at the scene is a milk jug believed to contain an accelerant authorites said was used to burn Homister's body where it was found.
Some of Homister's family members present for the trial gasped when Waggoner revealed that Homister was decapitated at some point during her murder and/or subsequent mutilation and burning of her body.
Dimas was indicted by a grand jury in September 2000 on charges of murder, assisting a criminal and abuse of a corpse. The charge for assisting a criminal was later dismissed and the jury will consider the two remaining charges against him.
Waggoner also said there was enough evidence left behind to show that Homister died from a blow to the head above the eye.
After Homister was murdered, her body was left in the elements, Waggoner said, and was moved around by dogs and coyotes before it was discovered.
Court-appointed defense attorney Michael Miner contends that Homister was last seen at a party with a Hispanic male named Raul and that Dimas was not seen at the same party. That was the last time Homister was seen alive.
While Miner admits that his client made "some strange and not helpful comments," he said the things Dimas said came after Homister's remains were found and the information was already reported by the media.
Homister was the mother of three children, including a son fathered by Dimas' brother, Jesses Dimas, authorities said.
Dimas is formerly of Warsaw, where he attended high school, and has also lived in Milford, Nappanee, Elkhart and Ligonier, officials said.
Judge Rex Reed previously denied a motion for Dimas' release until the trial took place after his then-attorney, R. Steven Hearn, made a motion for release based upon Criminal Rule 4, which states that a defendant is entitled to release if he is detained for more than six months without trial. Hearn later requested a previously set trial date be postponed and recently withdrew from the case at Dimas' request.
Testimony in the case was heard this morning from Homister's sister, Homeretta Faulkner, who was taking care of two of Homister's children at the time of her disappearance. Faulker said her sister was "a loving person" who "trusted everyone."
An investigator from Elkhart County was on the stand at the morning break. Testimony is expected to continue throughout afternoon today and again Tuesday morning.
