Prosecutors in the murder trial of Donol Clark for the 2012 killing of Gena Chiodo concluded their case Wednesday after seven days of testimony spread out over two months.
Illinois State Police Master Sgt. Peter Watson, who was as a crime scene investigator, testified he catalogued evidence at Clark and Chiodo’s Calumet City home following Chiodo’s disappearance in October of 2012.
Watson said there were apparent bloodstains found throughout the house and on multiple items. Later DNA testing found most of the blood matched Chiodo.
“There was red blood-like stains on the baseboards, and smears on the walls,” Watson said.
One area of the house mentioned frequently in testimony is the downstairs bathroom, which officers testified appeared to have been recently cleaned.
“It looked clean on first observing it,” Watson said.
Watson used a chemical that reacts with traces of blood, creating a bluish-purple color on the floor and counter of the bathroom.
Photos showed large, blue stains on the counter and floor, indicating blood had been cleaned from those areas.
Watson said the same technique detected blood residue on the back door of the house and the keypad to open the garage door. He also said he found signs of blood in the trunk of Clark’s car.
Forensic analyst Kelly Krajnik testified Tuesday that those blood samples collected from the trunk also matched Chiodo.
Both the prosecution and defense questioned Watson about pieces of a broken mirror which were photographed in an upstairs room of the house. Watson testified the broken pieces of mirror did not appear to have blood on them, and were not taken into evidence.
Chiodo was reported missing
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in October 2012 after failing to show up for work. Officers dispatched for a well-being check found apparent bloodstains throughout the home, including in the bedroom, living room and hallwayChiodo’s body was found in a wooded area in Lowell, Indiana, more than a month after her disappearance. By then, Clark was charged with murder.
Prosecutors previously presented photos of Chiodo’s badly decomposed body. The body was found naked and wrapped in a white blanket, and had apparently been damaged by animals.
Previous testimony in the trial including playing recordings of a phone call Clark made from the Calumet City Police Department, asked his brother for help getting a lawyer.
“I woke up with her covered in blood,” Clark said in one of the calls.
Prosecutor Cheryl Galvin said the prosecution would officially rest its case on the next court date.
The defense is set to present its case beginning at 10 a.m. on June 10 at the Markham courthouse. Cook County Judge Carl Boyd will issue the verdict in the bench trial.