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(NewsDakota.com) – The North Dakota State Forensic Examiner testified Monday morning that blunt force trauma to the head was the likely cause of death of 18-year-old Abdi Ali Ahmed.
22-year-old Janelle Cave and 34-year-old Leron Lee Howard are charged with murder and criminal conspiracy in the death of Ahmed, whose body was discovered in a ditch near Spiritwood on April 30, 2011. He was stabbed and suffered blunt force trauma to the head.
Cave is currently on trial in Stutsman County District Court. Howard goes on trial in August.
Doctor William Massello testified Monday that Ahmed had very significant brain injures to both the left and right side of the brain.
“That was a devastating injury to the brain,” he said, outlining extensive bruising to both sides of the brain. “The probability is it would not have been survivable.”
Ahmed also had two stab wounds to his body: a minor one about an inch deep, and a second that went into the abdominal cavity but did not pierce any major organs.
“The stab wound by itself may have been survivable by medical treatment,” Massello said, characterizing it as a “wound that has lethal potential if left untreated.”
Ahmed also had what Massello characterized as defensive wounds to the backs of his wrists and forearms. He said the deep cuts were consistent with someone trying to parry or fend off a stabbing attempt to their body. Ahmed also had a cut above his left knee and several abrasions on his chest, face and arms that Massello said likely occurred as the body was dragged over a rough surface.
Massello testified there were three likely possibilities for Ahmed’s head injuries: two separate impacts; an impact to one side of the head while the other side was fixed on a hard surface; or an impact to one side of the head which caused the victim to fall and strike the other side of their head on the ground or an object. He said death from that severe of a head injury would likely have occurred within two hours or less.
Massello testified he could not be sure which occurred first, the head injury or the stab wounds, but said it’s unlikely anyone with a head injury that bad would be conscious enough to try and defend themselves. Cave’s attorney David Ogren argued the defensive cuts could have occurred as the individual was unconscious or semi-conscious, if the arms were near the abdomen area.
Also Monday, forensic scientists from the North Dakota State Crime Lab in Bismarck testified through DNA evidence that Ahmed’s blood was found in Cave’s car and on a pair of shoes and a shirt that earlier individuals had testified belonged to Howard.
Court ended about two hours early Monday afternoon after a recess in the afternoon session to discuss a ruling by judge Thomas Merrick. The trial is scheduled to resume at 9 a.m. Tuesday.