During the second full day of testimony in the trial of Mark Bucki, jurors heard from prosecution witnesses including the doctor who performed the autopsy on Bucki’s wife, Anita; dog handlers whose canines worked the case; and criminal analysts for the Department of Criminal Investigation.
Dr. Michael Stier, who performed the autopsy of Anita Bucki, testified that she died from sharp force trauma to the chest. Stier said the autopsy showed she had been stabbed seven times in the chest, causing damage to her heart, both lungs and her liver. Forensic evidence suggests she was strangled to unconsciousness and then stabbed while she was lying on her back. The stab wounds were very neatly arranged, which would suggest she was not able to defend herself. There were also no definitive defensive wounds on her body, Stier noted.
Two cadaver dog handlers testified about the areas their dogs alerted on the Bucki property, which included a truck, burn barrel, ATV, an area of disturbed ground behind the residence and a room in the house where a section of carpet had been removed. Only one of the dogs alerted on the truck, however. The dogs are trained to alert on the odor of human remains.
During cross examination, defense attorney Jessica Schuster pointed out that the cadaver dog evidence doesn’t give a clear picture of how long ago the human remains were present, or how they got there.
Also, two bloodhound handlers who used their dogs at the scene where Anita’s body was found testified. Both handlers said their dogs picked up Mark Bucki’s scent, taken from a pair of his shoes, at the scene on Cty. C in Taylor County where Anita’s body was found.
Criminal analysts also testified regarding cell phone records and information taken from computer hard drives.
Mark Bucki, 50, is charged with homicide, hiding a corpse and strangulation/suffocation in the April 2013 death of his wife. Testimony will continue Thursday. The trial is scheduled to run through the end of next week.