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Goodwin murder trial focus shifts to fingerprints

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DECATUR - Authorities found double-murder suspect Anthony Goodwin's fingerprints on a plastic bag containing marijuana seized from his home days after the fatal shooting of Shalin Bond and Cortnee Ann Brown.

Bond and his girlfriend Brown, both 20, were shot to death March 27, 2003, near Lions Park in Decatur. Macon County State's Attorney Jack Ahola has said the motive for the slayings was to rob Bond of marijuana.

Goodwin, 18, says he was not part of a plot to rob or kill anyone. Monday was the third day of testimony in his trial in Macon County Court.

Prosecutors can't prove the marijuana police seized from Goodwin's home on March 31, 2003, was stolen from Bond. They plan to use the fingerprint evidence presented by Illinois State Police forensic scientist Bradley Lebar to build a circumstantial case against Goodwin.

Prosecutors allege Dezmin Woodland, 25, planned for Goodwin and Randy O. Clark, 19, to rob Bond.

Clark, who testified against Goodwin, was acquitted of murder charges in January. Goodwin's attorney, Joseph Vigneri, tried to shift attention to Clark's possible role in the crime when Clark took the stand last week. Clark denied shooting the two.

Woodland is awaiting trial on murder charges.

In other testimony Monday, Alisa Shaw, 18, testified that she saw Goodwin, Clark, Dezmin Woodland and Mikkos Woodland together at about 9 p.m. on the night of the shootings.

Mikkos Woodland, 19, is Dezmin Woodland's cousin and was the alleged driver for the robbery. He is cooperating with authorities and testified against Goodwin.

Shaw said the four men were in a truck that pulled up to the home of Roberta Pfeifer, who had been Goodwin's foster mother. Shaw talked to Dezmin Woodland and Clark went across the street to his home, she said. After about 15 minutes, the four left together, she said.

Under questioning from Vigneri, Shaw said she was sure of the date on which she saw the four because she learned Bond and Brown had been shot the next day. Clark and Goodwin told her about the shootings, she said.

Another woman at the Pfeifer house that night, Amy Oberheim, testified she saw four men, including Goodwin, come to the house. Her account differed somewhat from Shaw's.

Prosecutors could wrap up their case as soon as today. Vigneri expects his case will take about a half-day to present. He said it has not yet been decided whether Goodwin will testify.

Stephanie Potter can be reached at spotter@;herald-review.com or 421-7984.

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