GUILTY WI - Alexander Woodworth, 24, stabbed 16 times by Ezra McCandless, Eau Claire, Mar 2018

[TTF14]

Perhaps the reasoning behind her not providing the driver's license was due to identity issues. I wonder what name the license had, and what name she gave the police when they came? What a lying whack job... shades of Arias.

The commentators on CourtTV have said her testimony is totally "Ariaeseque"

It's like she's Jodi's disciple.

 

[TTF14]

Really hoping the prosecution is working on a powerpoint for his closing that will clearly show all of this.

They really need to wrap it up neatly because the cross-examination was an ineffective mess.

 

[TTF14]

I'm having a hard time with the way Alex is being bashed by the defense. I've followed a few trials and have never seen so much time and effort spent on demonizing the victim to this extent. Especially having his murderess read what he wrote. Hours spent twisting his words. It's disgusting. And I might add, he wasn't a bad man, save for the interpretations Ezra and her dirty defense are putting on his journals and musings. I'm surprised it is being allowed. And how sad for his family and friends. No evidence has been presented that he was mean or violent and certainly not a cannibal. This is just shameful.

Agree. I see most of what he wrote as immature self-serving drivel. But I'm not a philosopher so maybe I just don't get it. But I don't think it proves, at all, that he was a man of questionable character.

 

[TTF14]

Can someone clue me in about her upbringing? Was she adopted at birth? What's her family history in terms of parents/divorces/step parents? I'm a little lost on that.

 

[Wishbone]

Perhaps the reasoning behind her not providing the driver's license was due to identity issues. I wonder what name the license had, and what name she gave the police when they came? What a lying whack job... shades of Arias.

Her license had been revoked. She was driving without a valid license.

 

[kahluacream]

Agree. I see most of what he wrote as immature self-serving drivel. But I'm not a philosopher so maybe I just don't get it. But I don't think it proves, at all, that he was a man of questionable character.

When I was this age, I also kept a journal of all of my deepest and darkest thoughts. I came across it about 15 years later and, after reading it, I threw it away because I didn't want my children to ever set eyes on it. It was the sometimes morose, sometimes boastful meanderings of a very immature and self-centered young woman and I was quite surprised at how dishonest I was, even with myself. I was full of it and, frankly, I didn't like the woman who wrote it. What I put on paper bore no resemblance to who I was in real life. IMO, Alex was engaged in the same type of self-centered navel-gazing and I feel so badly that this snapshot of his life is serving to define who he was as a human being.

 

[Vail]

Most of your questions have no answer, lol. But I'll give you my take on some of them. I'm bored listening to this shrink make excuses for Ezra's murder of Alex.

so far it still isn't clear why

a. they were on that road
Answer
That's where she planned to murder Alex or dispose of him or?

b. she lied to LE about not knowing where her driver's license was
Answer
She lost her license because she didn't pay her tickets and didn't have a valid one.

c. why she was allowed to drive away if she didn't have it.
Answer
Cop let her go because he fell for her lie about why she couldn't find it.

d. how M was given the painting at the cafe according to jm but it was in the backseat when the car got stuck in the mud later.
Answer
I missed everything in regards to that painting. Thinking I need to try and find something more about it, might be important.

e. there wasn't copious blood in the backseat
Answer
True, lack of blood in both the front and back seat. We were never told how much blood was outside the car on the ground and if it was enough to account for his injuries. Sad that there has been no crime scene recreation. I wonder why not.

f. the crime scene doesn't match her story
Answer
For one, she lies and the crime scene she described is just another one of her lies. Still wondering why LE didn't try to recreate the crime scene. Who knows where or how Alex was murdered. Why is LE so silent on their interpretation.

g. there were three men's dna on her body or how it got there with the timeline we're working with.
Answer
The information on the 3 males dna found on the pubic swab is just plain confusing. Not many sources out there and what's there is very vague and unclear as to when these tests were done. "A low-level DNA mixture of at least three males was found on a pubic swab from McCandless, according to the report. A DNA profile consistent with Woodworth’s was also detected on a swab of McCandless’ right upper thigh. Scott’s opinions on the other males’ DNA are “irrelevant,” Nelson wrote in a March 1 court filing."
DNA, other evidence spurs court fight in Dunn County stabbing case

I agree with the above. I just wish the Prosecution did a better job of establishing these things!

Can someone clue me in about her upbringing? Was she adopted at birth? What's her family history in terms of parents/divorces/step parents? I'm a little lost on that.

In part of her testimony yesterday, EM spoke of how she went through a lot of identity issues and chose Ezra because it reminded her of the one really great vacation she took with her family when she was younger. As we could probably all have guessed, she named herself McCandless in honor of Christopher McCandless.

In discussing her home life, she said it was like living with two tornados in one room (her mom and stepdad JSK) EM claims JSK was verbally abusive through her life. He would tell her he'd 'give her something to cry about' if she cried. EM often disassociated to deal with him. As he is never mentioned, I don't think her bio dad is in the picture.

She was kicked n the head by a horse when she was younger. When she got into her car accident while dating Jason, she had said 'is the horse OK' when she woke up.
She also mentioned that she had a fight with her mom, who then kicked her out for not breaking up with Jason (she must have disapproved of the whole thing). This is in the weeks before the murder and why EM may have ended up spending a night (or two or three) at Alex's and then with the abusive stepdad (the parents were living apart at this time from what I understand, with JSK being closer to the campus)

 

[Jewels53]

10/29/19 WI v. McCandless: Defendant Cross Examination PT2 - Court TV

 

[Jewels53]

10/29/19 WI v. McCandless: Defendant Redirect & Recross - Court TV

 

[Jewels53]

10/29/19 WI v. McCandless: The Journal Strategy - Court TV

 

[Vail]

I’m honestly wondering if she is heavily medicated or if she is just that cunning to pull this off. I agree, I don’t understand why there aren’t more character witnesses for either side either (although I have missed some testimony, I’ll admit). It’s all about journals written by 20-somethings. I don’t put much stock in that personally, but that’s just MOO.

I was thinking about that when someone asked about her perfect skin - it is likely she has been prescribed some anti depressants (going by her doctor's testmony) which can clear up stress related acne and also lead to a stoic demeanor. I think the defense wanted her police recording to speak for itself - she was extremely upset.

 

[TTF14]

I was thinking about that when someone asked about her perfect skin - it is likely she has been prescribed some anti depressants (going by her doctor's testmony) which can clear up stress related acne and also lead to a stoic demeanor. I think the defense wanted her police recording to speak for itself - she was extremely upset.

But was she upset because she'd been attacked or because her murder plan was thwarted by her car getting stuck in the mud?

 

[Vail]

But was she upset because she'd been attacked or because her murder plan was thwarted by her car getting stuck in the mud?

I think the entire event was a catastrophe starting from that morning, clearly, and it culminated in her sobbing. I believe she can be cunning and sociopathic but also have PTSD (or have borderline traits as a result of abuse and being kicked in the head). I don't think he was trying to brutally rape or kill her, though. She is guilty and should get prison time, regardless unless there is some huge bombshell and we find out all this is a lie because Jason actually did it. It is a shame the prosecution is so terrible. I feel for Alex's family.

 

[SeesSeas]

Can someone clue me in about her upbringing? Was she adopted at birth? What's her family history in terms of parents/divorces/step parents? I'm a little lost on that.

In discussing her home life, she said it was like living with two tornados in one room (her mom and stepdad JSK) EM claims JSK was verbally abusive through her life. He would tell her he'd 'give her something to cry about' if she cried. EM often disassociated to deal with him. As he is never mentioned, I don't think her bio dad is in the picture.

She was kicked n the head by a horse when she was younger. When she got into her car accident while dating Jason, she had said 'is the horse OK' when she woke up.
She also mentioned that she had a fight with her mom, who then kicked her out for not breaking up with Jason (she must have disapproved of the whole thing). This is in the weeks before the murder and why EM may have ended up spending a night (or two or three) at Alex's and then with the abusive stepdad (the parents were living apart at this time from what I understand, with JSK being closer to the campus)

About her upbringing - I recall similar to what Vail has described.
In addition, I recall testimony that her mom was very young (age 15?) when she gave birth to Monica (nka Ezra). Mom married JKarlen, but I don't recall how old they were, other than 'young'. JKarlen then adopted Monica. Mom and stepdad divorced after about 7 years of marriage which was highly tumultuous.
The woman in the courtroom with JSK is his current partner and I think a commentator mentioned her as 'girlfriend'. I have heard mention that Ezra's mom is in the courtroom.

 

[TTF14]

About her upbringing - I recall similar to what Vail has described.
In addition, I recall testimony that her mom was very young (age 15?) when she gave birth to Monica (nka Ezra). Mom married JKarlen, but I don't recall how old they were, other than 'young'. JKarlen then adopted Monica. Mom and stepdad divorced after about 7 years of marriage which was highly tumultuous.
The woman in the courtroom with JSK is his current partner and I think a commentator mentioned her as 'girlfriend'. I have heard mention that Ezra's mom is in the courtroom.

OK thank you. I had heard "adopted" and thought her mom, who is in the courtroom looking very young, was her adoptive mom and that didn't make sense to me. This makes sense. Thanks!

 

[TTF14]

Sheesh, this witness gets $400/hr. including travel time. I need to become an expert in something STAT!

 

[TTF14]

This is the expert witness the defense will have on next. He is a trauma specialist.

https://www.jimhopper.com/about/

Can't imagine how much they paid for him.

 

[Adare11]

That’s the culture there, in my opinion. For her, it was “Fake it til you make it”, in a sense-at least as far as her art goes. (Also, along your lines, notice she says “seen” multiple times on various occasions instead of “saw”.) The “crowd” she surrounded herself with are artists of different kinds. Painters, (maybe) musicians, writers, etc. Eccentricity is normal, not an oddity, there. I’m very familiar with that “scene”, and area. What I think happened, not that it matters in any way, is that it was a build up of different variables. Wanting Jason is one, but, I think getting stuck in the snow, knowing she (Ezra) wasn’t suppose to even be driving, was the final straw. It’s hard to diagnose a pathological liar. She contradicts herself too many times to count. Ezra remembers details after she supposedly can’t remember in the same breath. It would take way too long for me to list them, but they’re extremely obvious. She remembers what’s convenient. What she thinks will help her. When she was on the stand, when she repeated the question in her answer, I think that was beyond telling. She had practiced her lies, yet she still wanted to give herself a minute by repeating the directs questions in almost every answer. I’ll save my other opinions for later, but I’m so thankful for Websleuths. No one in my life understands my interest for the missing, or crime in general. Thank you everyone for just being here; even if you wholeheartedly disagree with things I may say.

I also think these "experts" are only given a small portion of all the information available or are only told to test for certain things. I can't remember all the tests she was given but I was waiting for a BPD (Borderline Personality Disorder) diagnosis but I don't think that would fit their "narrative". So she probably wasn't tested for it. I feel like the defense dropped the ball.

 

[Wishbone]

If in fact Alex could have lived for 30 minutes after being stabbed 16 times, then there is the possibility he could have called for help and been saved if Ezra hadn't taken his cell phone and trashed it! In my eyes, that means she murdered him twice! If that doesn't show her intent to murder him then only a video of the murder would be more damning. IMO.

 

[Jewels53]

I wonder if the jurors are paying attention to this testimony. I am not!