AR - Dexter Williams, 24, found dead in hot tub with TV weatherman, 5 Sept 2011

[HastingsChi]

BBM

I have a feeling that in some parts of Arkansas that gay men can be charged with serious crimes for just being gay and convicted on slight evidence. JMO

A needle mark should have been noted on the autopsy report. However, after finding out who did the autopsy it wouldn't surprise me if it were missed. JMO

Steely Dan: Is the autopsy public? Is there a way we might get a copy of it

 

[HastingsChi]

Everybody has been more than decent about not invoking stereotypes in this case, and I very much thank everyone for that.

But I would like to point out (and I think HastingsChi will second my point here) that it is a minority of gay men who do anything more than brief experimentation with extreme sexual behaviors and/or hard-core drugs.

Most of us are just as boring in bed as lots of straight people and just as likely to reach for a Bud Lite rather than a pipeful of crystal meth.

I absolutely agree with you Nova about how refreshing it is to read this continued dialogue absent of stereotypes from folks who, I imagine, span the spectrum in diversity of age, race, religion, gender, sexual identity and global locale.

I would also agree that statistically the percentage of those in the GLBT community whose social behaviors include hard-core drugs and/or extreme sexual interests would be very similar/equivalent to the percentage of people who identity as heterosexual. I'd add that the Internet has made it much easier for any human to access, explore and discuss such things.

I wouldn't agree with your statement about being boring in bed: Being relatively young and single, I would never admit to that statement (although its likely true LOL)...

 

[wfgodot]

Personally speaking, if I had a dead body in my tub, I'd be a bit of a Nervous Nellie, myself.

snip

Still laughing. Almost caused me to spill my tea. Exactly.

 

[tezi]

snip

Still laughing. Almost caused me to spill my tea. Exactly.

Well, I did my job then, I made someone laugh!

Seriously, if I had a dead body in my bath tub, I'd be more than a Nervous Nellie, I'd be acting like I was on meth trying to figure out how the heck the body got there, if I didn't know.....

 

[wfgodot]

"Clear the tub of stragglers before passing out" ought to be one of those Rules for Party Hosts.

 

[tezi]

"Clear the tub of stragglers before passing out" ought to be one of those Rules for Party Hosts.

OK, now you owe me a keyboard and a monitor!:floorlaugh::floorlaugh::floorlaugh:

 

[Joe Friday]

JoeFriday: the tub was actually empty.

Depending on how well the tub drain sealed, the tub could have emptied slowly while the two were sleeping in it.


The tub could have had enough water in it to drown Dexter earlier in the evening and the water level could have been significantly lower when he was found.

JMO

 

[Joe Friday]

RSBM: I think this very well could have been the case HastingsChi. Personally speaking, if I had a dead body in my tub, I'd be a bit of a Nervous Nellie, myself.

Regarding the house, I think the crime probably did occur in the living room, just because of the cleanliness. Two people on meth can clean like no tomorrow.....

Not to make anyone uncomfortable but I had assumed that the ring of blood was found in the tub might be due to some sort of anal tearing. I never considered that it was blood that was in the tub when full and wound up there when the tub drained.

BBM

Any anal hemorrhaging would have been noted in the autopsy report I would think, but it certainly is a possibility of where the blood came from. I still think the blood is from a nose bleed due to the drugs being snorted.

Dead bodies don't bleed (unless they have a large wound and gravity lets the blood flow out) so for the blood to be in the tub that would indicate Dexter was there when he was alive. That sort of eliminates the theory that the crime scene was in the living room and he was moved to the tub. Postmortem lividity would have showed if the body was repositioned from the living room to the the tub as well if he was dead in the living room for any amount of time. Unless they could have moved Dexter's body and placed it in the tub, in the exact same position as he was found when he died in the living room or if they placed the body in the tub immediately after he died if he died in the living room. But again if he was dead before being placed in the tub it would be unlikely to have a ring of blood in the tub as well since dead bodies don't bleed.

The height of the ring of blood in the tub would also indicate the depth of the water at the time when Dexter bled. If the blood ring was higher on the tub than the water line when LE arrived that would show some of the water leaked (from leaky drain seal) or was drained out of the tub. LE would need to take into consideration the displacement of the water from BC's body not being in the tub also when they arrived. I suppose if no one said they drained the tub if asked, LE could do a test to see how long it takes for the water to drain naturally from the blood line level to the level of water (if there was any) when they arrived to determine how much time had passed from the time Dexter bled until LE arrived. Just to note the water displacement of both men would need to be taken into consideration if a test was to be preformed. The ME could than compare the time it took for the water to drain compared to the degree of lividity to see if the timeline that was presented by Barbour & Cummins matches up with the physical evidence to determine if they were lying.



Also as far as if the body was move from the living room to the tub. Why would someone make up such a crazy story saying the two were found naked sleeping in the tub together, why not just say they found Dexter dead in the tub alone? BC would have to know what it would do to his reputation being found naked in a tub with a dead person wearing a dog collar around their neck.

JMO

 

[websurfer]

It may have a lot of FANTASY FORENSICS?:great:

 

[websurfer]

BBM

Any anal hemorrhaging would have been noted in the autopsy report I would think, but it certainly is a possibility of where the blood came from. I still think the blood is from a nose bleed due to the drugs being snorted.

Dead bodies don't bleed (unless they have a large wound and gravity lets the blood flow out) so for the blood to be in the tub that would indicate Dexter was there when he was alive. That sort of eliminates the theory that the crime scene was in the living room and he was moved to the tub. Postmortem lividity would have showed if the body was repositioned from the living room to the the tub as well if he was dead in the living room for any amount of time. Unless they could have moved Dexter's body and placed it in the tub, in the exact same position as he was found when he died in the living room or if they placed the body in the tub immediately after he died if he died in the living room. But again if he was dead before being placed in the tub it would be unlikely to have a ring of blood in the tub as well since dead bodies don't bleed.

The height of the ring of blood in the tub would also indicate the depth of the water at the time when Dexter bled. If the blood ring was higher on the tub than the water line when LE arrived that would show some of the water leaked (from leaky drain seal) or was drained out of the tub. LE would need to take into consideration the displacement of the water from BC's body not being in the tub also when they arrived. I suppose if no one said they drained the tub if asked, LE could do a test to see how long it takes for the water to drain naturally from the blood line level to the level of water (if there was any) when they arrived to determine how much time had passed from the time Dexter bled until LE arrived. Just to note the water displacement of both men would need to be taken into consideration if a test was to be preformed. The ME could than compare the time it took for the water to drain compared to the degree of lividity to see if the timeline that was presented by Barbour & Cummins matches up with the physical evidence to determine if they were lying.



Also as far as if the body was move from the living room to the tub. Why would someone make up such a crazy story saying the two were found naked sleeping in the tub together, why not just say they found Dexter dead in the tub alone? BC would have to know what it would do to his reputation being found naked in a tub with a dead person wearing a dog collar around their neck.

JMO

Like I said earlier...
JB knows how to spin some webs....
:Bennymonkey::devil:

he could find a solution like he is famous for....in this situation...

 

[HastingsChi]

I don't know if anyone is following the Conrad Murray trial, but everything they mention: cleaning up the scene, tampering with evidence, overdosing an addict, hiding evidence and failure to do anything to help the victim or call 911 makes me think of poor Dexter Williams in need of medical attention and Cummins & Barbour doing absolutely nothing but look out for themselves...

 

[Steely Dan]

http://www.cnn.com/2011/09/22/justice/arkansas-weatherman-hot-tub/index.html?iref=obinsite

Man found in hot tub with Arkansas weatherman asphyxiated
From Joe Sutton, CNN
updated 9:38 PM EST, Thu September 22, 2011

Maumelle, Arkansas (CNN) -- A man whose naked body was found next to a sleeping TV weatherman in an unfilled tub earlier this month died from asphyxiation, authorities said Thursday, but there was "no indication" he was strangled.

Maumelle, Arkansas, police Lt. Jim Hansard noted that the medical examiner cited other contributing factors in 24-year-old Dexter Williams' death, including intoxication with methamphetamine and amphetamines.

Police said the investigation remains open and there is "no indication (from the medical examiner) in any way that there was a strangulation,' and the manner of death remains 'undetermined."...

 

[nabisco]

http://www.cnn.com/2011/10/06/justice/arkansas-weatherman-death/

The Prosecuting Attorney says they will know in the coming weeks if any charges will be filed.

(By the way, I'm a lurker, who has enjoyed the discussion of this story immensely! I grew up in Arkansas, and have watched Brett Cummins when I go home for a visit. You sleuths have done a wonderful job in your investigation. It will be interesting to see if any charges are eventually filed!):seeya:

 

[wfgodot]

Hello and welcome to the occasionally wacky world of posting at WS, nabisco.

 

[HastingsChi]

Does anyone have any idea when we might hear an update on this incident? Would it be kosher for me to call the prosecutors to ask for an update?

 

[HastingsChi]

Wanted to share with everyone this update on the latest developments in potential charges related to the death of Dexter Williams from Arkansas Business:

Dexter Williams Death Case Still Open
By Arkansas Business Staff - 11/28/2011

Nearly three months after a Little Rock meteorologist was found with the nude corpse of Mountain Pine resident Dexter Williams, the investigation into the matter remains open.

“We’re still reviewing it,” John Johnson, deputy prosecuting attorney, said on Wednesday. Johnson works under Larry Jegley, prosecuting attorney for the Sixth Judicial District, which includes Pulaski and Perry counties.

According to a police report on the Sept. 5 incident, Brett Cummins, then a KARK-TV, Channel 4, meteorologist, was found in a Maumelle home’s bathtub with the body of Williams, 24.

Lt. Jim Hansard of the Maumelle Police Department said the prosecutor’s office would determine whether any charges would be pressed. Maumelle’s police force is no longer working on the case.

“We have turned that whole entire case over to Larry Jegley’s office,” Hansard said. “I know that we’re not actively investigating any new leads in that case.”

Through a statement from his Little Rock attorney, Mark Hampton, Cummins denied wrongdoing in the incident. But Cummins resigned from his position with KARK four days after Williams’ body was found.

A preliminary autopsy revealed that Williams died of asphyxiation, and that he had illegal drugs in his body.

Johnson said he could not discuss the possibility of Williams’ full autopsy being released to the public. Cummins’ attorney, Hampton, did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

 

[HastingsChi]

Given the above update on the investigation into the death of Dexter Williams and potential charges against Brett Cummins and Christopher Barbour, I would be interested in all of your feelings as to if charges should be filed & why or if you don't feel there should be charges, why not?

With the lull in recent developments, we have all had the chance to consider our feelings outside of the 24-hour news cycle. It would be great to learn all of your various perspectives.

 

[wfgodot]

I'm not sure quite what charges could be brought in direct relation to Dexter Williams's death - unless for some reason Cummins and Barbour turn against one another and one gives state's evidence, if there's state's evidence to give. As long as those two are copacetic and sit tight, regrettably, who (if anyone) is responsible for the death of Dexter Williams may never be ascertained.

 

[Nova]

I'm not sure quite what charges could be brought in direct relation to Dexter Williams's death - unless for some reason Cummins and Barbour turn against one another and one gives state's evidence, if there's state's evidence to give. As long as those two are copacetic and sit tight, regrettably, who (if anyone) is responsible for the death of Dexter Williams may never be ascertained.

Also, I don't believe all asphyxiations are the same. Were there ligature markings on his neck? Bruising around his mouth and nose to suggest his airways were cut off?

Without more information, I don't know how we can decide whether charges should be filed.

 

[Steely Dan]

I'm not sure quite what charges could be brought in direct relation to Dexter Williams's death - unless for some reason Cummins and Barbour turn against one another and one gives state's evidence, if there's state's evidence to give. As long as those two are copacetic and sit tight, regrettably, who (if anyone) is responsible for the death of Dexter Williams may never be ascertained.

Hopefully the police did a good job of processing the crime scene and tested the "vomit" stain.