Thanks to Tina for alerting me to the Russellville Courier’s extensive interview with a juror in the Nona Dirksmeyer murder case, who revealed the jury was leaning 8-4 toward acquittal of Gary Dunn when a mistrial was declared Saturday. Juror Dane Arbaugh said the jurors discounted much of the testimony from the suspect’s estranged wife and continued to be suspicious about Dirksmeyer’s boyfriend, acquitted of the crime earlier.
“We just didn’t have (any) evidence,” Arbaugh explained. “All we had was that condom wrapper, and Lord have mercy, when we found out what all was on there, it about put us in shock.”
Experts testified the wrapper, discovered at the scene, yielded a mixed sample of DNA linked to Dirksmeyer, Dunn and at least two other unidentified individuals.
Arbaugh said the jury theorized Dunn and Dirksmeyer, neighbors at the South Inglewood Avenue apartment complex where she was killed, might have had a relationship.
“Do you know when that condom wrapper was put there?” he asked. When a reporter responded negatively, he replied, “There you go. I don’t either.”