Erin Somvilai’s death not accident or suicide, according to Pathologist
LA CROSSE, Wis. (WKBT) — “She said that she loved Erik more than anything.”
The Prosecution brought Erin’s step-sister Molly to explain the relationship she had with defendant Erik Sackett.
“He told me that, he thought Erin was with me.”
Molly fought several emotions while testifying, taking issue with the explanation Erik gave for Erin’s disappearance.
“He told me that she probably ran away that’s just something she did.”
When asked if running away was regular activity for Erin, Molly added she would never run away.
The defense took issue with how the investigation into Sackett had been done. Saying Somvilai’s home was is not reliable for evidence.
“Part of the problem with analyzing this scene, is that people have been coming and going, making changes with the apartment before police could photograph it on June 17th. Right?” asked defense attorney Chris Zachar.
“Is it possible that people made changes? Yes,” responded investigator Andrew Rosenow.
The prosecution responded, with Dr. Ross Reichard, a pathology consultant.
Based on the Autopsy investigation, I feel like this is not natural, not accidental, not self-inflicted.
But the defense believes that suicide was possible based on texts sent by Somvilai.
“Miss Somvilai stating she would like Mr. Sackett to attend her funeral for her father and her children’s sake. Is that evidence that would have been relevant or not to her suicidal state of mind, when she disappeared?” questioned the defense.
Potentially, yes,” answered Reichard.
Today’s trial ended with Dr. Reichard explaining that the deterioration of the body under water, has made finding exactly what killed Erin difficult.
He believes she was dead before her body was in the water, something that the defense has doubts about.
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