Hunter
9/20/19
A cold case homicide in West Liberty over 25 years ago now has closure.
The Muscatine Journal reports that after 16 hours of deliberations, a jury found Annette Cahill guilty of second-degree murder in the death of Cory Lee Wienecke.
The Journal reports that the jury was deadlocked as of 4pm Wednesday, and indicated that more time would not reach a verdict, but judge Patrick McElyea ordered the jury to resume deliberations on Thursday and a unanimous verdict was reached early that afternoon.
Wieneke’s body was found on his bedroom floor in rural West Liberty in October 1992. A criminal complaint states Cahill made statements a few weeks after Wieneke’s murder indicating she was responsible. They add she also identified the murder weapon – a baseball bat – which only the murderer could have known at the time.
Investigators could find no DNA evidence connecting Cahill to Wienecke’s death at the scene.
The case was reopened after a woman came forward in 2017 to say that as a nine-year-old, she overheard Cahill confess to the killing while she was sleeping over at Cahill’s brother’s home.
New testimony was introduced last week from a man who was friends with Cahill’s brother, Denny Hazen, and sister-in-law. Scott Payne said he saw Cahill burn blood stained clothing outside the Hazen’s house within a few days after Wienecke died.
The first trial ended in a mistrial six months ago. Sentencing is scheduled for November 22nd.