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Murder Weapon Displayed in Inman Trial

Updated: Thursday, January 31 2013, 08:21 PM EST
CHILLICOTHE -- A medical examiner provided grisly details to jurors Thursday as prosecutors continued to make their case against a man accused of joining with family members to murder his daughter-in-law.

In court Thursday, Montgomery County Deputy Coroner Dr. Brian Casto showed the court the zip tie that was used to strangle Summer Inman in March, 2011.

Prosecutors contend the victim's father-in-law, William Inman Sr., joined with his son, William Jr., and wife, Sandra, to kill the young mother and dispose of her body in a septic tank behind a church in Nelsonville.

During testimony, Dr. Kasto told jurors the zip tie used to kill Summer was tied so tightly around her neck, it was barely visible under her skin.

Kasto said, in order to remove the zip tie, he "had to wedge [wirecutters] underneath the skin to make the cut."

A second zip tie was found wrapped around Summer's wrists when her body was discovered, according to investigators.

William Inman Sr.'s defense team admits their client's role in the disposal of Summer's body, but claims his son bears responsibility for her murder.

Summer and William Jr. were in the midst of a bitter divorce when the young woman was killed.

Prosecutors say William Sr.'s involvement in the crime was more significant, pointing to witness accounts stating Summer was forced into a car matching the description of William Sr.'s Crown Victoria on the night she disappeared.

An investigator testified Wednesday that the exterior of William Sr.'s car was muddy when examined by investigators, but the interior was so thoroughly clean that no fingerprints were detectable.

"Usually, if a vehicle is dirty, it's dirty both on the exterior and the interior," said Mark Kollar of the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation. "Normally, we would find more on the interior of the vehicle than the exterior."

Prosecutors believe the mud found on the car came from an area around the septic tank in which Summer's body was found.

Prosecutors and defense attorneys are expected to make their closing arguments when the trial resumes on Monday.

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Reporter: Tom Bosco
Web Producer: Ken HinesMurder Weapon Displayed in Inman Trial