LAKEPORT — An investigator testified about blood evidence Friday and audio and video recordings were played during the third day in the trial of a nearly five-year-old murder case against a Lakeport man.
Ivan Garcia Oliver, 34, is accused of using information obtained from the Megan”s Law online sex offender registry to kill Michael A. Dodele, 67, a registered sex offender at the time, on Nov. 20, 2007.
Oliver faces three felonies, including murder. He pleaded not guilty to all charges and denied several special allegations in the case. Richard Hinchcliff, chief deputy district attorney, is prosecuting the case. Oliver is represented by attorney Stephen Carter. Judge Arthur H. Mann presided.
Corey Paulich, Lake County Sheriff”s Office (LCSO) lead investigator in the case, testified finding blood in Oliver”s home, space 31B at the Western Hills Resort trailer park in north Lakeport. A series of 22 crime scene photos accompanied his testimony.
Paulich said blood drops were found in the living room area near the front door and in the kitchen on floor and counter area, near where law enforcement officers reportedly found Oliver after forcing entry to the home that day.
Paulich testified that blood drops were found during a search of the bathroom. He said a bloody towel was present, along with car keys found in the bathroom sink that had blood on them. Blood was present on the bathroom floor near the toilet as well as on the countertop around the sink and around the bathroom window area, according to Paulich.
During a search of the bedroom, Paulich testified that another investigator reported finding a cellphone in a leather case between the mattress and box spring of the bed. Paulich said there was blood on both the cellphone case and the mattress.
Paulich said he tasked Brian Martin, an LCSO sergeant at the time, with contacting Dodele”s sister to ask for Dodele”s phone number. After receiving the number, Paulich said he asked Martin to call the number. Paulich testified the phone rang and Martin”s cellphone number appeared on the screen, leading the investigators to believe it was Dodele”s phone.
Paulich said a search of a white Buick located in front of the home took place. A blood smear on the trunk of the car was testified to by a previous investigator. Paulich said he found a half-full bottle of bleach on the floor directly behind the driver”s seat with blood on it. In the trunk, Paulich said he found beige-colored pants, a sweatshirt, wristband and blanket, all of which had blood on them.
He said Martin found two knives, approximately 45 feet away from Oliver”s home in a backyard area.
Hinchcliff presented Paulich with two sealed evidence bags and directed him to open them. Paulich positively identified the black knife and the silver knife contained in the sealed bags were the ones found near Oliver”s home.
Paulich was present at Dodele”s autopsy, conducted Nov. 27, 2007 at the Napa County Sheriff”s Office.
The jurors were provided with the crime scene photos to examine. Following that, an audio recording of Oliver, recorded shortly after he was taken into custody, was played.
LCSO Lt. Brian Kenner testified Thursday that he conducted the recording before Oliver was taken to the hospital to be treated for a knife wound to the webbing of his right hand.
On the recording a man reported to be Oliver, identifying himself as “Sunshine,” said he didn”t need to go to the “(expletive) hospital.”
A video interview conducted by Paulich and Kenner at the LCSO main office on the day of the incident was played. Paulich said the interview lasted approximately two hours.
At the start of the video a man reported to be Oliver is in a small room handcuffed behind his back, wearing an olive-colored beanie, an unzipped, black hooded sweatshirt and blue jeans. The man was not wearing a shirt, which exposed a large tattoo across his chest.
The man paced the small room before he used a chair to move his handcuffed arms in front of his body. The man had a bandaged right hand.
Kenner and Paulich entered the room and questioned the man.
“You”re asking questions that are agitating me,” the man said.
The officers repeatedly asked the man “what happened?”
“He tried to touch my son,” the man said, repeating it multiple times.
The man became less cooperative and began ignoring the officers.
“By talking to you, how can you help me?” the man asked.
Eventually, the deputies left the man alone for multiple short lengths of time, returning to see if he would speak with them.
The trial will resume Wednesday in Department 1 at 9 a.m. The remainder of the interview will be played before Paulich resumes his testimony and a third interview conducted at the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility will be played.
Kevin N. Hume can be reached at kevin.n.hume@gmail.com or call directly 263-5636 ext. 14. Follow on Twitter: @KevinNHume.
