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Witnesses take stand in Katelyn Goble trial
A Georgia Bureau of Investigation crime scene specialist took the stand Monday as prosecutors continued presenting their case against Kaitlyn Goble, the remaining defendant charged in connection with the death of Morgan Bauer.
A Georgia Bureau of Investigation crime scene specialist took the stand Monday as prosecutors continued presenting their case against Katelyn Goble, the remaining defendant charged in connection with the death of Morgan Bauer.
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Goble faces charges of concealing a death and tampering with evidence in connection with Bauer's disappearance and killing. Prosecutors were expected to rest their case as the trial entered its second week.
Bauer, 19, disappeared in February 2016, roughly two weeks after moving to Georgia from South Dakota.
Morgan Bauer
GBI agent describes search of Porterdale property
GBI Special Agent Casey Sonne, a crime scene specialist, testified about the agency's role in the investigation.
Sonne said the GBI was asked by local police to assist with a secondary search of a property in Porterdale. The agency searched areas both inside and outside the residence.
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Sonne explained that investigators begin an outdoor crime scene search by walking through the area to determine its size, identify potential evidence and decide how many investigators will be needed.
Because the outdoor area involved in the Bauer investigation was relatively large, Sonne said about 16 additional GBI agents participated in the search.
Sonne also explained that the GBI generally does not initiate investigations on its own. Instead, the agency typically becomes involved after another law enforcement agency requests assistance. That assistance can range from processing a crime scene to taking over a full investigation.
Trial continues
Goble is the remaining defendant being prosecuted in connection with Bauer's death. Monday's testimony was part of the prosecution's effort to detail the investigation and evidence gathered in the years after Bauer disappeared.
Additional testimony was expected as prosecutors moved closer to resting their case.
More about Morgan Bauer
The backstory:
Morgan Bauer moved from Aberdeen, South Dakota, to metro Atlanta on Feb. 12, 2016. She was 19 years old.
According to her mother, Bauer initially arranged through Craigslist to clean a home in exchange for room and board while she looked for a place of her own. That arrangement reportedly fell through, and Bauer later stayed at several motels while working as an exotic dancer.
Coworkers last recalled seeing Bauer at an adult entertainment club on Cheshire Bridge Road in Atlanta on Feb. 25, 2016. The following day, she posted a social media video from Porterdale Yellow River Park. She remained active on social media until Feb. 29, then disappeared.
The case remained unsolved for more than seven years.
Break in the case
What we know:
Investigators returned to Porterdale in July 2023, when federal agents and other law enforcement officers searched a home on Broad Street in connection with Bauer's disappearance.
The GBI searched the property again on Aug. 7, 2023, and said investigators found items of evidentiary interest. Authorities did not publicly disclose what those items were, and Bauer's remains were not recovered at the time.
The investigation eventually led to the arrests of Jonathan Alexander Warren and Katelyn Goble in October 2023. Warren was arrested in Los Angeles, while Goble was arrested in Peoria, Illinois. Both were extradited to Georgia and indicted the following month.
Warren pleads guilty to murder
What already happened:
Warren later pleaded guilty to malice murder, tampering with evidence, concealing the death of another and necrophilia.
He entered a non-negotiated plea and asked to be sentenced to life with the possibility of parole. The judge instead sentenced him to life without parole, citing the facts of the case.
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Goble, meanwhile, was charged with concealing a death and tampering with evidence. She is the remaining defendant whose case is now being tried.