Posted in Domestic Violence on May 25, 2013
Dennis Wolter, a Vancouver man facing felony first-degree murder charges, appeared in court last week for the opening statements in his trial. He is accused of murdering his girlfriend, Kori Frederickson, to prevent her from testifying against him in a domestic violence case.
The Camas police officer who pulled Wolter over for speeding on the morning of May 26, 2011, noticed the 43-year-old was covered in blood. Wolter claimed the blood was from his dog. The officer testified in Clark County Superior Court that he noticed a domestic violence no-contact order in the vehicle which prohibited Wolter from contacting Frederickson, whom he had assaulted about a week before. Wolter allegedly dumped her body along Southeast Evergreen Highway not long before being pulled over.
Prosecutors are arguing that the murder was premeditated, supported by Wolter’s statement that Frederickson had “narced” on him. Wolter’s Vancouver defense attorney said in her opening statement that Wolter had stabbed Fredrickson to death but that she would be presenting evidence of his diminished capacity, which affects his ability to form intent.
She stated that Wolter has brain damage from alcohol exposure before he was born and from a traumatic blow to the head, and that this damage affected a part of the brain that controls emotion, self-control, processing information, decision-making and forming judgments. Wolter and his attorney asked that this be considered by the judge and jury in deciding whether Wolter acted with premeditation.
Source: The Columbian, “Vancouver man on trial in girlfriend’s 2011 slaying,” Paris Achen, May 22, 2013.
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