ALFRED — Kelly Gorham’s remains were buried in a shallow grave two feet deep, about 44 inches long and about 36 inches wide in Stewartstown, N.H., a New Hampshire State Police sergeant testified Monday.
Jurors Monday were shown a photograph of her body in the shallow grave, in the sixth day of the state’s case against Jason Twardus, her former fiancé, who stands accused of her murder in 2007.
According to prosecutors, Gorham, 30, a nursing student, was strangled in Maine and her body was taken to Stewartstown and buried on land owned by Brian Twardus, who is Jason Twardus’ father. The senior Twardus is scheduled to testify sometime today as the murder case against his son enters its seventh day at York County Superior Court.
On Monday afternoon, Assistant Attorney General William Stokes took testimony from Sgt. Charles West, who discovered the remains, and Sgt. Frederick Lulka, who oversaw processing of the crime scene. Both are with the department’s major crimes unit.
Jurors also heard from Barbara Cross, who was manager of a Big Apple Convenience Store in Colebrook, N.H., in 2007. Cross’s testimony was confined to information about video surveillance recorded by the store and later retrieved by authorities investigating the case. Prosecutors have argued that Jason Twardus stopped at the convenience store Aug. 8 and both he and his vehicle were identified on video surveillance tapes.
Gorham’s body was found in the grave on Labor Day weekend, 2007, nearly a month after she was last seen in Alfred. Jason Twardus was interviewed by police several times after she disappeared. He was arrested and charged with her murder in January 2009.
Brian and Rosemarie Twardus acquired the land in rural Stewartstown in 1990, according to deeds records in Coos County available for viewing online. Rosemarie Twardus tendered a quit claim deed for her share of the property to Brian Twardus in 1994. The parcel off Boudle Road is 5.2 acres and according to the deeds records, was part of a 1979 subdivision called Bear Rock Park. The forested parcel is off a gravel dirt road.
Stokes, noting the rough terrain, asked Sgt. West if a Subaru could be driven onto the property. Twardus drove a Subaru Impreza.
“Absolutely,” said West.
Stokes then asked if the turns to the property were marked.
“Some are, most are not,” said West, who is now retired.
Stokes asked if the grave could be seen from the road.
“If you drive slowly, you could see a pile of brush,” West said.
“Is there a street address to the Twardus property?” Stokes asked.
“No,” said West, who earlier testified that it took him two days to locate the Twardus property.
Defense attorney Daniel Lilley asked if West had checked with neighbors to determine if anyone was seen in the area.
West said he had spoken with three neighbors, including Sue Wallace, who told him she had seen a Jeep Cherokee with three men in it in the area. But Wallace lives beyond the Twardus property and the information she was able to impart was too general to be of use, West said. He said Wallace was not certain of the time frame, nor was she certain where the Twardus property was located.
Lulka testified about the contents of the grave, including Gorham’s body, a Nike shoebox with photographs, undergarments and a Ziplock plastic bag containing a white powder. A comforter found in the grave also contained the SIM card to her telephone.
Defense attorneys have suggested that others are responsible for Gorham’s death. In earlier testimony in the state’s case, Lilley questioned Calvin Degreenia, who had reportedly established an intimate relationship with Gorham in the week before she disappeared, and John Durfee, her landlord.
— Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 or twells@journaltribune.com.
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