Dateline: Killing in Cottonwood
If you caught Dateline Friday night, they profiled the story of Mark & Karen Duenas. One night Mark woke up when he heard a noise and found his wife Karen stabbed multiple times. Mark says he had nothing to do with Karen’s murder. Karen died as a result of her injuries and Mark was eventually convicted of her murder after two trials. The first trial however voted to acquit 9-3, but one juror hung it up.
Having watched the show, I did not see any hot spots in Mark’s behavior. This was an interesting case that left me wanting to see more of Mark.
I did find it odd that his “texting friend” testified that Mark said for anything to happen between them something “bad” would have to happen to his wife. That was the only red flag I found…which is not conclusive.
What did you think?
Very interesting. He talked so much in the episode (and after the episode, too; the first “web exclusive” clip http://www.nbcnews.com/id/3032600/ns/dateline_nbc/#53973576 has great content), but it’s such low-quality audio, much of it is unintelligible. I wasn’t convinced of his guilt, I was hoping you would be.
I didn’t see enough to convict Mark, but I have strong feelings that he may have killed his wife. The 9-1-1 call was suspicious in whichever interpretation you would believe. If you believe that he said, “I killed my wife s— or I found my wife sick,” it sounds suspicious, to me. I wouldn’t think that a person who found his wife wounded with blood everywhere would say, “I found my wife sick.” This isn’t what a person would normally say. The fact that he singled out one woman in his past to contact, and they get so far as saying, “I love you,” seems very odd. I would think if you were going to contact people in your past, there would be several friends that you would like to contact. He promised his wife that he wouldn’t contact her any more, but he kept on doing it on the sly. To me, this shows how important this woman was to him. For a man to be interested in this woman’s hobbies and hearing the day to day happenings in this woman’s life, shows some real hope on his part of a future with her. Men aren’t interested in spending time listening to or reading about the boring details of a woman’s life.
The separate bedrooms looks like the couple was growing apart and had been for years. They may have been putting on a good front, but all of the facts in this case sounds like they were growing apart.
The last interview with the detectives didn’t sound right. He started to say, He didn’t see all the gushing blood, when he killed her, but he caught himself and shut it off, ducked his and wrapped his arms around his body to comfort himself. He changed directions and said, “well whoever killed her, I don’t know.” That interview looked really bad on him.
Agree on all points.
For me, not enough to convict him, but I got the strong feeling that he did it and my feelings come from his words and words of others and a couple other things.. When he said, “I’m sensitive like that” gave me the chills. It was when he was being interviewed by the police and IIRC he was describing how he was being all quiet when he went to check out what happened. (So as not to disturb his wife?) That statement doesn’t even really make sense to me. If he thought someone was in the house wouldn’t he scream to his wife to alert her? “Hey honey look out!” “Run!” “Call 911!”
Also, the gf friend being the only person from the past that he contacted was super fishy, as mentioned. The fact (if one believes her and I do and why not?) the fact that she said that he said that for them to be together “something bad would have to happen” is extremely damning. WHO SAYS THAT?
Also, the son saying that he would routinely go to his mom’s room when he returned home at night to say goodnight or something, but he DIDN’T that night was significant to me. I think the father meant for the son to find the body and knew his routine.
As far as the 911 call, I couldn’t hear it clear enough to think he said “I killed my wife.” That would be some doozy of a Freudian slip or some kind of whopper of some sort of slip. I also agree that his saying that he found his wife, who was in that condition, using the word, “sick” is just completely absurd. This points me back to the notion that he likely wanted/planned for the son to find the body and the son would have likely made the 911 call.
Sidenote: I had found an FBI website about statement analysis awhile back (I’ll look for it). It was super interesting, but one part of it covered things that are typically said on 911 calls as they relate to who was later found guilty. In a nutshell, the guilty party generally (not always, but plenty of times given the examples) gets/requests that some other person make the 911 call. FWIW, Ron Cummings was one of the examples, (with “Misty” who was asked to make the call) Granted, the Cummings situation is in regard to a non-convicted example of a case since Haleigh Cummings is still missing and no one has been charged; But my point is that Ron’s words and demeanor etc were cited as super suspicious in what was thought to be a staged 911 call.
Back to this case, the fact that the husband was going out of his way to hide the affair, correspondence, and calls (new secret cell phone, etc) with the other woman tells me there was something there. However, I was surprised that the sons were so “meh” about that part with the other woman. I found it pretty awful and deceitful and grounds for an emotional affair at the least. Is that generation (the sons’) just more relaxed about those kind of things? …what with Facebook and all. Still, for me, if the spouse asks you to stop, you stop; and keeping secrets like that is a big ole no for me.
I’ve found that when the guilty person calls 911, they tend to sound like they are fake crying (like this case), but also tend to say too much/have an alibi before stating they need help.
911, can I help you?
Yes, I was watching the football game for a few hours, then took a shower, when I got out I noticed my wife has accidentally killed herself with our gun.
Several other things caught my attention that pointed to a staged break-in. One was the screen on Karen’s bedroom window being ripped, but there were no signs of anyone entering through that window. Since Karen got killed, it seems like a staged scene.
That screen screamed staged to me too. I cannot see a murderer, or robber turned murderer, opening the screen like that and then leaving it (not going in or out in that manner, I mean.) Did they say on the show if there were evidence of forced entry anywhere else? Also, they mentioned the sleeping arrangements in separate rooms and gave some reason for it like work schedules or something, but my question to you guys is – did they mention if that was common knowledge …that they slept in separate rooms? Additionally, even if it were common knowledge to their friends and family, it likely would not have been known to a stranger/robber/murderer. Odd that a stranger casing the joint would choose to enter when there are people home. (One could see lights and movement I presume.) And odd to me that they stabbed the woman multiple times and not a scratch on the man. If it were a surprised burglar it seems he’d slash at her and try to get the heck out. And then there’s night vs daytime stealing. An intruder would, I’d think, rather do his/her stealing when more people would likely be OUT of the house in the day. Burglars don’t want to run into people generally. The one son could have been home, but was out socializing or something right? . Both parents were home. I’m just not buying a break-in. Odd that if burglary/money/ loot were the goal, NOTHING was taken. (IIRC.) Ok, the argument could then be that the burglar was interrupted and fled before grabbing anything — but staying long enough to multi-stab and KILL the female resident who would not likely be a physical threat to an intruder. How convenient.
I agree. It does seem staged and not very likely. There are too many co-incidences in this case. For one, this happened after the other woman sent a letter to Karen apologizing and promising to never do it again. They didn’t mention any other place that was disturbed or any other attempted entry. Nothing was taken.
Mark and Karen were having trouble over his correspondence with the other woman, and they weren’t getting along, for awhile. Mark promised he wouldn’t contact her again, but he kept on. The letter that was sent to Karen would have caused major problems in most marriages. If the correspondence was all that innocent, the other woman wouldn’t have felt the need to write a letter of apology to Karen. I can’t help but wonder if Mark thought he could have the other woman, if he got rid of Karen. Mark could have reacted with murder, if Karen said she wanted a divorce. He may have not wanted his family, friends, or his church to find out what he had been doing.
His statement saying that he heard gurgling was also suspect. He, supposedly, wasn’t there with Karen when the stabbing occurred, so it is not likely that he heard gurgling when he found her.
It was stated that Mark had slept in a different room and had for years. It was my understanding that Karen had only been working for a short time, after the children were grown. The sleeping arrangements wouldn’t be suspect in a lot of instances, but in the light of the murder, it seems significant.
Also…IF there was an intruder who had just a knife, decided to stab her multiple times instead of fleeing…she apparently didn’t make a noise. Why hasn’t anyone (detective, prosecutor,,,) mention that no one heard her scream? She got stabbed multiple times snd remained quiet?
Did anyone else think the doors all being closed was odd? If you are surprised in a robbery and end up killing someone, wouldn’t you get out as fast as possible? Mark said he saw the light on in his wife’s bedroom under her door, so he opened it and found her. I can’t believe a killer in this scenario would take the time to close the bedroom door.
Also, since Mark said he heard the screaming sounds, it should’ve just happened right before he got up. Wouldn’t he have seen/heard the killer leaving the house? And didn’t it also seem like all the house doors were closed? Again, I don’t believe a burglar who is surprised and kills someone without planning it would take time to shut doors on the way out.
Excellent point. I didn’t hear that part about the doors all being closed, but wow. YES, I agree. Good catch!
You make an exceptional point about her door being closed after a stabbing. Some people keep doors closed for different reasons (pets for example), but after a murder. Well thought out.
After reading posts here, I do recall him saying that he “Saw the light on under her door” which means the door was closed. But I didn’t catch the significance until I read Tara’s post! He was the one who said that about the door, which is stunning because it is damning against him. Was he thinking that in his version of the scenario that the “murderer” came in through the window, killed her, and escaped through the window? Hence the staged opened screen (and the door still closed? But no one had gone through the window and the window wasn’t open or hadn’t been opened IIRC. Omg what a rookie move.
I’m shocked that this closed door wasn’t a huge point for the prosecution’s case. And if it was mentioned in court and used against him, (and the show didn’t present it that way or cover it as such), that was a miss on the show’s part because for me, that is a WOW moment. I’m thinking that he was thinking that his son would come in and find her and he was so focused on that aspect that he CLOSED the door. Then, in more stunning news, he MENTIONS THE CLOSED DOOR HIMSELF. If presented with this info he could change his story and say that he misremembered the door being closed. BUT, by his comment, that he “saw the light under the door” that is just too specific to be “misremembered.” So the whole thing was a lie imo. Now I’m totally on board with, “he did it.”
Also, didn’t he say that he heard some muffled sound like a cat noise? Or am I confusing my shows? I ask, because if she were really being murdered by a stranger, you’d think he’d say that he heard horrific screaming and struggling. But then a normal person would react and try to help and he’d have to explain why he didn’t see anyone fleeing and why he didn’t get to her before it was too late.
After so many cases, people still shock me. What happened to feeling miserable and getting a divorce if you’re so miserable and/or if you’re lusting after someone you just MUST HAVE or falling in love with someone else just leave the marriage? They obviously think that they’ll get a away with it, but I couldn’t even fathom that notion even on the worst day of the worst relationship. It’s just unthinkable. I can see getting an attorney and trying to protect myself legally; But inflicting intentional harm, physical or otherwise, on others, especially a family member… I couldn’t live with myself.
I found myself unconvinced. I believe it probable that he did it but the evidence was pretty flimsy. I wonder of the police did a thorough job of investigating all possibilities. The defense definitely never had any other reasonable alternate theories put forward. Sad for the children in any case. They seemed to have idolized both parents. Nice boys too from all appearances
I too thought it was VERY creepy when Mark said “I’m sensitive like that.” It was a completely inappropriate time for him to be patting himself on the back like that. I agree with Karon about the last interview….”The last interview with the detectives didn’t sound right. He started to say, He didn’t see all the gushing blood, when he killed her, but he caught himself and shut it off, ducked his and wrapped his arms around his body to comfort himself. He changed directions and said, “well whoever killed her, I don’t know.” ”
Ultimately, he is the only person to benefit from Karen’s death. I strongly believe in Mark’s guilt.
Agreed about his referring to himself as sensitive. Not only is it extremely creepy, it’s a very odd thing to say about himself given the circumstances. IIRC, he made that comment to police in reference to when he was checking out the noise he heard that alarmed him… could be an intruder or something potentially dangerous…. a disturbance of unknown origin (according to his story, that is) in the house. That is no time to be, “sensitive” to the other resident in the home, your WIFE. Sheesh, that is just a profoundly absurd thing to say imo too. I don’t know if that kind of weirdness even counts as “circumstantial” evidence. (What does constitute that btw? Anyone?) I don’t know the legalese or vernacular, but it sure does register on the old red flag freaky meter.
I think the prosecutor reached for everything she had. She did not want to tarnish her perfect record so she sent an innocent man to jail with no conscience of her own.
I was just looking for the extra segment people talked about and I can’t find it. Anyone have a link?
Try dateline.msnbc.com it should be the last link of the episode.
http://www.nbcnews.com/id/3032600/#53973576
Thanks. This isn’t an extra segment though. This is what aired on TV. I thought there was an extra clip.
I just saw it too and searched out to see if others also found this to be a horrible injustice. The man didn't read guilty to me at all either. And I trust my instincts. I really cannot comprehend a prosecutor so ambitious she's ok with putting an innocent man away. Btw, anyone know what this 'other' evidence dateline has?
I picked up deception when at the very start of the program they played the 911 call, and Mark (the killer) kept saying “..there’s blood everywhere”. I thought to myself – “whoever that is is the kiiler”. I was right.
My suspicions were confirmed when they showed video of him sitting so cozy and content, with his knees up on the table, in the interrogation room. It told me he thought he had a real airtight alibi.
Btw, idk what he said on the 911 tape but it sure wasnt “I killed my wife s***”
Yes, the way he was sitting was very odd for someone who’s wife was supposed to have been brutally murdered by an intruder. And he immediately starts talking about his FB love?
I trust my instincts and I trust Keith Morrison. I've never seen him go after a prosecutor like that, and she had no real evidence against this man. Huge miscarriage of justice here, in my opinion.
Very interring to read everyone reaction to Dateline’s ‘killing in cottonwood’. It’s good to know you were able to see through their one-sided representation of the show.
It’s good to know you were all able to see through Datelines one-sided show. Shocking how they put down the DDA in this case. Keith Morrison was exceptionally rude. They cut half of what she said out, and didn’t include the most critical part of her replies to Keith’s rudeness. I was at the trial, the second jury got it right. The first DDA wasn’t up for the challenge, only one murder case under his belt and that was a confession. The majority of the Mormon family still ‘say’ they think Mark is innocent, and are shunning the family that thinks he is guilty. Very sad and the sadness goes on.
Late posting. I just watched the recent dateline episode.
What I hear on the 911 call is actually “I stabbed my wife”
Not I found or killed my wife.
And the texting the other woman.
Everyone keeps trying to make it out to be harmless. Innocent.
He was at a point of saying “I love you”
They never dated even back in the day.
If I ran into an old crush…I would not find myself saying “I love you” if we were just catching up and chatting.
I think there was much more going on. And the fact he got another phone to continue confirms that.
Also, the BS about sleeping in other rooms just about him being polite and not wanting to wake his wife to me also confirms they didn’t have a relationship the way husband and wife do.