Scrunched Rug

Collected on: Not collected, but observed on December 24, 2002

Reason:  Suspicious because everything else in the house was so neat and in order

Initial Suspicion

A throw rug also raised eyebrows of suspicion during the walk-throughs on the night of the 24th.  Officer Letsinger described it as "scrunched accordion style, like it had been slid together. And it was slid all the way up to the doorjamb."  Officer Evers said Scott said the cat and dog must have played there, and he, Scott, straightened it with his toe. 

This picture shows the rug later that night, again messed up.  Note that it is on a tile floor.  The door is the one that goes from the living room (the converted garage) out onto the patio, and is the closest door to the driveway where the vehicles are parked.

The testimony

Grogan testified that the rug was never sent in for testing because the theory at the time was that Laci was wrapped in a tarp when she was being dragged out the door, and therefore would not have transferred any trace evidence to the rug.

Conclusion

Had Scott been dragging a body out of the house through this door, nothing would have stopped the rug from being dragged out of the house with it.  The only way the rug could be slid all the way to the doorjamb, and not any further, is if the door was shut at the time.