DENVER – A La Plata County, Colorado, jury on Friday found Mark Redwine guilty of second-degree murder and child abuse resulting in the death of his son, Dylan Redwine, who disappeared in November 2012.
The jury deliberated for roughly 6 ½ hours Thursday afternoon and Friday before reaching its verdict following more than four weeks of trial arguments. The courtroom gasped when the jury read the guilty verdict on the murder count.
The verdict came nearly nine years after Dylan Redwine, 13, disappeared from his father’s home near Vallecito Lake outside of Durango. Dylan had been there on a court-ordered visit.
Jury finds Mark Redwine guilty of second-degree murder, child abuse in death of son Dylan
Some of Dylan’s remains were found about 10 miles from his father’s home in June 2013, according to an indictment, and his skull was found more than two years later in November 2015 about a mile and a half away from the first location.
Mark Redwine, 59, was arrested in 2017 in Washington state in connection with the case and was extradited back to Colorado, but the trial has been delayed or seen mistrials multiple times in the years since then.
During the trial and closing arguments, prosecutor Michael Dougherty argued Dylan and Mark’s relationship was frayed by the time Dylan flew to Durango to visit his father, and that Mark killed his son in a fit of rage just hours later during an argument.
Though much of the evidence prosecutors relied on was circumstantial, as Dylan's remains were scattered around the area by scavengers, Dougherty argued at the trial Mark Redwine killed and dismembered his son, scattered his skull and other remains up Middle Mountain Road from his home, and told the jury that evidence showed signs of blunt force and sharp force injuries on Dylan’s remains.
Dougherty said during closing arguments that Mark Redwine was the only person who had an opportunity and reason to hurt Dylan, and he reiterated evidence presented in court that Dylan’s blood was found inside his home.
He also brought experts in to discuss how cadaver dogs hit on scents of human remains inside Mark Redwine’s home, truck and on his clothes, and said that Mark was suspicious and evasive in the weeks, months and years that followed his son’s disappearance.
Dougherty also argued that Mark Redwine became enraged and killed his son after Dylan confronted him about photos allegedly showing Mark eating feces and wearing women's lingerie. Dylan's mother had been granted custody nine months earlier, and Mark's relationship with his son was said to have been deteriorating.
Mark Redwine’s indictment alleged that Dylan said several times he was upset with his father and didn’t want to visit him because he was uncomfortable after seeing the compromising photos.
Justin Bogan, Mark Redwine’s public defender, used the circumstantial evidence to tell the jury that the evidence did not support Mark killing his son – saying the prosecution’s evidence was “so thin” and telling jurors that prosecutors were asking them to speculate in finding a verdict.
“They have not provided you with information on what actually happened,” Bogan said.
But the jury took little time in reaching the unanimous guilty verdicts on both counts.
The judge set Redwine’s sentencing date for Oct. 8 at 9 a.m. Both counts Redwine was convicted on are Class 2 felonies, which carry potential prison sentences of up to 48 years.
This story originally reported by Blair Miller on TheDenverChannel.com.
