Three students at Aplington-Parkersburg were among the witnesses to testify today (Friday) in the Mark Becker murder trial. All of the students were in a parking lot at the time football coach Ed Thomas was shot to death in the school’s weight-training room on June 24, 2009.
Sarah Dunegan cried on the witness stand as she recalled seeing Becker come out of the weight room. Defense lawyer Susan Flander asked Dunegan if Becker said anything. “He said ‘Thomas isn’t God, he’s Satan’ and ‘go get his carcass,'” Dunegan said through tears.
Becker is charged with first-degree murder. His attorneys are asking the jury to find Becker not guilty by reason of insanity. Flander also called nurse practitioner Nicolle Amos to the witness stand. Amos met with Becker in the Cerro Gordo County Jail on June 26th. Amos said she believed the 24-year-old Becker was having hallucinations.
“He said that he was seeing frozen sharks,” Amos said. Flander asked if Becker referred to Ed Thomas by another name. “He called him Lucifer,” Amos said. “Did he show any remorse for what he had done?” Flander asked. “No,” Amos said. Amos diagnosed Becker as schizophrenic. Under cross examination from prosecutors, Amos said she did not have the “knowledge and experience” to know if Becker was legally insane.
The defense will continue presenting its case on Monday.