Trial begins in 1980 Woods Cross slaying: Owens accused of killing Strom; DNA may be key evidence

FARMINGTON — Prosecutors once again are pointing to Edward Lewis Owens, 58, as the man who throttled a desperately struggling Karin Strom in her Woods Cross home 28 years ago, leaving the young woman dead by the side of her bed.

But defense attorneys insist Owens is an innocent man and the victim of an incomplete and poorly done investigation that could easily have shown someone else committed the crime.

Opening statements began Tuesday in Owens' trial that is set to run through April 3. He is charged with first-degree felony murder in Strom's 1980 death. He previously was charged with the same crime and was set to go to trial, but prosecutors then asked a judge to dismiss the case in 2007. Charges were refiled eight months later.

Prosecutors are convinced that DNA evidence under the fingernails of Strom's left hand shows DNA from Owens' skin and, from her right hand, material that possibly is semen from Owens. There also were two drops of blood on her underwear that hold DNA from Owens, according to prosecutors.

"It's important to note that the skin under her left fingernails was part of the great struggle she put up to save her life," prosecutor William McGuire told a six-man, four-woman jury. In addition, Owens showed up for work the day after the June 6, 1980, slaying with a large gouge under his right eye, which would indicate a fight.

"On his hands, there were injuries where Karin Strom was trying to get those hands off her throat," McGuire said.

The prosecutor also suggested Owens' conduct was suspicious after learning the case had been reopened in 2006. McGuire said after a police officer contacted Owens, who was in Virginia, about the renewed investigation, Owens began to take money out of the bank, left a note for his wife saying essentially that he was disappearing, and went to Texas and then Mexico.

"He knew what DNA was," McGuire said. "He knew that might implicate him."

McGuire also outlined efforts by Karin Strom's then-estranged husband, Steve Strom, who at one time had been charged with her murder, but those charges were dropped. McGuire said Strom wrote to President Bill Clinton in 1995 asking for an independent investigation into his wife's death.

Steve Strom, who now lives in Nevada, also came to Utah to talk to a law enforcement official about re-examining Karin Strom's death, after he heard of a different cold case that had been solved through improved DNA testing.