In a significant development within the ongoing murder trial of suspect A.H., defense attorney Maureen Nibte has formally petitioned the Military Court to authorize an independent forensic examination. The case involves allegations that A.H. murdered his best friend, Mike Wolfgang, during June of this year.
Attorney Nibte substantiated her request by highlighting critical evidentiary gaps. She emphasized that the victim’s remains were discovered inside his vehicle approximately 24 hours after his death. “Given the extremely high temperatures within the car interior,” Nibte argued before the court, “it becomes imperative to obtain a precise description of the body’s condition upon discovery. This crucial contextual information is absent from the official autopsy report, yet it could significantly contribute to establishing a more accurate time of death.”
The defendant A.H. has consistently maintained his innocence, specifically denying that he is the individual visible on surveillance footage presented by prosecutors. Furthermore, A.H. provided an alibi stating that Wolfgang dropped him off at his residence at approximately 10:50 PM on the evening in question.
However, Nibte countered that this alibi cannot be verified through the currently available video evidence. She revealed a potentially critical evidentiary shortcoming, noting that the digital footage compiled by the Digital Investigation Unit and presented in court lacks approximately five minutes of crucial footage. The defense contends that these missing segments might actually demonstrate the defendant being dropped off as claimed, thereby supporting his innocence.
The Military Auditor is expected to deliver an official response to these defense motions during the next court session, which will determine whether the independent forensic analysis will be permitted.