READER DISCRETION ADVISED. THIS STORY INCLUDES GRAPHIC DEPICTIONS OF VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL CONTENT THAT MAY BE CONSIDERED PROFANE, OFFENSIVE, AND UNACCEPTABLE TO SOME READERS.
The first week of the Austin Rodhouse trial in Pike County heard more testimony from hospital personnel in Missouri and Illinois, explanations of digital evidence, and emotional testimony from family members.
30-year old Austin Rodhouse is facing up to natural life in prison if convicted of multiple felonies of the 19 he is charged with ranging from sexual assault to child pornography for incidents that occurred in his Pleasant Hill home.
Muddy Rivers News reports that Day 4’s early testimony on Thursday had jurors hear from medical professionals who treated Rodhouse’s wife, indicated in court records as C.C., as well as three women who testified that Rodhouse had assaulted or abused them and other women in the time they have known him. One of the women was a family member who said Rodhouse would give her and another female relative inappropriate massages. One of the females is a cousin to Rodhouse. The third woman to testify said even though she was not in a dating relationship with Rodhouse, she felt she had to “escape” from Rodhouse after she said he had raped her.
After an afternoon break, ISP investigator Jordan Gerard returned to the stand. He described photos of C.C. Naked from the waist down on a couch with the couple’s son. C.C.’s hands were visible in at least one of the photographs, indicating someone else had taken the picture. He also discussed various interviews he conducted with C.C. Over the course of a month-long investigation.
Gerard also discussed a third search warrant executed at the couple’s home in Pleasant Hill in which an inoperable cattle prod, a R-shaped steel brand, a piercing kit still in the box, and what he described as vaginal weights along with several medications. The state also shows a video of Gerard’s walk-through of the home taken on May 22nd in which the items were all seized.
Day 5’s testimony recounted by Muddy River News found two more women come forward to testify about Rodhouse’s alleged habitual sexual abuse. The first victim who testified Friday, referred to here as JaneDoe4, said she met Rodhouse when they were in high school in 2016. After a short period of living together, she says Rodhouse’s behavior changed from when they first met and he became extreme jealous, fat shamed her and controlled her diet, and he would control her income by spending her money. JaneDoe4 testified that when Rodhouse made his threat to rape her sister, JaneDoe4 said she remembered going to her grandmother’s home to find Rodhouse there with her sister. JaneDoe4 said the relationship ended when ended after three months when her grandmother and a friend intervened. JaneDoe4 said Rodhouse drove by the house frequently for the next two months.
The second victim who testified Friday, referred to here as JaneDoe5, said Rodhouse touched her sexually during one of his massages for the first time when she was 8 or 9 years old. That eventually led to sexual intercourse when she was in “third or fourth grade.” She claimed Rodhouse had sex with her in the woods after they rode a four-wheeler, and it also happened in her mother’s garage. A testy exchange on cross-examination with defense attorney Casey Schnack revealed that JaneDoe5 had previously abused Xanax to “self-medicate after a family member’s death.” She also said she continued to interact with Rodhouse despite the prior abuse and that she forgave him for what he had done to her.
Dr. Eric Fynn-Thompson, a plastic surgeon with Quincy Medical Group, told the jury about how he saw a break in the ring finger of Rodhouse’s wife, identified in court documents as “CC.” He said he made a custom split to help the finger heal. He said if the finger hadn’t been treated that CC would have dealt with a “long-term” injury.
Jennifer Ratcliff, an admitting nurse at Blessing Hospital in Quincy, said she admitted CC to the hospital on May 7 after doctors at Illini Community Hospital determined she had ruptured her spleen. She said Rodhouse answered most of the questions and prevented medical personnel to take off her pants or underwear to examine her.
Dr. Stephen Liesen, a dentist from Barry, testified that an X-ray of CC’s jaw taken on May 8th showed a previous fracture to her mandible (lower jaw) had healed and calloused over.
Monday’s testimony was expected to revisit text message and digital evidence between C.C. and Rodhouse recounting sexual abuse done to the couple’s young sons. C.C. is also expected to take the stand to recount her side of events that have already been spoke of in the previous week’s testimony.