The murder trial of Kristopher Torgerson continues Thursday in Marathon County, Wisconsin. Torgerson is charged in the 2010 death of 22-year-old Stephanie Low. The Wisconsin woman was missing for years before her remains were found in 2014. Torgerson was the one who led authorities to Low’s body in a shallow grave, years after her alleged murder. Torgerson was believed to be at Low’s home looking for drugs, and Low and her boyfriend were known to sell cocaine.
On Wednesday, witnesses included Low’s friend, Shelly Resch, who said she was aware that Low was selling cocaine. Resch said she spoke to Low the night before she went missing. She had called Low a number of times later that night, but Low didn’t answer. At first, the phone would ring a number of times before the voicemail system picked up, but at around 2:00 am, the calls started going straight to voicemail.
Resch said she went to Low’s apartment to check on her after she vanished. Resch told the court she found a bloody footprint near Low’s bed, and noticed that the home smelled like bleach. Resch said that she and others searched for Low, and when she noticed that a laundry basket and bleach were missing from her apartment, they checked a nearby laundromat, to no avail. Resch also said that Low’s bed didn’t have any sheets, blankets, or pillows on it.
Also on Wednesday, Claudia Blake, Low’s mother, emotionally testified regarding her relationship with her daughter, which had been rocky at times. She said that Low was planning on on going back to school, in an effort to get her life back on track. Blake said that she last spoke to Low two days before she disappeared.
The last witness of the day was Wausau Police Department Capt. Matthew Barnes, one of several officers who testified throughout the day. He discussed his investigation and said he found cocaine in a safe in Low’s apartment. Barnes will continue to testify when court resumes Thursday morning at 8:30 am local time (9:30 ET).
Torgerson, who goes by the nickname “Spider,” is currently serving a prison sentence for an unrelated crime.
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[Image via WAOW screengrab]