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Murder suspect launches a defense to save his life

On the first day of his trial, Christopher Lunz tells the jury he's defending himself because no one will fight harder for his life than he will.

By VANESSA DE LA TORRE
Published June 7, 2006

Defendant Christopher Lunz is representing himself in a capital murder trial. This, he told jurors on the first day of testimony, has made him a bit intimidated. "Good afternoon. Um, this is going to be rough," Lunz began his opening statement Tuesday. He gestured toward the state prosecutors: "They're educated. They're dressed nice. Yesterday they were humorous."

But was he going to let his defense attorneys take over his case? No, Lunz said. He told jurors no one was going to fight harder for his life than him.

"I'm not stupid. I'm earnest. Scared as hell," Lunz said.

Lunz, 39, and and his housemate, William Westerman, 26, are charged in the slaying of Lunz's father, David Lunz of Palm Harbor.

Prosecutor Mark McGarry said in his opening statement Tuesday that Lunz planned to rob and murder his father in order inherit his estate.

On March 6, 2003, after driving all night with Westerman from North Carolina, Lunz arrived at his father's house in Palm Harbor around 7 p.m., McGarry said.

David Lunz, 56, had just returned from the grocery store. He lived alone, having just lost his second wife, who died of cancer the month before.

When Christopher Lunz and Westerman showed up that evening, David Lunz greeted them at the door "like someone who hasn't seen their son in a long time," McGarry said. "Pleasantries were exchanged."

Until that point, McGarry told jurors that Christopher Lunz hadn't spoken to his father in years. In contrast, he said, Christopher Lunz had a relationship with Westerman that was like father and son, with Lunz a "controlling, dominating person."

After arriving at David Lunz's house, the three chatted for at least an hour, McGarry said. They had drinks, got a tour of the home near Lake Tarpon.

Then Christopher Lunz went to the kitchen. He came back with a sawed-off shotgun, authorities say, and struck his father in the back of the head with it.

Except the blow didn't knock out David Lunz. Instead, it set off a struggle that left the furniture in disarray and blood on the walls. At some point, authorities say, Lunz handed the gun to Westerman and put his father in a headlock.

He then ordered Westerman to shoot his father, prosecutors contend, and Westerman shot David Lunz in the back of the head from a distance of 1 to 2 feet. Jurors were shown autopsy photos of the massive injuries Tuesday.

Westerman, who is expected to testify today, has agreed to plead guilty in the case in exchange for testifying and receiving a 30-year prison sentence, McGarry said. Lunz faces the death penalty if convicted.

Christopher Lunz told jurors that Westerman will lie to get his plea deal, saying he has "the character of the worst human being you could ever imagine. A man who, on his child's birthday, buys himself jewelry."

Lunz said he was in North Carolina when his father was shot. He alleged that Westerman committed the crime.

He also pointed at McGarry.

"He's a shill!" Lunz said of the prosecutor. "Unfortunately, he thinks he has a good witness in William Westerman. The prosecutor is going to find out the hard way."

Pinellas County sheriff's Cpl. Tom Klein, the case's homicide detective, testified Tuesday that Lunz's cell phone records indicated no calls between March 4 and March 7. Investigators say that, although Lunz used his cell phone frequently, he purposely left it behind for the trip to Florida to avoid being tracked if he was ever suspected of his father's murder.

When Lunz cross-examined Klein, he zeroed in on whether any physical evidence tied him to the crime scene.

"Were my prints found anywhere in the house ... outside the house or anything associated with David Lunz's property?" Lunz asked.

No, the detective said.

Investigators never found the murder weapon in the case, but Westerman is expected to testify that he saw Lunz toss the shotgun and what appeared to be a pistol into the lake in North Carolina behind the home where they lived.

A key clue turned up in October 2005, when someone found a .38-caliber handgun at the bottom of Cedar Cliff Lake in Jackson, N.C., and turned it in to authorities. Detectives verified that the gun was stolen from David Lunz and later linked the gun to Westerman, who shared a home with Christopher Lunz.

[Last modified June 7, 2006, 02:00:17]