Internet sleuths follow Dunn case

 

As investigators on Thursday combed the burned-out rubble of the Mercer County home of Brandi Dunn's parents, bloggers across the country watched and waited for new clues in her slaying.

"It's a case that's generated a lot of interest, I think, because a lot of people feel like they can relate to (Dunn). She's like someone they know," said Steve Huff, a Court TV Internet writer and author of HuffCrimeBlog.com. "That's what captivated me."

Dunn, 22, known to neighbors and friends as an attractive, fun-loving woman who adored her husband, was found Saturday in her parents' Grove City home after the ranch-style structure burned. Police say the fire was intentionally set and that Dunn was killed beforehand by a blow to the head.

No suspects have been named, but speculation by amateur sleuths on the Internet is rampant.

Brandi Dunn's husband, Scott, called 911 just after 7:30 a.m. Saturday to report the fire, according to court documents. His wife was still inside, he said. When police arrived, they saw Scott Dunn, 26, pacing in the yard and talking on a cell phone.

The Dunns had been living at the East Boulevard home while her parents, John and Debra Brandon Montgomery, were staying in California for the winter.

According to a search warrant for the Montgomery home, Scott Dunn told troopers he returned to the house and saw a white man with blonde hair wearing a red flannel shirt striking his wife. He chased the man out the back door a short distance into the yard before returning to find the house on fire.

Two troopers examined the muddy ground around the back door, but found no footprints.

Firefighters located Brandi Dunn's body about 3 to 4 feet inside the front door, laying on her back with her feet toward the door. A gas can was next to her body.

Scott Dunn told police he dropped his wife off at the house just after 5:30 a.m. and then left to retrieve some items from their Slippery Rock home. His truck broke down on the way and he had to return for another vehicle, he told police.

His truck was found by Brandi Dunn's uncle, J.R. Greer, in the parking lot of the Grove City Credit Union. The credit union is north of the normal path to Slippery Rock, police said.

Like Huff and other bloggers, police also are surfing the Internet for clues.

"Web sites in the recent past have drawn a lot of attention," state police Cpl. Cheryl Michalski said. "Right now, CSI is a popular show -- people are into it. It's kind of like a whodunit for people to figure out."

The Dunns both kept profiles on MySpace.com, a site popular with teens and young adults where they can post pictures of themselves, personal information and blogs. The Dunns' profiles were pulled off the site shortly after the killing.

In her self-description, Brandi Dunn wrote: "Well im 22 and Bartend at one of the nicer resturantes in Mercer county. I just got married this past July to Scott which you can find him in my friends list, i love em dearly! I have two dogs one is a 6 month old Springer Spaniel and the other is a 2 1/2 year old Cocker Spaniel, believe me i have my hands full!"

An entry by Brandi Dunn dated Jan. 12 and left for Scott Dunn read: "i know you are still mad at me, but i still love you, im sorry baby."

Huff found those postings and others after reading about the case online. After he wrote about the case on his Web site, bloggers from around the country began responding, much of the interest driven by Dunns' Web postings. Soon, the killing emerged as a topic on other blogs and Web sites, such as JusticeMag.com.

"Nowadays instead of sandwiching a diary between a mattress and box spring, it's online," Huff said. "When people are reading personal profiles, it's the (victim's) own things, own spelling, own ideas."