Caylee Anthony Update 22 January

A heart-shaped sticker was put on the duct tape that covered Caylee Marie Anthony's mouth, an Orange County investigator wrote in search warrant affidavit.

That detail is one of several included in hundreds of pages of legal documents released today by the State Attorney's Office in its case against Caylee's mother, Casey Anthony.

The reports detail more about what investigators found when Caylee's remains were recovered Dec. 11:

- The remains appeared to have originally been within a black plastic bag and within a cloth laundry hamper bag.

- There was a piece of silver duct tape over the mouth area of Caylee's skull.

- Inside the bag, investigators found a small shirt, small pair of white shorts and small cloth-type letters that appear to be iron-ons, and a Winnie the Pooh blanket.

While the duct tape was being processed at the FBI lab in Quantico, Va., investigators noticed residue in the "perfect shape of a heart." The residue "appeared to be consistent with the adhesive side of a heart shaped sticker," sheriff's Detective Yuri Melich stated in one of the documents.

He noted that investigators who scoured the wooded area where Caylee's remains were found located a small heart-shaped sticker similar in size to the residue on the tape.

"It appears that the sticker was put on the duct tape intentionally," he stated.

Dozens of pages of reports from crime-scene technicians were released, as well as transcripts from 911 calls made by the meter reader who found Caylee's remains.

In the wake of the release, Casey Anthony's defense attorney held a brief news conference late this afternoon but would not comment on the documents.

"I'm going to try this case in the courtroom, not on the courthouse steps," Jose Baez said.

The Kissimmee lawyer held the conference in Orange County to address rumors about himself and the criminal case against his client.

Baez said he has no book deals, no entertainment deals or any contingency fees with anyone. Any implication that he does is "simply a false rumor," he said.

"I have nothing to hide," Baez said.

He spoke briefly about his plans to request a change of venue for Anthony's trial, but wouldn't say where they would want go. Baez said the matter will be heard very shortly.

When asked about a rumored investigation by The Florida Bar against him, Baez said he's had numerous complaints filed against him by anonymous people.

"They have absolutely nothing to do with any entertainment deals or book deals," he said.

Meanwhile, in another search warrant for Casey's home on Hopespring Drive, where she lived with her parents and Caylee, investigators asked to collect:

-- Arts and crafts materials, stickers and scrap book material

-- Casey Anthony's shoes

-- Small plastic toy horses similar to one found at the crime scene

The investigator also asked for the authority to observe and note any prescriptions on the property.

Why would anyone other than someone who cared for a child bother to put a sticker on top of the duct tape? And if Jose Baez intends to try this case in the courtroom, why does he keep calling press conferences?

Other Caylee Anthony Posts
source