Ex-Northwestern professor indicted over her boyfriend’s death blames another man – NBC Chicago

[ad_1]

A former Northwestern University professor on trial for murder in the stabbing death of her boyfriend on Wednesday reiterated his claim that another man committed the crime as he curled up in a nearby bathroom.

A day after blaming Andrew Warren, who pleaded guilty to murder for his role in the murder of Trenton James Cornell-Duranleau in July 2017, Wyndham Lathem when questioned by the prosecutor admitted that not only did he not try to stop Warren. for killing her boyfriend, but he took a shower before the two ran off together.

On the witness stand, Lathem, 47, a renowned microbiologist, said he was in shock and believed authorities would blame him for the murder of Cornell-Duranleau, who was stabbed dozens of times throughout the world. Lathem’s apartment in Chicago. But he admitted that he had had ample opportunity to tell someone what had happened, starting with the doorman in his building.

(You) didn’t tell the porter (that) this man from England just slaughtered my boyfriend, did you? Assistant District Attorney Craig Engebretson asked.

No, Lathem said.

He also did not tell any of the people he met after he and Warren fled Chicago before the two were arrested eight days later in northern California after leading authorities in. a national manhunt.

On Tuesday, Lathem testified that only Warren stabbed Cornell-Duranleau during what began as a mathematical-fueled sexual encounter involving the three men.

“I didn’t stop Andrew from hurting him, I didn’t,” Lathem said. “I hid in the bathroom like a coward.

This contradicted testimony earlier in the trial of Warren, who in 2019 pleaded guilty to first degree murder as part of a plea deal calling him to testify against Lathem in exchange for a 45-year prison sentence. .

Warren, who was a financial officer at Oxford University at the time of the murder, said he flew from England to Chicago to meet Lathem and take part in a pact to kill each other before agree to kill Cornell-Duranleau, 26 years old. at Lathem’s suggestion.

He testified that he did stab Cornell-Duranleau, but only after Lathem had already started stabbing him.

Lathem’s testimony also contradicts what he said in a video linked to an email he sent to his parents days after the murder.

He completely trusted me and felt safe with me, and I betrayed him, Lathem said on the video the parents handed over to the US Marshals Service and played for the jury by prosecutors this week. last and again Wednesday. I took it all when I killed him. “

[ad_2]