Prosecutors believe they have a motive in the murder case against Mark Redwine, who is accused of killing his 13-year-old son, Dylan, in November 2012.
According to court documents, the prosecution team, led by 6th Judicial District Attorney Christian Champagne, said tension existed between father and son, which was the “ultimate motive for the murder.”
More specifically, prosecutors said Dylan planned to confront his father about “compromising photographs” of Mark Redwine.
Prosecutors have mentioned the compromising photographs in the past without ever describing the contents of the photos, but they have never publicly linked the photos directly to the motive in the homicide.
District Attorney Christian Champagne declined to comment about the nature of the photographs Wednesday.
Prosecutors filed about five motions late last month, some routine, others tailored to the unique circumstances of the Redwine case.
One motion filed by prosecutors seeks to introduce statements Dylan made to family and friends prior to his death. For example, Dylan’s older brother, Cory Redwine, could testify that Dylan requested his brother send him the compromising photos so he could confront Mark Redwine with them during a visit, the motion says.
“Dylan Redwine’s statements that he had seen the photographs and previously planned to use them to get back at his father during an argument ties in directly to the motive for the murder, because this was a documented trigger of violence for Mark Redwine,” according to the prosecution’s motion.
During a news conference in July 2017, shortly after Redwine’s arrest, Champagne said the photos “are certainly a point of contention between Dylan and his father,” adding: “We think it’s an important part of the case and an important part of the probable cause analysis that supports the charges.”
Dylan visited his father as part of a court-ordered visit on Nov. 18, 2012, and was reported missing the next day. His remains were found in June 2013, about 8 miles from Redwine’s home north of Vallecito Reservoir. The La Plata County Sheriff’s Office named Redwine a person of interest in the case in August 2013, and he was arrested nearly four years later in Bellingham, Washington.
Redwine pleaded not guilty on June 29 to second-degree murder and child abuse resulting in death. A four-week jury trial is set to begin Nov. 26. If convicted, he could face 16 to 48 years in prison.
Prosecutors and defense lawyers typically file a series of motions leading up to a homicide trial. Each side has a chance to respond to the other side’s motions, but no responses to the prosecution’s most-recent motions had been publicly posted as of Wednesday.
The prosecution seeks to use statements Dylan made in the days, weeks and months before his death. The statements include conversations about his relationship with his father that led to tensions before his trip, the compromising photographs he observed and conversations regarding his thoughts on the visit itself.
Included among the statements are conversations Dylan had with an attorney and a judge about the court-ordered visit, the documents say. Prosecutors also plan to use phone calls and text messages from Dylan’s phone.
“These statements will be offered to prove a material fact – that when Dylan Redwine went to visit his father on Nov. 18, 2012, and was murdered, there was tension in their relationship that led to the ultimate motive for the murder,” the document reads.
Prosecutors said Dylan’s statements directly contradict statements made by Redwine, which downplay tensions in their relationship.
Another motion filed by prosecutors seeking to allow the jury to view the locations on Middle Mountain where Dylan’s remains were found.
Some remains were found in June 2013 on Middle Mountain Road. His skull was found more than two years later about 1½ miles from the previous remains.
Prosecutors want the jury to fully comprehend the distances between the two sites, differences in elevation, available visibility and accessibility of the locations. They said any mapping that would occur in the courtroom would likely confuse the jury.
In previous interviews with law enforcement, Redwine has suggested an animal could account for the separate locations of the remains, prosecutors said.
“The only way to completely understand the likelihood of this explanation is to see the crime scenes in person,” the motion states.
Redwine is next scheduled to appear in court on Oct. 10 for a motions hearing, where a judge is expected to hear arguments and possibly rule on some of the motions field by prosecutors and defense lawyers.
asemadeni@durangoherald.com