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Dateline’s A Killing in Cottonwood unveils the gruesome details of a homicide that took place in Cottonwood. On May 5, 2012, the normal lives of the Duenas family took a turn after the matriarch of the family, Karen Deunas, was found stabbed to death in her room.
Karen was only 51 years old when the incident happened. Karen was not only a nursing student but also an instructor at Shasta College. Dateline's A Killing in Cottonwood steadily unfolds the details of the case along with the investigation.
A full timeline of Karen Duenas’ 2012 murder case revisited in Dateline’s A Killing in Cottonwood
Dateline’s A Killing in Cottonwood unveils the details of the murder
On May 5, 2012, Karen Deunas’ husband, Mark Deunas, heard the noise of cats fighting. This caused him to wake up to check if everything was okay. Mark and Karen slept in separate rooms because of Mark’s job. Hence, after waking up, he also went to Karen’s room.
He then saw that Karen was lying face down with blood all around her. After informing his son, Casey, who also stayed in the house with them, he called 911. After the paramedics arrived at the location, they announced that Karen was dead. Karen had three stab wounds, one on her chest and two on her back.
The blood was cleaner on her hands and feet. The gruesome nature of the murder set the pace for the investigation right away, as depicted in A Killing in Cottonwood.
The intense investigation explored in A Killing in Cottonwood
Right after Karen Deunas’ death, the investigation started with the investigators searching for clues that could bring the answers. However, even after immense tries for days, they were not able to find anything, which quickly raised the worries of the public.
Eventually, after 11 days of the murder, the person of interest for the case was identified as Karen’s husband, Mark.
Though Mark was considered the person of interest, the investigators did not arrest him right away. As the DNA test results take quite a long time to arrive, the case continued.
Mark Deunas’ arrest for Karen Deunas’ murder
In A Killing in Cottonwood, it is revealed that on October 5, 2012, Mark was arrested for the murder of his wife. The reason investigators doubted Mark in the murder case is also explored in A Killing in Cottonwood. Mark was in a relationship with Annette Green, a high school acquaintance.
After Karen found out about the relationship, she urged Mark to end the relationship. However, Mark used a separate phone to stay in touch with Annette Green. Annette Green also told the investigators that Mark told her that unless “something bad” happens, they will not be able to be together.
The investigators were further suspicious after they searched through the house and understood that Mark staged a break-in, but the windows and the surrounding area did not have any evidence that could support it. The 911 call, which Mark made after he found Karen’s body, also raised suspicions along with his distinct behavior while the investigators searched through their house.
Trials in A Killing in Cottonwood
Though Mark Deunas became the person of interest for the case, the two sides of the family remained united and supported him throughout. After Mark’s arrest, during the first trial on July 11, 2013, after the neighbour testified and noted that she did not hear any scream during the time of the murder, the case was declared a mistrial.
Throughout the trial, the families of both sides were present to support Mark. A second trial took place on October 1, 2013, with a new prosecutor. DA Stephanie Bridgett took on the case.
A knife, along with the 911 call recording, was provided. After all the evidence was provided, the final verdict arrived on November 1.
Final verdict revisited in A Killing in Cottonwood
On November 1, Mark Deunas was found guilty of the murder of Karen Deunas. Stephanie Bridgett noted that blood was found on the clothes.
He was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison. Though Mark Deunas was imprisoned, his family supported him.
After the judgment was given, he himself noted that he did not expect that he would be “blamed” for the death of Karen Deunas.
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