Lorenzo Says He Will Not Testify
Published: Nov 8, 2005
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TAMPA - -- The prosecution in Steven Lorenzo's trial rested Monday after playing for jurors a tape of a confrontation between Lorenzo and investigators who said they had discovered photographs of Michael Wachholtz's dead body posed throughout Lorenzo's house.
Police Detective Charles Massucci broke the news about the Wachholtz photos.
"Based on further review of your computers, we have direct evidence at this point connecting him to your house," Massucci said.
"What?" Lorenzo said, sounding shocked.
Massucci: "We can positively place him in your house, OK? And we have positively placed him on the 21st. So you're shaking your head; you believe that's untrue or."
Lorenzo: "That's untrue."
Friends last saw Wachholtz on Dec. 21, 2003. His badly decomposed body was found in the back of his jeep about two weeks later.
At the time of the April 23 interview, attorneys were preparing for Lorenzo's trial on charges that he drugged and sexually tortured seven men.
Lorenzo had been a suspect in Wachholtz's death and the disappearance of Jason Galehouse. The Wachholtz photos were found in a section of Lorenzo's computer for deleted files.
Lorenzo is standing trial on federal charges of drug facilitated crimes of violence against nine men, including Galehouse and Wachholtz. The defense is expected to present witnesses today. Lorenzo told U.S. District Judge Richard Lazzara that he will not testify.
Hillsborough County sheriff's Detective Charles Keene began showing Lorenzo, one after the next, 19 pictures, mostly depicting what authorities say are Wachholtz's feet, and some showing the rest of his body. The pictures were taken in Lorenzo's bathroom and living room, showing distinctive features in Lorenzo's home, including a patterned circular rug and furniture.
In one photo, a gloved hand poses the feet in a bathtub.
Keene: "This your bathroom?"
Lorenzo: "Yeah, that's my bathroom."
Keene: "It's your bathroom. This is your hand."
Lorenzo: "Right."
Keene: "And a glove. This is you holding somebody's feet."
Lorenzo: "Right."
Keene pointed to ligature marks on the ankles and wrists and blood on the feet and floor. He showed where blood was pooling in the bathtub and was on a washcloth in one of the pictures.
Sounding upset and surprised, Lorenzo began uttering profanities. "I don't remember any of this," he said. "Something's wrong."
Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Porcelli interjected. "Would it be a fair statement to say that you have a foot fetish?"
Lorenzo: "Yeah, I do have a foot fetish. I always have."
