MANITOWOC, Wis. (Court TV) — A judge ruled that prosecutors may call a geologist as an expert witness in the case of a missing 3-year-old boy who was found dead.
During a hearing on Friday, Judge Anthony Lambrecht of the Fourth Circuit Court in Manitowoc County ruled that the jury in the upcoming trial against Jesse Vang, 41, and Katrina Baur, 33, may hear testimony from an FBI geologist. According to courtroom reporting by local Fox affiliate WLUK, Jodi Webb of the FBI testified during a previous hearing about samples of materials near where 3-year-old Elijah Vue was found dead in September 2024.
Jesse Vang (far left, with his attorney) and Katrina Baur during previous court appearances (WFRV).
Webb reportedly told the court that samples of sand and gravel were similar to samples of the same materials taken from containers at Vang’s home. Webb testified that she was not certain that the materials from the body’s location were an exact match to the materials found at Vang’s home. Vang’s defense attorney, Jeffrey Jensen, argued that the information would not help the jury and should be excluded.
WLUK reported that Lambrecht agreed with the prosecutors that jurors should hear evidence from Webb and come to their own conclusions at trial.
Vang, who was the boyfriend of Baur, Elijah’s mother, reported Elijah missing on Feb. 20, 2024. Baur told police that Elijah was staying with Vang so he could correct the little boy’s “behavioral issues.”
After Elijah’s remains were found, Vang was charged with physical abuse of a child causing death, chronic neglect, and hiding a corpse. Baur was charged with chronic neglect of a child causing death and neglecting a child. Both are scheduled for a pretrial conference on March 19, 2027. Their joint trial is scheduled for April 14, 2027.
