Serial killers and true crime

The feeble 80-year-old woman, testifying by video feed from her home state of Florida, gave contradictory or inconclusive statements about his allegedly violent behavior, and giggled at times while Naso reminisced about their times together.

“You still look good, Betty,” said Naso, 78. “After all these years, you still look good to me.”

He is just so creepy. How could that have made her giggle? Puke I can see but not giggle.

The testimony came on the fourth day of Naso’s preliminary hearing in Marin Superior Court. After the hearing, Judge Andrew Sweet will decide whether there is sufficient evidence to try Naso on four counts of murder.

Naso has declined to hire a lawyer, despite having more than $1 million in assets, including bundles of cash and coin collections.

Naso, a retired commercial photographer, is charged with murdering four reputed prostitutes: Roxene Roggasch, 18, dumped outside Fairfax in 1977; Carmen Colon, 22, found near Port Costa in 1978; Pamela Parsons, 38, found in Yuba County in 1993; and Tracy Tafoya, 31, found in Yuba County in 1994. Roggasch was strangled with panty hose that contained the DNA of Naso’s wife, according to court documents.

Naso was identified as the suspect after a 2010 probation search at his Reno home revealed a vast collection of photographs of dead or unconscious women in various states of undress, incriminating writings, sadistic magazines and diaries describing sex crimes, investigators said. Authorities are still investigating whether he can be linked to additional homicides.

Naso has pleaded not guilty. He says the photos are his private artwork and that the women are in staged poses.

Scary thing is some might actually believe it. Keep reading.

The Florida woman met Naso while both lived in Sutter County in the 1990s. She responded to a newspaper ad Naso ran for a caretaker for his disabled son, and while she did not end up working for Naso, they began a sexual relationship.

This is very petty but I almost gagged a little here. Look at him!

• 

  Would you want to have sex with him?

The woman moved to Florida a few years later, and Naso visited her at least twice. She eventually broke off the relationship, and filed reports with local authorities that Naso was threatening her and sending unwanted mail and photos, according to court testimony.

Under questioning from prosecutor Rosemary Slote, the woman was able to identify herself as the woman in several Naso photographs. In some pictures, she appears standing and posed in lingerie, once with her hands tied by a cord going to the ceiling. In others, she is sprawling or bound on a bed, apparently unconscious.

The woman could not recall how she came to be in those positions, possibly lending support to the prosecution theory that Naso was rendering his victims unconscious. But she had difficulty verifying her old police statements in which she alleged violence and threats by Naso.

This is where it gets worrisome. There is a chance that someone, if not a judge maybe a juror, will have reasonable doubt due to these statements.

If this Rosemary had these photos taken, possibly willingly since there is no evidence that she fought them, and is still alive maybe he did not kill the others.

They do not have to absolutley believe the concept they just have to allow it to create doubt.

Naso, in his cross-examination, worked to charm his former girlfriend with recollections of day trips, dinners out and holding hands during long walks. But the approach sometimes fizzled into inconclusive or unflattering answers.

“When we were together, we had a good time, didn’t we?” Naso said.

“Yes.”

“Do you ever remember me mistreating you?”

“Yes.”

“And how was that?”

The witness was unable to answer.

I do not understand why he is being allowed to basically flirt with this woman the way he is.

Didn’t the DA question her before? I hope that they have stronger witnesses than Ms. Slote.

In another exchange, Naso asked if she could recall him driving her to give piano lessons.

“What I remember is you threatening me that you would blackmail me about the piano lessons I taught,” she said.

“How did I threaten you?”

“I wish I could remember better.”

“I wish I could, too,” Naso said.

I bet he can, in vivid detail. I have this icky feeling that he is enjoying toying with her, that he is remembering the drugs he gave her and what he did to her when she was passed out. Creepy old monster.