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New Twist to Kalkaska County Murder Case
Posted: 6/9/2009


A new twist in a Kalkaska County murder trial involving a three year old boy.

Brand new evidence obtained by the prosecutor shows the defendant, Sheldon McDonald trying to convince a key witness to lie under oath.

That key witness is the victim's mother. She took the stand Tuesday morning.

9&10 News was the only TV station in the courtroom on the second day in the week-long trial.

Sheldon McDonald is on trial for killing three-year old Cody Cross. Police say he died after suffering severe child abuse at their Kalkaska home last August.

Cody's mom, Pamela Buning, and her friend, Heather Batchelor are both serving prison time for lying to keep themselves and McDonald out of trouble.

They later admitted to watching -- on several occasions -- McDonald severely abuse Cody.

Now it appears McDonald and Buning were plotting a new cover-up scheme as recently as last month. The cover-up attempt was discovered after a jail guard recently spotted a suspicious letter.

That single letter led to several others and showed a regular correspondence between McDonald and Buning. The prosecutor says they used assumed names and third parties to avoid getting caught in the jail's mail screening process.

"What was it that he wanted you to do?" the prosecutor asked Buning Tuesday on the witness stand.

Buning responded: "To lie and say that it was Heather."

In the letters, the prosecutor says McDonald promised Buning that if she helped clear his name, he would marry her and help raise their kid she recently gave birth to while in prison.

Prosecutor Brian Donnelley asked Buning to read excerpts of the letters during her testimony.

"If you don't say the stuff that you said was a lie, and that he was fine when you got home, baby, I’m going to get found guilty, don't you understand that?" Buning went on to read: "You are the only one that can help me be free, I swear on our son."

9&10's Ryan Raiche and Photojournalist Jeremy Erickson have more from inside the courtroom on day two of Sheldon McDonald's trial.
© 2009 by Heritage Broadcasting