Jury deadlocks in Franklin County murder trial
Posted September 17, 2008 3:46 p.m. EDT
Louisburg, N.C. — A judge declared a mistrial Wednesday after jurors couldn't reach a verdict in the murder trial of a man whose ex-wife's body was found stuffed in the trunk of her car two years ago.
Robert Pastuer is charged with first-degree murder in the stabbing death of Narskelsky Angelean Pastuer, 52, of Zebulon.
Her body was found in the trunk of her car off U.S. Highway 1 near Franklinton on Dec. 7, 2006. Her daughter had reported her missing a month earlier.
Jurors deliberated for the better part of two days before announcing they were hopelessly deadlocked 8-4. They didn't indicate which way they were leaning.
Superior Court Judge Franklin Hobgood declared a mistrial but denied a defense motion that a bond be set for Robert Pastuer, who has remained in jail since his arrest two weeks after his wife's body was found.
