Man Found Guilty Of Murder, Abuse Of Corpse

INDIANAPOLIS -- A man was convicted late Friday of murder in the death and dismemberment of his estranged girlfriend.

On the final day of the trial, deputy prosecutor Ann Harrigan called Joshua Bean a man without empathy, sympathy or conscience and painted a dark picture of what led to the death of Heather Norris in 2007, 6News' Derrik Thomas reported.

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Bean used a chainsaw to cut apart Norris' body, burned the remains, placed them in 10 trash bags and threw them in Dumpsters on the city's south side. Norris' remains were never found.

In a taped confession, Bean said Norris pulled a knife on him and that he "flipped out," took the knife and stabbed her.

Dr. John Pless, a forensic pathologist, testified that Bean required two-dozen stitches to repair 11 cuts to his arm that he described as defensive wounds.

"It is scientific proof that he was attacked. Dr. Pless is a renowned pathologist, and he confirmed that Josh was attacked and did try to defend himself," said John Alden, Bean's attorney.

Two domestic battery cases had previously been filed against Bean for alleged attacks against Norris. He was found not guilty on one of the charges and another case was pending at the time of Norris' death.

In an e-mail to one of her friends about 24 hours before her death, Bean called Norris a derogatory name and said she had cost him $11,000 in legal fees, according to the prosecution.

"The e-mails that he sent, the manner in which he spoke about Heather, reflect only sheer hatred," said deputy prosecutor Barbara Trathen. "I think it was just a matter of time when this was going to happen, not if. "

Both families packed the courtroom. Norris' mother wept during portions of final arguments.

The daughter of a civilian Indianapolis Metro police employee, Norris was reported missing on April 24, 2007, less than two weeks after investigators surmised that she was killed.