Two movie clips that may be tied to the alleged murder of a Naperville man, including one displaying an explosion caused by natural gas, were played Tuesday at the DuPage County trial of the man accused of the crime.
Prosecutors are nearing the conclusion of their case against Grant Van Muren in the slaying of Charles Clark, a crime authorities say Muren tried to conceal by sparking a natural gas explosion.
Late Tuesday, Judge Brian Telander, who is overseeing the bench trial, reviewed a scene from the 2004 movie “The Bourne Supremacy” where the main character played by Matt Damon chokes another man to death in a fight in an apartment. Damon’s character then floods the residence with natural gas and shoves a magazine into a toaster, which, minutes later, causes an explosion.
Muren, prosecutors say, attempted something similar after he choked Clark to death Jan. 20, 2014, in Clark’s Vail Court townhouse. A forensic examination of Muren’s laptop showed he had made internet searches related to the Bourne film, Naperville detectives testified Tuesday.
Prosecutors contend the similarities to the movie cast doubt on Muren’s assertion that he killed Clark in self-defense.
Muren turned on the stove burners and the oven as he left Clark’s residence after the homicide, and he also shoved paper into a toaster, authorities said. There was no explosion, though Clark’s girlfriend reported a strong smell of gas about two days later when she came to the townhouse looking for Clark.
The men met via an online ad, and Muren had moved in just hours before Clark was killed. Muren says he and Clark had been drinking and Clark sexually assaulted him, but prosecutors say Muren made an unprovoked attack after some sexual contact between the men, hitting Clark with a wooden tray table and then strangling him.
Prosecutors Tuesday also played a clip of the song, “Vide Cor Meum,” from the 2001 movie “Hannibal.” A computer exam of Clark’s computer showed that someone had searched for the song sometime late on the evening of Clark’s death and Muren’s laptop showed previous searches for the Hannibal film, detectives testified.
The trial will continue Wednesday, with prosecutors planning to show a video walk-through of the scene. After that, the defense may formally begin. Muren’s attorneys plan to call witnesses who will reportedly testify to violent incidents instigated by Clark.
Both sides had hoped to conclude the trial by Thursday, but it now appears it will require more time. Because of scheduling issues, a conclusion is more likely to happen in the second week of September.
Clifford Ward is a freelance reporter.
