05/05/2006
Victim's father testifies in murder trial
by john flesher
The Associated Press
BEULAH — Florence Unger's mother blurted, "You've killed my daughter," when Mark Unger telephoned to break the news of her death at a northern Michigan resort, the victim's father testified Thursday.
Harold Stern was the first witness in Mark Unger's trial on a first-degree murder charge in Benzie County Circuit Court. His testimony suggested that Stern and his wife, Clare, were immediately suspicious of their son-in-law after learning of the tragedy.
Stern, a semi-retired attorney, is from Huntington Woods, a Detroit suburb.
Under questioning by prosecutor Donna Pendergast, Stern said Mark Unger called them the morning of Oct. 25, 2003, and said he had bad news about Florence.
Later that day, they met Unger at the home of the Sterns' son in neighboring Leelanau County. Unger suggested that Florence be cremated, Stern said. That seemed odd because cremation "is contrary to the tenets of the Jewish faith."
Under cross-examination, defense attorney Robert Harrison raised the possibility that Florence wanted her ashes scattered in northern Michigan because she loved the area. Stern labeled the suggestion "malarkey," saying he suspected Unger's real motive was to avoid an autopsy.
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