Richard Mooney, 34, of Watertown, is on trial for the 2009 murder of Robert Senick as the Review goes to press.
The jury was seated and began hearing evidence just after noon on Monday in DeKalb County Criminal Court for the trial, in which Mooney is charged with felony murder and theft of property over $1,000 in the death of Senick.
Senick’s remains were found in the ruins of his home near Liberty after it  burned to the ground in October, 2009.
The grand jury returned an indictment against Mooney in November, 2010, alleging that he killed Senick during the commission of theft of property, cash and drugs with a value of over $1,000.
Authorities allege that Mooney, reportedly an aquaintence of Senick, went to the home on Oct. 6 or 7, 2009, shot Senick in the head, committed the theft and set fire to the home with Senick’s body still inside.
The home was located in an isolated area off Liberty to Dismal Road.
According to Sheriff Patrick Ray, the mobile home had already burned to the ground by the time it was discovered and reported the next day.
An autopsy revealed that Senick had been shot in the head, and dental records confirmed his identity, as his body was burned beyond recognition.
Authorities reportedly recovered evidence that links Mooney to the crime scene despite the fire.