Caylee Anthony Defense Takes Aim at Meter Reader

Nov. 20, 2009— -- The defense team for the Florida woman accused of killing her 2-year-old daughter is casting suspicion on the man who found the toddler's remains, alleging he could have played a role in the little girl's death.

After interviewing former meter reader Roy Kronk's ex-wives and family members, the attorneys for Casey Anthony claimed in a motion filed Thursday in a Florida court that Kronk is "equally as likely to be responsible for the death of the child."

Kronk was hailed as a "good citizen" by prosecutors when he discovered Caylee Anthony's remains, including a skull, in a bag less than a mile from Casey Anthony's Orlando home in December. Casey Anthony was charged with her daughter's murder in October, two months before the remains were found. Authorities have cleared Kronk of any involvement in the death of Caylee Anthony.

The defense motioned for the court to allow the jury to hear about Kronk's alleged past wrongdoings based on interviews with two of Kronk's ex-wives, son and a longtime live-in girlfriend's daughter, which paint him as abusive and untrustworthy.

In videos shot by the defense team, former wife Jill Kerley claimed Kronk beat her in 1992 and bound her hands with duct tape. Attorneys say the allegation that Kronk "used duct tape for the purposes of restraining women" is significant because duct tape was found on Caylee Anthony's remains.

Another former wife from 1982, Crystal Sparks, said Kronk should not be believed.

"Roy talks so many untruths," she said in another video. "When he does talk the truth, you just can't believe it."

Kronk's son, Brandon Sparks, reportedly claimed Kronk told him a month before he reported the remains that he had found Caylee's remains and would be on television, according to the Orlando Sentinel.

Kronk's attorney said his client denies the allegations in the motion and witness interviews.

"They're doing what you'd expect, trying to defend their client," attorney David Evans told reporters. "They're just asking their questions."

It's not the first time Kronk has denied involvement in the case. A month after he called 911 to report the discovery, Kronk appeared on "Good Morning America" to flatly deny allegations that he had been tipped off to the find.

"No good deed goes unpunished," Kronk told "Good Morning America" in January. "There's all the speculation that there were tips. Nobody tipped me off. I figured this out by myself. I've never even met those people [the Anthony family]."

Casey Anthony, 23, is the only suspect in the murder. Caylee disappeared in June 2008 but was not reported missing until a month later.