Jessica Dutro believed her 4-year-old son, Zachary Dutro-Boggess was gay, prosecutors told the court Wednesday, and that was her motive for subjecting him to deadly beatings.



Dutro, charged with murder, murder by abuse and second-degree assault, is on trial in Washington County Circuit Court.

Emergency crews brought Zachary to a Portland hospital Aug. 14, 2012, where doctors determined he was dying from trauma to his abdomen that caused tears in his bowel. He was taken off life support two days later.

After jurors were released for the day Wednesday, Judge Don Letourneau ruled that a Facebook message from Dutro to her boyfriend was admissible evidence.

Prosecutor Megan Johnson argued the message established Dutro’s motive for inflicting on Zachary a pattern of torture and abuse. Authorities say Dutro assaulted three of her children, but Zachary received the brunt of the violence.

In the message, Dutro told her boyfriend, Brian Canady, that Zachary was “facing the wall” because he had made her mad.

Her son was going to be gay, she wrote, using a slur. “He walks and talks like it. Ugh.”

Canady would have to “work on” Zachary, she wrote.

Canady pleaded guilty earlier this month to first-degree manslaughter and second-degree assault in the boy's death.

(From left) Jessica Dutro-Boggess and Brian Canady

Letourneau further ruled that web searches thought to be done by Dutro would also be admissible evidence.

Prosecutors say on Aug. 16, 2012, the day Zachary’s life support was terminated, Dutro searched terms such as anger management and parenting classes. She also searched listings for free stuff and sex with strangers, they said.

-- Emily E. Smith