Ottawa ? Barney Riley was bludgeoned with a baseball bat and dumped in a field “like a stray dog.”

That was how Riley was killed the early morning of June 9, 2001, Franklin County Atty. John Dowell told a six-man, six-woman jury Tuesday in opening statements.

Dowell began his prosecution of John Powell, 44, an Overbrook man charged in Franklin County District Court with second-degree murder for Riley’s death.

Riley’s body was found by children two days later in a field in the 1600 block of Shawnee Road in northwest Franklin County.

Dowell said Riley, 39, Lawrence, had been staying at the residence of Mike Powell near Centropolis when Riley was killed. Mike Powell is John Powell’s brother. Moments before Riley was killed, John Powell and Riley had a conversation outside the house behind a pickup truck, Dowell said.

“John Powell got a baseball bat from under the truck’s seat and walked back to Riley and hit him twice,” Dowell told the jury.

John Powell then put Riley’s body in the bed of the truck and drove around for the next five hours before dumping the body in a field, Dowell said. Accompanying Powell on that drive was a woman identified as Lisa Burnett. Burnett will testify during the trial, Dowell said.

Powell’s attorney, Robert Kuchar, Olathe, gave a different version of what happened to Riley.

Mike Powell, Burnett and Riley had spent several days drinking, Kuchar said. Riley and Burnett had a “love-hate” relationship and fought with each other during those days.

John Powell was called to his brother’s home June 8 to try to calm his friend, Riley, Kuchar said. Riley passed out, and John Powell put him in the truck bed to get him off the property.

John Powell intended to drive Riley to Lawrence, Kuchar said. At some point, John Powell decided he needed to get to work and changed his mind about driving Riley to Lawrence, the attorney said in his opening.

John Powell stopped the truck and unloaded Riley’s unconscious body.

“He takes (Riley) to a shade tree; left him a lighter and a cigarette and goes on to work,” Kuchar said.

About 2 p.m. June 11, Franklin County Deputy Brad Owens said he was dispatched to check on a report of a body found by children. He said he found a man’s body in a field of tall grass.

The trial resumes today.