McCowan is accused of his killing Bach, then dumping her body a few hundred yards from his home just outside of Valparaiso.
"Our daughter can never seek justice for herself. So it is our duty to seek justice for Amanda," said Bill Bach, murder victim's father.
On Wednesday afternoon, a judge denied McCowan's request that he be allowed to post bail.
In a court hearing prosecutors provided a thumbnail sketch of their case. So far detectives have not been able to find any physical evidence implicating McCowan in the murder. They are still waiting for DNA and other forensic results to come back from an FBI lab. A detective, though, testified McCowan's cell phone, a witness, even the scent of a bloodhound show he was at or near where Amanda Bach's body was dumped.
A judge called the evidence against McCowan "circumstantial" but said there's enough of it to keep him locked up until trial.
McGowan's father, a Crown Point police officer, declined to speak on camera but told ABC7 he stands by his son. He said detectives - some of whom he once called friends - should be ashamed of themselves.
The courtroom overflowed with supporters of both families and young people who friends with both Amanda and Dustin.
"It's hard to watch him go through that but I want justice to come out," said Tyler Crussen, friend of victim and suspect.
One piece of important evidence yet to come back from the lab is a comparison of the bullet that killed Amanda and ammunition kept in the McGowan home for a .38 caliber handgun that remains missing.
The trial is scheduled to begin in late January.
