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Defense expected to call final witnesses in Christopher Clements’ murder trial

Defense expected to call final witnesses in Christopher Clements’ murder trial

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, 2022-09-27 12:47:00,

TUCSON, Ariz. (KOLD News 13) – The trial of accused Tucson child killer 40-year-old Christopher Clements continued Tuesday, Sept. 27, with the defense calling its final two expert witnesses.

Clements is facing several charges for allegedly kidnapping and killing 6-year-old Isabel Celis in 2012 and 13-year-old Maribel Gonzalez in 2014.

The current trial is for Maribel’s death, while Clements will face a jury for Isabel’s death next year.

The trial started two weeks ago with jury selections but kicked into high gear last week with opening statements and witness testimony. Links to our previous coverage are below.

Investigators say 6-year-old Isabel Celis (left) vanished from her parents’ Tucson home in 2012 while Maribel Gonzales (right) disappeared while walking to a friend’s house two years later.(Arizona’s Family)

WEEK THREE: TUESDAY’S TESTIMONY

On Tuesday, the defense was expected to call its final two witnesses — DNA analyst Mike Spence and cell phone mapping expert Karl Epps. Both are expected to try to counter the damming testimony from the state’s experts.

The state’s witnesses have said DNA testing and cell phone mapping put Clements at the spot where Maribel’s body was found. Also, there were several questionable internet searches found on his electronic devices along with photos of very young girls. At least some of those photos were allegedly taken by Clements at spots in the Tucson area.

After Spence and Epps testify, closing arguments are expected to…

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Queensland DNA testing inquiry hears of senior scientist’s ‘sickening feeling’ working in the lab

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, 2022-09-27 00:02:36,

A senior scientist has told a commission of inquiry into forensic DNA testing that working at Queensland’s government-run laboratory gave her a “sickening feeling” and she called for an overhaul of its “production-line” testing processes.

Kylie Rika started working in the laboratory in 2005 and remains a senior scientist in the forensic DNA unit.

The lab is under scrutiny after years of mounting concerns over testing failures, and last week’s bombshell interim report from Walter Sofronoff KC found “untrue” or “misleading” statements had been issued to the courts.

The statements related to some crime scene samples, which were reported as having “no DNA detected” or “DNA insufficient for further processing”, when in fact further testing might have yielded results.

It has led to fears of miscarriages of justice and the need to review DNA samples from potentially thousands of major crimes, including rapes and murders, dating back to 2018.

On day one of public hearings on Monday, Ms Rika said she voiced concerns about changing the threshold at which samples received further testing in 2018, but was ignored in a “toxic” working environment.

Today Ms Rika was questioned by Matthew Hickey – the lawyer…

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To read the original article from www.abc.net.au, Click here

How Forensic Genealogy Helped FBI Nab ‘CSI: Miami’ Actor’s Stalker

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, 2022-09-23 11:50:12,

A TV actor is opening up about her stalker after police caught him with the help of forensic genealogy and DNA testing.

Eva LaRue is best known for playing Det. Natalia Boa Vista on “CSI: Miami” and Maria Santos on “All My Children.”

For 12 years, an unknown man terrorized the actress, sending her and her young daughter threatening letters.

“I had no idea where the letters were coming from. I had no idea if he lived next door to us, if he lived on our street, if he was in our town, if he knew where I lived,” LaRue said. 

LaRue says she remembers the first letter he sent, because it “came out of nowhere” and she had never had anything like it before. 

“It was terrifying, because it detailed in five pages how he — just this gruesome debauched, evil to a whole other level, about how he wanted to kidnap my 5-year-old daughter and I and he wanted to hold us as sex slaves,” LaRue said.

The letters were all signed the same way, “Love Freddy Krueger,” the fictional monster from “A Nightmare on Elm Street.”

“Sometimes he would stop for a couple of months and we’d think, ‘Oh my god, maybe he’s in jail. Maybe he quit,’ and then it would start up again,” LaRue said.

Things took an even scarier turn when the man behind the letters tracked down LaRue’s daughter, Kaia, at school and pretended to be her father.

“It went from just a phone, ‘Hi, this is her dad,’ to leaving a message on the school answering machine, detailing everything he had…

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DNA expert weighs in, says Christopher Clements “cannot be excluded as contributor” from evidence found

DNA expert weighs in, says Christopher Clements “cannot be excluded as contributor” from evidence found

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, 2022-09-20 21:05:00,

TUCSON, Ariz. (KOLD News 13) – The murder trial of accused Tucson child killer 40-year-old Christopher Clements continued Tuesday, Sept. 20, with more witnesses and experts taking the stand.

So far, the state has called 15 witnesses to the stand.

Clements is facing several charges for allegedly kidnapping and killing 6-year-old Isabel Celis in 2012 and 13-year-old Maribel Gonzalez in 2014.

The current trial is for Maribel’s death, while Clements will face a jury for Isabel’s death next year.

The trial started last week with jury selections but kicked into high gear Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday with opening statements and witness testimony.

WEEK TWO: TUESDAY TESTIMONY

Forensic DNA Analyst Alicia Cadenas, who has worked in this field since 2007, took the stand for the state on Tuesday.

Cadenas said she has worked on hundreds of cases over the years and testified in more than 60 cases. She previously worked at DNA Labs International in Florida, where samples taken from Maribel’s body were sent.

A pubic hair found on Maribel was tested and returned a partial profile. Cadenas said the hair was not tested to determine whether it was Maribel’s.

Cadenas said Clements “cannot be excluded” as the source.

The partial profile was tested against 26,000 samples in a data base, with zero coming back as a match. DNA Labs International also ruled out all suspects but one: Christopher Clements.

In all 18 areas where DNA data could be extracted, Clements was a match. Cadenas…

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The DNA dilemma of identical twin crimes

The DNA dilemma of identical twin crimes

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, 2022-09-09 18:56:00,

It’s the “Parent Trap” – gone bad. 

Twins swapping identities is the premise of the Netflix hit thriller drama “Echoes,” but it’s a tad darker than the Hayley Mills classic. Michelle Monaghan plays identical twins who have switched places every birthday since they were kids into adulthood, tricking husbands and children. But, the twisted ritual goes wrong one year when they find themselves as prime suspects in a murder, puzzling a local cop who can’t figure out who did it.

While the show may be highly dramatized, in real life, twins committing crimes – together or separately –  isn’t uncommon. And figuring out who did it can be extremely complicated.

“Identical twins have identical DNA – that’s an impossible comparison at the genetic level. One is in fact the other, there’s no way to differentiate between the two because the entire genetic code is the same,” Jarrett Ambeau, a criminal defense trial attorney and expert in forensic DNA interpretation told The Post. “There’s a real serious issue at the genetic level with identifying identical twins and even siblings in terms of genetic material left at a crime scene.” 

“Echoes” on Netflix follows twins who swap identities, leaving a trail of mystery and crime.
Netflix
Michelle Monaghan as Leni McCleary in "Echoes" on Netflix.
Michelle Monaghan as identical twin Leni McCleary in “Echoes” on Netflix. While the show may be highly dramatized, in real life, twins committing crimes – together or…

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Christopher Clements’ 1st murder trial begins Thursday with jury selection

Christopher Clements’ 1st murder trial begins Thursday with jury selection

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, 2022-09-07 14:05:00,

TUCSON, Ariz. (KOLD News 13) – The first of two murder trials for Christopher Clements begins Thursday, Sept. 8, with jury selection.

The jury selection, which is expected to last two days, will be closed to the public and media.

Clements is facing several charges for allegedly kidnapping and killing Isabel Celis in 2012 and Maribel Gonzales in 2014.

Maribel’s body was found days after she disappeared, while Isabel’s remains were not recovered until Clements led federal agents to them in 2017. Both bodies were located in the same desert area near Trico and West Avra Valley roads in Pima County.

Clements’ first murder trial is for Maribel’s death. Opening statements are scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 13, and the trial could last through Sept. 30.

Clements will face a different jury for Isabel’s death. That trial is scheduled to start Feb. 2, 2023, and could run through March 3.

In June 2022, Clements was sentenced to 35 years in prison for a Maricopa County burglary case. Hoping to get that case dropped, Clements told FBI agents he had information on Isabel’s whereabouts and later led them to her remains. He told authorities he was not responsible for her death and only knew where her body was through talking with other inmates.

DISAPPEARED IN THE DESERT

KOLD has been covering the case for years. In 2021, we released an award-winning podcast called Disappeared in the Desert.

KOLD News Presents "Disappeared In The Desert"

PREVIOUS COVERAGE

CLEMENTS’ CRIMINAL HISTORY

  • In 1993, Clements was accused of molesting a very…

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YourTango

Theory About JonBenet Ramsey Ransom Note Signature May Reveal Killer’s Identity

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, 2022-08-30 18:19:48,

A signature at the bottom of the ransom note allegedly written by JonBenét Ramsey’s killer may be a clue that her murderer was student in a nearby college.

JonBenét Ramsey’s murder remains unsolved and the case left behind countless unanswered questions.

Those who have an interest in the case have gone through the facts time and time again. One of the most puzzling pieces of the puzzle to this day is the ransom note that Patsy Ramsey discovered on Christmas morning in 1997, which led to the 911 call that kicked off this investigation, which has become a nationwide fascination.

RELATED: 6 Secret Details About The JonBenét Ramsey Case —​ 25 Years Later

A private investigator from Utah believes he may have discovered a connection between the bizarre note and Boulder, Colorado that could point in the direction of the true culprit.

What did the ransom note for JonBenet Ramsey say?

The mysterious two-and-a-half-page letter was allegedly left on the stairs of the Ramsey home before her parents realized JonBenet was missing.

It was written using stationary that was found in the home.

The letter addressed to John Ramsey demanded $118,000 in exchange for JonBenét’s safe return. This happened to be the exact amount of the bonus John received earlier in the month – this detail has prompted many to theorize it was written by someone known to the family.

It was signed “Victory! S.B.T.C.” – the meaning of the signature is one of many unsolved details about the case.

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What DNA Evidence Was Found In JonBenet Ramsey’s Murder Investigation?

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, 2022-08-19 19:22:30,

The death of 6-year-old JonBenet Ramsey on Christmas day 1996 is perhaps one of the country’s greatest and most high-profile unsolved mysteries. 

The Ramsey family, once wrapped up in suspicions they were responsible for JonBenet’s death, has continued to fight for justice. JonBenet’s father, John Ramsey, has fought to try to find the answers behind his daughter’s death.

Most recently, the 78-year-old has called on the state of Colorado to independently test DNA from the case using new technology not available at the time of JonBenet’s death.

What DNA evidence exists in JonBenet Ramsey’s murder?

Unidentified DNA was found in JonBenét’s underwear and touch DNA was discovered on the waistband of her long johns. 

RELATED: JonBenét Ramsey’s Brother Tells Police ‘It’s Time To Talk’ As DNA Evidence Revives Hope Of Solving Her Murder

KDVR reported that as of December 2021, the Boulder Police Department said they processed more than 1,500 pieces of evidence related to the murder of JonBenet.

“At that time, the Boulder Police Department said ‘it was actively reviewing genetic DNA testing processes to see if those can be applied to this case moving forward,’” the outlet noted.

They also shared BPD’s claim they have analyzed nearly 1,000 DNA samples in the case to date.

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Police Used a Baby’s DNA to Investigate Its Father for a Crime

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Police Used a Baby’s DNA to Investigate Its Father for a Crime

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, 2022-08-15 06:00:00,

According to the New Jersey lawsuit, police had reopened an investigation into a cold case and had used genetics to place the suspect within a single family: one of several adults or their children. But police didn’t yet have probable cause to obtain search warrants for DNA swabs from any of them. Instead, they asked the state’s newborn screening lab for a blood sample of one of the children.

Analysis of this genetic information revealed a close relationship between the baby’s DNA and the DNA taken at the crime scene, indicating that the baby’s father was the person police were seeking. That was enough to establish probable cause in the assault investigation, so police sought a warrant for a cheek swab from the father. After analyzing his DNA, the suit contends, police found that it was a match to the crime scene DNA.

Jennifer Sellitti, an attorney with the Office of the New Jersey Public Defender, which is representing the father, says combining newborn screening samples with genetic genealogy opens the door for virtually anyone’s DNA to be used in a criminal investigation. “This is like a dystopian onion. Every time we peel back another layer, we find some new violation of privacy,” she says.

The lawsuit targets the New Jersey Department of Health and the state-run lab that conducts newborn screening. In an email to WIRED, Nancy Kearney, a spokesperson for the department, said they do not comment on pending litigation. She did not respond to a request to comment more generally on the department’s policies regarding retention or use of newborn screening samples.

When contacted by WIRED, a spokesperson for the New Jersey State Police also said that the agency does not comment on pending litigation. A representative from the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General, which is representing the state in the records lawsuit, said the office had no comment.

Genetic genealogy was most famously used to identify Joseph James DeAngelo as the Golden State Killer in 2018. It’s since been used by US law enforcement agencies to solve hundreds of violent crime cases, many of which had gone cold for years. The technique is powerful because it gives police access to DNA databases outside of their traditional purview.

Until recently, the main database at law enforcement’s disposal was the Combined DNA Index System, or Codis, which is maintained by the FBI. Codis contains around 14 million DNA profiles, but there are strict rules for what kind can be…

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Volunteer investigators want the Boulder Police Department to retest DNA found at the JonBenet Ramsey crime scene using modern technology

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JonBenet Ramsey’s fingernail samples, long johns and underwear should undergo modern-day DNA testing

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, 2022-08-07 16:08:07,

Amateur investigators called on the Boulder Police Department to retest key pieces of evidence from the 1996 murder of JonBenet Ramsey using modern DNA and genealogical technology to finally find her killer. 

Cindy Smit-Marra, the daughter of detective Lou Smit who first proposed the intruder theory which proposed that the Ramsey family had nothing to do with their 6-year-old daughter’s murder, which happened on Christmas Day 1996. 

Smit-Marra and a team of 12 volunteer investigators have come to support her father’s theory, and called on police to retest JonBenet’s underwear, long johns, and fingernail scrapings need to be tested for DNA they say could lead straight to the killer.

‘The Ramseys’ didn’t do it, and this case can be solved using the DNA evidence the killer left at the crime scene,’ Smit-Marra, and cold case investigator John Anderson, said according to the US Sun.

They believe modern DNA tracing techniques – including the use of genealogical databases – could finally pin down the identity of the pageant queen’s killer, as those methods have not been tried on evidence before.

Had she lived, JonBenet would have celebrated her 32nd birthday on Saturday. 

The investigator’s plea comes as the Boulder PD issued a rare statement defending their investigation after somebody tweeted ‘you’re the problem’ at them while asking why they don’t retest the DNA. 

‘Your information is not accurate. The Boulder Police Department regularly meets with multiple entities regarding this investigation, to include private labs, the FBI, CBI, the District Attorney’s Office and others,’ Boulder PD tweeted back. 

Volunteer investigators want the Boulder Police Department to retest DNA found at the JonBenet Ramsey crime scene using modern technology

The investigators called on police to retest JonBenet's underwear, long johns, and fingernail scrapings need to be tested for DNA they say could lead straight to the killer.

The investigators called on police to retest JonBenet’s underwear, long johns, and fingernail scrapings need to be tested for DNA they say could lead straight to the killer.

Smit-Marra and her team said the investigators needed to reexamine the DNA they have ‘under the specific format required to do forensic genealogy research.’

‘We request that the lab that did the testing on the long johns use their current technology to potentially identify more markers and/or separate any commingled DNA,’ they said, ‘This would simply take a phone call from the Boulder Police Department.’ 

They said if the department does not want to open such an investigation, they should hire a private company that deals in forensic…

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