More than two years after four murder, Moscow was devastating, Aydaho, a judge gave the transcript of a recent hearing in the case against Brian Kochberger-man accused of stabbing four students to death in a home outside the campus.
The hearing, which was closed to society, came after defense lawyer Anne Taylor claims that investigators acted inappropriately when they used investigative genetic genealogy to try to isolate a suspect.
Studying genetic genealogy, or IgG, is a relatively new forensic technique that combines DNA analysis with genealogical studies. Authorities can take an unknown DNA profile of a suspect and upload it to a public database to learn about family members. Investigators can use this information and other evidence to build a family tree and identify potential suspects.
But the attempt by the defense to make a judge to suppress IgG’s evidence failed. And the process of killing Kohberger is expected to start this summer-with prosecutor’s office demands the death penalty if the 30-year-old is convicted.
Due to the wide -ranging order of GAG, prosecutors, defense lawyers and lawyers for families and witnesses of the victims are forbidden to say everything public, in addition to the public records.
Here are some of the new details revealed from the transcript of the closed door hearing:
Detective learned the name of Kohberger only after genetic genealogy
Leading detective in the case, Moscow Police Detective CPL. Brett Payne said he did not hear the name of Brian Cooberger, mentioned until December 19, 2022 – more than a month after the killings.
“This was the result of the genealogy studied, which was undertaken by the FBI. We had a phone call tonight and they told us the name of Brian Kohberger, “Payne testifies.
But IgG is not cited at a probable reason
Payne admitted that he did not mention the investigative genetic pedigree for a probable cause of Kohberger.
“What led to this decision?” Taylor asked.
“This decision was a decision to cooperate,” the detective replied. “We made this decision in an attempt to check independently the information provided to us as a FBI advice, in the same way that we would have any other advice in the law enforcement authorities. So in no way was meant to reverse any information, we can just validate the participation of G -N Kohberger in this incident or we cannot. It was. “
“As a group effort, you decided to deliberately leave this from your declaration?” Taylor asked.
“Yes, ma’am,” Payne replied.
DNA of only one person is found on a knife
DNA testing of parts of the knife sheath has opened a source, said Rilen Noulin, a forensic policeman’s forensic manager in Idaho.
Laboratory tested samples from the DNA DNA sheath – which can be available in the form of skin cells that are thrown on elements that touch.
Analyzer captivates “the whole leather part of the strap, both on the top and bottom, and then the underside of the button,” Nulin testifies. “It did not develop the top of the button because it was defined as the most likely place to detect fingerprints.”
Idaho’s authorities travel by DNA to Texas
State police in Idaho had a contract with the Houston -based laboratory in Depart for certain types of forensic work, Nulin said. Othram specializes in DNA sequencing combined with genealogy mapping.
“This DNA sample was delivered personally by the Moscow Police Department at Othram Labs,” the director of the State Police System, Matthew Gamet, testified.
“I accompanied the officer from Boyz to Houston and down to Rerh’s laboratory. I had no possession of the sample, but I was with the investigator who did it. “
After Idaho’s authorities delivered a DNA sample, Gamette keeps in touch with Othram “What type of analysis we ask them to do, as well as what type of search,” he said.
“I remember asking specifically for consent to perform certain types of search. We had to authorize things through notes and what else to do a certain demand, I believe more specially that it was Familytreedna that they need permission, “Gamet said.
Many popular genealogy sites do not allow law enforcement search
Familytreedna is one of the two main genealogical databases that allow search for law enforcement, Payne said.
Another genealogical database that law enforcement agencies can use is GedMatch Pro, testifies to genetic genealogist Leah Larkin.
“These are the only two databases of any significant size that allow [forensic investigative genetic genealogy] Search, ”Larkin said.
“His ancestry prohibits him, 23andme forbid that Myheritage prohibits him.”
Many of the largest genealogy sites take care of clients who just want to know about their descent – and may not want their DNA data to potentially be used by law enforcement agencies.
In recent years, after law enforcement agencies have used some of the most popular genealogy sites for criminal investigations, many companies have changed their service conditions.
Expert claims that the allegations have used an unauthorized database
Othram, the Laboratory Company in Texas, stopped working for the case on December 10, 2022, Taylor said. “The FBI took and we heard that by December 19, nine days later, they made an identification,” the lawyer said.
This time line is significant “because Othram’s matches were, as in their own words in their report, these matches were low,” Larkin reports.
She noted that Ream recommended that he test four brothers to “receive more information”.
But “if you go out and if you approach these men and even if one of them said, yes, you can test my DNA, the test itself would take some time; Getting a person’s set, getting spitting, sending to the laboratory, analyzing it. And that would not lead to the profile of the crime scene, because it was a wrong family branch, “Larkin reports.
“So passing from low matches to ID, or at least advice, whatever they call it, within nine days, that it was there that they told me that they had entered a database where they should not participate.”
CNN turned to the FBI to respond to the accusation that he was using a genealogical database inappropriate. Prosecutors did not respond directly to this request during the hearing.
Larkin said she also saw GedMatch’s “screen photos” in electronic communication.
Unlike GedMatch Pro, which is smaller and allows for the demand for law enforcement, “GedMatch is just a super open database” and does not allow the search for criminal investigations, Larkin said. GedMatch has many more users and “Any kit in the system that is public, you can see their matches.”
“So your list of matches,” Larkin testifies.
In the GedMatch Pro, law enforcement authorities may not see the same matches.
In the end, the FBI “admitted that they had uploaded to Myheritage” – a database outside the borders of the law enforcement agencies, said Larkin, citing a document shared with the court.
What happens after
Kohberger’s trial is expected to start in August and continue for several months. Prosecutors said they would seek the death penalty if Kohberger was convicted.
Meanwhile, the victims of the victims Madison Mogen, Kylie Gonkalvs, Xana Kernodel and Ethan Chapin continue for a long wait to learn the fate of the suspect.
But the Goncalves family expressed relief that the judge did not suppress the evidence of genetic genealogy.
“We are grateful to the court for the timely decision and we appreciate the work [the] The prosecutor’s office has been set up so far, “the Facebook family published last week.
“In the great picture of life, justice is only at times.”
Taylor Romin and Eric Levenon on CNN contributed to this report.
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