ORLANDO, Fla. – A state crime lab analyst testified Monday that DNA collected from Benjamin Holmes in 2018 matched DNA proof discovered on the physique of murder sufferer Christine Franke almost 22 years in the past.
Franke was discovered shot to demise in her Orlando condo in October 2001.
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Although there is no such thing as a proof Franke was sexually assaulted, investigators mentioned they discovered semen stains on her physique.
Over the subsequent twenty years, investigators in contrast that DNA to about 35 of Franke’s relations, pals, co-workers and different individuals of curiosity however couldn’t discover a match.
In 2018, detectives submitted the crime scene DNA to GedMatch, a family tree database many use to analysis ancestors and find distant family.
After genealogists recognized about 100 family of the suspected killer, detectives took DNA samples from a number of relations till they decided Holmes was the probably suspect.
In 2018, investigators obtained a warrant to acquire a swab of DNA from Holmes’ mouth.
Florida Department of Law Enforcement crime lab analyst Laura Wenz in contrast Holmes’s DNA to the semen discovered on the crime scene in 2001.
“When I made the comparison, that DNA profile matched the DNA profile from Benjamin Lee Holmes,” Wenz informed the jury.
Wenz testified that Holmes’ DNA matched semen samples that she initially examined in 2001, as properly further semen samples discovered on Franke’s physique that weren’t analyzed till 2020.
No proof has been offered at trial indicating Holmes knew Franke or lived close to the sufferer.
The solely proof linking Holmes to Franke’s murder is DNA, in accordance to trial testimony up to now.
Holmes and his legal professional haven’t disputed that Holmes’ DNA was discovered on the crime scene.
But the protection claims somebody planted Holmes’ DNA on Franke’s physique and staged the crime scene to body Holmes for the murder. They haven’t but defined how somebody could have obtained Holmes’ physique fluids.
“I do not know how the DNA got on the scene,” Wenz acknowledged below cross-examination by Holmes’s legal professional, Jerry Girley.
“And in fact, this conclusion that you reached, it doesn’t say Mr. Holmes is guilty of committing a murder, does it?” Girley requested.
“No,” replied Wenz.
Testimony is scheduled to resume Tuesday.
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