GUILTY AK - Sophie Sergie, 20, UAF student, murdered, Fairbanks, 26 April 1993 *Arrest in 2019*

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Didn't find any "new"articles on the last previous days of trial.

Monday, January 31st:
*Trial continues (Day 13) (@ 8:30am AKST) – AK – Sophie Sergie (20) (April 26, 1993, Fairbanks) - *Steven Harris Downs (18 @ time of crime/44/now 46) arrested (in Auburn, Maine), charged (2/15/19), indicted (3/14/19) & arraigned (8/6/19 & 8/14/19) with 1st degree intentional murder & 1st degree sexual assault. Plead not guilty. Held without bond, changed to $1M (8/6/19). Bond changed (8/16/19) to $550K.
DNA GEDMatch/Parabon Nanolabs (Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP)). The Downs case may be the first real test of the limits of DNA forensics in criminal prosecutions — that this case may even reach the U.S. Supreme Court.
Trial began on 1/10/22. (will last about 4 to 7 weeks). Jurors: 10 women & 6 men (includes 4 alternates).
Court information from 2/19/19 thru 1/5/22 & Trial Days 1/10 to 1/24/22 (Day 1-8) reference post #233 here:
AK - Sophie Sergie, 20, UAF student, murdered, Fairbanks, 26 April 1993 *Arrest in 2019*
1/25/22 Tuesday: Trial Day 9: State witnesses: Jim McCann, the lead investigator of the case. Katherine deSchweinitz Lee, Down's college girlfriend. No other info available. Trial continues on 1/26/22.
1/26/22 Wednesday, Trial Day 10: State witnesses: No info available. Trial continues on 1/27/22.
1/27/21 Thursday, Trial Day 11: State witnesses: Hayne Hamilton, retired forensic serologist. She had created & examined slides from the crime scene & the autopsy of Sergie that contained bodily fluids that were preserved as evidence. Another witness who had been a crime lab worker 1993 testified Thursday that pubic hairs were recovered from the crime scene that came from a Caucasian person, but were never tested for DNA. The worker said a microscopic analysis of those hairs likely couldn't be matched to pubic hairs from the same person taken today. No other info available. Trial continues on 1/28/22.
1/28/22 Friday, Trial Day 12: State witnesses: Bleu Roesbury, friend of Downs during college via teleconference. No other info available. 1/28/22: Letter to Judge Temp re media access to trial proceedings & documents. Motion of additional Press intervenor. Trial continues on Monday, 1/31/22.
 
Not finding any updated articles for yesterday.

Tuesday, February 1st:
*Trial continues (Day 14) (@ 8:30am AKST) – AK – Sophie Sergie (20) (April 26, 1993, Fairbanks) - *Steven Harris Downs (18 @ time of crime/44/now 46) arrested (in Auburn, Maine), charged (2/15/19), indicted (3/14/19) & arraigned (8/6/19 & 8/14/19) with 1st degree intentional murder & 1st degree sexual assault. Plead not guilty. Held without bond, changed to $1M (8/6/19). Bond changed (8/16/19) to $550K.
DNA GEDMatch/Parabon Nanolabs (Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP)). The Downs case may be the first real test of the limits of DNA forensics in criminal prosecutions — that this case may even reach the U.S. Supreme Court.
Trial began on 1/10/22. (will last about 4 to 7 weeks). Jurors: 10 women & 6 men (includes 4 alternates).
Court information from 2/19/19 thru 1/5/22 & Trial Days 1/10 to 1/28/22 (Day 1-12) reference post #242 here:
AK - Sophie Sergie, 20, UAF student, murdered, Fairbanks, 26 April 1993 *Arrest in 2019*
1/31/22 Monday, Trial Day 13: State witnesses: No info available. Trial continues on 2/1/22.
 
Wednesday, February 2nd:
*Trial continues (Day 15) (@ 8:30am AKST) – AK – Sophie Sergie (20) (April 26, 1993, Fairbanks) - *Steven Harris Downs (18 @ time of crime/44/now 46) arrested (in Auburn, Maine), charged (2/15/19), indicted (3/14/19) & arraigned (8/6/19 & 8/14/19) with 1st degree intentional murder & 1st degree sexual assault. Plead not guilty. Held without bond, changed to $1M (8/6/19). Bond changed (8/16/19) to $550K.
DNA GEDMatch/Parabon Nanolabs (Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP)). The Downs case may be the first real test of the limits of DNA forensics in criminal prosecutions — that this case may even reach the U.S. Supreme Court.
Trial began on 1/10/22. (will last about 4 to 7 weeks). Jurors: 10 women & 6 men (includes 4 alternates).
Court information from 2/19/19 thru 1/5/22 & Trial Days 1/10 to 1/28/22 (Day 1-12) reference post #242 here:
AK - Sophie Sergie, 20, UAF student, murdered, Fairbanks, 26 April 1993 *Arrest in 2019*
1/31/22 Monday, Trial Day 13: State witnesses: Oliver Emerick Althoen, college friend. Bleu Moon Roesbery, friend from college. Cheryl Duda, a forensic DNA analyst at the Alaska Crime Lab. The prosecution may wrap up its case Wednesday, including playing recordings of interviews with the defendant. A key witness may not be able to appear this week because of the need to quarantine after COVID-19 exposure & prosecutors are making arrangements. Trial continues on 2/1/22.
2/1/22 Tuesday, Trial Day 14: State witnesses: No other info available. Trial continues on 2/2/22.
 
3577582_-SJ.CITdownsP.032119-1-300x241.jpg
Steven H. Downs appears in Androscoggin County Superior Court in Auburn in March 2019 for an extradition hearing. He is on trial in Fairbanks, Alaska, for the 1993 murder of an Alaska woman. Russ Dillingham/Su
rbbm.
Gun used in Alaska cold case murder could have belonged to Auburn man, expert says
''Under cross-examination Tuesday by defense attorney Jesse James Ian Archer, Gillis said Downs’ gun was one of possibly tens of millions of guns that could have fired the bullet recovered from Sergie.

Gillis also said that the .22-caliber bullet was so “extensively damaged,” that there’s a possibility it might not have the same characteristics as Downs’ gun and, if that’s true, his gun could not have fired the fatal bullet.

She said she couldn’t identify a specific gun that fired the bullet because of the damage the slug sustained when it hit nose-first into a hard surface.

A forensic specialist testified Tuesday that fingerprint and palm prints recovered from the bathtub area where Sergie was found didn’t match those of Downs, nor did they match those of Nicholas Dazer, Downs’ roommate at the school at that time whom the defense has named as an alternative suspect.

Prosecutors are nearing the end of their witness list of Downs’ trial, which could go to the jury by the end of this week, Judge Thomas Temple said Tuesday.

A police interview of Downs is expected to be played for the jury Wednesday''
 
Thursday, February 3rd:
*Trial continues (Day 16) (@ 8:30am AKST) – AK – Sophie Sergie (20) (April 26, 1993, Fairbanks) - *Steven Harris Downs (18 @ time of crime/44/now 46) arrested (in Auburn, Maine), charged (2/15/19), indicted (3/14/19) & arraigned (8/6/19 & 8/14/19) with 1st degree intentional murder & 1st degree sexual assault. Plead not guilty. Held without bond, changed to $1M (8/6/19). Bond changed (8/16/19) to $550K.
DNA GEDMatch/Parabon Nanolabs (Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP)). The Downs case may be the first real test of the limits of DNA forensics in criminal prosecutions — that this case may even reach the U.S. Supreme Court.
Trial began on 1/10/22. (will last about 4 to 7 weeks). Jurors: 10 women & 6 men (includes 4 alternates).
Court information from 2/19/19 thru 1/5/22 & Trial Days 1/10 to 1/31/22 (Day 1-13) reference post #248 here:
AK - Sophie Sergie, 20, UAF student, murdered, Fairbanks, 26 April 1993 *Arrest in 2019*
2/1/22 Tuesday, Trial Day 14: State witnesses: Debra Gillis, a forensic scientist at the Alaska Crime Lab. Testified that a Harrington & Richardson .22-caliber, nine-shot pistol Maine State Police found during a search of the home of Downs had the same characteristics of a slug recovered from the head of the woman Downs is charged with killing & raping. She also said that the .22-caliber bullet was so “extensively damaged,” that there’s a possibility it might not have the same characteristics as Downs’ gun and, if that’s true, his gun could not have fired the fatal bullet. She said she couldn’t identify a specific gun that fired the bullet because of the damage the slug sustained when it hit nose-first into a hard surface. Jennifer Foster from the Alaska Scientific Crime Detection Laboratory testified the sample did not generate enough DNA to pass the lab’s minimum thresholds to identify someone. A forensic specialist testified that fingerprint & palm prints recovered from the bathtub area where Sergie was found didn’t match those of Downs, nor did they match those of Nicholas Dazer, Downs’ roommate at the school at that time whom the defense has named as an alternative suspect. Prosecutors are nearing the end of their witness list, which could go to the jury by the end of this week, Judge Thomas Temple said Tuesday. The next witnesses expected include the Maine detectives who interviewed and arrested Downs. Judge Thomas Temple ruled that audio recordings of those interviews could be played for the jury. Trial continues on 2/2/22.
2/2/22 Wednesday, Trial Day 15: State witnesses: No info available. Trial continues on 2/3/22.
 

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Prosecution rested today. Defense moved to dismiss for lack of evidence (standard motion), judge said he has to view the evidence presented so far in the light most favorable to the state. So, considering the ample amounts of fresh semen that had not drained from Sophie (meaning she never stood up after sexual relations/assault) that yielded single male DNA linked to SD, plus the circumstantial evidence that she was sexually assaulted (clothes off, injuries), and that he owned a .22 at the time, judge denied the motion to dismiss. Defense is presenting its witnesses now - looks like they're trying to show that millions of guns could have fired the bullet. Currently presenting a witness who is testifying that Greg Thornton (one of the three alternative suspects) had a .22.
 
Feb 3 2022 rbbm.
Audio tapes of Maine man played at cold case murder trial - Newstalk 750 - 103.7 KFQD
''FAIRBANKS, Alaska (AP) — Audio recordings of a Maine man speaking to police were played Wednesday for jurors hearing murder and rape charges against him in connection with the death of a 20-year-old student in Alaska in 1993.''

''Downs can be heard in the recordings made by Maine police in 2019 denying that he knew Sergie and saying “there has to be a mistake,” the Sun Journal reported.''

''In nearly two hours of interviews with police at his home and at the Auburn police station, Downs denied keeping a gun in his room, denied ever going to the floor where Sergie was found and said he was with his girlfriend the night of her death.

Police said his girlfriend at the time told them they had not been together for the whole evening.''
 
We did get to hear all the recorded interviews with SD.

I haven't been listening the whole time (it's weeks long!) but it seems as though they never tested the pubic hair found on Sophie? If this is true, that's a problem IMO.

It seems to me it may be significant to the jury that SD stated emphatically and repeatedly that he never met Sophie (we heard it on recordings), never even heard of her, had never even been on the 2nd floor (!), yet his DNA was literally visible on her (sorry...), this was not touch DNA or transfer DNA - he definitely deposited it there. And she never again stood up.
 
dotr said:
Feb 3 2022 rbbm.
Audio tapes of Maine man played at cold case murder trial - Newstalk 750 - 103.7 KFQD
''FAIRBANKS, Alaska (AP) — Audio recordings of a Maine man speaking to police were played Wednesday for jurors hearing murder and rape charges against him in connection with the death of a 20-year-old student in Alaska in 1993.''

''Downs can be heard in the recordings made by Maine police in 2019 denying that he knew Sergie and saying “there has to be a mistake,” the Sun Journal reported.''

''In nearly two hours of interviews with police at his home and at the Auburn police station, Downs denied keeping a gun in his room, denied ever going to the floor where Sergie was found and said he was with his girlfriend the night of her death.

Police said his girlfriend at the time told them they had not been together for the whole evening.''
Click to expand...
Girlfriend said he was in and out that night, only present in her room sporadically. In fact she remembered a guy trying to kiss her, and she said that would not have happened if SD had been around. So, no alibi.
 
Friday, February 4th:
*Trial continues (Day 17) (@ 8:30am AKST) – AK – Sophie Sergie (20) (April 26, 1993, Fairbanks) - *Steven Harris Downs (18 @ time of crime/44/now 46) arrested (in Auburn, Maine), charged (2/15/19), indicted (3/14/19) & arraigned (8/6/19 & 8/14/19) with 1st degree intentional murder & 1st degree sexual assault. Plead not guilty. Held without bond, changed to $1M (8/6/19). Bond changed (8/16/19) to $550K.
DNA GEDMatch/Parabon Nanolabs (Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP)). The Downs case may be the first real test of the limits of DNA forensics in criminal prosecutions — that this case may even reach the U.S. Supreme Court.
Trial began on 1/10/22. (will last about 4 to 7 weeks). Jurors: 10 women & 6 men (includes 4 alternates).
Court information from 2/19/19 thru 1/5/22 & Trial Days 1/10 to 2/1/22 (Day 1-14) reference post #251 here:
AK - Sophie Sergie, 20, UAF student, murdered, Fairbanks, 26 April 1993 *Arrest in 2019*
2/2/22 Wednesday, Trial Day 15: Motion (#38) deemed moot. Motion for expedited consideration of Press motion to intervene.
State witnesses: Detective Jay Pelletier, from the Maine State Police Unsolved Homicide Unit. Prosecutors played a recording of Peletier interviewing Downs. Trooper Randel McPherron testified about questioning Downs. Prosecutors played about a half-hour-long recording of McPherron questioning Downs. Was taken to police station & at the police station, McPherron & Sargent (now Lt.) Ramin Dunford recorded another interview with Downs, which the prosecutors played for the jury.
Defense attorneys began to question McPherron, but time ran out for the day’s court session. Trial continues on 2/3/22.
2/3/22 Thursday, Trial Day 16: State witness: Trooper Randel McPherron on cross exam.
Prosecutors rested their case.
Defense moved to dismiss for lack of evidence (standard motion), judge said he has to view the evidence presented so far in the light most favorable to the state. So, considering the ample amounts of fresh semen that had not drained from Sophie (meaning she never stood up after sexual relations/assault) that yielded single male DNA linked to SD, plus the circumstantial evidence that she was sexually assaulted (clothes off, injuries), and that he owned a .22 at the time, judge denied the motion to dismiss.
Defense witnesses: Kenneth Moto via videoconference (a defense suspect in the murder). Reuben Leake. Leake testified Thursday that he was familiar with guns and knew Gregory Thonrton (another defense suspect in the murder) had a .22 caliber pistol.
Defense rested their case. Closing arguments are expected on Friday. Trial continues on 2/4/22.
 
Trial of Maine man accused of three-decade old murder in Alaska nears conclusion

Feb. 5, 2022

AUBURN, Maine (WMTW) - Closing arguments will now be Monday, Feb. 7, in the Alaska murder trial of Steven Downs, 47, from Auburn, for a long-unsolved crime that occurred in 1993, when he was an 18-year-old college freshman on the Fairbanks campus of the University of Alaska.

The trial began in Fairbanks on Jan. 12 and completed testimony Friday, after three weeks, double the pace jurors were told to expect.

Judge Thomas Temple postponed closing arguments, which were expected to occur Friday, so he would have enough time to deliver jury instructions and fit four hours of closing arguments on the same day.

Earlier, the final defense witness and prosecution rebuttal witnesses ran longer than anticipated.

In closing arguments, prosecutors from the Alaska Attorney General’s office are expected to tell the jury the best evidence of Downs’ guilt is his DNA from semen found inside the victim, 20-year-old Sophie Sergie.
[.....]
The defense has raised the possibility of alternate suspects, pointing to DNA evidence on Sergie’s chest that is not linked to Downs, while arguing investigators never found a murder weapon or any Down’s fingerprints at the crime scene.

Each side gets two hours to sum up.

Downs did not testify, but the jury heard him defend himself in an audio recording of a February 2019 interrogation by Alaska State Police detectives in Auburn, saying the charges were “impossible” and that he did not know Sergie.
 
Monday, February 7th:
*Trial continues (Day 18)-Closing Arguments (@ 8:30am AKST) – AK – Sophie Sergie (20) (April 26, 1993, Fairbanks) - *Steven Harris Downs (18 @ time of crime/44/now 46) arrested (in Auburn, Maine), charged (2/15/19), indicted (3/14/19) & arraigned (8/6/19 & 8/14/19) with 1st degree intentional murder & 1st degree sexual assault. Plead not guilty. Held without bond, changed to $1M (8/6/19). Bond changed (8/16/19) to $550K.
DNA GEDMatch/Parabon Nanolabs (Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP)). The Downs case may be the first real test of the limits of DNA forensics in criminal prosecutions — that this case may even reach the U.S. Supreme Court.
Trial began on 1/10/22. (will last about 4 to 7 weeks). Jurors: 10 women & 6 men (includes 4 alternates).
Court information from 2/19/19 thru 1/5/22 & Trial Days 1/10 to 2/3/22 (Day 1-16) reference post #258 here:
AK - Sophie Sergie, 20, UAF student, murdered, Fairbanks, 26 April 1993 *Arrest in 2019*
2/3/22 Thursday, Trial Day 16: Additional Defense witnesses: Marc Dupre, a forensic ballastics consultant. Sherman Varney took the witness stand. He claims he sold an H&R .22 caliber revolver to Downs on October 26, 2015, for around $250.
Court considering that evidence in the light most favorable to the state in the reasonable inferences that it must be drawn from it at this process for your motion, the court finds that satisfies the requirement of identification the court will deny the motion for judgment for acquittal.”
Judge Thomas Temple postponed closing arguments, which were expected to occur Friday, so he would have enough time to deliver jury instructions & fit four hours of closing arguments on the same day. The final defense witness & prosecution rebuttal witnesses ran longer than anticipated.
2/4/22 Friday, Trial Day 17: No info on defense final witness or prosecution rebuttal witnesses. Trial continues with closing arguments on Monday, 2/7/22.
 
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