Originally Posted by dragonfly707
I read a news story today that LE gained enterance into a former residence here in Sonoma County after Karr left it. Surely at that time they would have been able to gain some DNA evidence to do a comparison.
They may have been able to obtain DNA, but how would they know whose it was? The only way they would know whose DNA sample they intended to test is if they were certain that it came from him. There's probably DNA all over my house from people that aren't me... guests that have been here, the owners, the people that used to live here and their guests... the list is endless. It would also have to be uncontaminated... they would have to know that the sample they tested did not in any way come into contact with anyone else's DNA (and there is just no possibility of that by sampling anything in the house where he used to live).
Originally Posted by Peter Hamilton
Anniegirl,you couldn't be more wrong--DNA evidence is absolute--I have believed that the Ramseys were guilty from day one,but if Karr's DNA is there,then its case closed and Karr did it--there won't be anybody still believing the Ramsey's are guilty if Karr's DNA shows up
DNA evidence certainly isn't absolute... after all, OJ never went to jail on DNA evidence. It also isn't absolute if it isn't a positive match or can be reasonably shown to be contaminated. A positive DNA goes a long way in making a perp guilty in a court of law, but it's never an absolute.
Also, if Karr is found to be the murderer, it doesn't clear one or both of the Ramsey's of participating or covering up for him. Obviously, no one is going to bother to investigate if Patsy had anything to do with Karr murdering JBR because Patsy is dead now. However, that wouldn't clear John. Personally, I don't believe the LE will look for a connection of John to the murder unless Karr implicates him. After all these years, they'd be happy to just stick it to Karr and wash their hands of this case.
Originally Posted by Camper
HE had been writing letters to PR before she died. My initial thought was 'did he type em or handwrite them', but the light bulb lit up when they said they would have already gotten his DNA from the envelope flap. SO, I am thinking it has been a match and that was why DA has already arrested him.
Do we know for certain the letters he sent to PR were physical letters and not sent to her electronically? As far as I can tell, his correspondence to PR was through email, and it is still not known if that correspondence originated from him. HE says he sent her letters. This doesn't mean he did or that they were physical letters.
Also, physical letters sent for testing for DNA from the envelope would be pointless as by the time they arrived to PR they would have been contaminated... just his putting them in a mailbox would contaminate them. A DNA sample in order to be relevant has to be uncontaminated and known to come from the perp. As an example, if they wanted a DNA sample from me, it would be pointless to test a sample of one of my bathroom towels as plenty of other people's DNA may have gotten on that towel. If they already HAD a positive profile of my DNA, then they could try to match it to a sample found on my bathroom towel.
Originally Posted by gaia
He did also say because the dna wasn't complete and possibly a bit degraded, the odds of a match will be less compelling than if the dna was fresh, etc.
If the DNA sample they have from the crime scene evidence is only a partial, they will definitely need some other type of evidence... proof of his presense in the area at the time at least.
Originally Posted by michelle
He is so weird looking, very sickly too.
Opium addict. That's the first thing I thought when I saw him.