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The DNA of blood found in six additional locations at the scene of a slain New Baltimore couple will be tested after a report indicated DNA found on one of the victims did not belong to their accused murderer, their son.
Judge Richard Caretti of Macomb County Circuit Court approved six more DNA tests from the garage where the beaten and stabbed bodies of Ronald G. and Christine Jabalee, both 58, were found in October 2006. That will be in addition to six spots already tested.
Ronald F. Jabalee, 41, of Clinton Township, is
charged with first-degree murder for the 2006 death of his parents at their residence. Jabalee was indicted last June by a circuit court grand jury.
Gail Pamukov, one of Jabalee's attorneys, told the judge there was "an enormous amount of blood" found at the scene — on the garage floor, including under a vehicle, in a vehicle wheel-well and on a garage door.
"It's all over the place," she said.
The judge's approval came after it was revealed in court Wednesday during a pretrial hearing that DNA found under the nails on the right and left hands of the male victim were a mixture of his own DNA and that of "an additional donor," according to a Michigan State Police lab report.
That provides ammunition for Jabalee's defense that another person other than him, as contended by the prosecution, may have been present at the murder scene.
"It could point to who might've been there," Pamukov remarked in court.
Presentation of the report produced a tense exchange between the judge and assistant Macomb prosecutor Steven Kaplan, who contradicted the written report handed to the judge. Kaplan said the DNA evidence was inconclusive because there was an "insufficient" amount of DNA to collect.
"I think there is an embellishment," Kaplan told the judge. "It's not as represented."
Thanks for the link Sad! There is a lot of information in that news story!
Stevens noted that police in most cases are limited to submitting three DNA samples to the crime lab but were able to gain six in this case. Caretti's court order will allow another six tests.
Looking forward to seeing the results of the additional tests.
Judge Richard Caretti of Macomb County Circuit Court approved six more DNA tests from the garage where the beaten and stabbed bodies of Ronald G. and Christine Jabalee, both 58, were found in October 2006. That will be in addition to six spots already tested.
Ronald F. Jabalee, 41, of Clinton Township, is
charged with first-degree murder for the 2006 death of his parents at their residence. Jabalee was indicted last June by a circuit court grand jury.
Gail Pamukov, one of Jabalee's attorneys, told the judge there was "an enormous amount of blood" found at the scene — on the garage floor, including under a vehicle, in a vehicle wheel-well and on a garage door.
"It's all over the place," she said.
The judge's approval came after it was revealed in court Wednesday during a pretrial hearing that DNA found under the nails on the right and left hands of the male victim were a mixture of his own DNA and that of "an additional donor," according to a Michigan State Police lab report.
That provides ammunition for Jabalee's defense that another person other than him, as contended by the prosecution, may have been present at the murder scene.
"It could point to who might've been there," Pamukov remarked in court.
Presentation of the report produced a tense exchange between the judge and assistant Macomb prosecutor Steven Kaplan, who contradicted the written report handed to the judge. Kaplan said the DNA evidence was inconclusive because there was an "insufficient" amount of DNA to collect.
"I think there is an embellishment," Kaplan told the judge. "It's not as represented."
Thanks for the link Sad! There is a lot of information in that news story!
Stevens noted that police in most cases are limited to submitting three DNA samples to the crime lab but were able to gain six in this case. Caretti's court order will allow another six tests.
Looking forward to seeing the results of the additional tests.