DNA experts take stand on day 2 of Deborah Dalzell murder trial
SARASOTA, Fla. - When Deborah Dalzell was murdered in her Sarasota County home in 1999, the killer left behind DNA. "You can think of it as a blueprint for life," said Mary Pacheco, FDLE senior crime analyst.
The case went cold. Nearly 20 passed before investigators got a break. "I noticed there were two tubes inside,” Pacheco explained. “Both tubes had no liquid they were dry."
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Pacheco had to re-extract the DNA Dalzell's killer left behind. She told a jury DNA science has advanced a lot in 20 years.
Those advances, along with a database of DNA profiles and ancestry reports, led investigators to a tree of potential suspects.
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While state prosecutors have yet to mention how detectives got to that point, they said there is no doubt it is Luke Fleming's DNA. Pacheco said it was a complete match.
The defense has been slow to argue, with no opening statements or witness testimony yet. However, Fleming's defense did question the DNA.
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"You can’t talk about timing, such as when a DNA was left on something correct?" questioned Fleming's attorney, Anne Borgetti.
"Correct, I can’t say when that DNA evidence item was left on an item as well," Pacheco responded.
For now, the defense seems to have a hard case to argue. "Luke Fleming cannot be excluded as a contributor to this major Y-DNA profile," said Alicia Cadenas with DNA Labs International.
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State prosecution witnesses continue to show DNA found on Dalzell is a match to Fleming.
"Essentially if I was to have a six-point zero sextillion individuals to choose from I would only expect to observe this DNA once," said Cadenas.
Court will resume Thursday morning as state prosecutors call their last witness.