DNA matching that of a man accused of shooting dead David Clarke in 2011 was found on a bike believed to have been ridden by the gunman, a jury heard.

DNA expert Candy Zuleger told the Supreme Court yesterday that a swab from the vehicle’s handlegrips matched the profile of defendant Jahkeo LeShore.

Mr LeShore, 32, and Darrion Simons, 20, both deny the premeditated murder of Mr Clarke, 26, on April 17, 2011.

Prosecutors have suggested the shooting was in retaliation for the murder of Mr LeShore’s brother, Jahmiko, who was killed six weeks earlier.

The victim was returning home from Mid-Atlantic Boat Club and was on a bike driving along North Shore Road when he was shot by the entrance to Bandroom Lane.

He was hit by two bullets — one in the head and one in the shoulder.

A witness told the court last week he saw two men on a motorcycle speeding away from the scene through Mission Lane.

Detective Constable Steven Palmer, of the Forensic Support Unit, told the court last week that officers had seized a black motorcycle abandoned in the area, and had collected fingerprints, DNA swabs and gunshot residue.

Prosecutors said yesterday that swabs had been taken from the handlegrips of the recovered vehicle, and Ms Zuleger said the “sample matched Mr LeShore”.

“Was anyone else’s profile found on the sample from the handlegrips?” asked prosecutor Takiyah Burgess.

“No, just Mr LeShore’s DNA,” Ms Zuleger replied.

Puisne Judge Charles-Etta Simmons clarified with the witness that a full DNA profile had been recovered from the handlegrips, and that comparison was made to DNA analysis from Mr LeShore.

“Are you in fact able to say that that was a match?” the Judge asked.

“Yes, it was the same profile,” the witness replied.

Swabs were also taken from keys found behind a wall on Mission Lane, which prosecutors have said police were able to use to lock and unlock the doors of Mr Simons’s home.

Ms Zuleger said a “partial DNA profile obtained was consistent with the profile of Mr Simons”.

Lawyer Larry Mussenden, defending Mr Simons, asked Ms Zuleger if her analysis of the swabs from the bike handlegrips and pillion area had been linked to his client.

“He was excluded as being a contributor to those profiles,” the expert confirmed.

Defence lawyer Charles Richardson, representing Mr LeShore, asked Ms Zuleger to clarify whether the DNA sample had come solely from the handlegrips or, as the evidence package stated, the grips and control surface.

“On the assumption that the same swab was used for the handlegrips and control area, the DNA you found could have come from one or the other, the handlegrips or anywhere on the control area,” he said. “The DNA you’ve found may not have been on the handlegrips at all.

“If the same swab was used for the handlegrips and control area, it could be it [the sample] wasn’t on the handlegrips at all.”

“I can’t say for certain where the DNA would have come from,” Ms Zuleger said. “I can only go by the package. It could have come from any of those areas or all three.”

Mr Richardson also suggested that Ms Zuleger “can’t say when that profile was deposited, you can’t tell how long it had been there, you can’t tell us how it got there”.

“No,” she replied.

“You can’t tell us that Mr LeShore is the only person to have touched the handlegrips or control?” Mr Richardson continued.

“I can’t say that,” Ms Zuleger agreed.

The trial continues.