Blood found on accused man's cell phone came from victim, court told
Murder victim Maxwell Brangman's blood was found on a cell phone belonging to Darronte Dill, the teenager accused of the killing, a jury heard.
Dill, 19, also stands charged with murdering Mr. Brangman's friend, Frederick Gilbert. The pair suffered multiple stab wounds when they were attacked in a shed in St. David's where they were sleeping the night on September 21, 2008.
The Supreme Court jury in Dill's trial heard on Thursday from Government analyst Desiree Spriggs that traces of blood were found in the mouthpiece of his Motorola phone which was seized by Police during the investigation.
Yesterday, the court heard from DNA expert Candy Zuleger that the blood matched Mr. Brangman's DNA. She explained that there was a mixture of DNA on the mouthpiece. Mr. Brangman was the major contributor and Dill was the minor contributor.
Mrs. Zuleger further explained that while it was known from Dr. Spriggs' test that Mr. Brangman's DNA came from his blood, Dill's DNA could have come from either his blood or his skin cells.
Later yesterday, the seven women and five men of the jury travelled to St. David's to visit the shed where the men were killed. They were accompanied by the Chief Justice, who is overseeing the case, and the accused, who was flanked by prison officers.
The bus carrying the jury also stopped outside a home on Tommy Fox Road in St. David's, which is the residence of Roger Lightbourne Sr. and his son Roger Lightbourne Jr..
The jury has heard how the Lightbournes were also arrested during the investigation into the double killing. Roger Sr. assisted the Police by engaging Dill in a conversation in the Police cells after their arrests.
During that conversation, which was recorded by detectives hiding in a neighbouring cell, Dill spoke of allegedly carrying out the killings along with Roger Lightbourne Jr. He said they travelled to the shed on foot from the Lightbourne residence.
Dill is the sole defendant on trial, and denies committing the murders. The case continues.
