- This is the type of victim I am going to pick.
- I want to go to a location where I have control,
- I don’t want someone catching me.
- I want to control where I am going to commit it.
- I want to be able to readily clean up.
WGNO Reporter Stephanie Oswald will likely be taking up the second part of today’s court proceedings. Check here for live updates.
Patrick Lane argues that there was a thought out process with Jaren Lockhart’s murder. Whoever committed the crime was trying to get rid of her body by dismembering it and throwing it into the Gulf, but they were unsuccessful. Also, since Lockhart’s torso was found with a stab wound to the chest, investigators can conclude this was a murder, not an overdose or some other cause of death.
ADA Doug Freese asks if he’s involved with crime scene reconstruction, Patrick Lane confirms he is.
Next Witness, Patrick Lane, who works at the Louisiana State Police Crime Lab in the physical crime unit. Involved with crime scene analysis.
ADA Freese: Is it fair to say it is not at all uncommon when evidence is presented to you for evaluation that you do not find any amplifiable DNA, or that DNA is degraded that there is just not enough to create a profile. Analyst Fahrig: No. Repeated handling of an item likely does not matter as much as you think. ADA Freese: If you wipe something clean would that affect amplifiable DNA? Analyst Fahrig: That can diminish finding DNA.
Court back in session, DNA Analyst talking about genetic profiles and their make up.
SHORT RECESS, needs to try to get some paperwork for the witness.
Fahrig admits it was difficult to develop a profile from Jaren’s swabs due to decomposition and deterioration of her body.
Fahrig talking about swabs taken from the deceased victim, says he was able to make genetic profiles from all the samples (Jaren & Riley Lockheart, Terry Speaks & Margaret Sanchez).
Fahrig says these are DNA Samples from Riley Lockhart (Jaren’s daughter), Terry Speaks and Margaret Sanchez.
Fahrig tests for human DNA. DA Freese has been asking about his background as an expert. He just handed him some bags. Fahrig says these are samples submitted to his laboratory.
New witness, Glenn Fahrig, works for the state police crime laboratory in Baton Rouge, analyst for DNA section.
John Benz: ‘One situation, Jaren Lockhart was cut up put into a bag and inside the car and there was no positive tests’ Agent Miller: That’s possible. Benz: It’s also possible that Jaren Lockhart was never in that car? Agent Miller: That’s possible.
Terry Speaks Attorney ask Agent Miller about DNA Test, Human Scent Test that all came back negative.
John Benz, Terry Speaks Attorney, says: ‘Agent Miller let’s be clear, did you find any link, any evidence, test that linked Jaren Lockheart to this vehicle?” Agent Miller: No
ADA Freese says he has no further questions for the witness, cross examination about to begin.
Investigator says parts of Sanchez’s car “excessively clean”
Miller looking at photos of Sanchez’s car talking about where luminol (investigative chemical) was used. Also used finger print powder.
Miller says they couldn’t conclude if it was blood. Could be cleaning product too. Miller also used a special light to try to detect other bodily fluids, spots were found in the car.
Witness Mike Miller with the FBI says possible presence of blood found in Sanchez’s car using certain investigative chemicals. The chemical also reacts to cleaning products.
ADA Freese showing off different photos of Sanchez’s car to the courtroom.
ADA Freese suggesting that it maybe hard for their to be evidence left behind if a body was secured in a certain way. Miller agrees.
Miller says nothing found that established that Jaren Lockhart was in that vehicle. ADA Freese asks if there was anything found that suggests that Lockhart was never in that car, Miller says no.
Miller talks about searching for evidence in Margaret Sanchez’s (Speak’s alleged accomplice and then girlfriend) car. Says used numerous investigative techniques.
No jurors saw the interview, now the prosecution is calling their next witness, Kevin Miller. He works for the FBI, assigned to special office in New Orleans, worked there for 6 and a half years.
Judge Steve Grefer says he will ask the jurors when they come in if they saw that video.
Defense attorneys arguing that Chief Investigator is commenting on evidence and actual guilt of the defendant in video and that some of his team were present at the time this interview was given. Jurors could have potentially seen it.
Defense attorneys for Terry Speaks filing motion for mistrial, told the court they have some DVDs of coverage by local station that needs to be reviewed.
Terry Speaks just walked into the courtroom. Again, wearing a suit jacket and tie with glasses. ADA Thomas Block just walked in as well.