Forensic Evidence Heard At Naistus Murder Trial
Tuesday, September 11, 2007 at 15:00
The second-degree murder trial of an Alberta man accused of killing a woman from Onion Lake continued in Battleford Court of Queen’s Bench today.
41-year-old Gordon Dwight Hurley is accused of killing 20-year-old Jarita Naistus, whose body was discovered in a Lloydminster hotel room by cleaning staff in October 2005.
The defence began this morning by cross-examining the Crown’s first witness over several pieces of evidence obtained by the RCMP at the murder scene.
In testimony this morning, court heard that blood stains, swabs and clothing found in the room — as well as hair and fibre samples taken from Naistus’ vaginal area during the autopsy — were never sent away by the RCMP during the investigation.
Court also heard a sample of Hurley’s DNA was found under one of Naistus’ nails during the autopsy.
The Crown says she was beaten before she was strangled to death.