DNA analyst testifies

Photo: Contributed

Robert Keith Wharton with family members

A forensics expert testified Monday that DNA from one of the victims of a triple shooting was found on the clothing of the accused.

Christine Crossman, a biology reporting scientist at the RCMP forensic lab, was the first witness this week in the ongoing John Ike Koopmans trial.

Koopmans, 51, is accused of first-degree murder in the shooting deaths of Robert Keith Wharton, 43, and Rosemary Fox, 32, and the attempted murder of Bradley Martin, 50, on March 30, 2013, at a rural property on the outskirts of Princeton.

Crossman said she did three examinations of the jeans and jacket Koopmans was wearing when he was arrested on March 31, 2013.

She found six areas on his jeans had a DNA match to Wharton. Blood, however, was not confirmed in all of the areas. In the last examination of the jacket, two samples were matched to Wharton.

In a swab of remaining bullets, a DNA match was made to Koopmans. Blood identified on a piece of paper towel was also a match to Koopmans.

A series of crime scene DNA swabs analyzed by the lab were linked to survivor Bradley Martin.

Crossman testified that swabs taken from blood found on the exterior of the residence, such as the side front door on the Old Hedley Road property, were a match to Martin.

In cross examination, defence lawyer Don Skogstad asked about the sampling process related to the large number of marks on the jeans. The witness responded the number of samples is based on the case, such as how many bleeders there are.

He asked if Crossman was making assumptions about Koopmans' involvement, to which she responded, "no."

When asked if she could explain the absence of DNA from the two others, she also said no.

Skogstad asked who initiated the third examination of the jeans only. The witness said it was her understanding that came from Crown counsel after Koopmans' preliminary hearing.

The trial is expected to continue Tuesday.