Suspect's DNA 'matched' in catering killing, D.A. says

NORRISTOWN - The DNA of accused killer Jauquin Jaron Byrd matched "touch" DNA found on a hammer and scissors used in last year's murder of Upper Merion resident and Marple Newtown High School graduate Sarah Boone at the Ardmore catering company where she was employed.

Ken Mayberry, a forensic scientist in the Pennsylvania State Police's DNA laboratory, testified Wednesday that there was better than a 99 percent chance the DNA mixture found on the handle of a hammer and pair of scissors found at the murder scene was a combination of DNA matching that of both Boone and Byrd.

The DNA used in the test was "touch" DNA, found in sweat or skin cells, according to Mayberry. The DNA results are the only physical evidence prosecutors have against Byrd, a 28-year-old Philadelphia man charged with first- and third-degree murder and related offenses in connection with Boone's murder.

Defense attorney William R. McElroy attacked the DNA evidence, first suggesting state police forensic scientist Carol J. Ritter may have contaminated the touch DNA by handling Byrd's boots on the same day she forwarded the DNA test swabs from the scissors and hammer to Mayberry.

Ritter rejected this suggestion, testifying she analyzes only one item at a time and changes her gloves and bleaches her work areas after each analysis.

McElroy also grilled Mayberry about running two sets of tests on the DNA. Mayberry explained he was not satisfied with the results of the first tests and, in the second tests, used more samples.

"I just added more samples for a better quality result," Mayberry testified. The defense is slated to begin its case today in the jury trial that got under way on Monday. Boone's employer at the Cricket Catering company where she worked as a receptionist found her lifeless body shortly after 3 p.m. on Jan. 26. 2006, in the basement bathroom of the company's storefront office.

Boone, who was stabbed with both a knife and scissors, bludgeoned with a hammer and stomped on, bled to death, according to the autopsy.

She was the lone employee in the office at the time of her slaying.

Byrd, who was arrested on Feb. 15, 2006, repeatedly has denied the allegations against him, claiming he was not in the Ardmore area on the day of the murder.

However, the prosecution has presented an eyewitness who did business with Byrd earlier that afternoon in Ardmore.