DNA expert to explain blood evidence at double-murder trial

Blood-stained clothing and weapons seized from Gregory Allan Despres are expected to take centre stage at his double-murder trial in a Fredericton courtroom on Tuesday.

RCMP forensic technologist Shauna Collins testified Monday that several items taken from Despres following his arrest in 2005 tested positive for blood.

A DNA expert is expected to tell the court whether the blood found on Despres's belongings matches either Fred Fulton or Verna Decarie.

Despres, 24, is on trial for murderin the April 23, 2005, killings ofFulton, 74,and Decarie, 70, who were his neighbours.

Decarie was stabbed more than 30 times, and Fulton was beheaded. Fulton's daughter discovered their bodies in their Minto home three days after the killings.

Despres, who crossed the borderat Calais, Maine, on April 25, 2005,was arrested by Massachusetts police,who seized his belongings.

He has pleaded not guilty to two charges of first-degree murder and his trial is in its third week.

CollinstestifiedMonday that she began receivingDespres's belongings for analysisin June 2005. She told the courtshe foundmultiple reddish-brown stains on the sleeves, hood and shoulder ofDespres'shooded sweatshirt.

She also confirmed there was blood on his flak jacket, pants, brown gloves, on a dagger found at the crime scene and on a bloody sword, engraved with the name Despres. She also found blood on a motion light sensor.

Earlier in the Crown's case, RCMP witnesses testified a motion sensor appeared to have been ripped off the wall of the Fulton'sscreened-in porch.