Forensic specialist talks DNA evidence at Favel murder trial

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Eric Charles Favel’s DNA was discovered on two weapons police seized from the scene of a deadly 2021 capturing on the Kawacatoose First Nation.

But so was the DNA of others.

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The 35-year-old man stands charged with second-degree murder in relation to the death of Thomas Dustyhorn. He pleaded not responsible to the cost when his trial started in Regina’s Court of King’s Bench on April 29.

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On Tuesday, the jury heard from Kenneth Hunter, a forensic specialist who works at an Edmonton laboratory that processes crime scene reveals.

For the case at hand, he authored stories associated to numerous gadgets submitted by investigators for lab testing, together with a .22-calibre rifle and a 12-gauge shotgun.

Hunter confirmed the accused man’s DNA was discovered on each firearms, which didn’t carry any discernible fingerprints when seized by police. However, he stated the DNA of extra unidentified individuals was additionally discovered on the weapons.

The jury has already heard that Favel handled both firearms. He said as much in the statement he gave police, which was played in court last week.

In the assertion, he advised the interviewing officer he was being attacked in his room and reached for one thing to defend himself. He stated he ended up grabbing the shotgun — police would later discover numerous different weapons within the room, together with the .22-calibre rifle.

But the accused man maintained that he didn’t pull the set off. He stated he was on the bottom when it went off.

Dustyhorn was making an attempt to cease the assault, Favel stated, noting he was not intending to harm him.

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The officer instructed that Favel might have been making an attempt to harm one of many alleged attackers — his stepdad — with whom he was offended. In his personal police assertion, the stepdad stated Favel received up earlier than elevating the gun. According to the officer, the stepdad stated he grabbed the barrel earlier than it went off.

“I was just trying to defend myself. I wasn’t trying to hurt nobody with a firearm,” Favel responded.

The officer additionally put to Favel that his stepdad had accused him of pointing a unique gun (the rifle) at a bunch within the residence earlier than the ultimate deadly altercation.

Favel denied this, noting he thinks he had picked up that gun however put it again in favour of a bat. He knew it was the “wrong thing” to seize, he stated.

In addition to details about DNA on the weapons, Crown prosecutor Arjun Shankar additionally questioned Hunter about blood discovered across the scene, and clothes seized from Favel.

Dustyhorn’s blood was present in varied areas across the residence and a tank high seized from Favel did comprise DNA that matched Dustyhorn’s.

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The accused man’s lawyer, Jeff Deagle, spent little time cross-examining Hunter.

Under the defence lawyer’s questioning, the scientist confirmed that it can’t be decided when DNA was deposited on an merchandise.

And additional, Hunter agreed that simply because somebody’s DNA is current on one thing, it doesn’t imply they themselves deposited it there. There are a number of methods by which DNA might be transferred to a floor.

Hunter’s knowledgeable testimony adopted the testimony of two RCMP officers who underwent questioning on Monday.

One was Sgt. Greg Smith, who was the officer that interviewed Favel.

He advised Shankar a little bit bit about his course of. At the outset of the interview, the accused man stated he wouldn’t say something with out his lawyer current. However, he didn’t maintain to this place, and finally offered a prolonged account to the interviewer.

Quite a few audio clips have been performed for Favel throughout the interview, together with his personal 911 call in which he told the call-taker he’d accidentally shot Dustyhorn, and the aforementioned assertion from his stepfather.

This tactic, Smith stated, is used to attempt to invoke emotion within the interview topic, to get a response, and to permit the topic an “opportunity to explain.”

However, he advised Shankar that the clips should not performed to upset the interview topic.

A blood sample knowledgeable was slated to testify Tuesday afternoon.

The trial is scheduled to proceed Wednesday.

bharder@postmedia.com

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