BOISE, Idaho — Katherine Dace is a forensic biologist with Idaho State Police. Miss Dace examined 18 tools that were taken from Chad Daybell’s garage. Dace testified they found materials on a shovel and a pickaxe.
- Tylee Ryan's DNA was found on tools from Chad Daybell's garage.
- Katherine Dace testified that Daybell's DNA was not found on the tools.
- Dace also testified that it's hard to say how people handled those tools.
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story.)
Prosecutors asked Dace about DNA discovery. “And did you compare this DNA profile from this material with Tylee Ryan’s sample? I did. What were the results of that testing the DNA profile from this item matched Tylee Ryan? It is at least 604 octillion times likely to see this DNA profile if Tylee Ryan is the source.”
Defense Attorney John Prior asked Miss Dace about whether Chad Daybell’s DNA was found on any of the tools?
“Of the 18 tools that you tested how many of those had Mr.Daybell’s DNA on them? None of the stains that I tested had Chad Daybell’s DNA. What about the handles of all those tools? Did you find Mr. Daybell’s DNA on the handles? We did not swap the handles for DNA. We generally do not do that kind of testing when the ownership of the item is not in question.”
Prior then asked Dace if she had any idea how many people handled the tools?
“But there’s no certainty as to who handled those tools? No, and if they had been owned at the property for years prior to the crime you would have found any of the family members' DNA through non-criminal means, such as buying the shovel or using the shovel on different days. So, in fact, if someone who owned those tools for some time it would be your expectation that at least somewhere on the tools you would have found Mr. Daybell’s DNA on the tools, would that be fair? Yes, that’s fair.”
