DNA Experts Testify that Delacruz's Blood was Everywhere in the Crime Scene

SAN ANGELO, TX — It has been a long week for the jurors in the Delacruz  capital murder trial and Friday topped the week. A laundry list of evidence was presented Friday not once but twice by the two witnesses the State brought forward.

The first witness was Rebecca Cline, a forensic scientist who was with the Department of Public Safety Crime Lab in Lubbock. She was asked about her qualifications and experience. After listing her education and experience, District Judge Ben Woodward agreed that she was qualified to be an expert witness.

Cline listed the six evidence submissions that were brought to the Lubbock Crime Lab and listed each item in each submission. Cline was the analyst who identified if blood was present on the different items. Then Cline would select different parts of the blood-soaked items to analyze later.

She listed items like surface swabs around the home, blankets, sheets, swabs taken from the street, and even toys, just to name a few. The items were covered with different blood spots.

When the State rested with the witness and the Defense stepped up to cross-examine, there was only a few questions from defense attorney Will Boyles to clarify some specific items. Once he was finished, District Judge Ben Woodward released Rebecca Cline.

After a long lunch, the next witness was called by 51st District Attorney Allison Palmer. Amber Miller, forensic scientist and DNA analyst from the Department of Public Safety Crime Lab in Lubbock, was asked about her education and qualifications that qualify her to speak on behalf of the DNA evidence of this case.

After the list of qualifications and Judge Woodward accepting Miller as a qualified expert, the jurors were let back in. Palmer then asked about the processes and procedures for gathering DNA evidence and how to differentiate between the different DNA samples. Miller could determine through her research the different DNA and to whom it would most likely belong.

The list of items that were submitted into the record showed that Delacruz’s blood was scattered all around the home. Isidro’s blood was found from the bathroom to the master bedroom to the living room, kitchen, and even outside the home.

After about two hours or so of listing the different items of evidence in this case, Palmer asked clarifying questions about how the items are handled while in the lab. The cross-examination by Boyles was a clarification of a few items. Friday ended with Judge Woodward excusing Miller and asking for the next witness jokingly as the clock read 4:50 p.m.

As jurors left their seats concluding the long week, I was wondering if we were thinking the same thing, why was Delacruz’s blood covering the entire crime scene?

Prosecutors will continue presenting evidence in the trial on Monday.  The capital murder trial is expected to continue for another two weeks.