By: Katie Jones
kjones@cbs4qc.com
A cigarette butt was a hot topic today at Nicholas Sheley's murder trial. He's already convicted of killing a Galesburg man and is charged with a spree of killings back in 2008. He's now in court for the murder of 93–year–old Russell Reed. But, DNA evidence could seal Sheley's fate.
Forensic scientist Heather May was questioned for more than an hour about DNA samples she analyzed from Russell Reed's car and home. May said in the summer of 2008 she analyzed a blood, water bottle and cigarette butt sample.
The blood and cigarette were from inside Russell Reed's home and the water bottle from his car. She said her results show the blood was linked to Russell Reed's DNA and the cigarette butt matched Sheley's. The defense argued the samples could have been contaminated, but May said she had enough to make a clear identification.
"The DNA cigarette butt matched the DNA profile of Nicholas Sheley" May said.
May said DNA on the water bottle was linked to Sheley's brother Josh
