Illinois: Dog’s DNA evidence helps win guilty verdict

In a case that largely hinged on DNA from a dog, a man and his parents were found guilty of murder for killing his ex-wife, cutting up her body with a power saw and dumping the parts in a lake.

Michael Slover Jr. and his parents, Michael and Jeannette Slover, were each convicted of first-degree murder Friday in the death of Karyn Slover, 23, whose body was discovered six years ago by a couple fishing at Lake Shelbyville.

Prosecutors contended the Slovers killed her because they feared she would accept an out-of-state modeling job and leave town with the couple’s son.

In closing arguments, prosecutors revisited testimony from a DNA expert who said a dog hair found with Karyn Slover’s decapitated head genetically matched a DNA sample taken from one of the Slovers’ dogs. The expert said the likelihood of a match with a randomly chosen dog of any breed was one in 56,000.

Arizona: Wildfire contained before engulfing city

Firefighters on Saturday contained a 1,300-acre wildfire that burned to within three miles of Prescott’s downtown.

Officials said the blaze had burned five homes and two other buildings and forced the evacuation of 1,500 people. No serious injuries were reported.

“We do not consider the fire out,” fire information officer Noel Fletcher said. “There is still a lot of mop-up to do inside the fire’s perimeter.”

The fire burned to within about three miles of downtown Prescott, a city of 33,000 about 90 miles north of Phoenix.

Flames were spotted Wednesday in the nearby forest and spread quickly toward homes. The blaze’s cause remained unknown. The 1,500 residents forced to evacuate returned home Friday.