Jurors hear DNA evidence in Carr case
Wichita ? Prosecutors in the capital murder case of two brothers accused of a nine-day crime spree finished presenting their case to jurors Thursday with DNA evidence linking both men to victims of a quadruple killing.
Defense teams for Reginald and Jonathan Carr told the judge they had no witnesses ready to begin their cases. Ron Evans, attorney for Jonathan Carr, said he would complete his defense quickly.
Jurors were dismissed early and attorneys reviewed the evidence to decide what remaining items would be admitted before prosecutors formally rest their case. More than 90 witnesses and 800 pieces of evidence have been presented in the prosecution’s case, the judge said.
Attorneys for Reginald Carr plan to begin their defense today.
In testimony Thursday, a DNA expert, Sindey Schueler, said evidence from Reginald Carr’s red undershorts as well as from the plaid boxer shorts worn by Jonathan, tie the brothers to victim Heather Muller and the spree’s sole survivor.
Defense attorneys for Jonathan Carr did not question Schueler. But John Val Wachtel, attorney for Reginald Carr, spent hours Thursday in cross examination going through much of the DNA report.
The Carrs are being tried on 113 charges, including capital murder in the Dec. 15, 2000, abduction and shooting deaths of Muller and three of her male friends. They also are accused of raping Muller and abducting, raping and shooting a second woman, who survived.
Also killed in the execution-style shootings were Aaron Sander, 29; Brad Heyka, 27; and Jason Befort, 26, the boyfriend of the woman who survived.
Other DNA analysis by Schueler bolstered the survivor’s earlier testimony that the three men who were killed were first forced to have sexual relations with the two women.
Thursday’s testimony also gave scientific backing to some of the evidence of violence that investigators found when they went to the home where the five friends were abducted.
Blood found on the carpet of one of the bedrooms matched Heyka’s blood, experts said.
Dan Fahnestock, a DNA expert with the Sedgwick County Forensic Science Center, also testified that the root of a hair found in the house came from Jonathan Carr.




