CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- Friday was day four of the Andre Grier Trial.
Grier is charged with first degree murder in the 2016 killing of Bianca Horton in Chattanooga.
A trio of FBI Special Agents were on the stand Friday.
They were evaluating different kinds of evidence in this case, including fingerprints, DNA, and cell phone records.
Special Agent Marissa Bender analyzed over 150 items in this case for fingerprint matches.
Only 13 returned conclusive matches, with three of those matches belonging to Andre Grier.
One of those items was the title of the white Ford van prosecutors say was used in Horton’s murder.
However, all three of the matches to Grier were inside of his home, and not inside of the van including the cleaning supplies, which matched Charles Shelton, who was charged in Horton’s murder but died in prison of Covid.
Defense Attorney Kit Rogers pointed out the lack of Grier’s fingerprints at the crime scene.
Rogers: Is it odd to find people’s fingerprints in their bedroom?
Bender: No, you would expect to find fingerprints in someone’s bedroom.
Rogers: Is it odd to find fingerprints in someone’s own home, or the privacy of their own home?
Bender: No, I think it would be pretty common to find fingerprints inside one own’s home.
This lack of connection only intensified during Special Agent Laura Adams’ testimony, as she analyzed DNA samples in this case.
Adams says none of the over 200 items she analyzed were a probable match for Grier.
Adams said, “Mr. Grier’s DNA was compared to all of the evidence in this case. There were no results that supported an inclusion of Mr. Grier to any of the items I tested, that’s correct.”
However, she says this doesn’t necessarily rule out Grier in Horton’s murder.
Adams said, “DNA can be removed by cleaning methods.. Someone can be present, and it maybe that they didn’t leave any DNA behind. It may be that we did not sample all of the areas that were left behind.”
Special agent Carla Rexing meanwhile analyzed cellular phone records from the suspected night of Horton’s murder of three phone numbers.
She laid out how they traveled to Alton Park late at night, and then back towards the area where Horton’s body was found.
Rexing said. “Regardless of an iPhone 17 or a Nokia flip phone, the technology works the same.”
The trial continues into Day 5 on Saturday.
If convicted, Grier could face the death penalty.
