2011 DNA Testing Results in the West Memphis 3 Case

We have received what we believe to be the entire 2011 DNA testing file from the West Memphis 3 case, pursuant to our ongoing FOIA requests. I have linked the file below. It is nearly 1,000 pages long. The testing appears to have been extensive. I am interested to see what people who know more about DNA and this case than I do think of the results. A few things that stick out.

1. Bode Labs did a lot of testing of a lot of things. It appears that almost all of that testing excluded the three convicted, as well as Terry Hobbs. One exception to that appears to be Terry’s DNA on a knife, but I do not know the significance of the knife.
2. The defense team provided what they described as covert DNA samples from a number of people, including the other Jason Baldwin and Terry Hobbs’ sister, Cindy. They also obtained samples from a number of these people I’ve never heard of–Chuck King, Lynn Vaughn, and James Vaughn.
3. Although none of these samples matched anything tested, Bode did find unknown male DNA on two different spots on the shoelace remaining in one of the discarded shoes. Hard to say if this is significant, but it certainly should be a focus of future investigation.
4. Chuck King could not be excluded as the owner of a hair found on a tree stump at the scene.
5. A number of hairs were tested. One described as “from perineum of C. Byers ligature” was consistent with John Mark Byers. A number of the hairs were consistent with Todd Moore. Given that Todd Moore had a solid alibi, these results are likely an example of cross contamination from living with the boys. (In fact, Todd Moore could not be excluded from the so called “Negroid hair from white sheet.”). A cautionary note when considering the hair that supposedly matched Terry Hobbs at the crime scene.
6. Bode appears to have been exceptionally thorough. The file contains detailed ligature-processing notes. Bode was cutting knots, exposing the inside of knots, swabbing areas around knots, and separating/packaging the remaining ligature pieces.
7. Much of the DNA was untestable, so maybe the results aren’t all that significant. It is at least interesting that none of the convicted or other accused had DNA found on the boys. There’s more DNA evidence for other, seemingly random people than the West Memphis 3.