Expert testifies about DNA evidence in Orozco kidnapping trial
1:05 PM
By Dolly A. Butz Journal staff writer | Posted: Friday, July 25, 2008
SIOUX CITY -- A DNA expert testified this morning in the trial of Armando Orozco that there is a high possibility that genetic material taken from Orozco's right hand came from a 7-year-old girl he is accused of kidnapping and assaulting.
Police say Orozco, 24, took the girl from Mid-City Park on Dec. 22 and sexually assaulted her in a nearby apartment he shares with his mother. If convicted of first-degree kidnapping, which includes sexual assault as an element of the crime, he would receive an automatic sentence of life in prison without parole.
Amy Pogge, a DNA criminalist for the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation lab in Ankeny, told the jury she had received a mouth swab taken from the girl and a swab taken from Orozco's right hand and that the DNA on both did not appear to be degraded or damaged.
In comparing the two samples, Pogge said, the child could not be ruled out as a possible contributor of DNA found on Orozco's swab.
She also said DNA lifted from sweatpants the child wore Dec. 22 was found to be a mixture of the girl's and "a weak male contributor consistent with Armando Orozco."
Other testimony this morning concerned the chain of evidence, which includes items police seized from the girl and from Orozco's apartment, including a blue comforter with a stars-and-moon pattern, Orozco's blue Honda car and a white hooded sweatshirt found in the car.
Zachary Chwirka, identification property supervisor for the Sioux City Police Department, testified that Orozco has a tattoo on his back of a female wearing a round hat with the word "Orozco" in the center. The defendant also has three small dots tattooed between the thumb and index finger of his left hand, the word "brown" tattooed on the inside of his right forearm and "pride" on the inside of his left forearm, Chwirka said.
During her testimony Wednesday, the girl responded "yes" to a question from Orozco's attorney, Alexander Esteves, about whether his client has a tattoo of a "man stabbing a little girl" on top of his left shoulder.
This morning, Esteves asked Chwirka, "There were not any tattoos of a man stabbing a little girl?"
"Correct," Chwirka replied.
Return to siouxcityjournal.com and see Saturday's Journal for more of this story.
Police say Orozco, 24, took the girl from Mid-City Park on Dec. 22 and sexually assaulted her in a nearby apartment he shares with his mother. If convicted of first-degree kidnapping, which includes sexual assault as an element of the crime, he would receive an automatic sentence of life in prison without parole.
Amy Pogge, a DNA criminalist for the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation lab in Ankeny, told the jury she had received a mouth swab taken from the girl and a swab taken from Orozco's right hand and that the DNA on both did not appear to be degraded or damaged.
In comparing the two samples, Pogge said, the child could not be ruled out as a possible contributor of DNA found on Orozco's swab.
She also said DNA lifted from sweatpants the child wore Dec. 22 was found to be a mixture of the girl's and "a weak male contributor consistent with Armando Orozco."
Other testimony this morning concerned the chain of evidence, which includes items police seized from the girl and from Orozco's apartment, including a blue comforter with a stars-and-moon pattern, Orozco's blue Honda car and a white hooded sweatshirt found in the car.
Zachary Chwirka, identification property supervisor for the Sioux City Police Department, testified that Orozco has a tattoo on his back of a female wearing a round hat with the word "Orozco" in the center. The defendant also has three small dots tattooed between the thumb and index finger of his left hand, the word "brown" tattooed on the inside of his right forearm and "pride" on the inside of his left forearm, Chwirka said.
During her testimony Wednesday, the girl responded "yes" to a question from Orozco's attorney, Alexander Esteves, about whether his client has a tattoo of a "man stabbing a little girl" on top of his left shoulder.
This morning, Esteves asked Chwirka, "There were not any tattoos of a man stabbing a little girl?"
"Correct," Chwirka replied.
Return to siouxcityjournal.com and see Saturday's Journal for more of this story.
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