SAGINAW — DNA evidence appears to contradict today’s testimony
from the accused shooter in the August 2010 death of Corey
Nash.

State Police Forensic Scientist Heather Clark testified today
that Travis D. Farrow’s DNA was found on a .40-caliber Glock
handgun that police said was thrown from the vehicle that
Bryant E. Bentley Jr. and Farrow were riding in after Nash’s
shooting death.

Clark testified during the fourth day of Farrow’s trial before
Saginaw County Circuit Judge James T. Borchard. The trial was
to continue Tuesday.

Nash was shot about 4:45 p.m. Aug. 1 in the parking lot of the
Riverview Plaza strip mall on West Genesee between North
Michigan and North Niagara on Saginaw’s West Side.

Farrow^[1] took
the stand in his own defense this afternoon and delivered a
version of the events much like his second statement to
police^[2]. He
testified that Bentley arranged a cocaine deal with Nash and
then shot Nash in the parking lot after an argument while
Farrow was in Bentley’s white Chevrolet Lumina van. Farrow
testified that Bentley came back to the van with two guns and
cocaine, they drove away and soon were chased by police.

Testimony earlier this week showed that two guns — the
.40-caliber gun and a .45-caliber Colt handgun — were thrown
from the passenger side of the vehicle. Farrow on Friday
admitted to throwing the guns from the van.

State police Detective Sgt. Ryan Larrison testified that the
Glock handgun fired two shell casings located in the Riverview
parking lot. The firearms expert testified that he could not
exclude the Glock from being the gun that fired the bullet that
killed Nash. Clark testified that Bentley’s DNA was not on the
.40-caliber gun.

Farrow also told police that he was wearing a red shirt, not a
black shirt, when the shooting happened and he and Bentley ran.
Clark testified that Farrow’s DNA was not on the red shirt
seized in connection with the chase and identified as the shirt
that the driver of the van was wearing. Farrow testified Friday
that he was wearing the black shirt and that his words were
mixed up by police during the interview.

Additionally, Clark testified that Nash’s DNA was found on the
van’s steering wheel and interior driver’s side door handle.
Such evidence contradicts Farrow’s statements and agrees with
the story that a fellow jail of inmate of Farrow’s testified
Friday that he heard Farrow tell another inmate.

In that story, Nash entered the van, argued with Bentley, threw
the cocaine out of a window, and began fighting with Bentley
for a gun. Farrow stepped out of the van, grabbed the cocaine,
and then, at Bentley’s request, shot Nash, the inmate
testified. The inmate who said he heard the confession denied
Friday that he heard Farrow confess.

After a four-month investigation, prosecutors charged Farrow,
who last lived at 613 N. Mason in Saginaw, and Bentley with
felony murder, which means that someone was killed during the
commission of a specified felony, armed robbery, and conspiring
to commit that crime. Farrow faces six other felonies.

A jury in October acquitted Bentley of the murder charge and
convicted him of armed robbery, conspiracy and nine other
felonies. Borchard sentenced
Bentley^[3] to a total
of 64 years and six months to 95 years and nine months in
prison.

References

1. ^{^} Farrow
   (topics.mlive.com)
2. ^{^} second statement to police
   (www.mlive.com)
3. ^{^} sentenced Bentley
   (www.mlive.com)