Former RPD officer’s DNA found on child’s clothing, but not on body – Richmond.com

None of Charles Churchs DNA was found on the body of the child who testified Tuesday that he sexually assaulted her in November 2015, according to forensic experts who testified on Wednesday during day two of the trial for the former Richmond police officer. But his DNA was found in the Barbie-printed underwear found in a pile of Churchs clothes.

Forensic experts provided most of the testimony during the second day of what is expected to be a three-day trial.

The prosecution rested its case on Wednesday, and the public defenders representing Church began presenting their theory that the child made up her story about sexual assault.

Church, 41, of the 1400 block of West Marshall Street, is charged with two counts of sodomy, two counts of object sexual penetration and indecent liberties with a child younger than 13.

The underwear, which a detective held up for a jury to show it was very small, was stained with blood.

Lori Seman, a DNA expert at the Virginia Department of Forensic Science, testified that she found two distinct contributors of DNA, and a third sample that was deemed an anomaly from testing.

The two DNA profiles matched the childs and Churchs.

Lisa Schiermeier-Wood, who uses a computer program to calculate the statistical likelihood of DNA matches at the Virginia Department of Forensic Science, testified that the likelihood of the DNA matching any other random humans other than the child or Church as in the billions and trillions.

The defense team is planning to call an expert witness during the final day of testimony who could shed more light on the third unknown sample found in the underwear.

DNA experts also affirmed the defenses questions that the trace amounts of Churchs DNA could have been transferred onto the panties from the clothes it was found among.

On Tuesday, the child who alleges the sexual assault testified.

At times, she struggled to describe what happened to her. Deputy Commonwealths Attorney Kelli Burnett said she described (the alleged assault) in her own developmentally appropriate way.

Curtis Mullis, an investigator working for the Richmond Public Defenders office, which represents Church, searched the childs phone records and discovered that she had searched the internet for the term how to get pregnant and had an email confirming a subscription from a pornography website with live videos of simulated sex.

Burnett tried to deflect the evidence, saying anyone with access to the girls phone could have accessed the websites.

The trial continues Thursday, when a jury of nine men and five women including two alternates will be expected to deliver its verdict after all the evidence is presented.

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Former RPD officer's DNA found on child's clothing, but not on body - Richmond.com