Ravenswood murder victim's DNA found at home of accused man Marco Rusterholz

Posted: March 26, 2015 at 10:47 am

DNA from a murder victim was detected on a fuel can found at the home of the accused man, a Supreme Court jury in Launceston has heard.

Marco Daniel Rusterholz pleaded not guilty to the 2012 murders of Angela Hallam and Joshua Newman in a Ravenswood unit.

The crown alleged he stabbed the pair to death and then set fire to their bodies using petrol, motivated by a drug debt and a desire to please his new girlfriend.

Forensic scientist Dr Cory Griffiths conducted DNA profiles on samples found at the crime scene as well as items seized by police from Rusterholz's home.

He told the court Newman was the major contributor to DNA found on parts of a fuel can that were recovered by police from a shed at Rusterholz's home.

Dr Griffiths said there was a "one-in-one-billion" chance of the DNA matching a random person who was not Newman.

Earlier the trial heard human blood was detected on the fuel can.

Dr Griffiths said samples from a later examination of the back of the fuel can contained DNA from Rusterholz.

The trial also heard one of the victims was stealing drugs from the accused.

Matthew James Coventry told the jury he and Angela Hallam had sold boxes of morphine around the state, which the accused had supplied.

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Ravenswood murder victim's DNA found at home of accused man Marco Rusterholz

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