Additional DNA Testing Sought for Silk Plant Forest Evidence

Police Department - May 21, 2010

The Police Department committee reviewing the Silk Plant Forest case has requested additional DNA testing on the clothing worn by Jill Marker when she was attacked, Police Chief Scott Cunningham said.

Detectives with the Criminal Investigation Division met this morning with a scientist at LabCorp in Research Triangle Park to discuss the possibility of submitting the clothing to “touch” DNA analysis, a sophisticated test that may be able to retrieve and identify DNA samples from anyone who touched the clothing. As a result of that meeting, LabCorp will conduct extensive DNA testing with the goal of obtaining identifiable forensic information.

Results of the testing will be announced as soon as they are available, Cunningham said. “As we continue our review, it is important to keep the public apprised of all activity in the assessment of the Silk Plant Forest investigation,” Cunningham said.
Marker’s clothing was among the items sent for testing in March to the SBI lab after the committee learned that they had never been tested to determine if they contained any identifiable forensic information. The SBI, using standard DNA testing, yielded only DNA links to Jill Marker.

“While we have complete confidence in the SBI, we are looking to see if other tests might reveal any physical evidence,” Cunningham said.