Physical evidence focus of Day 2 of Yonts murder trial
By KRISTIN TAYLOR
Staff Writer
A trail of glass fragments and blood from Harrison Yonts' driveway into his bedroom were the subject of forensic tests - and of some testimony during the second day of his murder trial.
Special Prosecutor Jim Harris called 16 witnesses to the stand in the trial that's expected to last at least until Thursday. Proceedings continued this morning in Calloway Circuit Court with Murray Police Department Detective Kendra Smith resuming her testimony under cross-examination from defense attorney Dennis Null.
Smith was the lead investigator in the hit-and-run crash on Nov. 11, 2005, that killed 62-year-old Nadia Shaheen. Shaheen's body was found in a ditch along Coldwater Road that morning.
Later that day Yonts, who was 20 years old at the time, was charged in Shaheen's death. He's on trial for murder, tampering with physical evidence, leaving the scene of an accident and driving under the influence.
Pieces of glass matching Yonts' shattered vehicle window were found on the pair of jeans and cotton toboggan MPD officers collected from his Wilshire Drive residence as they were investigating Shaheen's death.
Null has said Yonts cut his hand on a broken beer bottle at a Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity party, but forensic testimony contradicted that. Kentucky State Police trace chemist Jack Reid determined the glass shards matched the passenger-side window of Yont's 2000 Lincoln LS after performing tests on the materials' density, elements and ability to bend light.
Reid, who works in the state police laboratory in Frankfort, couldn't say for sure that the glass came from Yonts' specific vehicle, but he said the pieces were from a similar make and model that was produced at the same time because glass changes slightly each time it's ordered from the company.
“Those could not have had come from a beer bottle,” Reid said.
For complete story, see today's Ledger & Times
Story created Jan 31, 2007 - 11:25:10 EST.
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