Judge Orders Confirmatory Testing of DNA Found at Murder Scene

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On June 28, Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Erik S. Atas ordered the Baltimore Police Department’s Crime Laboratory to perform confirmatory testing on two DNA samples found at the scene of a 2019 murder, both of which did not match the defendant. 

According to CBS Baltimore, Baltimore resident Gilbert Della allegedly shot 28-year-old Ikeem Issac on Jan. 1, 2019, on the 4900 block of Frederick Avenue. 

Prosecutors say that Della, 26, then fled the scene in a silver Honda. Issac was taken by ambulance to the Maryland Shock Trauma Center, where he was later pronounced dead. 

Police arrested Della on Jan. 29, 2019, on the 200 block of N. Wickham Street. 

Della is charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, two counts of firearm use in a violent crime, and one count of carrying a loaded gun. 

The hearing on Monday concerned a motion to compel confirmatory testing of DNA samples, which came back to two separate people: one found in the Maryland State Police database and the other found in the FBI database. 

While the prosecution admitted the subpoena was valid, the prosecutor said he planned to challenge the evidence’s admissibility before the case is scheduled to go to trial on Sept. 8. 

Judge Atas said the testing results must be produced for assistant public defenders Jonathan Kerr and Megan Lewis by Aug. 17.

Della has been in jail since 2017.

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