Murder suspect challenges DNA evidence in teen’s 1995 rape, murder

Jos de G.'s lawyer is questioning the reliability of the DNA match that connects his client with the murder of Nicole van den Hurk in 1995. 

Experts from the Netherlands Forensic Institute and the Independent Forensic Services are testifying on the reliability of the DNA match in the court in Den Bosch on Monday, AD reports.

Nicole van den Hurk disappeared between her grandmother's home and her work in a supermarket on October 6th 1995. Her body was found, raped and murdered, in a forest near Mierlo nearly two months later. The DNA in question was extracted from sperm found on her body. Jos de G. was arrested in January this year after his DNA partially matched that found on Nicole's body.

De G.'s lawyer's main problem seems to be that there was no full DNA profile. The IFS, who is acting as counter-expert, is somewhat surprised that a full profile could not be retrieved, according to the newspaper. The IFS expert stated that it is usually possible to retrieve a full profile from semen.

The NFI expert stated that it is not so strange that a full profile could not be collected - Nicole's body was only found six weeks after her death and was already in an advanced state of decomposition. "It is quite extraordinary that we were able to find usable DNA evidence after six weeks. It does not surprise me that no single profile came from it", NFI DNA expert Jerien Koopman told the court.

Last week Jos de G. told the court that he did not kill the then 15 year old girl, and that if he did have sex with her it was consensual and he can not remember it.

The court will listen to the statements of various other experts this week. After that the Public Prosecutor and the accused's lawyer will have a chance to plead their case. If all goes according to schedule, a ruling is expected on December 4th.