DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) – A Macon County judge will hear expert testimony Thursday in the ongoing DNA battle surrounding the murder of Karyn Hearn Slover.
The Exoneration Project is working alongside the Illinois Innocence Project (IIP) in an effort to exonerate members of the Slover family, who were convicted in 2002 of killing Hearn Slover in 1996. Michael Slover, Jeanette Slover, and Michael Slover Jr. were all found guilty of murder.
In early June, the Illinois Innocence Project filed a motion asking the Illinois State Police (ISP) to submit DNA profiles into the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) in hopes of identifying the true killer or killers of Karyn Hearn Slover.
According to IIP's filing, forensic testing revealed three separate DNA profiles on key pieces of evidence. Two profiles were found on duct tape used to seal bags containing Karyn's remains, and another profile was discovered on fingerprints located next to a stain of Karyn's blood on the Lake Shelbyville bridge.
Although IIP has repeatedly asked the court to order ISP to submit the DNA samples, ISP has declined to do so for several years. ISP has maintained its reason for not submitting the profiles is that it does not know how or by whom the evidence was handled, and that the DNA samples did not originate from a law enforcement agency.
On Thursday, the court is expected to hear from IIP's DNA expert.
Former Macon County State's Attorney Jay Scott, who returned from retirement to represent the prosecution, has also filed motions seeking to dismiss the case entirely. Scott has consistently maintained that the Slover family is responsible for Karyn's 1996 death.
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