The murder of a Russellville beauty queen is one step closer to going to
trial again. A judge in the Nona Dirksmeyer case ruled Monday afternoon that DNA expert testimony will be allowed in.
Gary Dunn, 29, is one step closer to
his capitol murder trial. He didn’t answer outside of the court when asked if he killed Nona Dirksmeyer. Inside a Pope County court house Monday afternoon he remained quite during a two hour hearing over expert DNA testimony.
The state expert says DNA found on a condom wrapper inside Nona Dirksmeyer’s apartment places Dunn at the scene of her 2005 murder. And at the odds it’s someone else is close to one in 120 million.
Dunn’s defense attorneys countered with Laurence Mueller, a population genetics expert out of California who believes the number is much lower, closer to one in 400 and that the state’s DNA math is wrong. Defense attorneys want to keep those numbers away from potential jurors, but the judge said no.
“I disagree that the other presentation is accurate or reliable. So, when I come back I'll probably make the same strong case,” Mueller said.
Whatever jurors end up hearing, it will not happen at the Pope county court house in Russellville. The trial has been moved to Clarksville. Jury selection is slated for April.
