By Bonnie Washuk,Staff Writer

PORTLAND – Thursday’s testimony at the murder trial of Brandon Thongsavanh resembled a CSI television show with a slew of expert testimony, only there was no easy ending.

Maine State Crime Lab DNA expert Jennifer McCorrison testified that none of stabbing victim Morgan McDuffee’s blood was found at Thongsavanh’s home or on his clothes.

None of McDuffee’s blood was found on any clothing belonging to those at the Main Street fight in Lewiston on March 3, 2002.

And none of McDuffee’s blood was found in any of the vehicles that the defendant and others were in as they left the stabbing scene, McCorrison told the Cumberland County Superior Court jury.

McCorrison was one of several crime scene and evidence experts who testified during day seven of the murder trial.

Thongsavanh, 22, of Lewiston, is being tried a second time in the slaying of the 22-year-old Bates College senior during a fight between Bates students and Auburn youths. Thongsavanh was found guilty in 2003, but the Maine Supreme Judicial Court overturned the verdict on grounds that the jury was biased.

During opening statements last week, Thongsavanh’s lawyer, David Van Dyke, promised the jury he’d show that the man who killed McDuffee was Chad Aube, 23, of Lewiston, that Aube was “seen covered in blood from his shoulders to his knees.”

But one after another, the experts trained in gathering and analyzing evidence testified Thursday that the clothes police say Aube was wearing when McDuffee was killed had none of McDuffee’s blood on them.

Aube’s clothes, a gray Polo T-shirt, tan khaki pants and a plaid button-down shirt, were shown to the jury, as was the blood-soaked shirt worn by McDuffee.

Aube’s pants were soiled with mud and dirt. There were some small spots of blood on the khakis, said crime lab forensic chemist Brandy Caron. DNA tests revealed the blood belonged to Aube, not McDuffee, McCorrison said.

Van Dyke asked Caron if it was possible that Aube washed his pants and removed the blood.

No, Caron said. Clothes covered in blood would have had residue that would have been detected, she said.

One day after the killing, police recovered Aube’s pants in Justin Asselin’s bedroom closet in Auburn, said Maine State Police Detective Herbert Leighton. Aube, who lived in Auburn at the time, Thongsavanh and others gathered at the apartment before and after McDuffee was stabbed, according to testimony.

Leighton said Aube’s pants were found “wet and balled up” on the closet floor. Leighton and other detectives said they took over Asselin’s apartment looking for the homicide weapon, which was never found, as well as any bloodied or wet clothes.

Aube’s plaid shirt was seen in the apartment, but not initially taken by police because it was not wet or bloodied, Leighton and other detectives testified.

Two days after the killing, detectives searched Thongsavanh’s apartment on Sabattus Street in Lewiston. They asked him to provide the clothes he was wearing that night. While some witnesses said Thongsavanh wore blue jeans and a black T-shirt with a “distinctive” logo that night, Thongsavanh’s girlfriend gave police a black shirt with a Nike logo and tan pants from their closet, Leighton said. Thongsavanh told police those were the clothes he was wearing that night.

Crime evidence experts testified the Nike shirt and tan pants did not contain McDuffee’s blood.

In Thongsavanh’s bathroom, police saw lots of dark hair 1 to 2 inches long like one would find on a barbershop floor. Prosecutors maintain that Thongsavanh “changed his appearance” after the slaying by shaving his head.

On Van Dyke’s cross-examination, police said no efforts were made to hide the hair clippings.

After the trial recessed Thursday, Van Dyke was asked why there has been no testimony or evidence of Aube being covered in blood.

“Tomorrow,” Van Dyke answered.

The state is expected to finish calling its witnesses today.

If that happens, Van Dyke will begin calling defense witnesses.

One of those he’ll call, Van Dyke said, will be Nick Barajas. Barajas drove Thongsavanh in his SUV from the stabbing scene.

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