The Tribune

By PAVEL BAILEY

Tribune Staff Reporter

pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A DNA analyst testified that Rodrigo Rolle’s DNA was found under Janice Kissinger’s fingernails after the elderly American woman was killed in Cat Island in 2017.

Rolle, 33, allegedly killed Kissinger, 74, during a home invasion in Orange Creek, Cat Island, on September 29, 2017. Rolle also allegedly stole a 2006 Ford Explorer and a $500 safe containing a $5,000 Rolex.

Kelsey Neary, of the Broward County Sheriff’s Office, said yesterday she had completed a DNA comparative analysis report on July 17 that showed the victim scratched Rolle in a struggle before her death. She said strong results showed traces of Rolle’s DNA under Kissinger’s fingernails.

Blood samples from Rolle and Marcello Hepburn were taken after their arrest.

Hepburn had testified earlier that he gave the defendant a pickax to break into the safe stolen from Kissinger’s home because he feared Rolle.

Geoffrey Farquharson, the defendant’s attorney, argued that the results of DNA analysis are not 100% accurate.

Sergeant Brian Coakley of the homicide unit of the Criminal Investigations Department said he was present during Rolle’s police interview on October 4, 2017, in New Providence.

He testified that he saw the defendant sign a blood consent form before he was taken to PMH, where blood samples were drawn and handed to forensics.

Mr Farquharson told the officer that the blood sample was taken from the defendant in breach of the Police Act. He claimed there was no mention of a blood sample in Rolle’s detention record.

The attorney said the purpose of such a record was to prevent officers from making false reports.

While Sergeant Coakley disagreed that officers breached the Police Act, noting they had the defendant’s written consent, he said he could not find a mention of a blood sample in his detention record. He also admitted that he did not put one there.

Mr Farquharson suggested that his client never signed a consent form, claiming the signature was “dramatically” different from other documents. The officer responded that Rolle willingly signed the RBPF’s form and that he witnessed him do so.