The DNA of two teenagers accused of murdering Maryborough man John Bourke was found at the victim's home, the Supreme Court has heard.
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Victoria Police forensics officer Kate Outteridge tested blood found at Mr Bourke's Derby Road home after his body was discovered on July 15, 2018.
Ms Outteridge gave evidence to the court on Monday that Mr Bourke's DNA was found in various samples taken from the house.
A sample of blood taken from the inside of the front door contained the DNA of both Mr Bourke and one of the accused, the court heard, while Ms Outteridge believed blood found on a kitchen cabinet came from the other accused.
Ms Outteridge told the court that blood on two pairs of shoes - which had been collected from the accused's homes - yielded Mr Bourke's DNA, as did a jacket and pair of tracksuit pants found at the home of one of the boys.
Defence counsel for one of the accused said they did not dispute it was their client's DNA that was found, and counsel for the other accused took a similar position.
In cross-examination by the defence, Ms Outteridge said she could not determine when the DNA was left on the surfaces, nor how it was deposited.
The trial so far:
- Day 1: Murder trial begins for teens accused of killing Maryborough man
- Day 2: Court hears teen charged with murder was drunk and upset night man died
- Day 3: Neighbours heard yelling on the night Maryborough man died, jury told
- Day 4: Teen heard saying he went to the wrong home night man died, court told
- Day 5: Jury told accused teens fought on night man died
During evidence from Leading Senior Constable Michael Hradek, who conducted shoe impression analysis, the court heard there was no dispute from the defence that shoe prints found at Mr Bourke's home - on the porch, on the front and back doors, and in the bathroom - belonged to the shoes of one of the accused.
It was a fact agreed by both prosecution and defence that a palm print from this same accused was found on the security door at Mr Bourke's home.
It was also agreed that when police attended the boy's home on the night of July 15 and asked about Mr Bourke's death, it was noted he became upset and said: "Went to this guy's house. It was the wrong person's house. I'd been drinking".
The court heard police seized clothing from that teenager's home but did not take the other accused's clothes as his mother had washed them as part of a normal routine.
They did, however, collect shoes and a cap from his home.
Sergeant Stephen Atkinson, who was a detective with the Central Goldfields Crime Investigation Unit in July 2018, gave evidence that Mr Bourke's body was just inside the front door of the home when he attended on the afternoon of July 15.
Referring to photos shown to the court, Sergeant Atkinson said he saw what he believed to be blood on the front porch, which he described as "not spattered but a pooling-type area in front of the door".
He said he also saw what looked to be shoe impressions in the blood.
The front door looked to have been forced open, Sergeant Atkinson said, making reference to splintering of the wood, and there was what appeared to be blood on the carpet inside.
The court heard a female had called Ballarat police station about the death of Mr Bourke and provided the names of the accused.
Sergeant Atkinson gave evidence that when police attended one of the teenager's homes that evening, the boy immediately began to admit his involvement in the offending.
The two accused have pleaded not guilty to murder. The trial continues.
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