Police return to Perugia murder house

| Sat, 03/15/2008 - 04:08

Police investigating the murder of British university exchange student Meredith Kercher carried out a new search on Friday at the house she shared with three other girls in Perugia.

Investigators spent 40 minutes at the house in Via della Pergola, where 22-year-old Kercher was found with her throat slashed on November 2 last year.

They also removed a number of objects, including items of clothing, a bag belonging to Kercher, two guitars, a hairdryer and a Harry Potter book.

Police said they had discovered a small stain on Kercher's bag which forensic examination may show to be blood.

The Harry Potter book and one of the guitars removed by investigators belong to Kercher's 20-year-old American roommate Amanda Marie Knox.

Knox is currently in custody in connection with the murder along with her 24-year-old Italian boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito and 21-year-old Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede.

Lawyers for Knox, Sollecito, Guede and fourth suspect Diya 'Patrick' Lumumba were present during the search of the house on Friday.

Lumumba, 38, was initially implicated by Knox as Kercher's killer but was released from custody for lack of evidence in November last year.

In January investigators said they were confident they would wrap up the case by the end of the summer.

Although they admit they remain in the dark in regards to the motive, they claim the forensic evidence they have gathered so far against the three suspects in custody is rock solid.

This evidence is said to include Sollecito's DNA on the victim's bra, which police say definitively placed him at the scene of the crime.

The DNA was found on a small piece of cloth cut by a knife close to the bra's fastener.

Guede's DNA was found in the toilet at the murder scene and in a vaginal swab of the victim.

He also left a bloody fingerprint on Kercher's pillow.

Forensic tests also identified Guede's DNA on the victim's purse, which had been on her bed, as well as on the cuff of her tracksuit.

Guede, as opposed to Knox and Sollecito, has admitted being at the scene of the crime but denies any involvement.

Other forensic evidence includes a large kitchen knife found in Sollecito's kitchen which had the victim's DNA on the blade and Knox's DNA on the handle.

DNA belonging to both Knox and Kercher were also identified in a drop of blood found in the victim's bathroom.

All three suspects have been refused bail.

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