Blood and DNA of slain woman Azalia Wilson were found on a man's shoe in a car allegedly connected to the man accused of her murder.
At the trial of Samuel Moses Samson yesterday, ESR forensic scientist Gary Gillespie told the jury his findings following the examination of several blood spots, swabs and material collected at the motel and vehicles related to the case.
The trial before Justice Gerald Nation in the High Court at Invercargill started last week after Samson pleaded not guilty to the murder of Miss Wilson at the Bavarian Hotel in Invercargill on November 17, 2019.
Gillespie said bloodstains were found on a sock and a men's size 9 Converse boot in the boot of one of the cars.
"The DNA recovered from both of the samples corresponded to Miss Wilson's DNA on the file."
Gillespie said police asked him to compare the shoe with the marks on Miss Wilson's torso.
In previous evidence, Detective Aarron Dempsey said Wilson's body had lacerations and injuries along her torso, legs and arms, including a pattern similar to a shoe impression.
Gillespie could not confirm or deny it was the same shoes which caused the mark.
Wilson's blood was also found in several places in the motel unit, including the carpet, shower, walls and ceiling — while Samson's DNA was found on a "blood transfer stain" in the motel kitchen, he said.
Gillespie also concluded a piece of black plastic found in the unit matched a black-handled knife missing from the motel and found on the Oreti River.
In its opening address, the Crown stated the knife was taken out to the river "because it linked the knife with her death".
Det Dempsey was one of the first officers at the crime scene.
He told the court on Monday that when he entered the unit it was "extremely hot" because the heaters were on.
He had to turn them off to "slow down any further deterioration of the body".
In cross-examination, defence counsel Judith Ablett-Kerr QC asked Det Dempsey about the process he and two other officers took when they entered the unit.
She questioned if he walked with protective boots across the grass before entering the unit — he confirmed that, but said he stood by his decision as "the safest and best option".
The trial continues today.