CLEVELAND — During Tamara McLoyd's trial for the murder of off-duty Cleveland police officer Shane Bartek, DNA linking her to a gun found during her arrest was presented as evidence, but a forensic expert couldn't say when or how her DNA got on the weapon.
McLoyd is accused of killing Bartek during a New Year’s Eve carjacking.
Prosecutors also used McLoyd’s Instagram account to show jurors a connection to a stolen car on Christmas Day.
Today was day four of testimony and McLoyd’s 19th birthday.
A focal point was DNA test results on evidence collected after Bartek was shot and killed, including a revolver.
The prosecutor asked witness Jeffrey Oblock, a forensic DNA analyst, about the test results.
“Based on the strength of those likelihood ratios, Tamara McLoyd is one of the contributors on that handgun,” said Oblock.
The defense countered, pointing out the forensic analyst isn’t an investigating detective or in law enforcement at all, but a scientist.
“You can’t tell them when it got there?" the defense attorney asked. "Or under what circumstances?"
"Correct," Oblock responded both times.
"You can just merely say it’s there, not how it got there or when?"
"Correct, there’s no way for us to tell how or what circumstance."
McLoyd confessed she robbed and shot Bartek during her interrogation with homicide detectives.
A Cleveland gang unit detective said a gun was found in the passenger door of a car McLoyd was in when she was arrested.
During Wednesday’s testimony, firearms examiner Kristen Koeth couldn’t say the bullet came from the revolver.
The defense asked her about it.
“Can you tell us for certain whether or not this bullet came from that gun?" the attorney asked.
"I can not,” said Koeth.
Officer Bartek’s car was found in Euclid and a man was arrested and swabbed for DNA.
Testimony showed test results found the man’s DNA on the steering wheel, gear shift, driver’s side door, start button and key fob.
“There was no statistical support for Tamara McLoyd,” said Oblock.
McLoyd was asked about Bartek’s car during her interrogation.
“I never drove this Mazda," she said.
"But you just said you did," the officer said.
"Listen, one time though like,” said McLoyd.
Cleveland homicide detective Zara Hudson testified late Thursday about Instagram direct messages that discuss a vehicle trade between the man arrested in Bartek’s car and another man who wrote, “My sister got a truck for the car.”
DNA evidence links McLoyd and the man arrested to a Volkswagen.
Detective Hudson also testified about Instagram messages from Christmas Day by McLoyd talking about having a stolen car.
A man was carjacked six days before Bartek was shot at the same apartment complex. Prosecutors showed an Instagram selfie video by McLoyd, they say, showing her wearing similar clothing to the Christmas Day robber.
The prosecution also played for the jury two recorded jail phone calls, including one between McLoyd and her mother.
In one call, the detective on the stand confirmed to the prosecutor McLoyd admitted to killing Bartek.
The trial will resume Tuesday with the defense and any evidence or testimony it might present, followed by closing arguments.
Download the News 5 Cleveland app now for more stories from us, plus alerts on major news, the latest weather forecast, traffic information and much more. Download now on your Apple device here, and your Android device here.
You can also catch News 5 Cleveland on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, YouTube TV, DIRECTV NOW, Hulu Live and more. We're also on Amazon Alexa devices. Learn more about our streaming options here.
