Qld DNA inquiry: Shandee Blackburn’s case could still be solved

Shandee Blackburn’s murder could still be solved the head of a major inquiry into Queensland’s embattled DNA lab has said, as the bombshell findings and more than 100 recommendations shed light on how scientists bungled the case.

Shandee Blackburn’s murder could still be solved the head of a major inquiry into Queensland’s embattled DNA lab has said, as the bombshell findings shed light on how scientists systematically bungled the case.

Concerning potential failures with the state-run DNA lab first came to light through the Australian’s Shandee’s Story podcast, which looked into the 2013 stabbing of the 23-year-old in her home town of Mackay.

*Upsized* Shandee Blackburn

Former Court of Appeal president Walter Sofronoff was appointed to head a commission of inquiry into the DNA lab, handing down a final report on Tuesday which found “grave maladministration involving dishonesty” were among serious problems festering in the lab over years.

Mr Sofronoff, asked if there was hope that Ms Blackburn’s murder might be solved amid what had been learnt from the inquiry, said “yes, there is”.

In the report, which is 520-pages long, Mr Sofronoff also concluded further testing and investigation of “particular issues” in Ms Blackburn’s case were warranted.

But it was likely “much will remain uncertain given the passage of time and the complexity of contributing factors”.

“This is a sombre finding to make in a case of such deep tragedy and loss,” he wrote.

“While the Blackburn case has demonstrated that the laboratory was not functioning well as early as 2012, providing context for later developments, this can be of little comfort to the family of the young woman whose death it concerns.”

Annastacia Palaszczuk looks on as Commissioner Walter Sofronoff delivers his findings into Queensland’s DNA lab bungle. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

DNA testing undertaken for Ms Blackburn’s case was investigated as part of the inquiry into the DNA lab, with experts Ms Johanna Veth and Dr Bruce Budowle to undertake the work.

Dr Kirsty Wright, the scientist featured in Shandee’s Story which first raised concerns about the lab, also contributed to the review on top of what she had initially found.

The trio found seven issues cascading for the lab not doing its work with a focus on quality assurance, including “ongoing contamination”, undertaking certain steps of the process incorrectly, and “inadequate disclosure” of those incidents.

Ms Veth and Dr Budowle also found the lab “failed to maintain a proper case file in the Blackburn case”, with documentation missing.

“The balance of the expert evidence before me in this case supports a conclusion that there are a number of issues which may have contributed to the unexpectedly poor performance of some samples in the Blackburn case,” Mr Sofronoff wrote in the final report.

Forensic scientist Dr Kirsty Wright during public hearings. Picture: Steve Pohlner

Mr Sofronoff also said “the uncertainty surrounding the evidence” in the case and the anguish of the Blackburn family had “served as a constant reminder of the deeply human element at the heart of the work of the Commission”.

“It can be hoped that the profound reframing of how DNA evidence is processed, analysed, reported on and understood in our criminal justice system may in time be seen as an enduring legacy of all of those who have raised their voices to bring these issues to light,” he wrote.

“I have heard them.”