Shandee’s Story: ‘No DNA detected’

Words: Hedley Thomas Producer: Louise Starkey

Detectives investigating Shandee Blackburn’s murder in February 2013 were baffled by the crime scene exhibits in the case. There was no forensic evidence tying their suspect John Peros to the murder.

John’s DNA was not found on Shandee’s body, nor were any traces of the young woman’s blood found in his vehicle, a 1994 Toyota HiLux.

Scientific officers suspected if John had killed Shandee, he would have unknowingly transferred her blood — her DNA — to his car. 51 samples from John’s vehicle were sent to the laboratory for DNA analysis.

John’s own trace DNA wasn’t found on the surfaces of the vehicle, even though he was driving it thousands of kilometres each year for work across Central Queensland. There was no sign it had been forensically cleaned.

Dr Kirsty Wright High-level Australian Government security clearance

‘No DNA detected’ in a sample called S-14, which was taken from a pool of blood at the crime scene by an experienced police scientific officer, was a red flag for Dr Kirsty Wright.

Dr Wright’s voluntary investigation into the samples from Shandee’s case are featured in the seventh, eighth and ninth episode of Shandee’s Story, an investigative podcast from The Australian.

Swipe up to join us for the latest episode analysing the investigation into Shandee’s murder in Mackay, Queensland. Learn more