Stephen Cahoon's murder trial heard DNA evidence

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Stephen Cahoon’s murder trial continued at the Central Criminal Court on 9 November 2015, with evidence about blood matching Jean Teresa Quigley’s DNA on a white T-shirt found at his apartment. The proceedings were reported on 9 November 2015.

Stephen Cahoon is accused of murdering Jean Teresa Quigley, who was pregnant, at Cornshell fields in Derry on 26 July 2008. He has pleaded not guilty.

Forensic evidence included DNA profiles from vaginal and fingernail swabs, cigarette butts and the white T-shirt. The report said semen on the vaginal swabs had a DNA profile matching Stephen Cahoon and indicated recent sexual activity.

Separately, forensic scientist Ciaran Doolan described recovering text messages from two mobile phones believed to have belonged to Stephen Cahoon and Jean Teresa Quigley. He found that their call logs and text messages had been deleted. Under cross-examination by Niall Flynn BL, defending, Ciaran Doolan confirmed that a message from Stephen Cahoon’s number to Jean Teresa Quigley’s number referred to “our baby that you said I won’t see”.

The trial was continuing before Miss Justice Deirdre Murphy and a jury of eight men and four women.