By Tony Blais

The DNA of accused killer Travis Vader was found in several spots in an SUV belonging to an elderly St. Albert couple who vanished in July 2010, a Crown DNA expert told court Thursday.

Testifying at Vader’s murder trial, Vashni Skipper said Vader’s DNA was identified on a beer can found in the 2006 Hyundai Tucson SUV, on the steering wheel, front passenger seat and centre console.

Vader, 44, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder in connection with the 2010 disappearance of Lyle McCann, 78, and his 77-year-old wife Marie.

Skipper testified the odds the DNA on the beer can and in blood found on the centre console was not Vader’s were one in three trillion.

The civilian RCMP employee told court the odds the DNA found on the steering wheel was not Vader’s was one in 7.4 billion and one in 12 million that the DNA found on the back section of the front passenger seat was not from the accused.

It has not yet been said in court, but police used a DNA search warrant when Vader was arrested July 19, 2010.

Under cross examination, Skipper agreed other people could form different opinions relating to the DNA evidence.

Defence lawyer Brian Beresh questioned Skipper about potential concerns regarding contamination of the samples taken from the SUV for DNA analysis and also asked if it was possible that DNA could be transferred from someone coughing or sneezing.

Skipper replied it was possible, but unlikely, due to the fact coughing and sneezing don’t typically result in large samples.

She also agreed scientists can’t pinpoint the time when a DNA sample is deposited.

Beresh has brought a DNA expert from the U.S. to testify for the defence. He sat in court during Skipper’s testimony. In his opening address, Beresh said the expert will raise questions about the DNA evidence linked to Vader.

The trial has heard earlier that police found both Vader’s blood and his fingerprints in the couple’s SUV. A witness has also testified he saw Vader following the couple’s disappearance driving an SUV that looked like the one belonging to the McCanns.

They were last seen July 3, 2010, leaving a Superstore in St. Albert.

Two days later, their motorhome was found ablaze and abandoned at a campground by Minnow Lake, near Edson.

The SUV they were towing was found in the woods on a rural property just off of Highway 16 east of Edson on July 16, 2010.

Court has also heard police found blood spatter from the McCanns on items in the SUV.