Katie Kearns Had No Gunshot Residue On Hands: Testimony

Joliet IL

20 April, 2022

2:38 PM

Description

JOLIET, IL — A long-time forensic scientist with the Illinois State Police testified Wednesday morning how he examined the gunshot residue kits taken from the hands of gunshot victim Katie Kearns, 24. The jury in the first-degree murder trial for Joliet Outlaws member Jeremy Boshears learned the that gunshot residue test on the left hand of Kearns came back negative. The gunshot residue test on her right hand was also negative, according to Scott Rochowicz, an employee of the Illinois State Police since the summer of 1996. Assistant Will County State's Attorney Steven Platek called Rochowicz as the prosecution's first witness. The body of Kearns was found on a farm inside a pole barn on the property owned by a fellow Joliet Outlaw, Ronald Keagle, in St. Anne. Rochowicz testified he has performed more than 3,000 gunshot residue analysis during his police career. He told the jury "that any activity with the hands can remove gunshot residue." "Simply wiping hands together" or "wiping hands on pants ... the activity, yes, could remove all the (gunshot residue) particles," Rochowicz testified. Will County police found Katie Kearns' cell phone inside her purse in the back of her Jeep discovered on this farm in St. Anne. John Ferak/Patch Platek then turned his attention to two of the black and white flannel shirts that were seized by the Will County Sheriff's Office from inside the Coal City house of the murder defendant. Rochowicz testified that his analysis of the first flannel shirt owned by Boshears contained samples showing the presence of gunshot residue on the right cuff and the left cuff. Rochowicz told the jury that his testing is unable to determine the time frame for when the gunshot residue ended up on the clothing of Boshears. As for the second flannel shirt belonging to Boshears, "the right cuff was positive for the presence of gunshot residue," Rochowicz testified. "The left cuff had particles similar to background samples." In other words, the Illinois State Police GSR expert did not find any gunshot residue present on the left sleeve of Boshears' second flannel taken by the Will County CSI unit. "Based on your analysis, you can't tell when that contact occurred?" Platek asked. "That is correct," his witness replied. Gunshot residue tests were positive on this flannel shirt found inside the Coal City house of Jeremy Boshears. John Ferak/Patch During cross-examination, criminal defense attorney Chuck Bretz pointed out that a cloud of particles, "like a fine powder," gets released when someone fires a gun — especially more than once—and those particles can land on the person's body and clothing. In this case, Kearns' body was wrapped inside a tarp and a mattress and "moved around," Bretz explained. For all of those reasons, isn't that why Kearns had no gunshot residue on her hands, the defense lawyer asked. "Yes, that is possible," Rochowicz answered. Ideally, a gunshot residue test should be conducted "within the first few hours rather than three or four days later," Bretz noted. Although Rochowicz was asked to do gunshot residue testing on two of the long-sleeved black and white flannel shirts found in the Boshears house, the same scenario was not the case for the 24-year-old gunshot victim. "Were you provided any clothing that belonged to Katie Kearns?" Bretz asked. "I did not receive any," Rochowicz replied. Will County Sheriff's crime scene investigator Randall Simeon also testified Wednesday for prosecutor Tom Bahar. Simeon told the jury he retrieved the cell phone of Kearns from inside her purse, which was found in the trunk of her Jeep Grand Cherokee. In addition, Simeon found a large red stain on the floor of the Jeep. A "big red stain," he testified. Simeon also participated in the raid conducted by the Will County Sheriff's Office at the Joliet Outlaws clubhouse property at 1915 East Washington St. He testified that deputies located a basement within the Joliet Outlaws clubhouse, and the basement contained several bunk beds. The body of Kearns, according to earlier testimony, was wrapped in a mattress. During cross-examination, Bretz asked few questions of Simeon, and the jury went to lunch around 12:30. The trial expected to resume around 1:45 p.m. Will County CSI Randall Simeon found this big red stain in the back of the Jeep where Katie Kearns' body was concealed. John Ferak/Patch