Judge Andrew Doyle has authorized prosecutors to move forward with DNA testing of evidence in the murder of a 67-year-old woman in Galesburg, even though that may use up the remaining DNA in the samples.
David L. Nicholson Klingerman Jr., 29, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the death of Georgette Rodrigues, whose badly beaten body was discovered Oct. 26 under a back porch at 30 N. Soangetaha Road.
Court authorization is required for consumptive DNA testing, a process that could deplete the remaining biological material in the samples. Judge Doyle granted the state’s request over defense objections.
DNA evidence in the case includes blood swabs, hair, and touch DNA from a hammer and a knife, according to court records.
Nicholson Klingerman is accused of beating Rodrigues to death with a hammer. The cause of death was determined to be blunt force trauma to the head.
Police responded to the home after a relative of the defendant requested a well-being check. Nicholson Klingerman was later found hiding in an upstairs closet in the home.
Public Defender Chris Kanthak originally asked for a speedy trial in the case, but that has been dropped. A pretrial conference is scheduled for January.
Court records indicate the state’s case will draw on digital evidence as well as forensic analysis. Knox County State’s Attorney Ashley Worby’s answer to the court’s discovery order includes data from a Motorola phone and two Google accounts.
