DNA sample held 3 years

Published: Thursday, 8/28/2014 - Updated: 1 minute ago

BY JENNIFER FEEHAN BLADE STAFF WRITER

A retired Lucas County sheriffs detective said she kept a DNA sample from murder suspect Andrew Gustafson in her middle desk drawer for more than three years before turning it over to the Lucas County cold case unit in 2010.

Cathy Stooksbury testified Wednesday in Lucas County Common Pleas Court that she was investigating an alleged sexual assault in 2007 when she and two other detectives collected DNA from Mr. Gustafson outside the Moose Lodge in Whitehouse where he was employed at the time.

Still, she said, she was well aware he was a suspect in the 1983 stabbing death of Janean Brown, 19, of Whitehouse a homicide that had gone unsolved for years.

Attorneys for Mr. Gustafson, 57, of Birch Run, Mich., are seeking to have the DNA evidence suppressed because investigators did not have a warrant to obtain it.

But Ms. Stooksbury said he voluntarily allowed investigators to swab his mouth.

She said she had sought the sample because the alleged victim in the sexual assault case was intoxicated when the offense reportedly occurred and was unsure what, if anything, had taken place beyond some groping.

J. Christopher Anderson, an assistant Lucas County prosecutor, asked her what she said to Mr. Gustafson that day.

I dont remember the exact conversation, but it was pretty much, If theres some semen found in this girls rape kit, we want to exclude you if youre telling us you didnt do it, she said.

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DNA sample held 3 years