Christian Liewer, CSI

He is a CSI with the Colorado Springs Metro Crime Lab. He has been with them for almost 4 years.

Background

They respond to scenes, vehicle processing, autopsies, and in person processings fpr general documentation and evidence collection purposes.
He has a Bachelors of Science in Criminal Justice with an emphasis in forensic investigation and a Masters in Forensic Science from University of Florida.
He does not hold any current national certifications.
He completed a 6 month training program.
He goes to many trainings within their scope of work: bloodstain pattern analysis, shooting incident reconstruction, latent print processing, etc.
He has responded to approximately 75 crime scenes and 220 call outs.
He has testified almost 10 times as a crime scene investigator in Colorado Springs.
The witness is qualified as an expert in crime scene investigations.

The Crime Scene

On February 3rd 2020 he was requested to respond to the Stauch home to complete a search for latent bloodstains or projectile defects.
He responded to the home 3 different times

February 3rd 2020 before lunch
February 3rd 2020 around 6PM
February 5th 2020 after lunch

There was a CSI in training with him for his responses and two additional CSIs also responding to the home.
Latent blood stains are very diluted or cleaned up blood stains that need additional processing to be made visible.
Blood is important in crime scene investigation due to the DNA.
He collects and preserves blood and DNA for additional use by his team.
His role is to document and collect as much as he can.
BLUESTAR is used for latent bloodstains to assist in visualizing the stains.
A presumptive test for blood. It reacts to blood and multiple other substances. Wen it reacts with blood it glows a bright blue color in the dark.
It reacts to any oxidizing agents including cleaning agents, bleach, and horseradish. Additional testing is needed to confirm blood and DNA.
Exhibit 442 is a diagram created of the Stauch home. It includes the address, level of home, blue, yellow, and purple markers indicating BLUESTAR reactions.
His first job was focusing on the garage area.
Exhibit 443 - 450 are photos of the Stauch home.
E443 is a photo from outside the garage.
E444 is a photo in the garage.
E445 is more of the garag.
E446 is the garage near the laundry room.
E447 is a photo of the rug at the base of the stairs leading to the laundry room.
He was tasked with finding blood between the garage and Gannon’s bedroom.
BLUESTAR is mixed with distilled water and sprayed.
E448 is a photo of the stairs leading to the laundry room and a bit of the door.
E449 is another photo of the rug and bottom of the stairs from a different angle.

The stairs are darker now because they have been sprayed with BLUESTAR.

There are blue glowing dots on the rug at the base of the stairs.
The witness is using his camera to demonstrate how it works. It is a Nikon D500.
In taking photos of BLUESTAR reactions, they are concerned with aperture, ISO setting, and shutter speed. A slower shutter speed means it can take photos in darker conditions.
You need a dark room to use BLUESTAR but some light to show what is glowing, not just the reaction.
If what the reaction is on can be collected, it is, if not, a swab is taken.
Exhibit 451 is the rug from the garage.
Exhibits 452 - 458 are additional photos from the first visit to the Stauch home, along the south wall of the garage.
E452 is more of the rug and the garage floor.
E453 is a BLUESTAR photo of the ground near the rug.

This reaction is brighter.

E454 is a photo of a military backpack on the floor.
E455 is a photo of the bag moved.
E456 is a reaction on the floor where the bag had been.
E457 is a photo of the boards in the garage and a box near them.
E458 is a positive BLUESTAR reaction on the boards.
Exhibit 459 is an envelope containing swabs from the BLUESTAR reactions.
The boards in E457 were collected, the box was swabbed.
Exhibits 460 - 476 are more photos from the Stauch home.
E460 is a photo of a bag that he moved.

It had been on top of the boards.

E461 is a BLUESTAR positive reaction next to and on the boards.
E462 is another photo of the boards.
E463 is a photo of the BLUESTAR reaction on the boards.
E464 is another photo of the boards.
E465 is a closeup of the boards.
E466 is a photo of the boards cut to collect for samples.
E467 is a photo of the bottom of the stairs between the laundry room and the garage.

It’s the corner of the room just next to the rug.

E468 is a BLUESTAR reaction under the items in that corner.
E469 is the same view with the items moved.
E470 is a BLUESTAR reaction of the corner with nothing in it.

It almost looks like a shoe print to me.

E471 is the door to the laundry room from the garage.
E472 is the BLUESTAR reaction on the door.
E473 is a photo with the door open, the doorway of the laundry room.
E474 is a BLUESTAR positive reaction on the floor of the laundry room.
E475 is a photo inside the laundry room looking a the ground.
E476 is more BLUESTAR reactions on the laundry room floor.
Exhibit 446 is a photo from the garage with the boards and a blue bag next to them.
There was a camera malfunction during his response.
He is explaining that his camera had a shutter issue and his shutter was open for 30 seconds but the pictures were coming out almost completely dark and it was making a weird noise.
They just made notes and sampled it directly instead of trying to photograph it again and diluting the sample.
Swabs were taken and the camera was eventually replaced “that year”.
Exhibit 477, 486-502(?) are photos that he took on the evening of February 3rd 2020.
E477 is a corner of the storage room in the basement in the northeast corner facing east; farthest wall.
E486 is a picture of a corner of stairway - the first landing going downstairs.
E487 is a closeup photo of a bloodstain on the landing wall.
E488 is a photo from Gannon’s doorway.

Gannon’s bed has been removed.

E489 is a photo of the corner of Gannon’s room where his bed was, from across the room.
E90 is a photo of the wall next to Gannon’s bed.
E491 is a photo of the corner where Gannon’s bed was.

You can see an electrical socket.

E92 is a photo of the corner where Gannon’s bed was.

Multiple areas react with BLUESTAR; based on the color of the reaction it is presumptive positive for blood.

E493 is a photo, closer up, of the reactions in the corner.
E494 is a photo of the corner of the room with the carpet cut up.

There were bloodstains on the underside of the carpet. The top of the carpet was faintly darker brown than the rest.

E495 is a closeup of the underside of the carpet highlighting the bloodstain.

They continued on to see how far it goes. The padding was pulled up to expose the concrete sublayer.

E496 is a photo with the carpet padding pulled up.

There is a darker stain on the padding and the concrete is stained red.

E497 is a zoomed in photo of the carpet padding.
E498 is a photo showing how far the carpet was pulled back showing additional possible bloodstains.
E500 is a closeup photos of the same area from a different angle.
E501 is a photo of the possible bloodstain with a measurement marker.
E502 is a closer photo of the same area.
They did not use BLUESTAR because the stains were visible.
The stains were cut out and collected to be preserved best as possible.
Exhibit 503 and 504 are cuttings of the carpet and padding.
He was also looking for projectile defects but no defects were found.
Exhibit 505 - 509 are more photos that were taken during the evening of February 3rd 2020.
It’s not abnormal to have between 500 and 1000+ photos to show the condition of the scene before, during, and after the processing.
E505 is a picture on the concrete subfloor under the second possible bloodstain.
E506 are additional possible bloodstains with the measurement marker.
E507 is another photo of the first area of bloodstain with the measurement marker.
Leiwer walks exhibits 503 and 504 past the jury.
E508 is a photo of Gannon’s windowsill.

There is a chip in the sill, some of it was missing paint.

E509 is a photo of the defect in the windowsill with a measurement marker.
There were visible, possible dilute bloodstains on the outlet cover.
Exhibits 510, 511 are photos of the outlet cover in Gannon’s room.
E510 is a photo of the corner of the room showing the outlet.
E511 is the outlet cover with a measurement marker showing the scale of the outlet.

You can see faint dilute brown or red stains along the outside of the outlets.
They are dilute marks with linear orientation.

Exhibit 512 is the outlet cover.
There was a BLUESTAR positive reaction on the outlet cover.
The volume of BLUESTAR sprayed is a fine mist that sprays per pump.
The dilute marks were not made by BLUESTAR because not enough BLUESTAR is used to dilute it to that level.
The outlet cover was taken off.
Exhibit 513 - 515, 516, 517.
E513 - 515 are photos of the outlet with no cover.
E513 is a photo of the outlet with no cover.
E514 is a photo of the outlet from a different angle, from above and slightly to the right.
E515 is a closer photo of the outlet from a different angle.
E516 is swabs of the possible bloodstains on the outlet itself.
E517 is a photo of the corner of the room with no outlet cover and the cut carpet.
Another step was trying to find a weapon or blunt force instrument that could have cause that bloodstain pattern.
A pistol was located on a chest of drawers in the master bedroom.
Exhibits 478 - 483 are additional photos from the master bedroom, of the room and of the handgun on 2/3/2020.
E478 is a photo of the master bedroom.
E479 is a photo in the master bedroom, showing the dresser and TV.
E480 is a photo of another dresser next to the other dresser; there is a black rectangle, that’s the firearm.
E481 is a photo of the top of the dresser showing the firearm, a teddy bear, and photos of Laina and Gannon.
E482 is a closer photo of the firearm.
E483 is a closer photo of the firearm on an envelope.

The slide is locked back, there is no round or cartridge in the chamber and there is a scale above the gun indicating its size.

Exhibits 484 and 485 is the evidence box with the firearm in it, and an envelope containing the magazine containing 16 cartridges.
E484 has been processed.
When you collect a firearm you lock the slide back and disengage the firearm. A chambered round will be expelled and the magazine is removed.
There was no round in the chamber of this firearm.
Exhibit 573?
This firearm has a grip cover that covers the serial number; it has been fingerprinted.
He is walking exhibit 484, the firearm, to the jury.
It has approximately a 17 round capacity.
They do not remove cartridges to count them because they can be fingerprinted and processed.
Exhibit 518, 519 are swabs of the BLUESTAR reactions in the stairwell and basement level.
On his diagram, the green dots are BLUESTAR reactions from the evening of 2/3/2020.

There are reactions in Gannon’s room, outside of it, in the storage room, at the base of the stairs, at the landing of the stairs.

Exhibit 520- 527 are more photos of the home.
E520 is a photo of the top of the washer and dryer; a bottle of vinegar is on top of the dryer.
E521 is a closeup of distilled vinegar.
E522 is a photo of the kitchen cabinet with the doors open and some contents pulled out.
E523 is a photo closeup photo of items that hadn’t been pulled out.
E524 is a photo of smoke and odor eliminator.
E525 was the other side of the cabinet with baking soda in it.
E526 is a closeup of the baking soda.
E527 is a photo of more of the contents pulled out of the cabinet.
On 2/5/2020 there were small stains visible on Gannon’s wall in the light.
There were no knives in any odd places in the house.
No bloodstained clothing was found.
A sheet with possible blood on it was found in a basement bedroom. He says it belonged to Harley but defense objects for hearsay.

Cross examination

It was a comforter on the bed he collected and a sheet in the closet had a BLUESTAR reaction in the northwest basement bedroom; teenager girl’s room.
There was a bloodstain on the mattress and comforter. It was the same source of blood from the mattress and comforter.
In the laundry basket there was a sheet that had a BLUESTAR reaction.

Juror question

How is testing done to separate BLUESTAR from blood?: The BLUESTAR is not a component of blood DNA tests for a different type of material than BLUESTAR. It does not override the DNA.
Does BLUESTAR impact the DNA sample?: The amount sprayed would impact the sample but not BLUESTAR itself. It does not negatively affect DNA processing.

Christian Liewer, CSI

He is a CSI with the Colorado Springs Metro Crime Lab. He has been with them for almost 4 years.

Background

They respond to scenes, vehicle processing, autopsies, and in person processings fpr general documentation and evidence collection purposes.

He has a Bachelors of Science in Criminal Justice with an emphasis in forensic investigation and a Masters in Forensic Science from University of Florida.

He does not hold any current national certifications.

He completed a 6 month training program.

He goes to many trainings within their scope of work: bloodstain pattern analysis, shooting incident reconstruction, latent print processing, etc.

He has responded to approximately 75 crime scenes and 220 call outs.

He has testified almost 10 times as a crime scene investigator in Colorado Springs.

The witness is qualified as an expert in crime scene investigations.

The Crime Scene

On February 3rd 2020 he was requested to respond to the Stauch home to complete a search for latent bloodstains or projectile defects.

He responded to the home 3 different times

February 3rd 2020 before lunch
February 3rd 2020 around 6PM
February 5th 2020 after lunch

There was a CSI in training with him for his responses and two additional CSIs also responding to the home.

Latent blood stains are very diluted or cleaned up blood stains that need additional processing to be made visible.

Blood is important in crime scene investigation due to the DNA.

He collects and preserves blood and DNA for additional use by his team.

His role is to document and collect as much as he can.

BLUESTAR is used for latent bloodstains to assist in visualizing the stains.

A presumptive test for blood. It reacts to blood and multiple other substances. Wen it reacts with blood it glows a bright blue color in the dark.

It reacts to any oxidizing agents including cleaning agents, bleach, and horseradish. Additional testing is needed to confirm blood and DNA.

Exhibit 442 is a diagram created of the Stauch home. It includes the address, level of home, blue, yellow, and purple markers indicating BLUESTAR reactions.

His first job was focusing on the garage area.

Exhibit 443 - 450 are photos of the Stauch home.

E443 is a photo from outside the garage.

E444 is a photo in the garage.

E445 is more of the garag.

E446 is the garage near the laundry room.

E447 is a photo of the rug at the base of the stairs leading to the laundry room.

He was tasked with finding blood between the garage and Gannon’s bedroom.

BLUESTAR is mixed with distilled water and sprayed.

E448 is a photo of the stairs leading to the laundry room and a bit of the door.

E449 is another photo of the rug and bottom of the stairs from a different angle.

The stairs are darker now because they have been sprayed with BLUESTAR.

There are blue glowing dots on the rug at the base of the stairs.

The witness is using his camera to demonstrate how it works. It is a Nikon D500.

In taking photos of BLUESTAR reactions, they are concerned with aperture, ISO setting, and shutter speed. A slower shutter speed means it can take photos in darker conditions.

You need a dark room to use BLUESTAR but some light to show what is glowing, not just the reaction.

If what the reaction is on can be collected, it is, if not, a swab is taken.

Exhibit 451 is the rug from the garage.

Exhibits 452 - 458 are additional photos from the first visit to the Stauch home, along the south wall of the garage.

E452 is more of the rug and the garage floor.

E453 is a BLUESTAR photo of the ground near the rug.

This reaction is brighter.

E454 is a photo of a military backpack on the floor.

E455 is a photo of the bag moved.

E456 is a reaction on the floor where the bag had been.

E457 is a photo of the boards in the garage and a box near them.

E458 is a positive BLUESTAR reaction on the boards.

Exhibit 459 is an envelope containing swabs from the BLUESTAR reactions.

The boards in E457 were collected, the box was swabbed.

Exhibits 460 - 476 are more photos from the Stauch home.

E460 is a photo of a bag that he moved.

It had been on top of the boards.

E461 is a BLUESTAR positive reaction next to and on the boards.

E462 is another photo of the boards.

E463 is a photo of the BLUESTAR reaction on the boards.

E464 is another photo of the boards.

E465 is a closeup of the boards.

E466 is a photo of the boards cut to collect for samples.

E467 is a photo of the bottom of the stairs between the laundry room and the garage.

It’s the corner of the room just next to the rug.

E468 is a BLUESTAR reaction under the items in that corner.

E469 is the same view with the items moved.

E470 is a BLUESTAR reaction of the corner with nothing in it.

It almost looks like a shoe print to me.

E471 is the door to the laundry room from the garage.

E472 is the BLUESTAR reaction on the door.

E473 is a photo with the door open, the doorway of the laundry room.

E474 is a BLUESTAR positive reaction on the floor of the laundry room.

E475 is a photo inside the laundry room looking a the ground.

E476 is more BLUESTAR reactions on the laundry room floor.

Exhibit 446 is a photo from the garage with the boards and a blue bag next to them.

There was a camera malfunction during his response.

He is explaining that his camera had a shutter issue and his shutter was open for 30 seconds but the pictures were coming out almost completely dark and it was making a weird noise.

They just made notes and sampled it directly instead of trying to photograph it again and diluting the sample.

Swabs were taken and the camera was eventually replaced “that year”.

Exhibit 477, 486-502(?) are photos that he took on the evening of February 3rd 2020.

E477 is a corner of the storage room in the basement in the northeast corner facing east; farthest wall.

E486 is a picture of a corner of stairway - the first landing going downstairs.

E487 is a closeup photo of a bloodstain on the landing wall.

E488 is a photo from Gannon’s doorway.

Gannon’s bed has been removed.

E489 is a photo of the corner of Gannon’s room where his bed was, from across the room.

E90 is a photo of the wall next to Gannon’s bed.

E491 is a photo of the corner where Gannon’s bed was.

You can see an electrical socket.

E92 is a photo of the corner where Gannon’s bed was.

Multiple areas react with BLUESTAR; based on the color of the reaction it is presumptive positive for blood.

E493 is a photo, closer up, of the reactions in the corner.

E494 is a photo of the corner of the room with the carpet cut up.

There were bloodstains on the underside of the carpet. The top of the carpet was faintly darker brown than the rest.

E495 is a closeup of the underside of the carpet highlighting the bloodstain.

They continued on to see how far it goes. The padding was pulled up to expose the concrete sublayer.

E496 is a photo with the carpet padding pulled up.

There is a darker stain on the padding and the concrete is stained red.

E497 is a zoomed in photo of the carpet padding.

E498 is a photo showing how far the carpet was pulled back showing additional possible bloodstains.

E500 is a closeup photos of the same area from a different angle.

E501 is a photo of the possible bloodstain with a measurement marker.

E502 is a closer photo of the same area.

They did not use BLUESTAR because the stains were visible.

The stains were cut out and collected to be preserved best as possible.

Exhibit 503 and 504 are cuttings of the carpet and padding.

He was also looking for projectile defects but no defects were found.

Exhibit 505 - 509 are more photos that were taken during the evening of February 3rd 2020.

It’s not abnormal to have between 500 and 1000+ photos to show the condition of the scene before, during, and after the processing.

E505 is a picture on the concrete subfloor under the second possible bloodstain.

E506 are additional possible bloodstains with the measurement marker.

E507 is another photo of the first area of bloodstain with the measurement marker.

Leiwer walks exhibits 503 and 504 past the jury.

E508 is a photo of Gannon’s windowsill.

There is a chip in the sill, some of it was missing paint.

E509 is a photo of the defect in the windowsill with a measurement marker.

There were visible, possible dilute bloodstains on the outlet cover.

Exhibits 510, 511 are photos of the outlet cover in Gannon’s room.

E510 is a photo of the corner of the room showing the outlet.

E511 is the outlet cover with a measurement marker showing the scale of the outlet.

You can see faint dilute brown or red stains along the outside of the outlets.
They are dilute marks with linear orientation.

Exhibit 512 is the outlet cover.

There was a BLUESTAR positive reaction on the outlet cover.

The volume of BLUESTAR sprayed is a fine mist that sprays per pump.

The dilute marks were not made by BLUESTAR because not enough BLUESTAR is used to dilute it to that level.

The outlet cover was taken off.

Exhibit 513 - 515, 516, 517.

E513 - 515 are photos of the outlet with no cover.

E513 is a photo of the outlet with no cover.

E514 is a photo of the outlet from a different angle, from above and slightly to the right.

E515 is a closer photo of the outlet from a different angle.

E516 is swabs of the possible bloodstains on the outlet itself.

E517 is a photo of the corner of the room with no outlet cover and the cut carpet.

Another step was trying to find a weapon or blunt force instrument that could have cause that bloodstain pattern.

A pistol was located on a chest of drawers in the master bedroom.

Exhibits 478 - 483 are additional photos from the master bedroom, of the room and of the handgun on 2/3/2020.

E478 is a photo of the master bedroom.

E479 is a photo in the master bedroom, showing the dresser and TV.

E480 is a photo of another dresser next to the other dresser; there is a black rectangle, that’s the firearm.

E481 is a photo of the top of the dresser showing the firearm, a teddy bear, and photos of Laina and Gannon.

E482 is a closer photo of the firearm.

E483 is a closer photo of the firearm on an envelope.

The slide is locked back, there is no round or cartridge in the chamber and there is a scale above the gun indicating its size.

Exhibits 484 and 485 is the evidence box with the firearm in it, and an envelope containing the magazine containing 16 cartridges.

E484 has been processed.

When you collect a firearm you lock the slide back and disengage the firearm. A chambered round will be expelled and the magazine is removed.

There was no round in the chamber of this firearm.

Exhibit 573?

This firearm has a grip cover that covers the serial number; it has been fingerprinted.

He is walking exhibit 484, the firearm, to the jury.

It has approximately a 17 round capacity.

They do not remove cartridges to count them because they can be fingerprinted and processed.

Exhibit 518, 519 are swabs of the BLUESTAR reactions in the stairwell and basement level.

On his diagram, the green dots are BLUESTAR reactions from the evening of 2/3/2020.

There are reactions in Gannon’s room, outside of it, in the storage room, at the base of the stairs, at the landing of the stairs.

Exhibit 520- 527 are more photos of the home.

E520 is a photo of the top of the washer and dryer; a bottle of vinegar is on top of the dryer.

E521 is a closeup of distilled vinegar.

E522 is a photo of the kitchen cabinet with the doors open and some contents pulled out.

E523 is a photo closeup photo of items that hadn’t been pulled out.

E524 is a photo of smoke and odor eliminator.

E525 was the other side of the cabinet with baking soda in it.

E526 is a closeup of the baking soda.

E527 is a photo of more of the contents pulled out of the cabinet.

On 2/5/2020 there were small stains visible on Gannon’s wall in the light.

There were no knives in any odd places in the house.

No bloodstained clothing was found.

A sheet with possible blood on it was found in a basement bedroom. He says it belonged to Harley but defense objects for hearsay.

Cross examination

It was a comforter on the bed he collected and a sheet in the closet had a BLUESTAR reaction in the northwest basement bedroom; teenager girl’s room.

There was a bloodstain on the mattress and comforter. It was the same source of blood from the mattress and comforter.

In the laundry basket there was a sheet that had a BLUESTAR reaction.

Juror question

How is testing done to separate BLUESTAR from blood?: The BLUESTAR is not a component of blood DNA tests for a different type of material than BLUESTAR. It does not override the DNA.

Does BLUESTAR impact the DNA sample?: The amount sprayed would impact the sample but not BLUESTAR itself. It does not negatively affect DNA processing.