DNA to play crucial role in trial of man accused of killing transgender woman in Aliquippa

BEAVER COUNTY, Pa. — Nearly three years after a transgender woman was killed in Beaver County, the accused killer is on trial.

Investigators say Brandon Murray was shot multiple times in the face and neck in 2021 in his Aliquippa apartment. Murray identified as a woman and was known to friends as “B.”

Today, Channel 11 exclusively learned that DNA will play a crucial role in the case against the person charged in her death, Darnese Raines.

Tuesday was the first day of a long trial with dozens of pieces of evidence and even more witnesses. Raines was dressed ready for court and was the picture of attention.

“The motive is not completely clear, it looks like from the outside looking in it may have been a jealously thing,” Beaver County DA Nate Bible said.

The prosecution spent the first day building up the sexual element of the crime, based on how B’s body was found and evidence collected at the scene.

“We are very sure, actually, that the last person who was with him and had sex with him was the killer,” Bible said.

It took nearly two years to file charges against Raines, and his attorneys spent time throwing out other names of people B was involved with and witnesses who had been brought into the investigation.

Bible says in the end, this case comes down to the DNA found in the apartment. And, while it took time for testing — Raine’s DNA was on B and on items at the scene.

“It’s a lot of fact witnesses, there are going to be doctors, DNA experts. This case is largely built on DNA. The DNA found in Brandon’s apartment, the DNA of our defendant who committed the crime and some of it takes more of an explanation,” Bible said.

The trial is expected to last up to two weeks.

We asked Raine’s attornies if they wanted to comment on the first day of trial, but they told us they want to wait until the verdict is returned before making a statement.

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