SPOKANE, Wash. — After four weeks, the trial of Richard Aguirre, the man accused of killing Ruby Doss, is over.
On Tuesday, both the prosecution and Aguirre's defense team made their closing arguments. Much of the argument Tuesday and throughout trial revolved around DNA evidence. Prosecutors say Aguirre's DNA was found on a condom decades after Doss's death, linking him to the crime.
Aguirre's defense, including through their one witness, argued the DNA evidence in this case is unreliable. Defense attorney Karen Lindholt argued investigators back in 1986 contaminated evidence, like the condom, by handling items without gloves.
“Contamination was so great that the DNA contributions on the red blouse were 35% from Ms. Doss and 61% from William Morig. So there was almost double the DNA contributed to Ruby Doss’ blouse by Will Morig because he didn't properly handle the evidence, or should I say back in the 80s they didn't understand touch DNA and understand cross-contamination,” Lindholt said.
Richard Whaley with the county prosecutor’s office rebutted the idea forensic analysts used bare hands to touch evidence, saying there’d been no testimony to back that statement.
Lindholt also emphasized the lack of Aguirre’s DNA anywhere else on Doss’ body or clothing.
“If the murderer had his hands around his boss's neck for at least three minutes, then his touch DNA would have been left on her neck. There was DNA found on Ms. Doss’ neckline, but it did not belong to Richard Aguirre,” she said.
She pointed out investigators did find partial unknown male DNA on Doss’ neckline, but did not submit those to DNA database CODIS.
“Had they done that, we may not be sitting here with Mr. Aguirre on trial for a murder he didn’t commit,” Lindholt said.
She also argued police in 1986 were not as careful searching or securing a crime scene that was a known area for prostitution.
“The fact is, the detectives chose to focus on one condom," Lindholt said. "And frankly, one must wonder, given how quickly they closed the case, if much care was given to a woman who was a sex worker.”
But Whaley argued the condom and DNA wasn’t the only thing linking Aguirre to the crime. In fact, he said, Aguirre’s own admissions about knowing Ruby Doss and other remarks to friends point to him as her killer.
“The admissions that he made to Kurt Cole back in I believe the testimony was 1986, ‘87 area, that he hit a woman. That he had choked a woman. ‘But she was alive when I left,’” Whaley said. “The very same injuries Mr. Aguirre described to Cole are consistent primarily with the injuries (medical examiner) Dr. Singh said led to Ms. Doss' death.”
Whaley argued the state had reached its burden to prove first-degree murder, saying Mr. Aguirre at the very least committed an assault that led to the death of Ruby Doss.
This is a bench trial, so a judge will make the final ruling on Aguirre's guilt or innocence. The judge is expected to issue his ruling on December 26 at 1:30 pm.
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