RCMP lab analyzed cigarette butt of man accused of B.C. teen's murder, days before his arrest, trial hears

An RCMP lab worker said a cigarette butt belonging to a man alleged to have killed a 13-year-old Burnaby girl was analyzed for DNA just days before he was arrested.

Diane Fairley, who worked as an RCMP search technologist at the police agency's national laboratory in 2018, said she was working on Aug. 27 when a priority exhibit came into the lab.

She told the jury it was a "cast-off" exhibit in the form of a cigarette butt. Cast-off, or discarded DNA samples, are typically recovered by police in public areas when following a person of interest during an investigation.

She said the name associated with the exhibit was Ibrahim Ali. Fairley said she sent away a sample of the item for DNA analysis to be conducted by another lab worker.

Days later, on Sept. 7, police arrested Ali. He was subsequently charged with first-degree murder.

The jury did not hear what the results of the cigarette butt analysis were and what role they may have played in the days leading to the arrest.

Ali is on trial for the first-degree murder of a 13-year-old Burnaby girl on July 18, 2017. Prosecutors say the victim, whose name is protected by a publication ban, was walking through Burnaby's Central Park when she was attacked and sexually assaulted by Ali as he strangled her to death.

Ali has pleaded not guilty.

Lab workers testify

Fairly was among three technical DNA witnesses who testified on Monday. She said she also worked on a known DNA blood sample from a source with the initials I.A. on Sept. 20, 2018. Known DNA samples are samples of known origin.

Amanda Gladas, a lab attendant who also handled the exhibit, described the blood sample as being obtained by a DNA warrant.

Both lab workers told the jury they followed standard operating procedures while handling the exhibit to prevent any contamination.