TrueAllele solves 1963 Winnebago cold case using “inconclusive” DNA

Back to Trials

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania v Christian Bey

Firearm linked to shooting death of off-duty police officer

Crime On July 17, 2019, Calvin Hall, an off-duty Pittsburgh Police Officer, was shot following a block party. He died three days later.
Evidence Police recovered a firearm from near the crime scene. Ballistics showed that this firearm was the murder weapon.
DNA The Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office Crime Laboratory produced DNA data from the evidence swabs.
Match The crime lab reported that the DNA data were uninterpretable and no comparisons could be made to any reference profile.
TrueAllele On the same DNA data, the TrueAllele computer separated out the evidence mixture contributors, and compared the evidence with suspect Christian Bey. TrueAllele calculated a match statistic between the firearm and Mr. Bey of 7.02 nonillion (1 followed by 30 zeros) and a match statistic between the firearm grips and the suspect of 73.4 billion.
Cybergenetics    On March 30, 2023, Cybergenetics analyst Jennifer Bracamontes testified before an Allegheny County jury about the TrueAllele DNA results.
Outcome On April 13, 2023 after a three week trial, the jury found Christian Bey guilty of first degree murder and various gun charges. On July 10, 2023, the judge sentenced him to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Media

  • Pittsburgh Police File Homicide Charges Against Christian Bey In Fallen Officer Calvin Hall's Fatal Shooting - KDKA News
  • Allegheny Co. DA's Office withdraws intent to seek death penalty against Christian Bey - KDKA News
  • Jury hears opening statements in trial of Christian Bey, man accused of killing Pittsburgh officer Calvin Hall - KDKA News
  • Mistrial declared in trial of Christian Bey - WTAE 4
  • Christian Bey trial: Jury begins deliberations in Pittsburgh - WTAE 4
  • Retrial of Christian Bey begins after mistrial declared last week - KDKA News
  • Jury finds man guilty of 1st-degree murder in killing of off-duty Pittsburgh police officer - TRIB LIVE
  • Wilkinsburg man sentenced to life in prison for fatally shooting off-duty Pittsburgh office - TRIB LIVE
  • Christian Bey sentenced to life in prison for the shooting death of off-duty police officer Calvin Hall - KDKA News