Amanda Knox trial: No trace of victim's DNA on knife

Sept. 20, 2013: Amanda Knox looks on before speaking on NBC News' "Today" show in New York. (Reuters)

The knife allegedly used to kill Meredith Kercher has turned up Amanda Knox’s DNA but no trace of the victim’s genetic material, Italian news reports say.

The forensic testing was ordered as part of the retrial of Knox and Raffaele Sollecito, her co-defendant and former boyfriend, who are accused of murdering the English student in Perugia in 2007, Sky News reported.

Prosecutors say the blade of the kitchen knife, which was found at Sollecito’s home, is consistent with the wounds sustained by Kercher.

But the new revelation doesn’t necessarily implicate Knox in the murder, despite her DNA being discovered where the handle meets the blade, as she was dating Sollecito at the time and used to go to his home.

The finding is seen as a boost to Knox’s defense team, which has long rejected the prosecution’s theory that the knife was used in Kercher’s murder. Prosecutors, however, are expected to argue that a separate trace on the knife that had been tested previously indicated the presence of Kercher’s DNA.

The forensic report was leaked to the Italian press, and will feature at the next hearing, scheduled for Nov. 6.

Today marks the sixth anniversary of the 21-year-old Kercher’s murder. Prosecutors say Knox, who was Kercher’s roommate, killed her with Sollecito during a drug-fueled sex game that went wrong.

Knox and Sollecito have always said they’re innocent of the crime, saying they spent the night at Sollecito’s house.

The two were originally convicted of the murder, but were acquitted on appeal two years ago.

Last March, Italy’s Supreme Court overturned the acquittal and ordered a retrial, which is currently underway in Florence.

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