You're listening to the A-Pair Affair Murder Trial of Bratton Vanfield from True Crying

Today on the Hidden Killers podcast. Now, back to the courtroom. Good afternoon. How are you?

Good afternoon. Could you please state and spell your name for the court record?

My name is Catherine Colombo. My first name is spelled K-A-T-H-R-Y-N.

My last name is spelled C-O-L-O-M-B-O.

Thank you.

What is your current occupation and where are you employed?

I'm a forensic scientist.

I'm employed by the Virginia Department of Forensic Science.

And how long have you worked for DFS?

For 18 years.

Did you have any experience in forensic DNA testing prior to D.

I did. I was employed for nine years as a DNA analyst at a private forensic DNA testing laboratory.

I was employed for three years at the FBI laboratory

conducting testing in the serology and DNA analysis units,

and I was employed for one year at the Suffolk County Laboratory in New York

in the same capacity, conducting body fluid testing and DNA testing.

Outside of your extensive experience, did you have to go through any specific training to

become a DFS employee? At DFS, and actually for each of my places of employment, there was

specialized training with supervisory

and senior scientists, and it involved a combination

of attending lectures, reading the literature,

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