
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, March 1, 1991                   TAG: 9103010402
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: FAIRFAX                                LENGTH: Short

HAIR, FIBERS LINK TO GIRL, EXPERT SAYS

An FBI forensics expert testified Thursday that human hair and clothing fibers found on the front seat of a Woodbridge man's car convinced him 5-year-old Melissa Brannen was inside the vehicle the day she vanished.

Douglas Dietrich testified on the fourth day of the trial of Caleb Hughes, 25, who is charged with abduction with intent to defile in the Dec. 3, 1989 disappearance of Melissa Brannen. Melissa was last seen at a Christmas party at her Lorton apartment complex.

The single human hair found in Hughes' car matched Melissa's hair, and two rabbit hairs also found matched her mother's coat, Dietrich said.

Fifty blue acrylic fibers and 10 red cotton fibers matched those of sweater and skirt Melissa was wearing, he said. - Associated Press

by CNB