Overview
- At a hearing Tuesday prosecutors said they may pursue trial next summer but are waiting for Fourth District Judge Derek Pullan to rule on whether a contested confession can be used in court.
- Crime‑scene DNA results obtained this year excluded Douglas Carter as the source of blood found at the 1985 Provo murder scene and prompted prosecutors to drop their pursuit of the death penalty.
- Carter’s defense has asked for forensic genetic genealogy testing on remaining DNA extracts and the Utah crime lab has not opposed releasing extracts after saying one contains a large amount of DNA.
- Carter, 71, was released on bail with an ankle monitor and travel limits on Sept. 28 but remains charged with aggravated murder and under pretrial supervision.
- Carter’s original 1985 conviction and death sentence were overturned after courts found police misconduct and the new testing could either identify a different suspect through family‑tree DNA matching or reshape the state’s case.