Friend of accused murderer’s sister and new DNA expert both testify

by Junna Base November 8, 2024

Defense arguments opened today in the trial of Nima Momeni, who is accused of stabbing Cash App founder Bob Lee to death last year. Momeni’s lawyers today called Greg Hampikian, a DNA expert, to the stand who claimed there was a “serious problem” with the DNA on the knife that allegedly killed Lee.

Hampikian testified that the analysis omitted a key footnote that primarily noted Momeni’s DNA on the gun’s handle. This footnote would have included the possibility of a misreading.

Momeni is accused of stabbing Bob Lee because of what he previously perceived as inappropriate behavior toward Momeni’s sister Khazar on April 3, 2023. While Lee saw Momeni’s sister before the stabbing, Momeni’s defense attorneys have tried to discredit that motive by claiming that Momeni only had a fight with another man, Jeremy Boivin, because he gave Khazar drugs and allegedly sexually abused her.

Perhaps to bolster that argument or simply to provide some insight into the behavior of those involved the day before the stabbing, defense attorneys also called Aranza Villegas today. She is a friend of Khazar Momeni, who had seen both Momeni siblings and Boivin the evening before the stabbing.

Another look at DNA

DNA analysis of the knife handle found near the scene where Lee was fatally stabbed revealed Momeni’s DNA. Meanwhile, Lee’s DNA was on the blade.

However, much of Hampikian’s testimony today underscores the variability and uncertainty of the DNA evidence. Hampikian, who has extensive experience as a biological sciences professor at Boise State University and founded the Idaho Innocence Project, reportedly helped exonerate Amanda Knox in the 2007 murder of her roommate. He was paid more than $12,000 for examining evidence and testifying at the trial.

“Nothing in a DNA probability ratio is an absolute identification of a person,” Hampikian said. “It’s information that helps fact-checkers reach their own conclusions.”

Prosecutors previously presented jurors with the San Francisco crime lab’s DNA analysis in the case, but defense attorneys revealed today that prosecutors had omitted a footnote about possible “false” results.

While Momeni’s DNA was most likely a 99 percent match to the DNA on the knife handle, the other 1 percent sample had a margin of error.

Dr. Greg Hampikian was called in as a DNA expert by Nima Momeni’s defense team on November 7, 2024. Photo by Eleni Balakrishnan.

Defense attorney Zoe Aron: And if you look at this graph, wouldn’t you understand these results reasonably accurately without this reference?

Hampikian: Without that, without that note, I would misunderstand these results… And without the note, I would be misled… You must warn me: “By the way, in our laboratories, these numbers have the potential to support a false inclusion or exclusion statement.” .’ This is very important to me.

Hampikian also backed up previous testimony from the prosecution’s DNA expert that DNA can be transferred from one surface to another and that different people can shed different amounts of DNA.

Defense attorneys who claim Momeni stabbed Lee in self-defense argued it was impossible to know whether Lee pulled out the knife first and simply spilled less DNA on it than Momeni.

The police officer who examined the knife for DNA did not check for fingerprints, a point defense attorneys made again today.

Aaron: So summarize what you just said. DNA tells us who is there, and fingerprints tell us how it got there.

Hampikian: I think they provide a lot of information about the likelihood that someone has contacted something, yes, that’s what latent fingerprints do.

Aaron: So you paint a fuller picture of what happened.

Hampikian: If the question is: Did my hand touch an object, I would use fingerprints rather than… DNA.

Still, Hampikian said, there is strong evidence that Momeni’s DNA matches that on the knife handle – 99 percent.

Khazar Momeni’s friend

Although Villegas has known the Momeni siblings for years, she said she is not close friends with Khazar and knows Nima Momeni primarily as Khazar’s brother.

She testified today that Khazar was her first friend in San Francisco and that she visited her on the afternoon of Monday, April 3, 2023, thinking she was on her way to a restaurant. Instead, Khazar invited Villegas to Jeremy Boivin’s house, where the two consumed GHB for the first time.

Defender Saam Zangeneh: Can you tell the jury whether he offered you… another type of narcotic?

Villegas: He offers me G.

Pliers: And how did he describe what G was?

Villegas: He described it as ecstasy, but it only lasted 45 minutes.

Pliers: And normally I would assume that ecstasy lasts much longer?

Villegas: I guess.

During this time, Khazar Momeni claimed that Boivin, a man she had just met through Lee, sexually abused her.

Villegas testified that Khazar was under the influence of drugs that day, but nothing seemed wrong with her, other than feeling momentarily unwell.

Villegas described taking three GHB shots and said the third was “very bad.” She fainted briefly, then vomited and felt “perfect” afterwards. But Khazar Momeni began to cry and called her family, including her brother Nima Momeni, for help.

Pliers: Did you see Jeremy do anything inappropriate to Khazar?

Villegas: NO

Pliers: Would you say that Mr. Boivin was attentive and concerned about Khazar?

Villegas: Yes

…

Pliers: You were sober at the time?

Villegas: Yes

Pliers: How would you rate Ms. Momeni’s level of drunkenness? Was she confused?

Villegas: Yes

Villegas said Nima Momeni also behaved “calmly” when he came to pick up Khazar.

Pliers: How would you describe Nima’s mood to the members of this jury when he picked up his sister?

Villegas: He was calm, normal, just in resolution mode.

Pliers: Did he seem like he was angry with Jeremy?

Villegas: NO

Pliers: Did he seem aggressive towards Jeremy Boivin?

Villegas: NO

She said Momeni wanted to “sue” Boivin, but described Momeni’s relationship with his sister as normal and not “overprotective” as prosecutors and another witness had described it.

Villegas will continue to testify on Tuesday.

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