{"id":46982,"date":"2026-04-10T20:17:27","date_gmt":"2026-04-10T20:17:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/?p=46982"},"modified":"2026-04-10T20:17:27","modified_gmt":"2026-04-10T20:17:27","slug":"dna-match-found-in-killing-of-umass-student-and-congressional-intern","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/?p=46982","title":{"rendered":"DNA match found in killing of UMass student and congressional intern"},"content":{"rendered":"


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DNA evidence has linked two of the teenagers charged in the shooting death of a University of Massachusetts student who was working as a congressional intern in Washington, D.C.<\/a> last summer, prosecutors alleged.<\/p>\n

Government attorneys told Washington, D.C. Superior Court Judge Danya Dayson during a Friday status hearing that testing on shell casings recovered at the scene produced an “overwhelming statistical match” to Jailen Lucas, and that DNA also ties Kelvin Thomas to the shooting.<\/p>\n

The two suspects, who were both 17 at the time of the shooting, are charged as adults with first-degree murder while armed in the killing of Eric Tarpinian-Jachym, 21, of Granby, Massachusetts<\/a>.<\/p>\n

SUSPECT IN MURDERS OF CONGRESSIONAL INTERN AND 17-YEAR-OLD ARRESTED MONTHS AFTER SHOOTINGS: OFFICIAL<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

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\"Eric<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n
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Eric Tarpinian-Jachym was shot and killed on June 30, 2025.<\/span> (Obtained by Fox News)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Two rounds of DNA testing<\/a> have been completed, prosecutors said, and additional expert testimony is expected at trial on DNA analysis, ballistics and fingerprint evidence.<\/p>\n

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Tarpinian-Jachym, a rising senior at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, was shot June 30, near the intersection of 7th and M Street NW in Washington.<\/p>\n

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He was spending the summer in Washington as a congressional intern for Rep. Ron Estes, a Republican from Kansas<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Kelvin Thomas Jr. (L) and Jailen Lucas (R) face first-degree murder charges in the killing of Eric Tarpinian-Jachym on June 30.<\/span> (The Metropolitan Police Department)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Authorities say three armed suspects<\/a> exited a stolen vehicle and opened fire at two individuals in the area.<\/p>\n

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Tarpinian-Jachym, who was not involved, was struck four times. He died the following day<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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The Metropolitan Police Department released more pictures of Naqwan Lucas.<\/span> (The Metropolitan Police Department)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Lucas and Thomas were arrested Sept. 5. On Oct. 31, a third suspect, identified as 18-year-old Naqwan Antonio Lucas of the District of Columbia, was arrested in Montgomery Village<\/a> and also charged in Tarpinian-Jachym’s murder.<\/p>\n

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A pretrial hearing<\/a> is scheduled for May 15. The trial is expected to begin in February. Tarpinian-Jachym’s mother declined to comment when contacted by Fox News Digital.<\/p>\n

Fox News Digital’s Adam Sabes contributed to this report.<\/i><\/p>\n

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