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Identical Twins' DNA Stymies French Double‑Murder Trial

Forensic testing cannot separate the brothers, prompting reliance on alternative evidence.

Overview

  • Thirty‑three‑year‑old twins Samuel and Jérémy Y are among five defendants on trial in Bobigny over the September 14, 2020 shootings of Tidiane, 17, and Sofiane, 25, in Saint‑Ouen.
  • Experts told the court that DNA recovered from a weapon matches one twin but cannot determine which brother handled or fired it.
  • An investigator testified that distinguishing the pair has proven so difficult that “only their mother can tell them apart.”
  • Police say the brothers exploited their likeness by exchanging clothes, phones and identity papers to frustrate tracking and identification.
  • With DNA inconclusive, investigators have turned to phone records, CCTV, wiretaps and witness accounts, and the trial is scheduled to run until late February with a verdict expected then.