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French police investigating a double murder have been left grappling with a rare forensic dilemma after discovering that the main suspects are identical twins.
The twin brothers, 33-year-old Samuel and Jérémy Y, are among seven defendants currently standing trial over the 2020 killing of two men in Saint-Ouen, a northern suburb of Paris.
The victims, Tidiane, 17, and Sofiane, 25, were shot dead on September 14, 2020, inside a cellar. Prosecutors allege that both twins were involved in planning the killings.
However, the case has been complicated by DNA evidence recovered from one of the murder weapons. While forensic analysis confirmed that the DNA belongs to one of the twins, experts say it is impossible to determine which brother actually fired the gun.
“Only their mother can tell them apart,” one investigator reportedly said, highlighting the difficulty facing authorities.
Identical twins share the same genetic profile, making standard DNA testing ineffective in distinguishing between them during criminal investigations. Investigators believe the brothers may have deliberately exploited this fact by swapping clothes, mobile phones, and identification documents to confuse police.
Speaking to Le Parisien, a senior police commander said: “They exchange clothes as well as phone lines and identity papers. For a very long time, they have used this twinship in their criminal career.”
A forensic expert who examined the DNA evidence explained that traces from only one individual were found on the weapon, further complicating efforts to assign responsibility.
Identical twins occur when a single fertilised egg splits into two embryos, resulting in siblings of the same sex with virtually identical DNA. Although minor genetic mutations can exist between twins, detecting them requires advanced analysis that is rarely practical in criminal cases.
The trial, which is ongoing and expected to conclude in late February, is not the first time a murder case has been disrupted by the challenges of twin DNA. In a similar case, twin brothers Kailum and Kieran Nightingale were previously convicted of manslaughter after killing a man during a failed drug transaction.
