Savannah M. Goude

Savannah M. Goude handled a broad span of the prosecution's evidence from the emergency call to the forensic laboratory. She established the routing and timing of Alex Murdaugh's June 7 911 call and the first-responder view of the Moselle kennels. With scene analyst Melinda Worley, she developed the documentation of ballistic, footwear, and tire evidence. Her redirect also brought out limits in the diagrams and impressions, including the possibility of shooter movement and the use of two guns.

Goude's forensic examinations included findings that cut in different directions. Fingerprint analyst Tom Darnell found no identifiable prints on the examined firearms, ammunition, magazine, or phone. A presumptive blood test of a blue raincoat was negative. Through serologist Rachel Nguyen and DNA analyst Sara Zapata, Goude presented blood-screening and DNA results from firearms, clothing, vehicle, and other samples, together with limits on source attribution, touch DNA, and negative confirmatory blood testing on shirt samples.

During the defense case, Goude cross-examined pathologist Jonathan Eisenstat about his compensation, lack of a written report, absence from the autopsies, and limits on his ability to reconstruct a projectile's path outside the body. She compared his wound interpretations with the autopsy report and photographs. Eisenstat maintained his main opinions, including his view of Paul's fatal wound, and classified both deaths as homicides.