Despite forensic evidence showing no traces of blood on the sofa allegedly linked to Donnalee Donaldson’s disappearance, a former car wash worker insisted in court that what she saw was blood. Under cross-examination, she admitted she could not scientifically confirm the substance, but rejected suggestions that she was mistaken, maintaining that the sofa oozed with what she believed was blood.

No blood at sofa wash site, says investigator

Jamaica Gleaner/19 Sep 2025/Tanesha Mundle

A FORENSIC crime scene investigator testified Thursday that no traces of blood were found at the location where a sofa – allegedly stained with blood – was reportedly washed, casting doubt on earlier testimony given in the ongoing murder trial of Constable Noel Maitland.

The investigator told the court that she visited the car wash identified by a former employee and conducted a luminol test at the specific area where the sofa was said to have been cleaned. The test returned negative results.

“With the use of luminol, if there are any traces of blood or DNA, it will give off a light blue colour to show that something is actually there,” the witness explained. “Once blood is present, it will give off a reading.”

The witness said she was part of a police team, including the lead investigating officer, that visited the car wash.

Earlier in the trial, the former car wash worker testified that on the morning of July 13, 2022, a man she referred to as ‘Brown Man’ brought in the sofa and eventually took over the powerwashing himself.

She testified that while she was washing the sofa with bleach and degreaser, she observed “blood like rice grain” oozing from it.

She told the court that she was “so frightened” by the amount of blood she saw, recalling that she exclaimed, “Jesus!” upon first noticing it.

“I said, ‘Dis yah man must dead or him bleed out. Look like dem kill somebody inna it,’” the witness recalled.

She also testified that the following day, the sofa was swarmed by flies and the area smelled “very raw”.

However, when asked under cross-examination by attorney Christopher Townsend if the police had told her the substance was not blood, the witness replied, “Mi don’t know nothing ‘bout dat.”

Pressed further, she admitted that she did not know how to test for blood and could not confirm what the substance actually was.

Still, she firmly rejected Townsend’s suggestion that what she saw wasn’t blood.

“Mi can’t agree with you,” she responded.

Maitland is currently on trial for the murder and alleged unlawful disposal of his girlfriend, Donnalee Donaldson, who was reported missing on July 13, 2022. Her mother testified that Maitland picked up Donaldson from her home on July 11, and she last heard from her daughter the following morning.

Two deliverymen have testified that Maitland had the sofa moved twice, first from his Chelsea Manor apartment in St Andrew to the car wash and then from the car wash to an upholstery shop in downtown Kingston.

 

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