* DNA on a weapon links to only one twin, forensic experts cannot determine the culprit.
* Both brothers, as siblings, share identical DNA.
A family secret has become the center of a chilling murder trial as Samuel and Jérémy Y, identical twins now 33, face justice alongside three others for the brutal 2020 killings of two young men, Tidiane B., 17, and Sofiane M., 25, shot multiple times in a cellar in Saint-Ouen on September 14.
The brothers are accused of plotting the murders amid suspected gang rivalries and drug-related tensions.
The confusion stems from a recovered assault rifle used in a related October 3, 2020, gun battle that wounded several people.
DNA found on the weapon matches one of the twins, but experts told the court they cannot pinpoint which brother handled it.
Identical twins develop from a single fertilized egg, sharing virtually the same genetic profile, with only rare minor mutations that are difficult to detect reliably.
One investigator summed up the frustration, "Only their mother can tell them apart."
A commander told Le Parisien, "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."
Prosecutors allege the brothers deliberately used their indistinguishable looks to confuse authorities, swapping belongings to create alibis and muddle investigations.
An expert who analyzed the DNA confirmed only one brother's genetic material was present, yet the inability to differentiate leaves the family and court in limbo.
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