WATERLOO - Bullets that took the life of Tonyeah Jackson in 2006 came from a 9mm handgun, a state crime lab official said Friday morning.

Victor Murillo, an Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation criminalist, told jurors he was able to determine a slug recovered from Jackson's jaw and another found in the nightclub where he was shot were fired by a 9mm Hi-Point handgun.

Authorities allege Jeffrey Duane Smith, 21, shot Jackson inside Club Crystyles using a handgun equipped with a laser sight July 9, 2006.

The gun used to take Jackson's life has never been found by law enforcement, but Murillo said the rifling marks left on the bullet were unique to Hi-Point firearms.

He also determined the two bullets came from the exact same gun.

A third bullet - recovered from Jackson's left arm - was too damaged to determine an exact match, he said, but he said the markings he could see make it possible it came from the same pistol as the other two.

Murillo also examined four spent shell casings found at the nightclub. He said marks left on them show they came from the same weapon.

"It's kind of like a fingerprint left by the firing pin," Murillo said.