After his pardon, Giarratano was transferred among different prisons, first in Virginia. After being stabbed at one, he was transferred to prison in Utah and then to Illinois, under a state compact. He was returned to Virginia in March 1997. His counsel was seeking to locate physical evidence from the crime scene in 2004 in order to conduct DNA testing prior to his appeal to gain parole that year, the first time he would be eligible. Norfolk and state authorities have said they believe all the biological evidence in the Kline case was destroyed.