March 9th, 2007
TX celebrates 1000th DNA-assisted crime solution
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Texas is celebrating its 1000th cold case solved through its DNA database, The Dallas News says.
Case number 1,000 is a sexual assault in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. The Combined DNA Index System is a nationwide system used to match the DNA of convicted criminals with evidence from other unsolved crimes. The Texas CODIS lab in Austin has helped solve 113 homicides, 536 sexual assaults, 410 burglaries and 61 robberies within the state and around the country.
“Many of the offenders were not incarcerated or were about to be released when the database matches took place,” said DPS Director Col. Thomas A. Davis Jr.
Texas established its database in 1996 and currently has records for 282,000 offenders. All registered sex offenders, felons in the Texas prison system and Texas Youth Commission juveniles must provide a DNA sample.
