News

Arizona man indicted for decades-old sex crimes
— Brent Corrado and Lauren Clark, Fox10Phoenix, Apr 9, 2025

"A man accused of committing sex crimes decades ago in the Valley has been indicted by a grand jury. On April 9, the Maricopa County Attorney's Office announced the indictment of 45-year-old Dat Vu in connection to the crimes, which happened in Phoenix and Glendale between 2000 and 2005. Vu was identified as the suspect through DNA testing. The testing was paid for by Sexual Assault Kit Initiative grants, MCAO said. "SAKI grants help us take a crucial step toward closure by providing the resources necessary to process sexual assault kits,"" Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell said. ""It’s not only about solving these cases but restoring hope and giving victims the long-overdue justice they deserve."

Suspect pleads guilty in decades-old sex assault, burglary in Charlotte
— ASHLEY VAN HAVERE, spectrumlocalnews, Apr 2, 2025

"A 31-year-old cold case was solved after advances in DNA technology led to the identification of a suspect in a sexual assault and burglary case, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department said Wednesday. In 2022, evidence from the case was sent for advanced forensic analysis. The testing uncovered a partial male DNA sample, which was entered into the State Combined DNA Index System and produced a match, identifying Leslie."

Texas Rangers Identify Suspect in Laredo Mother’s Cold Case Murder
— Texas DPS, Mar 26, 2025

"Then, in 2021, Jaramillo’s case was identified as being eligible for the Texas Department of Public Safety’s (DPS) Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) program which is funded by the Department of Justice/Bureau of Justice Assistance (DOJ/BJA). DOJ/BJA provides investigative funding for agencies across the United States to further unsolved sexual assaults and sexually related homicides with the hope of bringing justice to the victims and their families. SAKI grant funds were utilized for the cost of the Advanced DNA testing through Bode Technologies. The testing led to Mendez’s identity, which was confirmed through normal forensic DNA testing. Mendez was indicted by a Webb Co. grand jury on March 12, 2025. He is already serving a 10-year prison sentence in Edinburg for an unrelated crime and remains in custody."

Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office identifies 7 suspects in sexual assault cold cases dating back to 1990s
— Justin McMullen, msn, Mar 14, 2025

"In all the cases, prosecutors say unique male DNA was developed from the victim's sexual assault kit but did not produce leads in the offender DNA database. Prosecutors then sought and obtained John Doe indictments against the DNA profiles to make sure the statute of limitations did not expire. The men were charged under their John Doe profiles until the county prosecutor's office submitted the DNA profiles to the Ohio Attorney General's Office for familial DNA searching or forensic genetic genealogy. The offenders were identified using forensic analysis and DNA comparison. “I would like to thank the G.O.L.D. Unit investigators and prosecutors, the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, and the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Department for their hard work in helping to solve these cases and arrest these violent offenders,” O’Malley said in a statement. “Victims of crime will not be forgotten in Cuyahoga County and my office along with our law enforcement partners will continue to fight every day to provide answers and justice to them.”

Suspect in 2016 murder of mother of nine revealed by Laredo police
— Jason Mack, Lmtonline, Mar 14, 2025

"Police said a grant from the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative provided the resources needed to identify a suspect. Final DNA evidence was received in the first week of February. The investigation revealed she fought for her life. Sergio Mendez, 42, was identified as the suspect. He is incarcerated at a prison in Edinburg and will be brought to Laredo for trial. Mendez is in jail for burglary of a habitation and possession of a controlled substance."

Man Who Killed Siblings In 35-Year Cold Case Convicted In DeKalb
— Amanda Lumpkin, Patch Staff, Mar 12, 2025

"A Loganville man was convicted of murder in the 1990 rape of a woman and fatal stabbing of her and her brother, DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston's office said Tuesday. Prosecutors said Kenneth Perry, 56, was convicted of malice murder after they say he raped Pamela Sumpter before stabbing her and her brother, John Sumpter."

Suspected serial killer executed nearly 30 years ago connected to Charlotte cold case
— Jeff Monheit, www.wccbcharlotte.com, Feb 24, 2025

"Suspected serial killer Larry Gene Bell has been named as the suspect in a Charlotte cold case dating back to the early 1980’s. Bell died by execution in October of 1996 after being convicted of the kidnapping and murder of 17-year-old Sharon Smith in Lexington County, South Carolina and the kidnapping and murder of 9-year-old Debra Helmick in Richland County, South Carolina. CMPD’s Cold Case Unit used funding from the National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative to review the case and all of the evidence collected since the murder."

Convictions for Aggravated Kidnapping and Aggravated Sexual Assault
— Saltlakecounty.gov Media, Feb 18, 2025

"Today, Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill announced a Third District Court jury found both Jose Luis Pina-Cruz and Frank P. Benavidez guilty of a 2006 aggravated sexual assault of a teenage girl. Multiple Law Enforcement Agencies worked together to solve the case and were able to successfully identify the Defendants due in large part to the state of Utah’s participation in the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI)."

Man gets 30-year sentence for 1993 assault of 13-year-old
— Tara Brolley, CBS Austin, Feb 13, 2025

"A Travis County jury has convicted a 66-year-old man of sexually assaulting a child in a 1993 cold case, according to the district attorney's office. On Jan. 17, Douglas Birden was found guilty of two counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child and sentenced to 30 years in prison. The conviction stems from the November 1993 assault of a 13-year-old girl who was abducted at gunpoint while walking home from basketball practice at Peace Junior High School. The breakthrough in the three-decade-old case came through the National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI), a federal grant program that helped process thousands of untested sexual assault kits. DNA evidence from the victim's examination was matched to Birden's profile in the Combined DNA Index System in July 2020."

Kalamazoo man sentenced for 2005 sexual assault of 14-year-old
— Michael Arney, wkzo.com, Feb 10, 2025

"A 39-year-old Kalamazoo man will spend between 12 and 50 years in prison after being convicted of two charges of first degree criminal sexual conduct for assaulting a minor in 2005. Attorney General Dana Nessel says the victim was 14 at the time and reported the assault by a then-unknown man immediately. Shawn Robinson Hopkins was identified in 2022, 17 years after the assault, thanks to DNA evidence. Nessel says she is hoping the sentence “will bring a sense of justice to the victim,” adding her courage to come forward and seek accountability for her abuser “is truly commendable.” She added she is thankful to the Kalamazoo Sexual Assault Kit Initiative unit in pursuing justice for her and other cold case sexual assault survivors."