News

Mid-Missouri police, hospitals receive award for work on sexual assault backlog
— Ryan Pivoney, Fulton Sun, Oct 17, 2023

"We want to recognize our partners who have assisted in clearing the backlog of untested sexual assault kits throughout the state. These recipients and their efforts are vital to achieving justice for every victim of an unspeakable crime," Attorney General Andrew Bailey said in a news release. "We would not have made it this far without them."

DNA evidence led to arrest in nearly 20-year-old San Marcos cold case
— Meredith Aldis, fox7austin.com, Oct 16, 2023

"A nearly 20-year-old cold case may be solved after DNA evidence led to an arrest last month. Police arrested 41-year-old Ricardo Rodriguez in Florida in connection to a violent sexual assault in San Marcos in 2004. "In terms of DNA providing that key lead, that's what we're seeing now,"" Dr. Williamson said. It’s also providing answers to victims through the National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative which gives funding to law enforcement agencies to test kits, investigate, and provide resources for survivors. At least 200,000 cases are getting looked at again."

Montana Department of Justice receives $2.1 million grant to continue efforts to address sexual assault
— Montana Department of Justice, Char-Koosta News, Oct 12, 2023

“We will intensify our efforts in solving sexual assault cases and bringing justice to survivors with this new funding, bolstering our Sexual Assault Kit Initiative, employing specialized personnel to investigate crimes, and upgrading evidence storage around the state,” Attorney General Knudsen said. “Ensuring that perpetrators are held accountable and survivors can find healing is a top priority as we work to eliminate the rape kit backlog and reinforce our statewide strategy against sexual assault.”

Man charged with 2003 rape after old evidence re-examined
— ADAM UREN, Bringmethenews, Oct 9, 2023

"A man has been charged in connection with a sexual assault in 2003 after investigators struck a match on a DNA sample as part of an ongoing initiative to address a statewide backlog in sexual assault test kits. A "periodic search" undertaken as part of the Statewide Sexual Assault Kit Initiative confirmed Skie's DNA in one of the samples taken from the victim in late 2003. He has since been arrested and has made his first court appearance."

Garden City man convicted in 2006 rape after case reopened 15 years later
— Amber Ainsworth, Fox 2 Detroit, Oct 6, 2023

"A Garden City man could face life in prison for a rape committed in 2006, authorities say. Ramel Rasheed Lindsay, 35, was convicted Wednesday of two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct stemming from the rape of a then 13-year-old girl. The crime was reported after it happened, but the sex assault kit performed at the time did not produce DNA evidence, and the suspect was never charged. Then in 2021, the Kalamazoo County Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) team contacted the victim, who suffered severe trauma from the assault, about reopening her case."

Suspect finally identified in decades old rape case
— Ashley Moss, KFOR, Oct 3, 2023

"An investigation into an Edmond rape case from 1989 might finally be solved, thanks to the results of a decades old rape kit and a match to a suspect in California. A recently filed affidavit recounts the case from October 3, 1989, when Edmond Police responded to reports of a sexual assault. Although a rape kit was completed following the assault, it went untested for years. After the kit was finally sent to a lab in Virginia for testing in 2021, the results finally identified the suspect."

Newly Awarded $2.5 Million Grant Will Assist G.O.L.D. Unit in Solving Cleveland’s Unsolved Violent Crimes
— Michael C. O'Malley, Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office, Sep 28, 2023

"Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael C. O’Malley announced that the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office (CCPO) G.O.L.D. Unit was awarded a 2023 BJA National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) Grant – a $2.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Justice (USDOJ) Bureau of Justice Assistance’s National Cold Case Initiative. The grant will assist in investigating and prosecuting unsolved violent crimes in Cleveland. “I am honored that our G.O.L.D. Unit has received the 2023 BJA National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative Grant,” said Prosecutor Michael C. O’Malley. “Our G.O.L.D. Unit has shown continued success with their initiatives, and we look forward to expanding that success by providing assistance in solving cold case violent crimes in Cleveland.”

The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office has arrested a man for a violent sexual assault that occurred in Texas in 2004.
— Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, Sep 25, 2023

Site reported "From our CODIS Study of Sexual Assaults with Single Source Profiles a qualifying case was identified where the actor had gained entry into the victim’s residence and sexually assaulted her in her bed during the night. The actor had covered his face so the victim was unable to recognize him or provide a description. A single source STR was originally developed from the victim’s Sexual Assault Kit and was entered into CODIS in 2005; however, no matches were ever made. SAKI assisted with coordination of further DNA testing in which a Y-STR profile of the unknown was developed in December 2022. In January 2023, SAKI coordinated with the agency and state CODIS Laboratory to have a CODIS Familial Search performed. The search was completed in March 2023 and produced a possible lead. The lead was from a known offender’s DNA who appeared to be a brother to the unknown. Further research of the known offender identified four possible brothers. One of the identified brothers, Ricardo Cruz Rodriguez, was found living in the Tampa, Florida area. Ricardo was in the Army and was stationed at Ft. Hood at the time of the 2004 sexual assault. The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office was contacted and provided valuable assistance with collecting a surreptitious sample from Ricardo which consisted of fingernail clippings and a snack wrapper he had placed in his mouth while eating the contents. The items were collected in April 2023 and sent to San Marcos PD who then submitted them to our DPS Crime Lab for analysis. Unfortunately, the fingernail clippings did not produce a usable DNA profile, so they proceeded with the testing of the snack wrapper. The testing of the wrapper was completed on 08/31/2023 which showed to be a direct match to the unknown profile from the 2004 sexual assault. An arrest and search warrant was executed this morning on Ricardo. He was taken into custody without incident. He has been booked into the Hillsborough County Jail without bond and is awaiting extradition back to Texas. He acted as if it was no big deal and also mentioned another 2008 sexual assault allegation which had been investigated by the military without success. It appears there may be more of his cases still out there."

Chillicothe Police Receive Community Partnership Award
— KTTN News, Sep 24, 2023

"The Chillicothe Police Department has announced that it received a Community Partnership Award from Attorney General Andrew Bailey. The award recognizes the department’s successful cooperation in Phase 3 of the SAFE Kit Initiative Project for the year 2023. A statement from the Chillicothe Police Department says that officers and administrative staff take this project seriously and are committed to successful prosecution and evidence storage for victims of crime."

Fayetteville police: Federal grant helped solve 1997 sex assault cold case
— ABC11.com, WTVD, Sep 20, 2023

"Fayetteville police said an arrest made in a 1997 sexual assault cold case was helped in part by a federal grant that was awarded to the city in 2015. Police arrested and charged 55-year-old Linford Deamoris Moore in connection with the 26-year-old sexual assault case."