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Tulsa Police make progress in testing old rape kits
Shae Rozzi, Fox 23, Nov 6, 2023

"FOX23 Evening Anchor Shae Rozzi follows up on the rape kit testing backlog in Oklahoma. She first told you about in 2016. At that time, TPD was just starting the process of applying for federal grants to test previously untested rape kits for DNA. Since then, the department has received grants in 2018 and 2021 totaling around $4 million to spend on testing old sexual assault kits."

AG Platkin Announces $2 Million in Federal Funding to Offer Survivors of Sexual Assault a Way to Track the Progress of Their Case
Office of the Attorney General – Matthew J. Platkin, Nov 3, 2023

"Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin today announced the receipt of $2 million in competitive federal funding to establish an advanced tracking system for the state’s Sexual Assault Forensic Exam (SAFE) Kits. SAFE Kits are used to preserve physical evidence collected from medical forensic examinations conducted by qualified nurses after an individual has experienced an act of sexual violence. This endeavor is part of an ongoing commitment to provide victims of sexual abuse with support and transparency in navigating the criminal justice process."

Ventura County Sexual Assault Kit Initiative Receives Second $2.5 Million Grant
Ventura County Sheriff's Office, Goldrushcam.com, Oct 31, 2023

“This new award provides additional momentum for VCSAKI,” said Sheriff Fryhoff. “We thank the Department of Justice for helping provide us with the resources we need to bring justice to as many victims as we can.”

Man convicted of sexual assault after state tests old rape kits
Nathan Clark, Mlive.com, Oct 30, 2023

"An Ypsilanti man charged with multiple counts of sexual assault from 2015 and 2018 after a set of previously untested rape kits identified him as a suspect has been found guilty. Smith, 38, was arraigned on two separate criminal sexual assault cases stemming from old DNA evidence collected and tested as part of the state’s Sexual Assault Kit Initiative."

AG Ferguson announces end to sexual assault kit backlog
Fox 13 Seattle, Oct 27, 2023

"Attorney General Bob Ferguson says more than 10,000 kits have been tested, some after languishing in law enforcement evidence rooms across the state for decades."

Man pleads guilty to 2010 sexual assault in Western Michigan University dorm
Amber Ainsworth, Fox 2 Detroit, Oct 27, 2023

"A Jackson man pleaded guilty this week to a sexual assault that happened more than a decade ago in a Western Michigan University dorm. Williams was charged years later thanks to the Kalamazoo County Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI), which reopens old sex assault cases. He pleaded guilty Monday to three counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct."

Charlie Scott, fugitive on America’s Most Wanted, pleads guilty 29 years after rape of DeKalb County girl
On Common Ground News, Oct 17, 2023

"DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston announces a conviction by guilty plea in the sexual assault cold case against Charlie Scott, 59. A positive DNA match linked Scott to the rape of the teen and several other victims."

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.”