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The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) was awarded two grants in FY2019, totaling nearly $2 million. The funding is being used in efforts to collect lawfully owed DNA samples from approximately 2,900 sex offenders and 1,000 felons, and to conduct follow-up casework. A full-time DNA collection coordinator has been hired to coordinate with Texas Rangers to assist with the most practical collection methods. Texas DPS will also be outsourcing DNA samples for forensic genetic genealogy testing.
Following are updates about Texas DPS's progress since the grants were awarded:
In FY2022, Texas DPS was awarded two additional SAKI grants, totaling $3 million. Half of the funding will be dedicated to collecting lawfully owed DNA samples from approximately 3,661 convicted offenders who are under community supervision for qualifying offenses. Project funding will also support the provision of training to law enforcement agencies on how to collect these DNA samples. The other half of SAKI funding from FY2022 will be used to support staff furthering investigations and prosecutions of sexually motivated homicides that were initiated under previous SAKI awards. Texas DPS will also continue their Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) Study of Sexual Assaults, which seeks to identify viable cases in which an unknown offender profile is present in the state's CODIS database.
In FY2023, SAKI awarded Texas DPS $1.5 million to investigate and prosecute cold case sexual assault cases in Texas. Funding will also assist Texas DPS CODIS Laboratory with the cost of performing Familial DNA Searches on identified criteria cases being investigated under the SAKI Grant. Texas DPS' goal is to identify, arrest, and bring to justice, individuals whose DNA produces a match to cold case sexual assaults and homicides. Additionally, Texas DPS plans to support all relevant grant activities for team members and stakeholders with overtime and seeks to maintain their commitment to the pursuit of new leads for sexually motivated cold case crimes.
Texas DPS routinely conducts training on Lawfully Owed DNA within their state. To see an example of their training in this area, see the following video.
For more information on the specific SAKI awards for this site, see the table below.
| Year | Amount | Purpose Area |
|---|---|---|
| FY2019 | $1,000,000 | Expansion of DNA Databases to Assist with Sexual Assault Investigations and Prosecutions: Collection of Lawfully Owed DNA from Convicted Offenders and Arrestee DNA Collections |
| FY2019 | $996,959 | Investigation and Prosecution of Cold Case Sexual Assaults |
| FY2022 | $1,500,000 | Expansion of DNA Databases to Assist with Sexual Assault Investigations and Prosecutions: Collection of Lawfully Owed DNA from Convicted Offenders and Arrestee DNA Collections |
| FY2022 | $1,500,000 | Investigation and Prosecution of Cold Case Sexual Assaults |
| FY2023 | $1,500,000 | Investigation and Prosecution of Cold Case Sexual Assaults |
44-year-old arrested on capital murder charge in North Texas cold case from 2008, police say
— Harriet Ramos, MSN.com, Oct 18, 2024
"A 44-year-old has been arrested in connection with the 2008 murder of a North Texas man, police said.
Jerry Lee Gardner was arrested in Lufkin in East Texas on Oct. 4, Grand Prairie police said in an Oct. 16 news release. He faces a capital murder charge.
Gardner is accused of killing 45-year-old Raymond Hernandez in August 2008. Grand Prairie firefighters found Hernandez’s body when they responded to a blaze in the 2600 block of Channing Drive. An autopsy showed Hernandez was a homicide victim, according to the release."
DNA leads to Lubbock man’s arrest 10 years after sexual assault
— Caitlyn Rooney, msn.com, Sep 25, 2024
"Court documents recently obtained by EverythingLubbock.com revealed Johnny Joe Sanchez, Sr., 48, was arrested and accused of Sexual Assault after DNA results came back with a positive match 10 years after the crime happened.
According to online jail records, Sanchez was arrested in the 200 block of University Avenue on September 20 by the Texas Department of Public Safety."
Texas Rangers Solve 40-Year-Old Ector County Cold Case Murder, Suspect Pleads Guilty
— Texas Department of Public Safety, Sep 25, 2024
"The man who pled guilty to a decades-old cold case murder in Ector County will spend the next 20 years behind bars. Billy Wayne Ludwigson, 62, was arrested by the Texas Rangers after years of investigation. He pled guilty to the murder of 64-year-old Velma Nesset and was sentenced by an Ector County jury in August.
Then, in 2020, Nesset’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 provide 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."
Defendant gets 20 years in cold case homicide
— Odessa American, Aug 9, 2024
"A 62-year-old man indicted four years ago in connection with a 1982 murder entered a plea agreement Friday and was sentenced to 20 years in the Texas Department of Corrections.
According to the Odessa Police Department, Velma Nesset’s partially nude body was found in a drainage culvert along Tanglewood Lane on April 19, 1982 after she didn’t show up for work at what was then called the Permian Mall."
Man sentenced to 40 years in prison in murder cases involving sex workers dating back 30 years
— Tommy Witherspoon, KWTX, Aug 5, 2024
A Waco man jailed in May after Texas Rangers linked him through a DNA database to the 30-year-old murders of prostitutes in East Texas and California was charged in a sealed indictment this week in McLennan County.
Big Spring man sentenced to 40 years in prison for Aggravated Sexual Assault
— CBS7 Staff, Jul 29, 2024
"BIG SPRING, Texas (KOSA) - This week a man escaped from a Big Spring Courtroom, was recaptured, and then found guilty and sentenced to 40 years in prison for each two counts of Aggravated Sexual Assault he was charged with.
Marces Morgan, 43, requested to defend himself in court. On Tuesday, July 23, the request was denied. According to our partners at KBEST Media, Morgan then ran out the back door of the courtroom, through downtown Big Spring, and was found hiding behind dumpsters located north of the Howard County Courthouse. He was recaptured by law enforcement and returned to the 118th District Courthouse for his trial. During the pursuit, a law enforcement officer was injured.
He was then arrested and charged with Escape, causing Bodily Injury.
On Wednesday, a jury found Morgan guilty of two counts of Aggravated Sexual Assault. On Thursday, the jury deliberated to determine his sentence, which was 40 years for each count, that will be served concurrently, meaning they will be served at the same time.
The jury took into account prior criminal history including, Failure to ID; Failure to ID, Fugitive; Providing False Information; Prostitution, and Possession of Marijuana."
Tyler man convicted of 2012 rape cold case sentenced to life in prison
— Zak Wellerman, CBS19.tv, Jul 23, 2024
"A Tyler man convicted of raping a woman in 2012 was sentenced to life in prison during a hearing Tuesday afternoon.
Vincente Zavaleta, 45, who was initially named a suspect in three separate sexual assaults that happened in 2003, 2012 and 2016, was convicted in connection with the Dec. 11, 2012 sexual assault following a jury's verdict back in June."
Eligible offender samples are missing in CODIS: A statewide approach to performing a lawfully owed DNA census
— Orlando C. Salinas, onlinelibrary.wiley.com, Jun 23, 2024
"In 2019, the Texas Department of Public Safety (TXDPS) Texas Ranger Division (TRD) identified approximately 3300 registered sex offenders (RSOs) from whom a “lawfully owed” DNA sample was missing from the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Combined DNA Index System (CODIS)."
Lubbock Police solves decades old homicide through DNA testing
— KCBD Staff, May 1, 2024
"The Metropolitan Special Crimes Unit, with the help of multiple law enforcement agencies and DNA testing, has solved the 48-year-old murder of Elizabeth Ann Price.
In August 2022, with the funding from the SAKI grant, the DNA was submitted to Bode Technology Group in Lorton, Virginia for genealogical testing. With their advanced technology, Bode was able to isolate the DNA to one family tree. One of the individuals in that family tree was deceased and their DNA was available for comparison. The suspect’s DNA was submitted to the Lubbock DPS Lab and on January 18, 2023 it was determined who was responsible for the vicious and heinous murder of Price."
Advanced DNA technology solves nearly 20-year-old case
— Amanda Ruiz, news.yahoo.com, Jan 9, 2024
"A nearly two-decades-cold case in Mills County was solved by local law enforcement officials and new DNA technology.
Sheriff Pool says the Texas Rangers met with the office in 2021 and did a familial DNA search on the drop of blood. This was new technology made possible by the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative, or SAKI, a federal grant for advanced DNA testing.
""They actually came back with a familial hit on it,"" he said."
DNA evidence leads to arrest of Smith County man in connection with two rapes in 2005
— Zak Wellerman, CBS 19, Dec 1, 2023
"DNA evidence has led to the arrest of a man accused of raping two women in Tyler nearly 20 years ago.
According to the Tyler Police Department, Jimmie Earl Gamble Jr, 40, of Smith County, was charged Wednesday on two counts of sexual assault. He remains in the Smith County Jail on bonds totaling $600,000.
The police department then thanked the Texas Rangers, the DPS lab, Sexual Assault Kit Initiative, CODIS Familial Search, the Department of Justice and Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) for their assistance in bringing this case to a conclusion."
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."
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."
New Details Released in Unsolved Samuel Little Murders
— Texas Department of Public Safety, Dec 1, 2021
The Texas Rangers, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Violent Criminal Apprehension Program and the United States Department of Justice are releasing new details in more than a dozen unsolved murders committed by serial killer Samuel ?Little, AKA Samuel ?McDowell, in hopes of bringing closure to these cases.
Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) Program Featured on the Texas Ranger's Hall of Fame and Museum
— Texas Ranger's Hall of Fame and Museum, May 6, 2021
The Texas Ranger's Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) Program was featured in the Texas Ranger's Hall of Fame and Museum. Click here to learn more!
Suspected Serial Rapist Pedro Samarrippas Arrested On U.S. Mexico Border, Detectives Seek Other Potential Victims
— CBS DFW, Mar 4, 2021
Detectives arrested alleged serial rapist in McAllen on two cold case sexual assault warrants based on DNA evidence.
Suspect indicted in 2019 murder of woman found dead in room at local hotel
— KWTX, Feb 24, 2021
Individual identified as a suspect in cold case homicide from 2019 through the state Sexual Assault Kit Initiative Program and advanced DNA analysis.
Texas DPS: DNA collection law helped solve hundreds of crimes in its first year
— Billy Gates, KXAN, Nov 13, 2020
The Krystal Jean Baker Act, which allows the collection of DNA samples from those charged with any of 24 different felonies and compares them with existing crime scene DNA samples in a nationwide database, has helped Texas DPS solve more than 250 open investigations in its first year, the agency says.
Fort Hood soldier arrested in year-old murder case
— Hannah Hall, KWTX 10, Nov 4, 2020
DNA evidence and investigative work lead to an arrest in a cold case murder from 2019 in Killen.
OPD: Man arrested cold case homicide investigation
— Jacy Lewis, MRT, Sep 30, 2020
Forensic Genetic Genealogy leads to arrest of man in sexual assault and murder from 1982.
Funded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative aims to create a coordinated community response that ensures just resolution to sexual assault cases. Through this program, funding is provided to support multidisciplinary community response teams engaged in the comprehensive reform of jurisdictions approaches to sexual assault cases resulting from evidence found in previously unsubmitted sexual assault kits.
