With the large number of cold cases being solved these days with DNA, I thought I'd start a thread for that.

Here, "Police have identified the man wanted in connection with a 34-year-old rape and murder case in Mar Vista as Dennis Vasquez, 50, of Los Angeles."

"Jane Robison, a district attorney�s spokeswoman, said the man was picked up recently on an unrelated crime, which led to a swab of his DNA being taken by authorities. The DNA was �matched� to a sample from the 1975 crime that had been placed on the state database system about seven years ago, Robison said."

The article goes on to say that since defendant was 16 at the time of the crime, they are seeking to try him as an adult.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2009/09/juvenile-rape-murder.html

[This message was edited by Greg Gilleland on 09-13-09 at .]

[This message was edited by Greg Gilleland on 09-14-09 at .]

I think that the CODIS database is second only to DNA testing itself as the absolute greatest tool ever created for solving crimes.

There is no doubt that the KFC case would have forever remained "the most notorious unsolved multiple murder in Texas" if it weren't for CODIS.

Well, you are being modest. It took a pretty good prosecutor, too.

It took two EXCELLENT prosecutors and a great support team!

'Austin Powers' henchman gets life in prison in rape-torture case


To millions of moviegoers he was Doctor Evil's henchman Random Task.

But now a 40-year-old Orange County actor famous from an "Austin Powers" movie will be spending life in state prison in connection with a 1990 Christmas Eve gang rape and torture of a woman taking a walk to see the seasonal lights.

Joseph Hyungmin Son was found guilty Aug. 25 of felony torture, an offense that carries a life term without possibility of parole. The actor was originally charged three years ago with numerous sex crimes but because of a statute of limitations, prosecutors eventually won a conviction on torture.

* * *

While physical evidence was gathered in the case from the sexual assault, the case went cold. Son, however, was convicted in May 2008 of felony vandalism in an unrelated case and was forced to give a DNA sample. That sample was then linked to DNA collected in the 1990 case, prosecutors said.

I must say that as a forensic DNA expert that I am a little biased, but I think DNA is the gold standard for evidence. It unambiguously identifies a subject. A good prosecuter is always necessary because how the DNA got there can be questioned, but you know where it came from, no doubt. And don't get me started on how great CODIS is, just plain awesome. Now if we can get the backlog of cases down to a mangeable level, we can get these repeat offenders off the street.

Dr. Monte Miller
mmiller@forensicdnaexperts.com
www.forensicdnaexperts.com

I believe it is, but just the morning on GMA (I was at the annual and it was a weak moment, okay?) Some idiot was stating that DNA was now being challenged by defense and the "public" was beginning to distrust DNA evidence. (Of course there were plenty of supporting documents cited, NOT).