Using DNA to Solve Cold Cases in Santa Clara

The purpose of these funds will create a Cold Case Crimes Team (CCCT) whose goal would be to prioritize, review, and investigate unsolved homicide cases that have the potential to be solved using DNA analysis. Two part-time cold case investigators would be hired, coverage of overtime costs for two current positions within the police department, the cost of DNA analysis on items of physical evidence, travel expenses related to cold case investigations, and purchase miscellaneous office supplies and equipment that would be used solely by the CCCT from this funding. The goal of our efforts would be to evaluate fifteen current unsolved homicides by determining what type of physical evidence exists in each case and whether or not DNA analysis would lead to the identification of a suspect.

ca/ncf