News

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."

"Indictment in Nine Year Old Cold Case Defendant is Charged With Sexual Assault in D.C. and Maryland"
— Department of Justice U.S. Attorney’s Office District of Columbia, Sep 15, 2023

"Dawayne Joseph Spriggs, 37, of Washington D.C. and Prince George’s County, Maryland, was arraigned today on charges stemming from a 2014 cold case involving a stranger sexual assault, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Acting Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). This case was brought as part of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia’s Cold Case Sexual Assault Initiative and investigated by MPD’s Sexual Assault Unit. In February 2018, the U.S. "

DNA links Kentucky man to 2005 sexual assault in Louisville
— WHAS11 Staff, Aug 29, 2023

"A program used to solve sexual assault crimes in Kentucky has led to the arrest of a man in a decades old case. Kentucky State Police funding from their sexual assault kit initiative (SAKI) to charge 53-year-old George Wayne Aldridge. The SAKI grant program is funded by the Department of Justice and gives money to police departments to address the backlogs of untested sexual assault kits."

Trial for man facing 21 sex crimes underway
— WVTM13, Jon Paepcke, Aug 28, 2023

"The trial of a man accused of victimizing more than a dozen women is underway in Jefferson County. Jonathan Fitzgerald "Master" Lockett is facing 35 total felonies, two-thirds of which are sex crimes."

Authorities identify killer in 1987 cold case on Arizona hiking trail
— AZ Family Digital News Staff, Aug 26, 2023

"The murder of 23-year-old Cathy Sposito was unsolved, but remained open and active for 36 years. Cathy rode her bike to a trailhead and began a hike. However, hikers in the area later reported hearing screams for help. By the time they found Sposito, she was dead. Investigators found she was shot in the eye, stabbed and hit in the head with a rock and ratchet. Sheriff David Rhodes named Bryan Scott Bennett as Sposito’s killer. Bennett also allegedly had more victims in northern Arizona who were attacked and sexually assaulted. SAKI funds were used to support the genealogy work as well as travel for the investigation and exhumation of Bennet's remains."

After nearly 30 years, North Texas police charge man with sexually assaulting woman, child
— James Hartley, Star-telegram, Aug 23, 2023

"Denton police arrested a 53-year-old man in two sexual assault and child sexual assault cold cases nearly 30 years after the rapes occurred in 1993 and 1997, according to a news release from police. Marcus Deshaun Johnson was connected to the two cases through DNA evidence collected at the time, according to the news release. Police announced his arrest Tuesday. A National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative grant also provided funding to support Denton police efforts to solve sexual assault cold cases."

DNA analysis helps lead to an arrest in a 1991 Durham rape case
— The News and Observer, AARON SÁNCHEZ-GUERRA, Aug 22, 2023

"A Durham man is accused of breaking into a woman’s home and raping her 32 years ago. Kenneth Lunsford, 60, was arrested by the Durham Police Department’s Cold Case Unit on Aug. 17 through the state’s Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI), which matched his DNA to evidence collected from a sexual assault kit."