News

Hendersonville man charged in sexual assault cold case from 2005, deputies say
— WYFF, Feb 1, 2022

Man arrested in Hendersonville, NC after DNA evidence linked him to a sexual assault case from 2005. The SAK was tested thanks funding from NC's “Standing Up for Rape Victims" (SURVIVOR) Act.

Maricopa County gets $3M to solve cold cases, test rape kits
— 12 News Staff, Feb 1, 2022

Maricopa County Attorney's Office awarded $2.5 million to fund additional testing for DNA evidence collected through sexual assault kits from SAKI.

Suspect arrested after DNA links him to 1999 rape cold case
— Annalisa Pardo, KRQE News 13, Jan 17, 2022

The suspect in an Albuquerque rape cold case from more than 20 years ago is now behind bars. It was another case that fell through the cracks because of the rape kit backlog.

Kentucky State Police sexual assault kit initiative team expands
— Steve Rogers, WTVQ, Jan 13, 2022

Gov. Andy Beshear and Justice and Public Safety Cabinet Secretary Kerry Harvey announced Thursday an additional $849,491 in grant funding from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has been awarded to expand the Kentucky State Police (KSP) Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) Investigative Team through an additional investigator who will focus their efforts on the Louisville-Jefferson County region.

Missouri AG: Major strides made in clearing untested sexual assault kits backlog
— KTLO, Jan 12, 2022

Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt announced Wednesday that as of Dec. 31, the SAFE Kit Initiative, which aims to clear the backlog of untested sexual assault kits, has aided 115 police departments and sheriffs’ offices in clearing their backlogs of reported, untested sexual assault kits. Further, the office has sent 2,745 sexual assault kits to private labs for testing.”

Utah suspect hiding in Scotland arrested after sexual assault kit tested
— Melanie Porter, Fox 13, Jan 12, 2022

A suspect who is connected to at least two different sexual assaults was arrested and will be extradited to Utah after a sexual assault kit was tested and a case from 2008 was reopened. "Our office is grateful for the significant interagency collaboration of law enforcement to bring this suspect to justice. We credit Utah’s Sexual Assault Kit Initiative grant funded through the Department of Justice and the Bureau of Justice Assistance as playing a significant role in testing backlogged kits and ultimately identifying the suspect,” said Utah County Attorney, David Leavitt."

Man arrested in 2009 cold case rape, Fayetteville police say
— Michael Prunka , CBS17.com, Jan 10, 2022

Fayetteville police made an arrest Friday in a cold case rape from more than a decade ago thanks to testing completed through SAKI.

How Forensic Genealogy Solved a 1997 Cold Case Rape
— Tierna Unruh-Enos, ABQ.news, Dec 21, 2021

FGG leads to arrest of suspect in a sexual assault that occurred in 1997. Police have linked this suspect to at least seven other sexual assault cold cases in NE and SE Albuquerque from 1990 to 1994.

Warrant: Man arrested 16 years after woman reported sexual battery
— Brie Isom, News4Jax, Dec 17, 2021

A man is facing a sexual battery charge more than 16 years after a woman reported it to police thanks to testing previously untested DNA evidence

Governor: Backlog cleared of sexual assault kit tests in Alaska
— KINY Radio, Dec 12, 2021

Governor Dunleavy announced that the backlog of untested sexual assault examination kits, which began compiling in the mid-1990s, has been cleared.