News

Man found guilty of raping a teenager 18 years ago, due to a retest of the victim's rape kit
— Emily Ashcraft, KSL.com, Dec 11, 2021

Man was found guilty of a 2003 rape of a minor on Thursday after a two-day jury trial and a jury deliberation that was shorter than two hours thanks to DNA evidence tested by Utah SAKI.

Advocates hopeful newly signed laws will prevent future backlogs of sexual assault kits
— Chris Mueller, Post Crescent, Dec 9, 2021

Two pieces of legislation signed into law this week give sexual assault survivors greater access to information and clear expectations about how evidence will be handled in their cases, advocates say.

Akron man sentenced to life in prison for raping woman in 2019; initiative led to arrest
— Beacon Journal Staff, Dec 9, 2021

Testing of a previously unsubmitted SAKI by Akron’s Sexual Assault Kit Initiative leads to an Akron man was sentenced to life in prison this week for raping a woman in 2019.

CMPD: ‘Myers Park rapist’ identified, tied to 15 sexual assaults in 1990s
— Brad Dickerson and Caroline Hicks , WBTV, Dec 6, 2021

FGG leads to identification of suspect in 15 sexual assaults mainly of minors in Charlotte, NC. Suspect died in 2008.

Attorney General’s task force recommends reforms to improve state’s response to sexual assault
— Washington State Office of the Attorney General, Dec 1, 2021

Today the Sexual Assault Forensic Examination (SAFE) Advisory Group convened by Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson’s office released a report recommending reforms that will improve the state’s response to sexual assault.

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.

Kalamazoo SAKI team secures another conviction, prison sentence
— Will Kriss, WTVB, Nov 24, 2021

A Kalamazoo man convicted of two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct (CSC) will spend more than two decades in prison thanks to Kalamazoo SAKI team. “I continue to be proud of the work being done in Kalamazoo and around the state to secure justice for survivors who long thought they would never see their abuser held accountable,” AG Dana Nessel said. “We know there’s a pattern in these cases: people who commit sexual offenses will continue to offend until they are stopped and held accountable by the court system. Our SAKI teams are doing just that.”

Man found responsible for 1997 rape in Medina County
— Avery Williams, Cleveland 19, Nov 24, 2021

On Nov. 18, nearly 25 years after the alleged crime, Medina County Judge Joyce Kimbler found Legg responsible for two counts of felony rape thanks to the sex assault kit testing initiative.

Trial scheduled for Jackson man charged in 2014-15 sexual assault cases
— Mitchell Kukulka, MLive, Nov 23, 2021

A Jackson man charged with multiple sexual assaults is headed to trial in December thanks to investigation started by Kalamazoo SAKI project

Man IDed through old rape kits heads to trial on sexual assault charges
— Nathan Clark, MLive, Nov 22, 2021

An Ypsilanti man facing several sexual assault charges after he was identified as a suspect from two previously untested rape kits is heading to trial.