SARASOTA, Fla. -- DNAPrint genomics has confirmed that its DNAWitness test was strategically employed in an investigation by the Boulder, Colo. Police Department. Susannah Chase, 23, was beaten and raped in December . Her body, as well as a DNA specimen, was found several days later.
A representative of the Boulder Police Department stated, "DNAPrint reported that the DNA investigators submitted is indicative of someone exhibiting features that are common to Hispanics or Native Americans. This information will assist detectives with prioritizing tips and possibly generate more investigative leads."
DNA is commonly left at crime scenes, but until DNAPrint developed
DNAWitness, no ancestral or physical information could be reliably read
from that DNA (other than gender). The genetic heritage of an individual
cannot be accurately inferred from standard DNA tests. DNAWitness is
powered by 175 of the human genome's best Ancestry Informative Markers (AIMs)
and measures an individual's ancestry admixture from his or her DNA. From
simulations and direct observations, it is known that DNAWitness results are designed to be recise to within a few percent, depending on the type of admixture
present.
Standard DNA testing provides a unique identifier from the crime scene
DNA, but in this case, the crime scene DNA did not match any of the profiles
in the FBI's CODIS database, making the identification of the suspect
impossible at this time. Detectives continued their quest to learn about the
donor of the DNA at the crime scene and their search led investigators to
DNAPrint genomics, which is the first, and so far only, company able to
offer this new type of DNA analysis. The test was applied by investigators to
infer physical information about the suspect from the crime scene DNA,
allowing them to focus precious investigative resources on high-value leads
possibly related to the crime.
Forensic validation studies of DNAWitness have been performed by the
San Diego Police Department Crime Lab, the National Center for Forensic
Science and the Broward County Crime Lab. In July , a report in the
Journal of Forensic Science provided the scientific rationale and results of
studies related to DNAWitness, and the test has since been covered by
Popular Science, US News and World Report, The New York Times and national ABC
and CBS news programs. DNAPrint genomics has successfully determined the
ancestral background of more than 5,000 individuals.
"We are working with detectives on cases that have gone cold or are at a
standstill," said Richard Gabriel, CEO and president of DNAPrint genomics,
Inc. "We encourage all law enforcement officers to contact us. In this case,
as in others, when DNAWitness has been used, the scope of the
investigation has been focused, and resources will be more efficiently
deployed. DNAWitness is proving to save time and resources -- and
possibly lives -- by contributing valuable information about a suspect's
ancestry. If there is a crime scene sample of DNA, DNAWitness can help
re-direct or focus the investigation. Prior to this test, this case would
remain unsolved until the murderer is caught committing another crime and that
convicted felon's DNA is loaded into the CODIS system."
"The test costs $1,000, but given the man hours this test can save and
direction it can provide to an investigation where all other leads have gone
cold, it's a reasonable price. The price is not much different from the
expense incurred interviewing human eyewitnesses, yet the information provided
is better than what most eyewitnesses can provide," said Tony Frudakis, PhD
and CSO of the company. "Though our test can accurately distinguish between an
individual of mainly Native American/European admixture (such as a Hispanic)
from one of mainly European/East Asian admixture (such as an Asian American),
a human from across the street might be hard pressed to do so reliably. This
test is the only one of its kind. We have worked hard over the last four years
building the test and validating it."
He continued, "The test is a presumptive
test that can be used by investigators to get a basic description out on the
wire to other investigators and departments. It is an investigator's tool, not
an identity tool. Once the pool of suspects has been narrowed down, then the
standard DNA identity testing can be performed, under court order if
necessary, to substantiate the potential guilt or innocence of an individual
suspect."
"I know if it were my daughter or son that had been murdered or raped, I
would want this test run," said Zach Gaskin, technical director of forensics.
"I frequently give lectures on how our test works and how to use it.
DNAWitness is becoming known as a reliable test for law enforcement across
the country and abroad, allowing them to narrow their field of suspects
rapidly. Because DNAWitness is a presumptive DNA test providing
information as to how the donor of the DNA sample is likely to appear or not
appear, essentially producing an out-of-focus photo, it will not likely meet
the same scrutiny in the courtroom as the human identification tests that
match a suspect to a crime scene sample. Nevertheless, we treat the evidence
in accordance with policies and procedures followed by the American Society of
Crime Laboratory Directors Lab Accreditation Board. It is important to note
that the current human identification DNA tests performed by crime labs, known
as STR tests, can only provide gender when you have no suspect to compare the
evidence to. STR testing for criminal cases does require ASCLD/LAB
certification because it actually identifies the individual as the person
present at the crime scene." Gaskin went on to say, "DNAWitness provides a
general description of the person, not a match, which we leave to the crime
labs. But DNAWitness is an extremely valuable tool for helping detectives
narrow the suspect list and focus their resources on leads that are more in
line with the crime scene evidence."
Source: DNAPrint genomics, Inc.
