FY 2021 Prosecuting Cold Cases Using DNA

The Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office has an inventory of 60 unsolved violent crime cold cases (specifically rapes and murders) in which a suspect DNA profile was developed from case evidence by the DA Crime Lab and searched in CODIS with negative results. The DA's Office is seeking up to $470,000 to fund the work needed to solve these cases through forensic genetic genealogy (“FGG”) by Parabon NanoLabs and Gene By Gene, specialists in that field.  All 60 of these violent crime cold cases have sufficient genetic material for FGG and have no statute of limitations, making them all prosecutable once solved.

            To maximize the number of identified perpetrators within the limits of grant funding, all funds will be used exclusively for FGG.  No grant funds will be used for salaries, overtime, equipment or traditional STR DNA analysis.  With the District Attorney’s inventory of 60 violent crime cold cases waiting for forensic genealogy testing, and more expected over the next three years, this grant is an excellent opportunity to bring perpetrators to justice and bring closure to victims and families.