Erie, PA Prosecuting Cold Cases Using DNA

The City of Erie Police Department (EPD) and the Erie County District Attorney’s Office are partnering to leverage resources, skills, and expertise with the goal of increasing the number of successful violent cold case prosecutions using DNA. The purpose of this grant is to help fund the creation of a cold case team comprised of an Assistant District Attorney, a County Detective, and an EPD Detective Sergeant. The focus of the initiative is to inventory 42 unsolved homicides, eight missing persons with suspicious circumstances, and eight unsolved violent rapes that can be solved using DNA. The team will identify, locate, collect, process, and analyze evidence, including non-DNA evidence, to assist prosecutors with the litigation of violent cold case crimes where a suspect has already been identified with DNA evidence (whether suspect is known or unknown. The EPD will inventory all unresolved violent cold case crimes; enter all applicable cases into Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), Violent Criminal Apprehension Program and Unidentified Persons System; conduct investigative activities as they relate to the prosecution of a case, including crime and forensic analysis and interviewing victims, witnesses, and suspects; and prosecute violent cold case crimes where suspects have been identified through DNA evidence. The cold case team anticipates bringing all cold cases with suspect DNA (known and unknown) up to current standards. Upon award, a cold case task force will be convened to assist local agencies with investigating, resolving, and prosecuting their unresolved violent cold cases.