FY 24 Oklahoma AG's Prosecuting Cold Cases Using DNA Project

The Oklahoma Office of the Attorney General will utilize this funding to create a Cold Case Unit within its office to help provide support for OAG-led prosecutions, as well as, prosecutions at the district court level. This project will serve the entire of state of Oklahoma. This award will partially fund one part-time agent, one full-time agent, and one full-time criminal intelligence analyst. The new unit will fall under the Criminal Justice Division, which also houses the Multi-County Grand Jury Unit and the Organized Crime Task Force. The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation reports that - as of May 1, 2024 - there are 3,838 unmatched forensic DNA profiles within the Combined DNA Index System. This number includes investigations conducted by Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation agents, as well as local law enforcement agencies. Primary activities include creating a comprehensive inventory of all violent crime cold cases in which a suspect’s (either known or unknown) DNA profile has already been established; begin investigating violent cold case crimes to be prosecuted by the Attorney General’s Office; testify in court in regard to prosecutions involving cold case files; and submitting suspect (either known or unknown) DNA for further genetic testing. Expected deliverables will be an increase in the number of suspects identified through the use of Forensic Genetic Genealogy; an increase in successful prosecution of violent crime cold cases; and the entering of all applicable cases into both the Violent Criminal Apprehension Program and the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System.