2015/04/15

WDBJ7 April 13, 2015: Virginia's DNA Data Bank tallies 10,000th hit

Governor Terry McAuliffe announced the achievement during a Monday news conference with Senator Mark Warner

Visit the Department of Forensic Science, and you might see a DNA examiner swabbing the inside of a glove, or another removing hairs from a jacket recovered at a crime scene.

Employees in the state's Central Laboratory also maintain the data bank that includes the DNA profiles of convicted felons and offenders who've committed certain misdemeanors.

Governor Terry McAuliffe and Senator Mark Warner toured the department Monday, as they highlighted the 10,000th cold hit linking a DNA profile in the data bank with evidence from a criminal case.

The DNA data bank is not only a remarkable tool to catch criminals, they said, but an important way to exonerate the innocent.

"Today, Virginia's DNA data bank consists of approximately 431,000 samples," said Governor Terry McAuliffe. "And hits to the DNA data base occur now daily." more