HOLLAND, Mass. (WGGB/WSHM) – DNA technology is once again solving a cold case in western Massachusetts. This time, it led to an arrest in a brutal sexual assault case dating back more than 20 years.
This case marks a major milestone for Hampden County. District Attorney Anthony Garni said this is the first time forensic genetic genealogy has helped catch a criminal. The suspect, who was charged with sexually assaulting a woman in Holland and Massachusetts nearly 24 years ago, will finally face a judge today thanks to this technology. Mr. Guluni assured us that this is just the beginning.
He said: “A woman in the eastern Hampden County area of Holland was walking Sunday afternoon when someone grabbed her from behind. She was then dragged into a nearby wooded area and raped. She reported being threatened and eventually sexually assaulted by an unknown white man.
He said despite extensive efforts by law enforcement, no suspects were identified at the time.
However, although initial forensic evidence has been collected and archived and a DNA profile has been generated, no match has been found to date, Gulluni explains.
Nearly 24 years later, 48-year-old Jamie Dodge of Brownsville, Maine, was charged with aggravated rape and kidnapping. He appeared before a judge for his arraignment on Wednesday.
Gourni said Dodge was identified using a breakthrough science known as genetic genealogy in forensic investigations.
We are learning more about how this technology works.
He explained: “Genetic genealogy uses aspects of a person's DNA profile, allowing individual trained scientists to match aspects of that person's DNA profile to people with known profiles in a database, and then use that to build a family tree. You can tell us that a particular person is connected to a particular person, in this case our unknown profile, who identified Jamie Dodge as the suspect in the 2000 crime. ”
Gulluni told Western Mass News that the technology has actually been around for several years, but is becoming increasingly reliable and has resulted in several successful prosecutions across the country. .
“The first high-profile case solved using that technology was the Golden State Killer case in 2018. In just five to six years, the technology has evolved, become more efficient, and is now available to more companies. be able to use it and, at some level, expertise.'
Guluni said the cold case unit is actively cleaning up records to see which crimes could be solved through genetic genealogy.
Gulni added that his office now has access to this ever-evolving DNA technology and is working daily to identify cases that have a forensic dimension that can be used to generate new leads. Ta.
He added that the prosecutor's office has cataloged many cold cases in the county dating back to the 1950s.
“The proof is in the fact that just last week, we resolved a case almost 58 years old, and shortly before that, Donald Mars was convicted in court after we prosecuted him. ”
Mr. Gulluni then explained why it is important to never give up on these cases, no matter how bad the situation gets.
“Whether that offender is still alive or not, those answers matter to the family and they matter to us in the criminal justice system.”
Dodge is being held on $250,000 cash bail in connection with this arrest. His next court appearance is July 11.
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