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ICYMI: Emergent Synthetic Stimulant Replacing Drug Sold as Ecstasy, Molly
N,N-Dimethylpentylone was first identified in toxicology samples in the U.S. in late-2021. To date, N,N-dimethylpentylone has been identified in 32 toxicology cases, including 26 postmortem. read more
Supreme Court to Hear DNA Appeal in Rodney Reed Case
The Supreme Court has agreed to discuss whether new DNA tests can be carried out in relation to the murder of Stacey Stites in 1996. read more
Ohio Governor Launches Crime Lab Efficiency Program
As part of the new Ohio Crime Lab Efficiency Program, Ohio’s 14 certified crime laboratories will receive a combined total of $10 million to reduce and eliminate backlogs, increase overall lab efficiency, and decrease evidence processing time. read more
Mississippi Autopsy Backlog is Worst in U.S.
An Associated Press analysis based on state data and documents, as well as dozens of interviews with officials and residents, found that Mississippi’s system has long operated in violation of national standards for death investigations, accruing a severe backlog of autopsies and reports. read more
Project Will Guide Decontamination, Recovery after Biological Event
Researchers have been working to identify the best and safest methods to decontaminate bases, stations and vessels should they be affected by a large-scale contamination from a pathogen like the anthrax-causing bacterium. read more
Shifting Attention to the Nation’s Sexual Assault Epidemic
In recognition of the end of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, let’s take a look at some recent sexual assault news and investigations. read more
Southeast Missouri State University Helps Identify 2006 John Doe
The Cold Case Unit of the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office and the Lincoln County Coroners’ Office teamed with the Anthropology Program of Southeast Missouri State University to identify human remains through DNA analysis. read more
Crime Scene Documentation: Weighing the Merits of 3D Laser Scanning
Three-dimensional laser scanning, a type of geospatial technology, has the potential to become a powerful tool in the crime scene documentation tool kit. read more
New Spectroscopy Method Shows Promise for Identifying Individuals in Mass Graves
This approach will allow a team to pinpoint the exact number of individuals in a comingled mass grave and sort them out individually based on bone metabolism. read more
Child Sex Trafficking, Other Criminal Activity Found on OnlyFans
Although not inherently illegal, an unintended consequence of this model is that it affords sex predators, rapists, sex traffickers, and other criminal elements the technological means to profit from their crimes while remaining less visible to law enforcement. read more
What’s Next for Probabilistic Genotyping Software?
Experience suggests PG software will continue to be improved, with creation of a continuum that completes the full workflow from analysis to interpretation and database matching the next logical step. read more
Stay Granted, but Melissa Lucio Faces Tough Fight to Get New Trial
With Melissa Lucio’s execution put on indefinite hold by a Texas appeals court, her attorneys will now be focused on trying to convince a judge to recommend she get a new trial. read more
Tattoos Help ID Body Found in Alabama River 22 Years Ago
DNA identified the body as Daniel Muniz Jr. after his stepdaughter, Amanda Galleher of Tennessee, found photos of the tattoos in a national database of missing and unidentified people. read more
Student Spotlight: FBI Intern Driven to Solve Cold Cases
When Kendall Gehring was in eighth grade, she went on a school field trip to Historic Jamestowne, where she was fascinated to learn about the remains of Jane, a 14-year-old girl who died between 1609 and 1610 and whose bones held evidence of cannibalism. read more
Iowa Treatment Program Shown to Improve Domestic Assault Recidivism
It’s a cognitive-behavioral approach based on a unified model of human development, behavior change and psychological growth. read more