Reno Serial Rapist's DNA Not on File

While investigating the death of Brianna Denison, Washoe County Sheriff Mike Haley last month asked for public donations to help eliminate a backlog of nearly 3,000 DNA samples which had never been processed. Haley received almost $300,000 and processed the backlog of samples, but Denison's killer was not among them.

Denison was abducted from a friend's home on Jan. 20. Her body was found in a field on Feb. 15. She had been strangled and sexually assaulted. The suspect left two pair of panties at the scene -- one containing the DNA of an unknown male and female and another containing the DNA of an unknown female and the DNA of the suspect.

Sheriff Haley hoped to find DNA matching the serial rapist in the backlog of 3,000 DNA samples the county had collected from known defendants, but no match was found.

But processing those sample did produce DNA matches in 30 other unsolved cases going back seven years. Those cases included a sexual assault, a weapons violation and several burglaries and robberies.

The suspect who abducted Brianna Denison is linked by DNA to her murder and to two other sexual attacks against college women in the Reno area. DNA also links the suspect to a burglary of home that took place just hours before Denison was kidnapped.

See Also:
Denison Killer Not in Tested DNA Backlog

Background:
The Brianna Denison Case
Forum:
Discuss The Brianna Denison Case

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