DNA Labs International Utilized M-Vac® Technology to Link Two Decades-Old Cold Cases with Fairfax County Police Dept.

Unlocking Justice with DNA Technology, DNA Labs International Uses M-Vac® System to Provide Results that Ultimately Connects Suspect in Two Cold Cases.

DEERFIELD BEACH, FLORIDA, UNITED STATES, April 12, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- DNA Labs International, a leading privately owned accredited forensic DNA Laboratory, has played a crucial role in connecting two long-standing cold cases in partnership with the Fairfax County Police Department. After decades of uncertainty, DLI used advanced DNA technology to help provide answers to law enforcement, victims, and their families.

The Case of Jacqueline Lard: On November 15, 1986, Jacqueline Lard, a 32-year-old real estate agent from Stafford County, vanished under mysterious circumstances. Following a brutal struggle at her office, her body was discovered by two juveniles under a carpet in a wooded area.

The Case of Amy Baker: In March 1989, 18-year-old Amy Baker disappeared while visiting family in Falls Church, Virginia. Her unoccupied vehicle was found, and a subsequent search by her family led to the discovery of her body in a nearby wooded area.

In 2020, detectives from the Fairfax County Police Department's cold case team collaborated with DNA Labs International to submit evidence from Baker's case for analysis. The breakthrough came through the use of the M-Vac^® System on clothing items related to the case, enabling the collection of sufficient DNA evidence for a profile to be uploaded to the Virginia database. This significant achievement led to linking evidence from the Baker murder to that of the murder of Jaqueline Lard.

Further investigative efforts involving forensic investigative genetic genealogy led to the identification of 65-year-old Elroy Harrison of Stafford County. Harrison was arrested (Stafford County Circuit - Criminal Division, Case Number CR24000329) on March 5, 2024, on multiple charges related to Lard's murder, including first-degree murder, abduction with the intent to defile, and aggravated malicious wounding of Jacqueline Lard, as well as breaking and entering with the intent to commit murder.. The investigation into Baker's murder continues, with further developments anticipated.

“Our detectives leverage DNA Labs International’s technology to solve crimes that occurred decades ago. Cases once deemed cold are revitalized and we are able to hold these often violent criminals accountable,” said Chief of Police Kevin Davis.

DNA Labs International remains committed to supporting law enforcement agencies across the country in solving cold cases and bringing perpetrators to justice, demonstrating the profound impact of using forensic DNA technology in modern policing.

The M-Vac^® System is being utilized by an increasing number of police agencies and crime labs both in the United States and internationally. As investigators are assigned difficult cases, having a tool like the M-Vac^®, immediately available helps immensely. It can collect critical DNA evidence from a variety of surfaces at the crime scene, in the evidence processing facility or in the crime lab. As the world’s most advanced wet-vacuum forensic DNA collection system, the M-Vac^®, opens up cases and evidence to potential DNA profiles that were not available in the past.

Since 2004, DNA Labs International has been providing clients with an exceptional quality service based on open communications, equal attention to the importance of every case, and accurate and reliable results every time. They provide the latest technology available to solve cases, such as Forensic Genetic Genealogy, SpentShell™ for fired cartridge casings, the M-Vac^®, a wet vacuum DNA collection tool, and STRmix^®, a software program that can solve previously inconclusive DNA results. DNA Labs International was the first ISO 17025:2017 and FBI QAS-accredited forensic laboratory processing Forensic Investigative Genetic Genealogy cases from start to finish.

Allison Nunes
DNA Labs International
+1 954-426-5163
clientservices@dnalabsinternational.com
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