Page 26 - Rape Kit News Today

Fingerprints that matched doug desilvas from the scene never led us to believe that he wasnt the suspect. because a lot of times, we dont find any fingerprints. >> and perhaps the worst piece of news was that desilvas dna profile did not match the evidence collected from kaye robinsons rape kit. >> dna evidence conclusively ruled out doug desilva as being involved in the crime. it was almost like being struck in the head by a 2 x 4. >> we were extremely shocked. it was like someone had punched y...

He pulled up his turtleneck to cover his face. >> when police arrested 40-year-old jonathan graham for peeping into the the window of a teenage girl, they suspected he was more than just a voyeur. in his possession were items for a more violent crime. >> a bag was found with several different kinds of knives, three pair of handcuffs, flex cuffs, condoms, sex lubricants, sex toys, lock picking tool, bandanna, black clothing, which in our business, thats a rape kit. >> police now suspected graham ...

Bennett. >> but this profile was so weak, it would be inadmissible in court. >> it was a partial match, which told law enforcement and told me we were on the right track. we just needed to get a good dna sample from drew planten. >> since planten worked for the state, investigators got permission to search his workplace. mark bodet swabbed his computer keyboard, his radio and other items he handled. dna from those skin cells was compared to the biological evidence from stephanie bennetts rape ki...

Straw out of his drink and put it in his pocket and take it to the bathroom with him. he flushed all of his napkins. >> for dessert, planten ordered banana pudding, which he ate with a fork. >> he took two bites of banana pudding and took a napkin and wiped that fork for about five minutes and left the fork. of course, our investigators took that fork. >> they performed the analysis. >> i got a mixture of dna sampling, meaning there was one strong profile and one weak profile on there as well. >...

Assault, during an attack. >> the hairs were dyed brown. the physical characteristics of the dye and the hairs themselves were consistent with hairs collected from ginger hayes. >> the hairs recovered from the tire rim exhibited the same microscopic characteristics as the known head hair samples coming from the victim. >> during police questioning, investigators noticed some dark brown stains on edwards shoes and clothing. those stains were blood, and the dna profile of that blood was compared t...

Again by what mr. will exhibits? >> absolutely. the only ways able to make that argument is number one, hes probably not spoken to anyone whos actually survived rape. i have. theres nothing privileged about it. if we demystified what a rape kit is, people would uh understand that -- theres nothing -- it sounds benign. its an invasive process in which youre given all kinds of medication, because the doctors are trying to do their due diligence and making sure there are no sexually transmitted dis...

Recognition. he wore a mask and attacked with a knife. megan called the police and demanded they reopen her case. >> i found out on my birthday june 21st, 2012, that his dna was found in my rape kit. >> reporter: anthony aliana, a serial rapist, spending the rest of his life behind bars. megan was his first known victim. he raped six others while her kit sat untested. untested rape kits are a national problem. memphis holds the distinction of having the most untested kit cans in the country. 12,...

At knifepoint. >> i had just been attacked in my home, so i consented to the invasive procedure of a forensic examination on my body. my body was the crime scene. >> woman who describe that as like another assault. >> it absolutely was. >> reporter: that forensic examination is whats called a rape kit. a collection of dna evidence that police can test to identify a rapesist. megans kit was not tested. it sat untouched for nine long years. >> you live like an animal in the wild in survival mode k...

Knowing there is this criminal out there and you are helpless to do anything about it. >> reporter: until 2012. >> tonight at 10:00 -- >> this man is now wanted by memphis police. >> when megan saw a local news report about a suspected rapist. she felt a cold shutter of recognition. he wore a mask and attacked with a knife. megan called the police and demanded they reopen her case. >> i found out on my birthday june 21, 2012 that his dna was found in my rape kit. >> anthony oliano, a serial rapi...

Hundreds of thousands waiting for justice. >> i lost my life for those nine years. >> reporter: in 2003 megan was a memphis area high school student. she loved art. she hoped to be a painter. everything changed one monday afternoon. she just had gotten home from school and letting her dog out when a masked man attacked her at knife point. >> i had just spent time from my home so i -- my body was the crime scene. >> that forensic examination is what is called a rape kit, a collection of dna evide...