getting dna results

[Rebecca]

In the book I'm writing, a woman has hired a private detective to find out who murdered her friend--and other people from her high school circle of friends. She and the detective are staying at her family's farm. One night, someone is sneaking around on the property, and when the detective goes out to investigate, he ends up chasing someone through the woods. The perp leads him to a place where barbed wire strung between two trees. The next morning when he goes out to look at the crime scene, he finds a piece of fabric with blood on it and thinks the person who left the wire cut himself running away. the PI is a former cop who retired rather than take a desk job when he was shot. Is there some way he can get access to the FBI data base to see if the DNA of the blood matches a known criminal? Can someone do this for him?
Thanks,
Rebecca

[John]

I'm assuming there are no law enforcement agencies working on this case, which would be unusual as it seems to be an on-going serial crime. Could be your heroine is not satisfied with the progress or doesn't trust the police.

If the PI is out on his own, the LE labs will not work with him. There are civilian labs that charge a lot of money. They will take the sample, analyze it, then have it compared in state or the FBI lab. (States have DNA labs/databases as well as the FBI, just that the FBI has a more extensive database.

Keep in mind that analyzing for DNA can take weeks depending on the backlog, even in civilian labs. Even if the lab starts the analysis right away, the procedure requires certain waiting periods between steps.

I know California has labs but I would suggest ye olde Internet for details on one that would fit your story and locale.

Good luck Rebecca

[John]

http://www.nfslab.com/about-the-nfsl....

Hey Rebecca, check out this link. May be the answer to the dilemna.

[Denny]

Thank you for creating this group!

My first question is for a story I'm writing about Deputy Sheriff (not working with the FBI initially) who stumbles on a long bone (leg) and rib bone wrapped in parchment. When the bones are discovered - who would take 'custody' of the bones. This is a small town...but the deputy immediately recognizes them as 'human'. (the reason I am asking here is that determining DNA would be a first step - but who gets the bones to the DNA guys? The sheriff? A coroner? And I believe the FBI wouldn't be involved unless the discovery connected to a cold case that linked to a wanted serial killer (or UNSUB - and is that a real term?-:)...Sorry, if any of these questions are off base. Thanks, Denny.

[John]

Hey, Denny. Also depends on the state. Refer to "Sheriffs in the United States" in Wikipedia which has a state-by-state list of how the sheriff's depts work
Remembering that a county has only one Sheriff who is usually elected. Those who work under him/her are the deputies.

Sounds as if the Sheriff's Dept in your story has been contracted to by this small town to be the L.E. agency. The Dept may have its own lab but if not, they would send evidence and drugs to the State Lab.

Most States now have their own DNA lab and the Sheriff's Dept can either ship the bone, but more often will have it personally brought to the lab where it is checked in, insuring the chain of custody sheet is signed and maintained with the evidence.

The State lab conducts an assay on the bone to see if any DNA remains in it. States will check their databases. No match, they will send to the FBI lab.

If your State has no lab, the Sheriff's Dept can certainly send it to the FBI lab themselves after contacting them to see if they'll accept it (which they usually do but at a lower priority). Or, this could be the time they contact the local FBI field office. The FBI opens a companion case for purposes of submitting the evidence but it remains basically a local case.

Again, mail or hand-carry to Quantico, Va. A detailed report must accompany it and of course, the chain of custody form. Remember, if this is a cold case it will sink on the priority level. Give the lab about a 6-8 wks to get it done, even if its a priority.

And don't forget to have your dept check the State missing person reports and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). If you get a possible match, you can get a mitochondrial DNA sequence by collecting a hair sample from a relative to send along to the lab for matching purposes.

This link below is for ancient bones but gives you an idea of the procedure.

http://www.exploratorium.edu/evidence...

Best of luck, Denny.

Oh, and Unsub is a good term, usually an FBI term for "Unknown Subject." Also FNU LNU (First Name Unknown Last Name Unknown). If you deputy has worked with the FBI or gone to the FBI National Academy (reserved for police/Sheriff Dept Lts, Cpts or Undersheriffs). Now an Unsub would be the actual Subject; the bone belongs to John or Jane Doe.

Long winded but hope it helps.

Best of luck

[Diane]

Wonderful information John!

[Denny]

Outstanding. So much great information! Thank you!

[Rebecca]

John wrote: "I'm assuming there are no law enforcement agencies working on this case, which would be unusual as it seems to be an on-going serial crime. Could be your heroine is not satisfied with the progress..."

Yes, heroine doesn't think the cops are doing the job. The answer is good. PI can now explain to the heroine.

[Rebecca]

BTW, I live in a small court of a larger cul de sac. Came home from NYE shopping to see ix police cars lined up in the cul de sac and a cop running around w/ an assault rifle. I suppose i will eventually find out what's going on.
Rebecca

[John]

Certainly will, especially if they're after you