Metro lauds grant for DNA funds

Jace Radke

Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2004 | 8:46 a.m.

Trying to identify bodies found in the Clark County desert can be a challenge that can last weeks, months or even years, but Metro Police Homicide Lt. Tom Monahan is hoping federal funds for more DNA testing will help speed the process.

The Justice Department has allocated $758,440 to Metro to help the department through its backlog of DNA samples from 197 active cases and 3,800 DNA samples of convicted felons waiting to be tested and entered into a national database. The samples could help detectives to solve homicides, sexual assaults and other cases.

"Job one for us is identifying the victim, and we're really only in first gear as investigators until we do that," Monahan said. "DNA is a huge advancement for us."

The federal money will be used to purchase new software and equipment and to send some of the backlogged DNA samples for outside analysis, said Linda Errichetto, director of Metro's forensics lab.

Monahan said that being able to process DNA samples quicker helps to keep investigations from going stale, and also helps the victim's family know what happened to their loved ones sooner.

The grant is part of President Bush's $95 million DNA initiative. The Washoe County Sheriff's Office was awarded a grant of $247,357 for its forensics lab.

The grants are being awarded directly to the local jurisdictions through the National Institute of Justice, the research, development and evaluation component of the Justice Department.