FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday, Sept. 16, 2024

Contact: Tony Mangan, Communications Director, 605-773-6878

PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley announces that the South Dakota Forensic Lab has identified a DNA sample that was collected from an attempted rape in 2022 that occurred in South Dakota, and which has now allowed the case to be reopened.

“The DNA and the State Forensic Lab’s work is a significant break-through in solving a violent crime and protecting victims in South Dakota,” said Attorney General Jackley. “Our South Dakota Forensic Lab sets the national standard, is one of the only state labs with contracts to complete FBI evidence testing, and often handles the challenging cases from other states.”

South Dakota’s Forensic Lab, which is part of the Attorney General’s Office, provides scientific services to all law enforcement agencies in the state. Services are provided in Biology, Fingerprints, Firearms and Toolmarks, and Shooting Incident Re-construction.

The lab also oversees the state’s Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), a database made up of forensic and offender DNA samples managed by the FBI.  Approved law enforcement agencies in all states participate in the CODIS program which allows for state and national searches of DNA profiles to occur. 

There are two main types of DNA profiles that are entered into CODIS: Those developed from crime scene evidence, and those from known samples of individuals collected by state statute at the time of arrest or conviction.  DNA profiles are developed from evidentiary items and if appropriate, are entered into CODIS.  The database samples from offenders are entered as they are collected.

Once a DNA evidence profile has been entered into CODIS, it continually searches against new database samples as they are entered.  This allows for previously unsolved cases to be solved once that individual is arrested on an unrelated offense.

South Dakota’s Forensic Lab recently used the CODIS system in the investigation of the attempted rape case in South Dakota that occurred in 2022. The subject left behind an object that was swabbed for DNA.  A DNA profile was developed that was put into the CODIS database with no matches occurring for the last two years.  In the meantime, lab staff in coordination with law enforcement were exhausting all resources to attempt to identify the DNA profile found on the item. 

Recently, an offender sample was added to the database, and there was a match to the 2022 attempted rape case.  Law enforcement was made aware of this investigative information which allowed this case to be reopened with new information. This case is currently pending. No further details of the case are being released at this time.

“The cooperation between the Forensic Lab and South Dakota law enforcement agencies is a major reason so many investigations are successful,” said Attorney General Jackley.

The Forensic Lab handles about 2,000 cases a year.

                                                                           -30-