News Release - Palm Bay Lodis Project Makes Major Breakthrough in Use of DNA

In a first of its kind test project to build a Local DNA Indexing System (LODIS), the Palm Bay Police Department has proven results that the database works. DNA samples taken from three separate and seemingly unrelated crime scenes have led to the identity and subsequent arrest of a suspect that would otherwise not have been captured. Joseph Barbour (dob 2-26-1988) now faces charges in connection with two vehicle burglaries, two residential burglaries, grand theft, petit theft, and fraudulent use of a credit card that was stolen during one of the burglaries. “This is a major breakthrough in police use of DNA to solve crimes,” said Chief Bill Berger. “This will have nationwide impact in that it changes the use of DNA to become an investigative tool as opposed to a resource used only to validate a criminal case for prosecution.”

In May of 2007, Officer Jeff Reardon obtained a swab from a drop of fresh blood at the scene of a vehicle burglary where the radio was torn from the dash. The sample was sent to DNA Securities, Inc, a North Carolina based company working with the Palm Bay Police Department to build the LODIS database. In June, Officer Ken Shedrick processed the scene of another vehicle burglary in which DNA was obtained from an unknown suspect simply touching the vehicle. In August, a swab was received from a subject involved in a stabbing at a neighborhood convenience store. Upon processing the blood samples from the stabbing for DNA, the DNA Securities lab notified the Palm Bay Police Department that the profile of the stabbing victim resulted in a perfect match to the DNA profiles obtained in the two auto burglaries. Joseph Barbour was then arrested and during an interview with a detective, Barbour admitted to both vehicle burglaries, the two home burglaries and the fraudulent use of the credit card.

“This case highlights the unprecedented use of DNA as a tool for police to solve everyday crime at the local level, not just a confirming process to be used in trial,” said Major John Blackledge of the Criminal Investigations Division. “The creation of this database has resulted in more than 39 matches that have solved or confirmed the resolution of criminal cases in less than six months!”

The Palm Bay Police Department and DNA Securities, Inc. are currently awaiting approval of a federal grant to fund the experiment for an additional year. “We set out to demonstrate the ability for DNA analysis to track criminal activity and identify suspects at the community level during active crime scene investigations,” said Dr. Brian Meehan of DNA Securities, Inc., the inventor of LODIS. “The time is right and the technology is right. By collecting DNA evidence from all crimes within a community we are able to create a web of criminal activity committed by suspects. This DNA web connects multiple crime scenes to a suspect, providing insight into crime patterns, and allowing officers to press multiple charges against suspects. Thanks to advances in forensic DNA technology, this project brings the DNA process to into a proactive role in crime investigation and prevention.”

The LODIS project began last February with DNA being obtained from virtually every crime scene. It has significantly sped up the process. Typically law enforcement relied on the Combined DNA Identification System, (CODIS) which is the national DNA database that is limited to the most serious offenders and not accessible to patrol officers and detectives working general crimes.

“This gives us the ability to solve more crimes that are affecting more people,” Berger said. “The results we are now seeing promise to make a huge impact in the safety of our community.”

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Yvonne Martinez

Public Information Coordinator
Phone (321) 952-3456 ext. 4678
Cell (321) 426-5194
130 Malabar Road
Palm Bay, FL 32907

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