Us Senator John Cornyn (TX) | Ballotpedia
Us Senator John Cornyn (TX) | Ballotpedia
U.S. Senators John Cornyn and Peter Welch have introduced the Carla Walker Act, a bill aimed at supporting forensic genetic genealogy (FGG) DNA analysis to help solve cold cases. The legislation is named after Carla Walker, a Fort Worth native whose murder was solved 46 years later using this technology.
Senator Cornyn emphasized the impact of FGG DNA analysis in solving Walker's case, stating, "46 years after Carla Walker’s tragic murder left her family desperately seeking answers, her killer was finally identified and brought to justice thanks to advanced FGG DNA analysis." He expressed pride in introducing the legislation to provide resources for families seeking resolution.
Senator Welch highlighted the advancements in forensic DNA technology, noting its role in providing answers and clearing wrongly accused individuals. "Our bipartisan bill will help investigators across the country harness the incredible power of FGG technology to crack cold cases and deliver justice to countless victims and families," he said.
The traditional method of forensic DNA profiling involves searching for matches between crime scene samples and known offenders using 13-20 Short Tandem Repeat (STR) markers. In contrast, FGG technology examines over half a million Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs), allowing investigators to build family trees that can identify suspects.
Carla Walker was abducted from a bowling alley parking lot in Fort Worth on February 17, 1974. Her body was discovered three days later. Despite collecting some forensic evidence at the time, limited technology prevented solving the case until nearly five decades later when FGG DNA analysis led to identifying Glen McCurley Jr. as her murderer.
The proposed Carla Walker Act would establish a pilot program making FGG DNA analysis more accessible for investigative agencies. The goals include resolving unsolvable cold cases, identifying criminals, seeking justice for unidentified victims, exonerating wrongly accused suspects, and bringing closure to victims' families.
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