Tulsa City Council Voting On Funding For Tulsa Police To Test DNA In Cold Cases

The Tulsa City Council is voting Wednesday night to approve whether half a million dollars in federal funding can be used to help Tulsa Police do more DNA testing to solve cold cases.

The city was given the federal grant money to hire a person to help TPD review cold rape and homicide cases.

The federal money would be primarily used to help solve violent crimes, like homicides, sexual assaults, and missing persons cases where investigators suspect foul play.

The federal grant is $533,200 and would fund DNA testing and allow Tulsa Police to hire a person to work with homicide and special victim’s investigators. Right now, the city of Tulsa has about 300 cold case homicides where all investigative leads have been exhausted.

Tulsa Police sex crimes investigators say around 3,000 untested rape kits were found back in 2017, and around 1,300 have been sent off for DNA testing so far. Investigators say they've already solved several rapes in recent years because of the DNA testing. Using this funding, Tulsa Police will see which cold cases could benefit from DNA testing and hopefully help solve cases.

This money would also be used for the Tulsa County District Attorney's office to help prosecute those responsible for the crimes once they are identified.