TrueAllele solves 1963 Winnebago cold case using “inconclusive” DNA

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Ohio v Slater Howell III

Cleveland killer convicted after TrueAllele analysis of complex DNA

Crime On April 7, 2014, a person killed gas station clerk Babul Kumer Saha before subsequently robbing the store.
Evidence DNA samples were collected from several items around the gas station, including a gas pump button, a plastic bag, and a lottery cash register slot.
DNA The Cuyahoga County crime laboratory developed DNA mixture data from the collected items.
Match The lab’s manual method of analysis was unable to help the crime lab draw conclusions from the complex mixture data.
TrueAllele The computer separated out the 7-person DNA mixture data to find that Slater Howell III, a new local gang prospect, matched the bag with a match statistic of 98 thousand.
Cybergenetics    On September 7, 2017, DNA analyst Jennifer Hornyak testified about the computer’s results before a Cuyahoga County jury.
Outcome On September 12, 2017, the jury found Slater Howell III guilty of all charges. On November 14, 2017, Howell was sentenced to life in prison for Saha's homicide and the murder of a Cleveland firefighter, a charge to which he plead guilty.
Media

  • Photos show suspect in deadly gas station shooting FOX8
  • TrueAllele interprets 7-person DNA mixture in gang killing Cybergenetics Newsroom
  • Man accused of murdering Cleveland firefighter, found guilty of murdering gas station clerk Cleveland19
  • Man convicted of killing Maple Heights store clerk to ‘earn bones’ for Heartless Felons Cleveland.com