The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigations has launched a new method of testing DNA that could breathe new life into thousands of cold case investigations.
There are currently 835 unsolved cases at the Columbus Division of Police. The coldest case dates back to 1955.
But in 1975, investigators couldn't even imagine DNA when 14-year-old Christie Mullins was found murdered in north Columbus. Nearly 40 years later, the case remains unsolved. But recently, cold case detectives sent evidence to the BCI crime lab for a new DNA testing process called GlobalFiler.
Attorney General Mike DeWine says GlobalFiler is a big step forward in forensic science. "We're doing things that could not have been done three, four or five years ago,” DeWine explains.
DNA appears as a chain like structure; as older DNA degrades, pieces break off. But now, Globalfiler can read between the lines.
Sgt. Eric Pilya of the Columbus Cold Case Homicide Unit says it’s about putting the puzzle together. “We're looking for smaller pieces that we're still able to see (to give) us a better picture of what we have.”
The family of Christie Mullins, as well as detectives, are praying for a miracle.
A BCI forensic scientist say GlobalFiler is by no means a guarantee, but it is the best shot for cold case families who've waited decades for answers.