NCJ Number
163580
Journal
Canadian Society of Forensic Science Journal Volume: 29 Issue: 1 Dated: (March 1996) Pages: 13-19
Date Published
1996
Length
7 pages
Annotation
A short tandem repeat (STR) quadruplex originally developed by the Forensic Science Service in the United Kingdom was used by Canada's Centre of Forensic Sciences to generate DNA profiles from microscope slides prepared 13 years ago from vaginal swabs of a murder victim.
Abstract
In 1983, the victim left her apartment building to go to a nearby store. She failed to return to the building and her body was discovered the next day. The cause of death was reported as manual strangulation and she had been sexually assaulted. Although several suspects were originally investigated, no charges were filed. Differentially stained spermatozoa were identified on three microscope slides prepared from swabs taken from the victim's body. Two swabs were from the high vaginal area and one was from the vaginal orifice. These three microscope slides were selected for extraction and DNA analysis. A complete profile for the victim was obtained from the epithelial fractions and a mixture of the victim and another individual was detected in sperm fractions. Samples obtained from the microscope slides yielded one complete STR quadruplex profile and one partial profile. Results suggested that microfiltration of DNA may sometimes be required to overcome inhibitors of polymerase chain reaction techniques. 12 references and 2 figures