Valley County, Idaho – A 2005 sexual assault case in Valley County has been solved through DNA analysis, investigators announced.
According to the Valley County Sheriff’s Office, a female victim reported in 2005 that she had been sexually assaulted by an unidentified male but was unable to identify the suspect or provide a precise location. Biological evidence was collected at the time, resulting in a DNA profile of an unknown male suspect. Despite extensive investigative efforts, limited leads caused the case to become inactive.
In 2022, the Idaho State Police received funding through the National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI), administered by the Bureau of Justice Assistance. The grant supported advanced DNA testing and investigative genetic genealogy to analyze previously untested or unresolved evidence.
A multidisciplinary team within the ISP SAKI Cold Case Unit reviewed the DNA profile and developed new investigative leads. A Valley County detective pursued those leads for approximately one year, including traveling out of state to collect additional DNA samples and conduct interviews.
Investigators identified a person of interest who had died several years earlier. Subsequent DNA testing of family members established beyond a reasonable doubt that he was the likely perpetrator, according to authorities.
Detectives notified the victim, who expressed gratitude for closure more than two decades after the alleged assault.
Valley County Sheriff Kevin Coppen said collaboration between local investigators and the Idaho State Police was instrumental in resolving the long-standing case. The outcome highlights the growing role of forensic genealogy in reopening cold cases across Idaho.
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