Murder of Rikki Neave

UK Police Use STRmix™ to Resolve 1994 Murder of Six-Year-Old

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星期三, 二月 8, 2023

WASHINGTON, Feb. 8, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- STRmix™ – sophisticated forensic software capable of resolving mixed DNA profiles previously regarded as too complex or degraded to interpret – has played a key role in solving the 1994 murder of a six-year-old in the UK.

Key Points: 
  • Using STRmix™ to analyze DNA left on the clothes of Rikki Neave, the UK's Cellmark Forensic Services was able to provide a link for James Watson, now 41, to his murder.
  • Watson, who was only 13 when he strangled Neave and left his body in a wood in Peterborough, has been sentenced to life in prison.
  • Using STRmix™, Cellmark was able to analyze the mixed DNA profiles obtained and provide a link to Watson, who was later charged with the murder (England and Wales, Central Criminal Court, #T20207051).
  • "Ultimately, a combination of evidence from DNA, post-mortem, soil samples, eyewitness testimony, and his [Watson's] changing accounts proved overwhelming."