DNAPrint Genomics Continues to Support Police in Mammoth Lakes Murder Case
Jan 29 2007, 4:00 AM EST
MARKETWIRE
Jan 29, 2007 SARASOTA, FA MARKET WIRE
DNAPrint Genomics, Inc. (OTCBB: DNAG) today announced its continuing assistance to the Mammoth Lakes Police Department as Dr. Hector Gomez, DNAPrint Chairman and Chief Medical Officer, joined in a special outreach to the Spanish-speaking community in further attempts to find the killer of a woman whose ethnicity was definitively established by the Company's proprietary DNAWitness(TM) product.
Dr. Gomez was featured in a segment of the Univision network program "Aqui Y Ahora" on Thursday, January 18, as he documented the Company's role in the Mammoth Lakes murder case and explained how the ethnicity of the dead woman was identified using DNAPrint's product.
"I was pleased to take part in this outreach to the Spanish-speaking community as a demonstration of DNAPrint's ongoing commitment to the Mammoth Lakes Police Department and to law enforcement agencies in general," Dr. Gomez said. "DNAPrint's support does not end with the taking of samples and the delivery of a report. The Company will assist law enforcement agencies in any way possible to identify suspects and bring them to justice, and this includes reaching out to the media."
DNAPrint's role has been crucial from the beginning, according to Sgt. Paul Dostie of the Mammoth Lakes Police Department. "(DNAPrint's involvement) completely turned our investigation around and opened up a new world to us regarding DNA, in that none of the information DNAPrint provided us is available in any government-run crime lab," Sgt. Dostie said.
Police records in Mammoth Lakes, Calif., note that the remains of a woman were found outside the town in May 2003 and that a preliminary investigation showed that she had been murdered. The corpse was initially identified as the remains of a southeast Asian woman, but Mammoth Lakes police reports show that they used DNAPrint's DNAWitness(TM) 2.5 test to confirm the identification, and that the test contradicted the original finding. Instead, the test showed that the murder victim was 100% Native American.
"When I called the Mammoth Lakes PD to discuss the results, I'll never forget the response from Sgt. Dostie," said Dr. Matt Thomas, DNAPrint's Senior Scientist and Lab Manager. "He asked if I was really sure about the result, because the forensic anthropologist identified her as probably Asian. I assured him that our test results were accurate, and suggested other independent testing that could corroborate our findings. In addition, DNAPrint performed a number of blind samples from Native American and Hispanic groups that Sgt. Dostie collected, all of which were properly identified."
The Mammoth Lakes PD sent hair, bone and mtDNA samples from this case to other experts. The work on these samples has further refined the story in this case and has corroborated DNAPrint's initial results.
"There is solid evidence that DNAPrint's identification kits, when teamed with the Company's extensive ancestry database, are second to none in forensic accuracy," stated DNAPrint President and Chief Executive Officer Richard J. Gabriel. "Investigative agencies from all over the globe, including the FBI with cases in California and Louisiana, and New Scotland Yard in the case of the Minstead Rapist, have relied on our products and our technical support as they attempt to crack difficult cases. DNAPrint stands ready to assist Sgt. Dostie and his colleagues worldwide in solving these heinous crimes."
The Native American woman's description and a police artist's reconstruction of her face were immediately distributed to the media. Mammoth Lakes authorities also contacted the Univision television network. Dr. Gomez, whose native language is Spanish, also responded to a call for assistance in explaining the technology.
"One goal of the investigation was to bring media exposure to the case, specifically Spanish language media," Dr. Thomas said. "A testament to Sgt. Dostie's tenacity in this case has been all the independent and innovative testing he has pulled together, which corroborated our original findings and, better yet, has provided him some very good investigative leads."
The investigation continues, Dr. Thomas said.
DNAWitness(TM) employs patent-pending, database-driven methods to infer elements of physical appearance from crime scene DNA and to allow forensic investigators to "paint" molecular portraits of a suspect. This innovative forensic technology has already been used in some 150 cases, including the arrest and conviction of Derrick Todd Lee for a series of murders in Louisiana and in New Scotland Yard's search for the so-called Minstead Rapist, a serial sex offender who is operating in an area south of London.
DNAWitness(TM) determines the percentage of European, East Asian, Native American, and Sub-Saharan African markers in a person's DNA. This ratio for an individual is termed Bio-Geographical Ancestry (BGA), representing general characteristics that can be matched with a searchable database containing information and photographs collected from samples around the world, leading to more accurate determinations of criminal perpetrators.
Retinome(TM) 2.0 can be combined with the DNAWitness(TM) product to determine a person's eye color. The Company's patent-pending technology identifies additional markers covering newly identified and informative regions of the human pigmentation gene OCA2. The Company has also developed a Retinome 2.0 capillary electrophoresis kit, which permits investigators to test Retinome 2.0 in their own laboratories, obviating the need to ship their samples to DNAPrint (though that option is still available).
DNAPrint also is able to perform tests for mitochondrial and Y DNA trace samples or mixtures. DNAPrint and its wholly owned subsidiary Trace Genetics have the largest volunteer Native American databases of DNA.
About DNAPrint Genomics, Inc.
DNAPrint Genomics, Inc. (www.dnaprint.com) is a developer of genomics-based products and services in two primary markets: biomedical and forensics. DNAPrint Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary, develops diagnostic tests and theranostic products (drug/test combinations) using the Company's proprietary ancestry-informed genetic marker studies combined with proprietary computational modeling technology. Computational Biology and Pharmacogenomics services are also offered externally to biopharmaceutical companies. The Company's first theranostic product is PT-401, a "Super EPO" (erythropoietin) dimer protein drug for treatment of anemia in renal dialysis patients (with end stage renal disease). Preclinical and clinical development of all the Company's drug candidates will benefit from simulated pre-trials to design actual trials better and are targeted to patients with genetic profiles indicating their propensity to have the best clinical responses. DNAPrint is proud of its continued dedication to developing and supplying new technological advances in law enforcement and consumer ancestry heritage interests. Please refer to www.dnaprint.com for information on law enforcement and consumer applications which include DNAWITNESS(TM), RETINOME(TM), ANCESTRYbyDNA(TM) and EURO-DNA(TM). DNAWitness-Y and DNAWitness-Mito are two tests offered by the Company. The results from these tests may be used as identification tools when a DNA sample is deteriorated or compromised or other DNA testing fails to yield acceptable results.
Forward-Looking Statements
All statements in this press release that are not historical are forward-looking statements. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected, including, but not limited to, uncertainties relating to technologies, product development, manufacturing, market acceptance, cost and pricing of DNAPrint's products, dependence on collaborations and partners, regulatory approvals, competition, intellectual property of others, and patent protection and litigation. DNAPrint Genomics, Inc. expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking, except as may be required by applicable law or regulation to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in DNAPrint's expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions, or circumstances on which any such statements are based.
Company Contact:
Richard Gabriel
CEO and President
941-366-3400
-or-
Ron Stabiner
The Wall Street Group, Inc.
212-888-4848
SOURCE: DNAPrint Genomics, Inc.
