The National DNA Collection Gap
Missing DNA. Missed Connections. Unsolved Crimes.
Across the United States, DNA samples from qualifying offenders have gone uncollected, untested, or unentered into the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS). These omissions can delay identification of perpetrators, obscure connections between crimes, and leave families waiting for answers. This resource library brings together documented cold case breakthroughs, investigative reporting, scientific research, and policy resources on lawfully owed DNA.
Featured Cold Case Breakthroughs
Hallie Seaman
Hallie Seaman was murdered in Seattle in 1975. Decades later, a DNA profile obtained from executed murderer Charles Rodman Campbell was entered into CODIS and linked to her homicide. The breakthrough demonstrates the value of collecting DNA from qualifying deceased offenders. The case received the 2025 Gordon Thomas Honeywell DNA Hit of the Year recognition.
Laura Ann Aime
In 2010, Tacoma Police detective Lindsey Wade identified that Ted Bundy’s DNA profile was missing from CODIS. She worked with Florida authorities to obtain a sample, and Bundy’s profile was entered into the database in 2011. In 2026, Utah authorities announced a CODIS match linking Bundy to the 1974 murder of Laura Ann Aime. The case illustrates how an offender profile entered years earlier can yield answers decades after a crime.
Read CNN: Ted Bundy linked to Laura Ann Aime (April 2026)
Rodney Halbower — Gypsy Hill Murders
The Guardian / Associated Press | January 2015
DNA collection from a long-incarcerated offender helped connect Rodney Halbower to 1976 Northern California homicides and prompted renewed scrutiny of a wrongful conviction.
Alex Ewing — Colorado Cold Cases
Vocal Media | Case history
After Ewing’s DNA was entered into CODIS, investigators linked him to decades-old Colorado homicides involving the Bennett family and Patricia Smith. This is a secondary account; additional official case documentation is recommended.
Michael Halgren — Susan Lowe Homicide
KIRO 7 News | September 2014
Efforts to collect DNA from previously overlooked civilly committed sexually violent offenders in Washington helped connect Michael Halgren to the 1980 murder of Susan Lowe.
Investigative Reporting
DNA’s Delayed Justice: The Fight to Fill the Gaps in CODIS
Police1 | Lindsey Wade
A firsthand account of efforts to identify missing offender profiles, including Ted Bundy’s, and how lawfully owed DNA initiatives can reopen investigative opportunities.
The DNA Failure That’s Letting Predators Slip Through the Cracks
Police1 | Tony Levatino | June 2025
Examines gaps in offender DNA collection and proposed improvements in auditing, accountability, and collection processes.
Solving the Problem of the Missed Collection of Lawfully Owed DNA
Police1 | Tony Levatino | December 2025
Explores missed DNA collection through cases including Anthony Sowell and Larry McGowan and describes efforts to identify and collect missing offender samples.
A National Disgrace: How Holes in DNA Databases Leave Crimes Unsolved for Decades
NBC News | 2020
A national investigation into missed offender DNA collection and its consequences for unresolved violent crimes. The syndicated Yahoo version is omitted to avoid duplication.
Hidden in Prison: Thousands of Inmates Not in DNA Databases
Corrections1 | 2017
Reporting on incarcerated offenders whose profiles were missing from DNA databases, and how statutory and operational gaps can leave qualifying samples uncollected.
Scientific Research and National Resources
Eligible Offender Samples Are Missing in CODIS: A Statewide Approach to Performing a Lawfully Owed DNA Census
Journal of Forensic Sciences | Orlando C. Salinas | 2024
Peer-reviewed Texas Ranger Division study documenting a statewide audit of lawfully owed DNA. Researchers identified 43,245 people likely eligible for collection between 1995 and 2020. Over four years, the initiative collected 5,183 DNA samples and reported 276 CODIS hits. The study details practical barriers and recommendations for other jurisdictions.
Read the open-access research paper
Beyond the Kit: Lawfully Owed DNA
National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI)
Federal program resources on identifying, collecting, and uploading missing DNA samples from qualifying offenders, with program results and technical assistance.
Lawfully Owed DNA
End the Backlog | Joyful Heart Foundation
Policy research, state-by-state information, and recommendations addressing the nationwide problem of missed offender DNA collection.
Jennifer & Michella’s Law — Washington DNA Collection Statute
Washington State | RCW 43.43.754
Washington law addressing DNA collection from qualifying offenders, including certain deceased offenders, to help close historical gaps in CODIS.
