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Jamie Dodge, 48, of Brownville, Maine, is charged with aggravated rape and kidnapping in connection with an attack that happened in Holland, MA — which is just outside of Springfield, MA the Hampden County District Attorney's Office said. He was being held on a $250,000 bail.
A woman told police on July 23, 2000, that a man had grabbed her, dragged her into a nearby wooded area, and raped her. She described the man to police, but despite their best efforts, authorities were unable to find her attacker.
But they did collect some of his DNA, the prosecutor said. Technicians tested the genetic material in 2001, but investigators didn't find a match in any police database.
Recently, investigators turned over the DNA sample to Parabon Nanolabs in Reston, VA, and lab techs were able to link it to Dodge using genetic genealogy. The Hampden County Unresolved Case Unit took up the investigation from there.
Headquartered in Reston, Parabon is most well-known for revolutionizing the field of DNA forensics with its Snapshot® Advanced DNA Analysis Platform, the Parabon website says. The software was launched in 2016 and works by unlocking DNA left at a crime scene, according to a video released that year by Parabon.
Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gulluni said this arrest should put fear in anyone who committed a violent crime but has yet to be arrested. Justice is coming, he said.
This arrest marks a significant milestone for law enforcement in Hampden County. For the first time, forensic investigative genetic genealogy has contributed to the arrest of an offender. This technology is a significant investigative tool and it will be utilized with greater frequency. I want to thank the members of my Unresolved Cases Unit, Assistant District Attorney Beth Dunphy Farris, Massachusetts State Police Trooper Thomas Sullivan, Cassidy Seaver and victim witness advocate Deb Chieco for their dedicated work in bringing this offender to justice. To the victim in this case, and to other victims and their families whose cases remain unsolved, this arrest represents hope. It also represents that we do not forget. It is our mission to seek justice for you, we stand with you, and do our best to bring offenders to justice.
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