Monday, December 19, 2005
New applications for DNA testing
SARATOGA SPRINGS -- Deer DNA unlocked the case of a hunter who murdered another hunter and then took his kill on a Pennsylvania farm in 1997. A Saratoga Springs laboratory that specializes in animal DNA, or genetic code research, turned the key.Therion International on Phila Street determined that venison steaks and chops in the freezer of 60-year-old Lawrence J. Cseripko matched deer entrails found near where Paul J. Horvat Jr. was killed in Menallen Township, about 45 miles south of Pittsburgh, Penn.
If you read the whole article you will see that the tissue samples were collected from the man's freezer in 1998, and that the intervening years were spent building a database of deer DNA so as to be sure that a positive match had in fact been made. I read that part with some relief, since the first section left me wondering why this guy still had meat in his freezer 8 seasons after the kill.
Tigerhawk has periodically posted on some of the ancient artifacts discovered in his kitchen cabinets and I can't help wondering what secrets might be potentially unlocked in his next discovery.
4 Comments:
By 
joated, at
Mon Dec 19, 09:43:00 PM:
I'm sure the police took samples of the venison in '98 when they went looking for a weapon. It wouldn't be difficult to get a warrant when the guy 1-threatened to kill the victim 2-was seen entering the same area as the victim 3-was the only one to exit the area
The reason for the delay was to insure that the deer's DNA was sufficiently unique so they had to collect and test some two dozen deer from the area over the next few years.
By Cassandra, at
Tue Dec 20, 05:21:00 AM:
...a database of deer DNA...
Ladies and gentlemen, this is your tax dollars at work :)
Heh. Sorry.
By TigerHawk, at
Tue Dec 20, 07:59:00 AM:
Well, it could come in useful in clearly up all those cervine paternity lawsuits. That's become a huge problem here in New Jersey, where we have a great many deer of uncertain parentage and way too many trial lawyers.
By John B. Chilton, at
Tue Dec 20, 09:48:00 AM:
Along the same lines:
It's a fur cop!
Via Fark, of course.
