Breakthrough DNA Technique Could Help Solve Cold Cases Involving Rape, Murder

A breakthrough DNA-testing technique that helped catch the killer of a retired postmistress 12 years after she was murdered, might help solve hundreds of cold cases, a report in The Telegraph has claimed. Scientists claim that Y-STR analysis, a novel DNA-testing technique that detects tiny fragments of male DNA, could be a game-changer in solving cases including murders and rapes.

The body of Una Crown was discovered at her bungalow in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire in January 2013. She had been stabbed four times and her throat had been cut. David Newton, one of the main accused was arrested and released the same year. However, he was charged in April 2024 after the new technique was used to re-examine DNA evidence taken at the scene.

The Y-STR method was used to match Newton's DNA to samples taken from the 86-year-old widow's bloodied fingernails after she died. Eventually, Newton was found guilty in February 2025 with the court ordering a life sentence where he has to serve at least 21 years behind the bars.

How does it work?

The Y-STR technique works by zeroing in on the characteristics of the Y-chromosome which is only present in the DNA of human males.

Unlike DNA-7, the common method used in criminal cases, Y-STR is able to pinpoint male DNA when it is mixed in and masked by, large amounts of female genetic material -- making it useful in cases of rape and serious sexual assault.

"Y-STR is such a powerful technique in our fight against violence against women and girls. I think we could solve hundreds more cases," said Dr Debbie Sharp, from the Forensic Capability Network (FCN) in the UK.

Also Read | Love Motel Converted To Funeral Home In Japan Amid Population Crisis: "Metaphor Of Decline"

At present, the only way of discovering who an unknown Y-STR profile from a crime belongs to is to swab individual suspects or carry out a mass screening programme.

Dr Sharph is leading the programme to increase the statistical certainty of Y-STR testing. The project, known as "Swab Out Crime", already has 4,000 Y-STR specimens taken from men's saliva - but needs at least 6,000 more.

"We don't even ask donors for their names or their dates of birth. We only ask for information about ethnicity and place of birth for the donor and a couple of their male relatives," said Dr Sharp.

The long-term aim is to establish a database of Y-STR profiles so that it can be automatically searched for a potential match with Y-STR obtained from a crime scene or a victim.