DNA helps put serial burglar behind bars

CHARLOTTE- A serial burglar is back behind bars thanks to his DNA. Charlotte Mecklenburg Police just arrested a man, months after they say he broke into a business in West Charlotte. DNA links him to the crime.

Jimmy Clinton Johnson is just one of the latest suspects identified through DNA. CMPD said he allegedly broke into a trophy shop in West Charlotte back in August. Crime scene investigators collected and analyzed blood from the inside of the front door. CMPD cant comment specifically about this case, because it is pending but did speak about how DNA is used to solve a case.

"DNA is considered the gold standard as far as forensic science goes, said the Director of the CMPD Crime Lab, Matt Mathis. It's a great tool, very reliable, and based on very solid science."

Mathis says CMPDs crime lab is the second largest in the state and they test about 800 cases per year for DNA. Johnson's was in the system from an earlier conviction, and came back a match.

"Sometimes the only thing missing is the who, said Mecklenburg County Prosecutor, Spencer Merriweather. DNA can be that tool that helps us fill in the who. It can help answer that question for us."

Merriweather said DNA can be crucial to getting a conviction in many cases. And the more samples that are collected and compared, the more cases that could get closure, no matter how old they are.

"A person can't outlive the evidence, added Merriweather. The evidence is going to be there, it may not be tomorrow, two weeks from now, two years from now."

Merriweather said DNA can also be used to prove someone's innocence.

North Carolina now collects DNA when certain violent offenders are arrested. The Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office says it collected more than 1,400 samples last year. They were sent to the SBI to be analyzed and placed in the database.

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DNA helps put serial burglar behind bars