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Murder - DNA Exposes Serial Killer

By Steven Rodriguez

Los Angeles police recently charged a 72-year-old insurance claims adjuster with the murder of two women in the 1970s and say he may have committed at least 30 rape/murders since the 1970s. Los Angeles’ most prolific serial killer, Floyd Thomas, a twice-convicted sexual offender, was exposed when a sample of his DNA was taken as part of California’s initiative to build a sex offender database. In and out of jail since the late-1950s for rape, sexual assault and burglary, Thomas preyed on elderly women, raping and strangling them to death. Despite protests from privacy advocates, the FBI and 15 states — including California — collect DNA samples from people arrested or detained. Previously, DNA collection used to be limited to convicted felons, but there is a growing movement in law enforcement to collect DNA samples from anyone arrested, the innocent and guilty alike...continue to full post

Full post as published by LA Criminal Defense Blog on May 18, 2009 (boomark / email).