The Washington State Crime Lab reports that by the end of this year, scientists should be able to completely clear out the massive backlog of rape kits that have been sitting on evidence shelves, some for decades.
The crime lab has been using a two-pronged approach to get this done, including outsourcing older kits to out-of-state labs for testing. However, it's the addition of three new machines that has drastically sped up the testing process for new kits coming in."We want to give you the best, most objective test possible," said Yenko.
That's a far cry from 2017, when the Washington State Patrol estimated there were roughly 12,000 outstanding sexual assault kits languishing on evidence shelves statewide.Report: Washington cleared one-third of its untested rape kits, but large backlog remains That's all the more remarkable because the lab is also simultaneously keeping up with new incoming kits, thanks to three state-of-the-art robotic work stations.Dunn gave FOX 13 News a tour of the newly constructed home of the new Hamilton Robots, built in 2020 for roughly $2.2 million.
"I think that gives closure, and that gives answers to the people that these crimes impact most," said Yenko. The sexual assault kits from nearly every law enforcement agency in the state are now being sent to the Vancouver lab. By 2024, the goal is to be able to accommodate testing for all agencies.