Episode 220 | Just Solving Cold Cases with Forensic Genetic Genealogy

Leighton D’Antoni has spent the last 7 years as the Chief for the Dallas County District Attorney’s (DA) Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) specializing in cold case sexual assault homicides, sexual assaults and serial rapists identified through the testing of untested sexual assault kits. The Dallas County DA’s SAKI Team has identified over 75 serial offenders accounting for cases involving over 300 victims. Leighton has taken 12 serial offenders to trial, each resulting in convictions. In 2019, Leighton tried the longest delayed capital murder trial in Texas history of 30 years. The defendant was convicted and received a life sentence. In the summer of 2020, Leighton spearheaded a multiple agency task force, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Dallas Police Department, in the investigation of a prolific cold case serial rapist from the early 1980’s. Using forensic genetic genealogy (FGG), a suspect was identified and arrested. The suspect later confessed to committing over 30 home invasion aggravated sexual assaults. It was the first time in Dallas County history, a suspect was identified, arrested, and convicted using FGG. Leighton serves on the State of Texas Governor’s Sexual Assault Survivors’ Task Force, establishing a survivor-centered, trauma-informed response to sexual violence. Leighton represents SAKI nationally as an expert instructor for cold cases, serial killers, serial rapists, and DNA for the Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), and the FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit. He is Department of Justice-BJA certified in forensic genetic genealogy training. Leighton serves as a faculty member for the State Bar of Texas Advanced Criminal Law Conference and will be featured in A&E’s new series Interrogation Raw (Fall 2022).