{"id":3309,"date":"2026-07-09T12:05:10","date_gmt":"2026-07-09T12:05:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tucsonmovingreport.com\/?p=3309"},"modified":"2026-07-09T12:05:10","modified_gmt":"2026-07-09T12:05:10","slug":"pima-county-attorney-outlines-challenges-of-prosecuting-sexual-assault-cold-cases-decades-later","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tucsonmovingreport.com\/?p=3309","title":{"rendered":"Pima County attorney outlines challenges of prosecuting sexual assault cold cases decades later"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<section>\n<p>TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) &#8211; New DNA evidence from thousands of backlogged sexual assault kits is reopening cold cases across Pima County, but prosecuting crimes that occurred decades ago comes with significant obstacles.<\/p>\n<p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/tucsonmovingreport.com\/?p=3307\">\u2018No ongoing threat\u2019 after deadly shooting outside Flagstaff apartment<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Pima County Attorney Laura Conover said the passage of time makes an already difficult category of crime harder to pursue in court.<\/p>\n<h3><b>PREVIOUS COVERAGE<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><span><i><u><b>DNA grant leads to convictions in sexual assault cold cases in Tucson<\/b><\/u><\/i><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span><i><u><b>Tucson woman raped as teen gets justice after testing of backlogged sexual assault kit<\/b><\/u><\/i><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u201cTime is not on our side,\u201d Conover said. \u201cWitness memories, witness availability, physical evidence, locating it, finding it again, hoping it hasn\u2019t been destroyed.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3><b>Grief compounded by unanswered questions<\/b><\/h3>\n<p>Conover said cold cases carry a particular burden for survivors.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe grief and trauma of any violent crime is profound and unique in every single case,\u201d Conover said. \u201cBut when a case has gone cold, when it\u2019s nothing but questions and no answers, it\u2019s a harder grief and trauma to get through.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>She said the stakes of leaving sexual assault cases unresolved extend beyond individual survivors.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSexual violence, the data shows us, is often repeated,\u201d Conover said. \u201cThe odds can be higher than other kinds of crime, that the behavior is going to continue, and there\u2019s going to be other victims.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3><b>Grant funds testing of backlogged kits<\/b><\/h3>\n<p>A $1 million grant funded DNA testing of thousands of backlogged sexual assault kits held by the Tucson Police Department.<\/p>\n<p>The testing identified more than 100 alleged serial offenders.<\/p>\n<p>Conover said once a DNA match is made, investigators and advocates work to locate survivors \u2014 wherever they may now live \u2014 to deliver the results.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou\u2019ve got detectives, prosecutors, victim advocates going personally wherever that victim may now be,\u201d Conover said. \u201cGive them massive, life-altering news that the kit has been tested, and finally we\u2019ve got a result, and we\u2019ve got a match, and we may be able to prosecute a case.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/tucsonmovingreport.com\/?p=3305\">Police: Man accused of breaking into Phoenix church, spraying paint on K-9<\/a><\/p>\n<h3><b>DNA evidence strengthens cases<\/b><\/h3>\n<p>Some survivors choose not to pursue prosecution.<\/p>\n<p>For those who do, Conover said the combination of victim participation and DNA results strengthens the case \u2014 both at trial and in plea negotiations.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen they\u2019re faced with their own DNA having been identified, that\u2019s quite powerful in their decision, I think, to take account, to agree to plead guilty, to accept the harm that they caused,\u201d Conover said.<\/p>\n<p>Of the more than 100 alleged serial offenders identified through DNA testing, 14 have been arrested and convicted. Additional cases remain pending.<\/p>\n<p>Conover said the work carries meaning for everyone involved.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s rewarding work, I think, when they get to go to families and say, &#8216; Look, we never gave up. And we finally have a hit,\u201d Conover said.<\/p>\n<h3><b>Additional grants expand testing<\/b><\/h3>\n<p>Following the original $1 million grant, the Tucson Police Department received four additional grants to use advanced testing and technology to identify more suspects.<\/p>\n<p>Are you streaming 13 News?<\/p>\n<p>Watch a free live stream of Tucson Now and 13 News at TucsonNow.Live.<\/p>\n<p>Be sure to download the free Tucson Now app, which you can find on Apple and Google.<\/p>\n<p>If you are using a desktop computer, you can use your mobile device to scan the QR code below.<\/p>\n<p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/tucsonmovingreport.com\/?p=3303\">Former church treasurer accused of stealing more than $400,000<\/a><\/p>\n<p>You can submit your breaking news or weather images here.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>DNA testing of backlogged rape kits has led to 14 convictions, with more cases pending.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3308,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3309","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-interesting"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.6 - 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