Jayann Sepich, the mother of slain NMSU student Katie Sepich, speaks today at a news conference in Santa Fe about the new legislation sponsored by U.S. Rep. Harry Teague. (Photo by Heath Haussamen)
Congressman announces legislation at the Roundhouse, where he and others promote the success of Katie’s Law in solving crimes in New Mexico
U.S. Rep. Harry Teague has introduced legislation that would encourage additional states to collect DNA from people arrested for felony crimes so it can be checked against DNA gathered from unsolved crimes.
The announcement that Teague, D-N.M., has introduced a federal version of New Mexico’s Katie’s Law came today at the Roundhouse in Santa Fe. He was joined at the news conference by Lt. Gov. Diane Denish, state legislators and others.
Since Katie’s Law was passed on a state level in New Mexico in 2006, it’s led to 101 successful convictions, Denish said. Some 6,500 felony arrestees have had their DNA entered into the state system, she said, adding that 125 other cases have been “directly aided” by the law.
“The statistics show that Katie’s Law works,” Denish said. “We’re putting away more criminals.”
The law is named for Katie Sepich, who was a 22-year-old graduate student at New Mexico State when she was murdered in Las Cruces in 2003. The crime wasn’t solved until after the state enacted the law mandating that those arrested for felonies have their DNA entered into a state system so it can be checked against DNA from other unsolved crimes.
Twenty-one states and the federal government already have laws that allow their law enforcement agencies to collect DNA from those arrested for felonies, and Teague said a federal law that pushes other states to do the same “could save countless lives.”
“This would allow law enforcement to treat DNA evidence left at the scene of the crime as they do fingerprints,” Teague said.
Financial incentives to states
Teague said his legislation would encourage other states to start collecting DNA by funding 10 percent of the cost of taking DNA samples.
Katie’s mother Jayann Sepich, speaking at the news conference, said such a system will save states money. Katie’s killer was arrested for a separate crime three months after murdering her, but her death wasn’t linked to the killer until 3.5 years later when New Mexico’s law was passed and the DNA could be matched.
In the meantime, law enforcement spent $200,000 investigating Katie’s murder, Jayann Sepich said.
She said the new statistics on how Katie’s law has helped lead to convictions – released today for the first time – prove that Katie’s Law is working.
“We’re so grateful that those monsters are being stopped,” she said.
Teague sounded optimistic about the legislation’s chances in Washington.
“I think the success we’ve had in New Mexico and other places will help us get it passed nationally,” he said.