The Dallas County Criminal District Attorney's Office, led by John Creuzot, has received two significant federal grants totaling $3,866,232 to enhance justice for victims of violent crimes. The funding includes $2,366,241 to establish the Dallas County Cold Case Initiative Project and $1,499,991 to continue support for the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI). These grants will fully fund both programs for the next three years, bolstering efforts to resolve cold cases and secure justice for survivors of violent crimes.
"This grant money will allow us to apply more resources to solve more violent crimes and solve them faster than ever before," said Creuzot. "This is an incredibly profound time for the people of Dallas County to finally get justice for some of the worst crimes committed against our citizens."
The Cold Case Initiative Project will operate through two specialized units. The SAKI Unit will continue its focus on cold case sexual assaults, while a new Cold Case Homicide Unit will be established to address unsolved murders.
Dallas Police Department records indicate over 3,000 cold case homicides in the county, many with suspected sexual motivations. To tackle this backlog, the District Attorney's Office will lead a Violent Crimes Cold Case Taskforce in collaboration with the Dallas Police Department, the Dallas Area Rape Crisis Center, The SANE Initiative, the Southwestern Institute of Forensic Sciences, and other law enforcement agencies.
The Cold Case Unit will include a team of two prosecutors, an investigator, a victim advocate, and a site coordinator dedicated to investigating and prosecuting unsolved crimes. A victim advocate will provide trauma-informed support and services to families of homicide victims throughout the justice process.
Since its formation in 2015, the SAKI Task Force, led by ADA Amy Derrick, has investigated 375 cases, prosecuted 121, and identified more than 90 serial offenders linked to over 600 victims. "The SAKI Task Force has been instrumental in ensuring justice for survivors of sexual violence," said Derrick.
The SAKI grant funding will sustain the task force's personnel, including two investigators, two prosecutors, a victim advocate, and a site coordinator, who continue to track DNA testing, investigate cases, and prosecute offenders.
The Dallas County District Attorney's Office plans to use the federal grants to leverage advanced technology like Investigative Genetic Genealogy to close cases that have remained unsolved for decades. These efforts reinforce its commitment to delivering justice for victims, protecting the community, and addressing a backlog of violent crime cases.
