DNA Helps Nab Man in Summer Burglary

By Gregg Hennigan

Tools

By Becky Ogann

Story Created: Mar 5, 2010 at 11:42 AM CST

Story Updated: Mar 5, 2010 at 11:42 AM CST

IOWA CITY - DNA pulled from a cigarette left at a crime scene helped lead to the arrest of a man accused of burglarizing an Iowa City home last summer.

Darryl Jenkins, 43, of Coralville, faces a second-degree burglary charge for the incident.

Police say a man returned to his home on North Johnson Street on June 19, 2009, and saw a man running away. The resident found items from his home missing, including computers and video games. He also found a cigarette butt still burning on the ground next to his house.

Police sent the cigarette to the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation for testing, and a match was through an FBI indexing system. Secondary tests confirmed Jenkins’ DNA was on the cigarette and Jenkins matches the physical description of the suspect, police said.

During an interview with police, Jenkins could not explain how a cigarette with his DNA was found at the home, police said.

Jenkins was in Johnson County Jail Friday on a $5,000 cash-only bond. Second-degree burglary is a Class C felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

Next Article White House Revamping Birth Control Policy

Conversation Guidelines

Be Kind

Don't use abusive, offensive, threatening, racist, vulgar or sexually-oriented language.
Don't attack someone personally. Keep it civil and be responsible.

Share Knowledge

Be truthful. Share what you know and what you are passionate about.
What more do you want to learn? Keep it simple.

Stay focused

Promote lively and healthy debate. Stay on topic. Ask questions and give feedback on the story's topic.

Report Trouble

Help us maintain a quality comment section by reporting comments that are offensive. If you see a comment that is offensive, or you feel violates our guidelines, simply click on the "x" to the far right of the comment to report it.

read the full guidelines here »

Commenting will be disabled on stories dealing with the following subject matter: Violent crime, sexual abuse, Amber Alerts, Operation Quickfinds and suicides.