Member-only story
DUI DNA Nabs Suspect in Murder of Allison Feldman
On February 17, 2015, Allison Feldman was found dead in her Scottsdale, Arizona, home. Her boyfriend entered her home near Pima and Thomas Roads to find her deceased.
Allison was a burn and trauma specialist. More than 600 people attended her two memorial services. One was held in Arizona and another was held in Minnesota. Allison’s family members stressed that hundreds of people loved Allison because she was so quick to help others — even before she helped herself.
The Scene of the Crime
Allison’s killer assaulted her with a glass bottle before strangling and bludgeoning her. He then tried to use bleach or chlorine to clean up the scene, but he did not do a very good job. His DNA was found on the bottle, furniture, and a knob.
Initially, authorities believed Allison had been murdered by somebody she knew, but no leads emerged. For three years, investigators had nothing in spite of the DNA they had.
Familial DNA Leads to a Suspect
The use of familial DNA is highly controversial, and not every state allows investigators to use it to seek suspects in crimes. The process for Scottsdale officers to begin using familial DNA in this case was difficult. But eventually, it worked out.
