7-Jul-2017

Cybergenetics Jennifer Hornyak testifies in retrial of New York gang leader

Schenectady, NY

On July 31, 2015, suspected gang leader Noah Hunter fled from a traffic stop, and dropped a loaded gun. The New York State Police crime laboratory developed DNA mixture data from the gun that they could not interpret. TrueAllele analysis on their data connected the gun to Mr. Hunter with a match statistic of 19.8 billion.

On July 7, DNA Analyst Jennifer Hornyak testified about the TrueAllele statistical results. On July 10, a Schenectady County jury found Mr. Hunter guilty of criminal possession of a firearm in the 2nd and 3rd degree.

Assistant District Attorney Eamonn Neary told Cybergenetics, "You did a great job testifying in this case. When I say I could not have done it without you, I really do mean it." The case was a retrial that had previously ended in a hung jury. "This defendant is the leader of a local gang that has had a measurable impact on the violent crime rate in Schenectady, and according to informants, he is responsible for ordering killings of rival gang members. Your work really does help the people within the community."

• Schenectady man arrested in July gun case - Daily Gazette