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State of Tennessee v Steven Townsend
TrueAllele unmixes DNA mixture in child rape case
| Crime | On December 20, 2019 and January 20, 2021, Steven Townsend allegedly committed unlawful sexual acts with a juvenile under the age of 13. |
| Evidence | During a forensic interview, the victim described the douche syringe that was used in the assault. Police collected this item from under the master bathroom bathtub in the suspect’s residence. |
| DNA | The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Nashville Crime Laboratory developed the DNA data from the evidence. |
| Match | The crime lab was unable to interpret the limited DNA profile obtained from the two-person mixture. |
| TrueAllele | On the same DNA data, TrueAllele separated the mixture into a major and minor component. The major component matched the suspect with a statistic of 342 quintillion. The minor component matched the victim with a statistic of 595 million. |
| Cybergenetics | On May 13, 2026, Cybergenetics analyst Kari Danser testified before a Giles County jury about the TrueAllele DNA results. |
| Outcome | The jury found Steven Townsend guilty of 4 counts of rape of a child, 1 count of continuous sexual abuse of a child, and 1 count of incest. His sentencing is set for June 25, 2026 where he faces 15 to 255 years in prison. |
Media
- Minor Hill man charged with child rape - WKRN News 19
- Minor Hill Man Charged With Four Counts Rape of a Child - Pulaski Citizen
- Sex Offender Found Guilty - WKSR