| Crime |
On April 18, 2020, police responding to a report of a shooting in southeast Washington, D.C. found Toussaunt Strong shot and unconscious. He later died at the hospital. |
| Evidence |
Investigators recovered a gun and magazine in connection with the case. |
| DNA |
The DC Department of Forensic Science performed DNA testing on the gun and magazine to produce electronic DNA data. A private DNA laboratory generated defendant Ravel Mills DNA profile. |
| Match |
The private laboratory compared the DNA mixture data to the defendant’s profile. The lab concluded that Mr. Mills was excluded as the major component of both DNA mixtures, but was unable to make conclusions regarding the minor contributors. |
| TrueAllele |
TrueAllele statistically excluded Ravel Mills from all DNA components (major, middle, and minor) from both the weapon and magazine. The exclusionary match statistics ranged from one over 72.8 million to one over 36.1 duodecillion (a 1 followed by 39 zeros). |
| Cybergenetics |
Before trial, TrueAllele withstood a federal admissibility challenge. On September 21, 2023, Cybergenetics analyst Jennifer Bracamontes testified before a Washington, D.C. jury about the TrueAllele DNA results. |
| Outcome |
On October 4, 2023, the jury found Mills guilty of second-degree murder while armed and other firearm related offenses. On February 22, 2024, Mills was sentenced to 29 years in prison. |
