WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — A decades-old sexual assault case has been solved through a DNA test, West Palm Beach police say.
According to investigators, in 1995, a 14-year-old girl was at her school bus stop when a man offered to give her a ride to school.
She got in the man's car, but instead of taking her to school, he sexually assaulted her.
West Palm Beach police said on Wednesday that a DNA test recently completed by the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office identified the suspect as Jeffries Jackson. He was taken into custody with the help of the U.S. Marshals Task Force.
Police said Jackson will face a judge on Thursday morning.
The break in the case came after police submitted DNA from a rape kit to a national data base that contains DNA sample from law enforcement across the country.
"Lately we've been getting back more DNA notches. Thankfully we have a great lab here locally that we can send out DNA evidence to, and it's proven to be a successful outcome in a lot of these cases,” said police spokesman Sgt. David Lefont
A new statewide initiative in Florida provides extra money and resources to police departments that have a backlog of untested rape kits.
A judge set bond at $100,000 during a Thursday morning court hearing.
#happeningnow cold case solved! Thanks @pbso DNA lab. In 1995, the 14-year-old victim was at her school bus stop when the suspect offered her a ride to school but instead drove elsewhere and sexually assaulted her. 24-years later, the suspect is in custody by @USMarshalsHQ #wpb pic.twitter.com/enEYguZIkk
— West Palm Beach PD (@WestPalmPD) June 19, 2019