Parents blame money woes in unsolved Yale murder
A handout photo of Annie Le, a Yale University student who was reported missing and whose body was later discovered in the basement of the lab. Credit: Handout
The parents of a Yale University undergraduate killed more than a decade ago have called for more funding of Connecticut's state forensic lab, saying its money woes have hindered investigations old and new.
PHOTOS: Click here to see the latest photos of Raymond Clark, and photos of Annie Le
With the death of Yale grad student Annie Le reviving memories of the 1998 unsolved slaying of Suzanne Jovin, 21, the undergrad's parents are speaking out, saying the Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory's funding problems have prevented it from using new technology to close cases.
"One should not compound the tragedies of Suzanne Jovin, Annie Le, and other victims by failing to apply the necessary recourses for resolving the circumstances of the crimes committed against them," said parents Thomas and Donna Jovin, American scientists living in Germany, in an open letter to Connecticut Gov. M. Jodi Rell.
The Jovins said they learned of the funding problems on a recent trip to Connecticut to check on the probe into their daughter's death. They said they were told by lab officials of "understaffing and inadequate funding" and unspecified other "shortcomings."
"[T]he unit is struggling to satisfy the needs of ongoing and emerging investigations, not to speak of 'cold cases' such as the murder of our daughter," the Jovins said.
In a statement Tuesday, Rell said the state dedicated $2 million in federal stimulus money for solving cold cases, allowing the addition of four new positions at the lab, the retention of 10 more and the purchase of kits for taking DNA samples.
PHOTOS: Click here to see the latest photos of Raymond Clark, and photos of Annie Le
COMPLETE COVERAGE: Click here to read more stories on Annie Le
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'We have to figure out what happened to these people' More than 100 women have been found dead outside on Long Island since 1976. NewsdayTV's Shari Einhorn and Newsday investigative reporter Sandra Peddie have this exclusive story.
