Nearly a quarter-century after the brutal murder of Kimberly Simon, her case remains unsolved. Her family believed the case was closed when Steven Barnes was charged with her death and spent almost 20 years in prison. But Barnes’ mother Sylvia never doubted her son’s innocence.
Finally in 2008, after her tireless efforts, advances in DNA testing cleared Steven Barnes of the crime. After nearly 20 years in prison, Steven was a free man.
We’ve talked about the importance of DNA testing here on the AMW Safety Center. For two decades, states have been collecting DNA from convicted felons, and it has provided key evidence in thousands of crimes.
According to the DNA Saves project, arrestee testing can help in numerous ways:
- Catch repeat offenders sooner: Since 1974, more than 90 percent of all state prisoners have been repeat offenders.
- Prevent violent crimes: When violent criminals stay out free on the streets, this places other people at risk as potential victims of crime.
- Exonerate the innocent: As in the case of Steven Barnes, DNA testing allowed for the truth to come out and prove his innocence.
- Reduce criminal justice costs: DNA testing can help to prevent prolonged investigations and save the community money and resources.
In Kimberly Simon’s murder investigation, DNA evidence could have allowed authorities to rule Steven Barnes out as a suspect. Now, 25 years later after the murder, authorities have reopened the case — but they have the difficult task of tracking down witnesses and investigating evidence and locations more than two decades after the crime.
Twenty-one states have already passed laws for collecting DNA samples at arrest. If it hasn’t happened in your state, contact your state legislators today to get them on board. DNA evidence is a very important tool for solving crimes today, helping to protect the innocent and quickly put dangerous criminals behind bars.
