Tennessee sexual assault test wait times nearly cut in half

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WDEF) — The average turnaround time for DNA results in sexual assault cases has decreased substantially in Tennessee in the past year.

According to a Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) report, the Tennessee crime lab is returning those results in an average of 22.7 weeks now, or about six months.

In August 2022, they reported it took 45.4 weeks, or around 11 months.

(TBI)

The TBI has nearly cut their turnaround time in half.

Senator London Lamar sponsored legislation requiring the TBI to start documenting a quarterly report on sexual assault test times.

According to Senator Lamar, he filed this legislation following the murder of Eliza Fletcher.

Lamar explained that the man accused of kidnapping and killing Fletcher positively matched a DNA test from a separate sexual assault case. That case happened a year prior to her disappearance. Yet, those test results did not come back in time for police to take action before Fletcher’s murder.

“We filed this legislation because victims of sexual assault deserve transparency and accountability from the state, and an 11-month wait time for DNA test results is an unacceptable threat to public safety,” said Senator Lamar. “A six-month turnaround time is still not where we need to be, but the TBI is making clear progress.”

Senator Lamar says the TBI is hiring new positions in their crime labs to help reduce these test processing times.

The Bureau performs blood and DNA testing at three crime locations, in Nashville, Knoxville and Jackson. They are also outsourcing some testing to a Florida company, according to the TBI report.