1993 Austin cold case: Man sentenced after DNA match
AUSTIN (KXAN) — A man was found guilty of two counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child related to a 1993 cold case, according to the Travis County District Attorney’s Office.
Records show 66-year-old Douglas Birden was sentenced to serve 30 years in prison in connection with the two charges.
“This verdict marks the resolution of a case that had remained open for over three decades,” the DA’s office said. “This case highlights the vital role of forensic advancements and the importance of federal grant funding in pursuing justice for survivors of sexual assault.”
The DA’s office said on Nov. 22, 1993, a 13-year-old girl reported a sexual assault to the Austin Police Department, and DNA evidence was collected during a sexual assault examination.
The kit was submitted for testing following the incident, and in July 2020, the match with Birden was found using the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), which compares DNA profiles from forensic cases to offenders convicted of certain crimes.
The DA’s office said Texas DPS’s CODIS laboratory had a DNA sample on file from Birden related to a separate case.
A search warrant authorized the collection of another DNA sample from Birden to confirm the CODIS finding.
“This step was crucial in establishing the link between Douglas Birden’s DNA and the male DNA profile collected at the time of the sexual assault, thereby progressing the investigation and legal proceedings,” the DA’s office said.
According to the office, Birden was arrested in February 2022 and charged with aggravated sexual assault of a child for the offense that took place in 1993.
Birden’s trial began Jan. 14, and on Jan. 17, a jury found him guilty on both counts of sexual assault. He was then sentenced to 30 years in prison.
Since 2017, the city of Austin has been awarded $3 million in Sexual Assault Kit Initiative federal grants.
The funding has gone toward assisting APD in processing untested sexual assault kits, as well as supporting sexual assault victims, ensuring adequate staffing for investigations, prosecutions, and victim services, improving policies and practices related to sexual assault response and increasing public awareness about sexual assault.
