Katie Sepich, a 22-year-old graduate student at New Mexico State University, was brutally raped, strangled to death, set on fire and abandoned at a dumpsite near her home in August of 2003. Although no strong suspects emerged, skin and blood under her fingernails produced a full DNA profile, which was uploaded to CODIS. In December of 2006, the New Mexico DNA database finally matched the unknown profile to Gabriel Avilla who had been convicted for several other crimes.

If New Mexico had required a DNA sample for Avilla’s felony arrest in November of 2003, investigators might have solved Katie’s murder sooner and caught Avilla before he was able to roam the streets for three years. In January of 2006, “Katie’s Law,” which requires DNA for most felony arrests to be included in the database, was passed by the New Mexico state legislature. Katie’s parents, Dave and Jayann Sepich, have dedicated their lives to passing similar legislation nationwide to prevent other families from ever having to experience the horrific loss they have had to endure.