Home / Crime and Justice / DNA Solves 25-Year-Old Assault Cases
DNA Solves 25-Year-Old Assault Cases
3 Sep
Summary
- DNA evidence linked a man to two attempted sexual assaults from 1999 and 2000.
- Advances in forensic technology were crucial in solving these cold cases.
- The convicted man received a 15-year prison sentence for attempted aggravated sexual assault.
An Austin-area man, Michael Lance Gamez, 51, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for his role in two attempted sexual assaults that occurred in 1999 and 2000. The initial attacks involved women who did not know each other, with one incident happening at a park and ride in Northwest Austin in September 1999, and the other at an apartment in North Austin in February 2000.
Investigators collected forensic evidence at both crime scenes but could not identify a suspect at the time. In April 2000, the Texas Department of Public Safety noted that DNA profiles from both cases matched, indicating the same individual was responsible. Investigators continued to preserve and review the evidence over the years.
In October 2023, DPS identified Gamez as a DNA match. Following a DNA search warrant and sample collection, the lab confirmed the match in October 2024. Gamez was arrested on November 15, 2024. He pleaded guilty on May 26, 2026, to one count of attempted aggravated sexual assault and was sentenced on August 3, 2026. This resolution highlights the enduring power of DNA evidence in solving crimes long after they occurred.
