APD uses DNA to charge burglary suspect

Published 2:50 pm Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Athens Police used DNA evidence to identify and charge a Danville man with burglary, an official said.

Athens Police arrested Troy Allen Smith, 28, of 1609 Kirby Bridge Road, on Tuesday night on a charge of third-degree burglary, Police Chief Floyd Johnson said.

On April 3, police received a call about a burglary at a home in the 11000 block of John Pugh Road in Athens. When officers arrived, they found blood and tracks near a garage window, which the offender broke to enter the residence, Johnson said.

Although the owner initially did not believe anything was missing, he later determined a pressure washer, string trimmer, air compressor and backpack sprayer were missing. Investigators collected blood left at the scene and submitted it to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences for DNA testing, Johnson said.

On Sept. 3, Investigator Brett Constable received the test results on the blood recovered from the burglary, which the forensic lab had identified as Smith’s, the chief said.

Constable picked up Smith after obtaining an arrest warrant.

Smith was booked at the Police Department and transferred to Limestone County Jail.