Wisconsin Man Arrested After 2013 Sexual Assault Case Linked Through Combined DNA Index System
Families Speak Out
Rachel Crafton, whose husband Casey was among those killed, stated:
“Because of systematic failures and reckless disregard for safety, his life, along with 66 others, was taken. Casey was betrayed by this system he trusted — we all were. As his wife, I cannot stand by and allow his life to be lost in vain.”
The lawsuit seeks a jury trial and monetary damages. According to the plaintiffs’ lawyers, cases of this nature typically take two to three years to resolve.
FAA, Airline, and Army Responses
American Airlines responded to the suit by telling ABC News that it has “a strong track record of putting the safety of our customers and team members above everything else” and pledged to cooperate with the ongoing NTSB investigation.
The FAA issued its own statement:
“Our hearts go out to the families who lost loved ones on that tragic January evening. Since the accident, Secretary Sean Duffy and the FAA have acted decisively to make the skies over our nation’s capital safer.”
CODIS and Federal Lawsuit and Investigations
While the lawsuit focuses on air traffic safety, aviation attorneys noted that identification of crash victims often involves the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), the FBI’s national DNA database. CODIS allows forensic experts to match genetic material from remains with existing DNA profiles provided by relatives, ensuring accurate victim identification in large-scale disasters.
