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Nearly 12 years after the initial report, a Wisconsin man has been arrested for alleged sexual assault after a DNA sample matched in the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), the FBI’s powerful database used to solve crimes across the United States.

The 2013 Assault Case

According to the Madison Police Department, officers responded to a 911 call shortly after 2 a.m. on November 3, 2013. A woman reported she had been sexually assaulted in the 200 block of South Hancock Street after leaving a concert. She became separated from friends and was attacked in a parking lot by a man who initially appeared to be offering help.

Police collected DNA evidence from the assault kit and uploaded the profile to CODIS in December 2013. For years, the profile generated no matches. That changed in 2025, when investigators received a hit in the national database linking the case to 39-year-old Nathaniel Stabler.

Authorities drafted probable cause for second-degree sexual assault, and Stabler was arrested and booked into the Dane County Jail. His bond was set at $300,000 during a September 8 court hearing.

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What is the Combined DNA Index System?

The Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) is a nationwide network that allows federal, state, and local forensic laboratories to compare DNA profiles. According to the FBI, CODIS is both the software that runs DNA comparisons and the program supporting the databases.

One component of CODIS is the National DNA Index System (NDIS), which houses DNA profiles contributed by forensic labs nationwide. CODIS searches link DNA evidence from crime scenes with profiles of convicted offenders, arrestees, or even other crime scenes.

As the FBI explains, CODIS was designed to “compare a target DNA record against DNA records in the database.” Once a hit occurs, laboratories confirm the match, and law enforcement can use the information to establish probable cause for charges.

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How DNA Matches Solve Crimes

DNA evidence from sexual assault kits often provides the crucial link between an unknown perpetrator and prior records in CODIS. When matches are confirmed, investigators can tie suspects to multiple cases or directly identify an offender.

As one forensic expert explains:

“CODIS is not just about identifying one suspect—it can link unsolved cases together, giving police leads they never would have developed otherwise.”

In Stabler’s case, years of dormancy ended when the database produced a hit, allowing Madison police to connect him directly to the 2013 assault.

CODIS Archive — LE

CODIS and NDIS Fact Sheet — FBI

Moving Toward Trial

Stabler has been officially charged in court, with prosecutors emphasizing that DNA evidence will be central to the case. Police note that without CODIS, the investigation may have remained unresolved.

The arrest highlights how technology continues to reshape law enforcement. As Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes put it:

“This case demonstrates the importance of DNA technology in securing justice for survivors, no matter how much time has passed.”