Santae Tribble cleared in 1978 murder based on DNA hair test

Santae Tribble was convicted of killing a cab driver in 1978 because of a supposed matched hair in a stocking cap. The killer was wearing a stocking cap that was obtained by the police, and after DNA tests it was determined one hair was Tribble’s. After 28 years he  finally was exonerated due to findings in July that DNA testing during that time was flawed. There were more than 21,000 cases from 1996-2000 that were handled by the FBI, which lacked the proper protocols to definitely determine variations of DNA. In Tribble’s case there were 13 hairs found in the stocking cap, and after re-examination, only three of those were human, none that matched with Tribble. He is now allowed to obtain compensation from the government due to a wrongful conviction. The daughter of the slain cabdriver said her mother would have wanted the police to find the real killer.

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