A Texas lab that's a world leader in specialized DNA testing has stopped accepting samples from outside the state because of funding issues.
The Center for Human Identification at the University of North Texas is dependent upon grants to provide free testing.
This year, the National Institute of Justice did not offer millions of dollars for DNA technology to identify missing people. Money was reallocated to programs that help states track backlogged rape kits instead.
Without the university's services, detectives have had to pay for expensive testing at private labs or submit remains to queues at the FBI. Others have stored samples and suspended investigations until testing resumes.
That means family members of missing and unidentified people are waiting longer for cases to be solved.
