The suspected killer of a 32-year-old woman whose body was found in a Tucson wash has been identified more than a year later through genetic genealogy, Tucson police announced Saturday.
The hunt for Casandra Poole’s killer began on March 13, 2024, after her body was discovered near a wash at East Stella Road and South Wilmot Road, where police were sent to conduct a wellness check. She had been stabbed.
Although a DNA profile was captured following the discovery of Poole’s body, no hits were found in local, state, national and international DNA index systems, police said. Former partners, friends, family members and acquaintances of Poole were also compared to the known sample and cleared.
In mid-2024, the Tucson Police Department contacted the FBI, and the two units spent more than 1,000 hours utilizing genetic genealogy to generate a possible lead.
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They identified Luke Davis, 32, as a person of interest in the case. Detectives later confirmed that Davis’ DNA matched DNA collected at the Poole crime scene, police said. Detectives also learned that Davis had been living approximately one-fifth of a mile from the crime scene at the time of the slaying.
Davis was taken into custody on Thursday, July 24, after a warrant was issued for his arrest on suspicion of second-degree murder. He was booked into the Pima County jail and is being held with no bond.
“The Tucson Police Department extends its sincere appreciation to the FBI, the TPD Crime Analyst, and DNA Technical Leader who collaborated on the case,” TPD said in a news release Saturday. “Their tireless work, contributing approximately 1,000 hours to the genealogy portion of the case, was critical in identifying the suspect and moving the case forward. This investigation highlights the strength of interagency partnerships and the growing role of forensic technology in pursuing justice for victims and their families.”
