NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
October 20, 2009
Contact: Michele Nicholson
Public Information Officer
(850) 651-7420
DRUG STORE BREAK-IN SOLVED
Blood collected
off broken glass at the scene of a Mary Esther drug store break-in January 7th
has led to the arrest of a Fort Walton Beach man.
The Okaloosa County
Sheriff's Office has charged 26-year old Evan Murat Strickland of 521 SW Miracle
Strip Parkway with burglary and petty larceny.
Someone entered
the Mary Esther CVS Pharmacy on January 7th by smashing the front door with a
newspaper vending machine. Once inside, he grabbed a twelve pack of beer and
took off.
Blood collected
from the broken glass at the crime scene was sent to the Florida Department of
Law Enforcement Lab for DNA analysis. The DNA profile was entered into CODIS,
the Combined DNA Index System, and a possible match with Strickland was found.
The Sheriff's Office
investigator got a voluntary DNA sample from Strickland and confirmed the match.
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