Sorenson Forensics expands operations and brings world

By Peri Kinder | [email protected]

Bonetesting for missing person cases, giving expert testimony, generating DNAprofiles—it's just another day at Sorenson Forensics in Draper. The businessjust announced a $3.4-million investment that will expand its forensicsoperations to make room for trailblazing instrumentations.

"Sorenson Forensics has been rooted in Utah for over 16years," said Kent Harman, CEO of Sorenson Forensics. "We stand tall with aunified vision, renewed in our passion for excellence and an unparalleleddedication to the highest level of quality."

In 2021, the business moved from South Salt Lake and openeda new laboratory in Draper at 11978 S. 700 East, providing efficiency tailoredto the work being done. The investment included a bone pulverizer which is usedto streamline DNA extraction from decades-old cold cases.

Although it's a private lab, Sorenson Forensics analystsoften work with the Utah Attorney General's Office, the FBI, and other lawenforcement agencies from around the country. They provide DNA results that canexonerate or condemn a suspect. In a pro bono case, analysts helped free a manwrongly convicted of sexual assault.

"We’ve had a couple of exciting exonerations from people whowere serving 40 years to life," Harman said. "We went back over old evidence,re-analyzed the DNA and exonerated the sexual assault suspect. Not only that,but we uploaded the info to [the Combined DNA Index System] and got a match tothe perpetrator."

Experts at Sorenson Forensics analyze any type of DNA withprecision. They swab bullet casings to identify drive-by shooters. A spot ofblood on the wristwatch of a suspect was swabbed and matched to the missingperson that law enforcement was searching for. Results were sent to the localagency which got a confession from the suspect.

"This testing eliminates suspects and allows them to move onto another person of interest. Not so much time wasted with the wrong person,"Harman said.

To attract talented analysts from across the country, Harmansaid the new lab had to be ultramodern. The location in Draper is a bonus asrecruits see the recreation and lifestyle available in the area.

Harman is a Draper resident and retired military. His wife,Jami, is an FBI-trained DNA analyst. Together they started a forensics lab inMissouri in 1998 which, at the time, opened with the most sophisticatedequipment. Their company merged with Sorenson Forensics in 2018, and Harmantook over as CEO.

"We’re a neutral lab. We’re just about the science. We’reonly going to state the facts, not shade the results," he said.

Audited by the FBI annually, Sorenson Forensics currentlyhas 25 FBI-qualified analysts and hopes to add three more this summer. Eachanalyst can independently run cases, take samples, finalize reports and provideexpert testimony. For more information, visit SorensonForensics.com.

The facility has successfully completed more than 100,000backlog cases, ranging from property crimes, homicides, sexual assaults andother violent offenses. With instruments and testing equipment improving allthe time, Harman expects big changes in the industry.

"Technology right now is on some very fixed equipment," hesaid. "Most DNA testing is performed in a brick-and-mortar lab. Over the next10 years, I see things getting moved down to local agencies. There will becrime scene vans with rapid CNA equipment on board to get faster results."