The Lee County Sheriff's Office has added another layer of crime-solving to its arsenal with the public unveiling of a new DNA machine.

At a press conference Thursday Sheriff Carmine Marceno described the new DNA process.

"This machine enables us to run DNA samples in-house and get results in 90 minutes or less," Marceno said. "This technology is a game changer for the Lee County Sheriff's Office. And the time saved is critical to our success in an investigation. What used to take us weeks or months can now be done in about an hour to an hour-and-a-half."

Marceno said the new device will aid the agency in getting probable cause needed to make arrests while investigators wait for testing through FDLE.

"This machine can test DNA swabs, blood, saliva, skin and other body fluids and hair, such as gum, bone tissue, and cigarette butts," the sheriff said. "Virtually any item that would have DNA sample. All of our crime scene technicians are trained on this machine, and we're the only agency in southwest Florida to have this technology and one of the four agencies in the entire state."

Marceno said funds donated by and Dr. Carol Rae Culliton of Cape Coral helped acquire the quarter-million-dollar device.

"When Dr. Culliton steps up and buys that technology, zero cost to the taxpayer. It's a game changer," Marceno said.

Culliton said she was proud to partner with the Sheriff's Office.

"I truly believe in the work you do. And I have in the past and I will do whatever I can to continue to help you," she said. "I live and I work in this community."

The sheriff added that the DNA device was instrumental following Hurricane Ian.

"Post Hurricane Ian this machine was instrumental, after the devastation, in identifying and using that technology to do things that we couldn't have done," he said. "We were able to use the DNA results to bring closure to families that had missing loved ones. We have run 166 samples from approximately 150 cases through Lee County. We are able to run four or five samples during each usage to assist the case simultaneously. And this is huge, homicides, sex crimes, robberies, animal cruelty cases are a small number of types of cases that we used Ande for."

Marceno added that the Sheriff's Office also assisted other agencies all over the state.

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Lee County Sheriff, Carmine Marceno, talks about the new DNA testing unit “Ande” that they acquired with the help of Dr. Carol Rae Culliton. LCSO added another layer of crime-solving to its arsenal with the public unveiling of a new DNA machine. They have ran about 160 samples through the Ande so far. It was even used, recently, to help confirm the identity of Hurricane Ian victims.

Andrea Melendez / WGCU

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Lee County Sheriff, Carmine Marceno, talks about the new DNA testing unit “Ande” that they acquired with the help of Dr. Carol Rae Culliton. They held a ribbon cutting before unveiling the room. LCSO added another layer of crime-solving to its arsenal with the public unveiling of a new DNA machine. They have ran about 160 samples through the Ande so far. It was even used, recently, to help confirm the identity of Hurricane Ian victims.

Andrea Melendez / WGCU

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Lee County Sheriff, Carmine Marceno, talks about the new DNA testing unit “Ande” that they acquired with the help of Dr. Carol Rae Culliton. LCSO added another layer of crime-solving to its arsenal with the public unveiling of a new DNA machine. They have ran about 160 samples through the Ande so far. It was even used, recently, to help confirm the identity of Hurricane Ian victims.

Andrea Melendez / WGCU

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Lee County Sheriff, Carmine Marceno, talks about the new DNA testing unit “Ande” that they acquired with the help of Dr. Carol Rae Culliton. LCSO added another layer of crime-solving to its arsenal with the public unveiling of a new DNA machine. They have ran about 160 samples through the Ande so far. It was even used, recently, to help confirm the identity of Hurricane Ian victims.

Andrea Melendez / WGCU

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Lee County Sheriff, Carmine Marceno, talks about the new DNA testing unit “Ande” that they acquired with the help of Dr. Carol Rae Culliton (right). LCSO added another layer of crime-solving to its arsenal with the public unveiling of a new DNA machine. They have ran about 160 samples through the Ande so far. It was even used, recently, to help confirm the identity of Hurricane Ian victims.

Andrea Melendez / WGCU

6 of 15  — WGCULCSODNA02162023AM

Lee County Sheriff, Carmine Marceno, talks about the new DNA testing unit “Ande” that they acquired with the help of Dr. Carol Rae Culliton. LCSO added another layer of crime-solving to its arsenal with the public unveiling of a new DNA machine. They have ran about 160 samples through the Ande so far. It was even used, recently, to help confirm the identity of Hurricane Ian victims.

Andrea Melendez / WGCU

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The Ande Machine. Lee County Sheriff, Carmine Marceno, talks about the new DNA testing unit “Ande” that they acquired with the help of Dr. Carol Rae Culliton. LCSO added another layer of crime-solving to its arsenal with the public unveiling of a new DNA machine. They have ran about 160 samples through the Ande so far. It was even used, recently, to help confirm the identity of Hurricane Ian victims.WGCULCSODNA02162023AM

Andrea Melendez / WGCU

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Lee County Sheriff, Carmine Marceno, talks about the new DNA testing unit “Ande” that they acquired with the help of Dr. Carol Rae Culliton. LCSO added another layer of crime-solving to its arsenal with the public unveiling of a new DNA machine. They have ran about 160 samples through the Ande so far. It was even used, recently, to help confirm the identify Hurricane Ian victims.

Andrea Melendez / WGCU

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The Crime Scene Technicians can run 4-5 samples at a time. Lee County Sheriff, Carmine Marceno, talks about the new DNA testing unit “Ande” that they acquired with the help of Dr. Carol Rae Culliton. LCSO added another layer of crime-solving to its arsenal with the public unveiling of a new DNA machine. They have ran about 160 samples through the Ande so far. It was even used, recently, to help confirm the identity of Hurricane Ian victims.

Andrea Melendez / WGCU

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The Crime Scene Technicians can run 4-5 samples at a time. Lee County Sheriff, Carmine Marceno, talks about the new DNA testing unit “Ande” that they acquired with the help of Dr. Carol Rae Culliton. LCSO added another layer of crime-solving to its arsenal with the public unveiling of a new DNA machine. They have ran about 160 samples through the Ande so far. It was even used, recently, to help confirm the identity of Hurricane Ian victims.

Andrea Melendez / WGCU

11 of 15  — WGCULCSODNA02162023AM

Lee County Sheriff, Carmine Marceno, talks about the new DNA testing unit “Ande” that they acquired with the help of Dr. Carol Rae Culliton. LCSO added another layer of crime-solving to its arsenal with the public unveiling of a new DNA machine. They have ran about 160 samples through the Ande so far. It was even used, recently, to help confirm the identity of Hurricane Ian victims.

Andrea Melendez / WGCU

12 of 15  — WGCULCSODNA02162023AM

Lee County Sheriff, Carmine Marceno, talks about the new DNA testing unit “Ande” that they acquired with the help of Dr. Carol Rae Culliton. LCSO added another layer of crime-solving to its arsenal with the public unveiling of a new DNA machine. They have ran about 160 samples through the Ande so far. It was even used, recently, to help confirm the identity of Hurricane Ian victims.

Andrea Melendez / WGCU

13 of 15  — WGCULCSODNA02162023AM

Lee County Sheriff, Carmine Marceno, talks about the new DNA testing unit “Ande” that they acquired with the help of Dr. Carol Rae Culliton. LCSO added another layer of crime-solving to its arsenal with the public unveiling of a new DNA machine. They have ran about 160 samples through the Ande so far. It was even used, recently, to help confirm the identify Hurricane Ian victims.

Andrea Melendez / WGCU

14 of 15  — WGCULCSODNA02162023AM

Lee County Sheriff, Carmine Marceno, talks about the new DNA testing unit “Ande” that they acquired with the help of Dr. Carol Rae Culliton. LCSO added another layer of crime-solving to its arsenal with the public unveiling of a new DNA machine. They have ran about 160 samples through the Ande so far. It was even used, recently, to help confirm the identity of Hurricane Ian victims.

Andrea Melendez / WGCU

15 of 15  — WGCULCSODNA02162023AM

Lee County Sheriff, Carmine Marceno, talks about the new DNA testing unit “Ande” that they acquired with the help of Dr. Carol Rae Culliton. LCSO added another layer of crime-solving to its arsenal with the public unveiling of a new DNA machine. They have ran about 160 samples through the Ande so far. It was even used, recently, to help confirm the identity of Hurricane Ian victims.

Andrea Melendez / WGCU

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