Tulsa secures $2.5 million grant to address sexual assault kit backlog

(TULSA, Okla.) Tulsa is taking a significant step toward resolving unsolved sexual assault cases by addressing its backlog of untested sexual assault kits, thanks to a $2.5 million grant from the National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative.

The funding, announced on December 9th by the Tulsa Police Department, the Tulsa Mayor’s Office, and the US Attorney’s Office, will be used to process untested kits, potentially solve cold cases, and provide long-awaited closure to victims.

"This $2.5 million grant from the Department of Justice is a critical step forward in our commitment to justice for sexual assault survivors,” said Tulsa Police Chief Dennis Larsen. “This funding not only supports our efforts to enhance the efficiency of our forensic services but also reinforces our resolve to ensure that no stone is left unturned in seeking justice."

Oklahoma has struggled with a backlog of untested sexual assault kits for years. In 2017, the Sexual Assault Forensic Evidence (SAFE) Task Force, established by then-Governor Mary Fallin, confirmed that more than 7,000 kits statewide had gone untested due to resource constraints.

In 2019, Oklahoma received $2.4 million from the US Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Assistance to begin addressing the backlog. Testing these kits has already linked violent offenders to multiple crimes, including sexual assaults and homicides.

The National Sexual Kit Initiative has found that perpetrators of multiple acts of violent sexual assaults are connected to unsubmitted rape kits, and that they are also often responsible for other violent crimes, including homicide.

“This essential funding allows victims of sexual assault to receive long-awaited justice,” said US Attorney Clint Johnson. “My hope is that this grant will enable the Tulsa Police Department to reopen unsolved cases and help the survivors of sexual assault move forward with closure.”

The impact of this funding is already evident. Last week, the Tulsa Police Department announced the conviction of Christopher Corn in a 1999 rape case.

The case had been inactivated after detectives were unable to locate the victim for a follow-up interview, and the associated rape kit remained untested. However, with funding from the Bureau of Justice Assistance, the kit was processed, and Corn’s DNA was linked to the crime. He was charged with first-degree rape in May 2023, convicted in December 2024, and will be sentenced in January 2025.

Corn, a repeat offender, had prior convictions for manslaughter and forcible sodomy, highlighting the importance of testing these kits in order to identify and prosecute serial offenders. Tulsa Mayor Monroe Nichols emphasized his commitment to eliminating the backlog and ensuring justice for victims.

“Having the funding to be able to continue this testing will help us solve some of the most underreported crimes in Tulsa and make sure victims get the justice they deserve–while removing these predators off our streets,” said Nichols. “I’m thankful for the US Department of Justice for its help in making this a funding priority, and I’m eager to work with the Tulsa Police Department as we set the bar high and do all that we can to combat sexually based crimes in our community.”