CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- A cold case has been cracked and a rape suspect is behind bars.
Authorities say genetic genealogy testing helped them track the suspect down. Darold Bowden is under arrest and is accused of six cold case rapes from March 2006 to January 2008 in Fayetteville.
On Wednesday, the Fayetteville Police Department held a press conference about the arrest.
"Two years ago, I was standing up here guaranteeing we were going to make an arrest in this case," said John Somerindyke, a Fayetteville Police Department lieutenant. "We were willing to try anything and everything."
For investigators, "everything" includes genetic genealogy testing. The same exact testing that led to the April arrest of the "Golden State Killer."
"They looked at open source records," Somerindyke said. "They looked at public family trees online and they were able to triangulate and figure out a strong person of interest for us."
Right now, the demand for DNA testing is higher than ever. In 2017, officials say people who had their DNA analyzed from at-home kits posed major privacy concerns.
Dr. Katherine Drabiak authored a recent study and her research exposed concerns about how DNA information is not only stored but sold.
"What might not be transparent number one the financial motivations behind that or also the privacy risks that come with sharing your information in that way," Dr. Drabiak said.
Reports revealed DNA companies actually sell the data they collect to pharmaceutical companies.
23andMe sold its database to at least 13 pharmaceutical companies. Each deal worth millions. AncestryDNA's fine print claims a "perpetual, worldwide, transferable license to sell and use your DNA."
"Once you open Pandora's box it can go off in multiple ways," Dr. Drabiak said.