Carl Sobieralski: Changing the Face of Criminal Investigation . . .
One Sample at a Time

The washing machine was in the spin cycle. He thought he would have another beer. What he didn’t think about was how that beer would help a jury to convict him of rape.

“Criminals learn from their mistakes. In a recent case, for example, an accused rapist thought he was being smart,” says Carl Sobieralski, forensic DNA supervisor for the Indiana State Police crime laboratory.

“He washed his clothes to clean the material of any stains that could be used as evidence against him. While the clothing was in the washing machine, he drank two beers. He left the empty cans. In my lab, I swabbed the cans for saliva and ran a DNA profile. That profile later demonstrated to a jury that the accused was at the scene of the crime.”

A 1996 graduate of the IUPUI Biology master’s program, Sobieralski has worked as a DNA analyst for more than 16 years, using technology that was first introduced to our court system in 1986. This technology has changed the face of police investigation, as DNA profiling often uncovers clues when clues seemingly don’t exist.

Sobieralski once recovered DNA material from flakes of skin that had been left on the leg openings of a clean pair of underwear.

“I had some guy’s underwear in my lab. There were no stains, no marks. There was nothing obvious that might link the underwear to the homicide scene at which they were found.”

There was nothing obvious until Sobieralski applied forensic science techniques. Skin, hair, tissue . . . all are opportunities for analysts like Sobieralski to either prove or disprove that an individual was at the scene of a crime.

“I feel good about helping prosecutors and even better about helping people who are innocent. It is extremely satisfying,” says Sobieralski who “fell into” his profession after writing a college paper on forensic science.

Sobieralski works cases from every Indiana county, except Marion County which has its own forensic lab. He generally sees 60-70 cases a year and might spend anywhere from two days to three months working a case.

“The technology we’re using is fantastic, and it continues to get more and more sophisticated. It’s interesting that I’ve worked on cases that are merely hours old and others that are 30 years old. Because of the technology, we are able to bring closure to unsolved, but not forgotten, crimes.”

The father of three says that each case he profiles is unique, yet each is consistent in one way.

“My results have to be pristine. In forensic science, there are always new approaches and new ideas. Legal definitions change. I have to prove evidence in a court of law, which is different from proving your work to another scientist.”

“My results will be questioned by defense attorneys and by experts who doubt my work. But that, testifying in court, is the most enjoyable part of my job,” Sobieralski says with a smile. “I like explaining my work to juries—to young kids, to senior citizens, to businessmen and to housewives.”

Carl Sobieralski’s introduction to the world of DNA forensic science was “just a fluke.” Today, he is changing the face of criminal investigation . . . one sample at a time.