ZIONSVILLE, Ind. -- Two months after his elderly father was brutally murdered outside his home while checking his mail, a Zionsville man is joining the state’s effort to push for DNA collection during every felony arrest.
John Clements was shot and killed in his own driveway on his 82nd birthday back in September. Police believe he was attacked at random.
The suspect, Damoine Wilcoxson, was arrested after police matched DNA evidence from the scene and another crime to DNA collected in Ohio where Wilcoxson had previously been arrested. Wilcoxson has an extensive criminal background, but because Indiana doesn't collect DNA during felony arrests, he was not showing up in their system.
Neal Clements said he’s relieved to see the man accused of killing his father behind bars, but he wonders if his father would still be alive if Indiana collected the DNA of suspected felons.
Clements and a handful of state lawmakers, including Rep. Greg Steuerwald, are hoping to convince the state to do just that.
“This bill is nothing more than a search for the truth. It identifies the guilty and it exonerates the innocent,” said Steuerwald.
Neal says his dad spent the final days of his life caring for his wife with Alzheimer’s.
“He loved my mom and he loved his kids and grandkids,” said Neal.
If the bill is passed, DNA would be uploaded to the existing registry if a person is charged with a felony, but would be removed if they were cleared of all felony charges.
It’s a change that Neal hopes could prevent other families from experiencing the same heart-break he’s felt.
“I don’t want anybody to have to go through this,” said Neal.
