GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has charged a man in a 2020 cold case murder investigation in Gwinnett County. DNA technology helped identify the suspect.
Tyler Hall was found dead in his home on Aug. 30, 2020. Norcross police said he died from multiple gunshot wounds. The case eventually went to the GBI Cold Case Unit.
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On Thursday, the GBI identified Rashad Jackson, of DeKalb County, as the suspect in Hall’s death.
In Feb. 2024, the GBI Cold Case Unit partnered with Othram, Inc. for advanced DNA testing.
Othram, based in The Woodlands, Texas, uses forensic-grade genome sequencing to develop comprehensive genealogical profiles. The company works with law enforcement agencies across the state and sometimes uses crowdfunding to pay for testing when agencies cannot cover the cost.
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Channel 2 Action News previously got behind-the-scenes access to the lab’s facility, which has helped solve more than a dozen Georgia cold cases.
The lab is able to analyze hundreds of thousands of DNA markers, far beyond the 20 markers used in traditional forensic testing, which allows investigators to identify suspects even when they are not in the FBI’s CODIS database.
The GBI said new DNA evidence testing helped identify Jackson as a suspect in Hall’s shooting death.
Jackson is currently in the custody of the Georgia Department of Corrections on unrelated charges. He will face charges of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, armed robbery and possession of firearms.
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