DeSoto County Jail employee accused of trafficking contraband into facilitySoluna Restaurant & Bar launches at Bayfront in Naples
ARCADIA DeSoto County Jail employee accused of trafficking contraband into facility An employee at the DeSoto County Jail has been arrested after allegedly trafficking illegal contraband into the jail.
Soluna Restaurant & Bar launches at Bayfront in Naples Emulating its namesake fusion of the sun and moon, Soluna Restaurant & Bar has arisen to illuminate the Naples dining scene.
NAPLES CFO Jimmy Patronis reminds Floridians to check their constructor contracts for post-storm fraud The Florida Department of Financial Services’ Chief Financial Officer, Jimmy Patronis, will hold a news conference in Naples on post-storm fraud prevention.
Know where your voting precinct is in Southwest Florida Election Day is only one day away, so it is important to know where to go and if you qualify to vote in Southwest Florida.
The Weather Authority Tracking Tropical Storm Rafael; expected to become hurricane The Weather Authority Meteorologists are watching the Caribbean as Tropical Storm Rafael will strengthen into a Category 1 hurricane later Tuesday night.
The Weather Authority Scattered rain and storms on this Election Day The Weather Authority is tracking scattered rain and storms along with warm temperatures throughout this Election Day Tuesday.
Where to drop off your mail-in ballots on Election Day Those who still have their mail-in ballots in Southwest Florida have two options on Election Day: vote in person or drop them off at a specified location.
WINK NEWS Lee County race for Sheriff It is now Election Day, and two candidates for the Lee County Sheriff are vying for the position.
WINK NEWS Floridians to vote on legalizing recreational marijuana With Election Day in full swing, WINK News is monitoring the results of the most controversial amendments on the ballot, including Florida’s Amendment 3.
WINK NEWS How Floridians are voting on Consitutional right to abortions As Election Day ramps up, WINK News is monitoring the results of the most controversial amendments on the ballot, including Florida’s Amendment 4.
Collier County commission race As the 2024 general election gets underway, WINK News is monitoring the election results in several local races, including the Collier County Commission race.
Cape Coral 5 seats in Cape Coral City Council to be decided on Election Day The Cape Coral City Council election will be decided on Tuesday. Five seats are up for grabs.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers City Council race for 2 wards The 2024 elections are looking to be a tense battle that will have every American on the edge of their seats. In Southwest Florida, the feeling is no different.
PUNTA GORDA The race for Punta Gorda City Council November 5 is election day, as politicians across the country compete for office, with Southwest Florida being no different.
Lee County Superintendent election; School Board District 7 Voters in Lee County are going to the polls to fill some crucial seats in the school district.
ARCADIA DeSoto County Jail employee accused of trafficking contraband into facility An employee at the DeSoto County Jail has been arrested after allegedly trafficking illegal contraband into the jail.
Soluna Restaurant & Bar launches at Bayfront in Naples Emulating its namesake fusion of the sun and moon, Soluna Restaurant & Bar has arisen to illuminate the Naples dining scene.
NAPLES CFO Jimmy Patronis reminds Floridians to check their constructor contracts for post-storm fraud The Florida Department of Financial Services’ Chief Financial Officer, Jimmy Patronis, will hold a news conference in Naples on post-storm fraud prevention.
Know where your voting precinct is in Southwest Florida Election Day is only one day away, so it is important to know where to go and if you qualify to vote in Southwest Florida.
The Weather Authority Tracking Tropical Storm Rafael; expected to become hurricane The Weather Authority Meteorologists are watching the Caribbean as Tropical Storm Rafael will strengthen into a Category 1 hurricane later Tuesday night.
The Weather Authority Scattered rain and storms on this Election Day The Weather Authority is tracking scattered rain and storms along with warm temperatures throughout this Election Day Tuesday.
Where to drop off your mail-in ballots on Election Day Those who still have their mail-in ballots in Southwest Florida have two options on Election Day: vote in person or drop them off at a specified location.
WINK NEWS Lee County race for Sheriff It is now Election Day, and two candidates for the Lee County Sheriff are vying for the position.
WINK NEWS Floridians to vote on legalizing recreational marijuana With Election Day in full swing, WINK News is monitoring the results of the most controversial amendments on the ballot, including Florida’s Amendment 3.
WINK NEWS How Floridians are voting on Consitutional right to abortions As Election Day ramps up, WINK News is monitoring the results of the most controversial amendments on the ballot, including Florida’s Amendment 4.
Collier County commission race As the 2024 general election gets underway, WINK News is monitoring the election results in several local races, including the Collier County Commission race.
Cape Coral 5 seats in Cape Coral City Council to be decided on Election Day The Cape Coral City Council election will be decided on Tuesday. Five seats are up for grabs.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers City Council race for 2 wards The 2024 elections are looking to be a tense battle that will have every American on the edge of their seats. In Southwest Florida, the feeling is no different.
PUNTA GORDA The race for Punta Gorda City Council November 5 is election day, as politicians across the country compete for office, with Southwest Florida being no different.
Lee County Superintendent election; School Board District 7 Voters in Lee County are going to the polls to fill some crucial seats in the school district.
Evidence from crimes are kept at the Florida Department of Law Enforcement Regional Crime Lab in Fort Myers. (CREDIT: WINK News) There’s a high-tech crime lab in Fort Myers where analysts help solve crimes to get criminals off the streets. The lab is one of six in the state and they do more than just DNA. They also compare fingerprints and analyze drugs. There is also a crime scene team that helps to support dozen of law enforcement agencies in Southwest Florida. “This is actually a 2-by-4 that was found at the scene that had blood on it,” said Crime Scene Supervisor Jessica Gerster. The 2-by-4 is connected to the homicide of Jose Pineda, also known as “Torombolo,” who was beaten by two individuals inside an abandoned residence on the 100 block 6th Street in Immokalee on Dec. 10, 1998. The 23-year-old homicide occurred when DNA science was in its infancy, but now crime analysts are hoping new technology can solve more crime. “We start submitting evidence from these cold case homicides,” Gerster said. Stephanie Arbogast is a crime laboratory analyst in the biology section who analyzes items found at crime scenes to find biological materials that can be used to develop DNA profiles. It sounds like TV but it’s real life and a real job. “I will do a color change test. So for example, blood, it will turn a bright pink color immediately if possibly blood is present. And I will take a swab of that stain for DNA analysis,” Arbogast said. “It will go through a process called PCR, where it basically makes billions of copies of target segments.” The goal is to find a match in a national database of DNA. “It’s called CODIS, which is the combined DNA index system,” Arbogast said. “It’s rewarding because the work that I’ve put into something and a DNA profile that I’m able to develop or any analyst at FDLE is able to develop, then it can potentially help solve a crime.” Arbogast’s DNA work has helped solve cases, including the homicide of Sharon Gill whose death in Charlotte County went unsolved for decades. “Many of these cases last years, and the evidence, there’s thousands of pieces of evidence that come through this lab every year,” said Eli Lawson, assistant special agent in charge at FDLE. In 2020, Gill’s 1990 death was linked to Roland “Rollie” Davis, who was employed with a landscape crew who worked at her home, according to the Collier County Sheriff’s Office. Davis is on death row in Ohio for the murder of an 86-year-old retired nurse. “What the newer technologies have been able to do is giving us tools to draw and narrow in on people that previously may have gone unnoticed,” said Collier County Sheriff’s Office Det. William Still. With new technology and hopefully, a tip from the public, detectives hope to solve Pineda’s homicide. MORE: Anyone with information is asked to call the Collier County Sheriff’s Office at 239-252-9300. Or to remain anonymous and be eligible for a reward contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-780-8477. You can also submit a crime tip to Collier County Sheriff’s Office here. To sign up for crime alerts from FDLE, visit here. For more information on CODIS, visit here. For videos on FDLE’s forensic services, visit here.