‘How to sign away parental rights?’; Lehigh Acres woman accused of killing her 4-month-old babyMan accused of indecent exposure at school bus stop in Punta Gorda
lehigh acres ‘How to sign away parental rights?’; Lehigh Acres woman accused of killing her 4-month-old baby The Lee County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a woman accused of killing her 4-month-old baby.
Punta Gorda Man accused of indecent exposure at school bus stop in Punta Gorda The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a man accused of indecent exposure at a school bus stop in Punta Gorda.
estero Firefighters to perform 76-acre prescribed burn at Koreshan State Park San Carlos Park Fire Protection & Rescue Service District performs a 76-acre prescribed burn at Koreshan State Park today.
Tim Aten Knows: 2 new eateries coming to East Naples After operating La Rosa Pizzeria for more than 15 years, owners Bill and Alda Rosa decided to sell their local business and restaurant space.
the weather authority Warmer with sun and clouds for your Friday plans The Weather Authority is tracking a warmer day ahead, with a mixture of sun and clouds expected this Friday afternoon.
FDOT to open all lanes of Caloosahatchee Bridge year ahead of construction schedule The Florida Department of Transportation announced it will open all lanes of the Caloosahatchee Bridge a year ahead of its pedestrian sidewalk project.
NAPLES 12-year-old collecting donations for the needy during the holidays A 12-year-old Naples boy isn’t worried about what he’s getting for Christmas. Instead, he’s working on his 6th annual “Holiday Sock Drive.”
Fort Myers man facing homelessness before the holidays A 75-year-old man is on the brink of homelessness despite working over 80 hours a week.
NAPLES Adoptee uses non-profit to provide suitcases for foster children This holiday season, a Naples woman is on a mission to bring foster children something many take for granted: a suitcase filled with dignity.
MARCO ISLAND City of Marco Island discusses lead awareness during city council meeting The city of Marco Island sent out 4900 letters to residents warning them that their pipes could contain plastic or lead.
NAPLES The future of electric planes in Southwest Florida Features of living near an airport include persistent headache-inducing engine rumbles and foul-smelling jet fuel, but electric planes could play a part in the solution.
PORT CHARLOTTE Neighbors awaiting answers on Port Charlotte Beach Park repairs Neighbors said a contractor hired by the Florida Division of Emergency Management mishandled the boats at Port Charlotte Beach Park.
FGCU introduces new technology for cognitive health screenings Ten minutes. That’s all it takes for doctors to assess how well you remember, how quickly you learn things, and how your brain is working overall.
WINK Investigates: Disgraced contractor faces new lawsuits and allegations Paul Beattie, a disgraced home builder is back doing business but legal challenges continue as another one of his businesses gets sued. Former employees of Beattie speak out, only to WINK.
SWFL reacts to UNC hiring Bill Belichick Southwest Florida reacts to North Carolina hiring Bill Belichick as its new head football coach and how that could impact the decisions of local recruits.
lehigh acres ‘How to sign away parental rights?’; Lehigh Acres woman accused of killing her 4-month-old baby The Lee County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a woman accused of killing her 4-month-old baby.
Punta Gorda Man accused of indecent exposure at school bus stop in Punta Gorda The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a man accused of indecent exposure at a school bus stop in Punta Gorda.
estero Firefighters to perform 76-acre prescribed burn at Koreshan State Park San Carlos Park Fire Protection & Rescue Service District performs a 76-acre prescribed burn at Koreshan State Park today.
Tim Aten Knows: 2 new eateries coming to East Naples After operating La Rosa Pizzeria for more than 15 years, owners Bill and Alda Rosa decided to sell their local business and restaurant space.
the weather authority Warmer with sun and clouds for your Friday plans The Weather Authority is tracking a warmer day ahead, with a mixture of sun and clouds expected this Friday afternoon.
FDOT to open all lanes of Caloosahatchee Bridge year ahead of construction schedule The Florida Department of Transportation announced it will open all lanes of the Caloosahatchee Bridge a year ahead of its pedestrian sidewalk project.
NAPLES 12-year-old collecting donations for the needy during the holidays A 12-year-old Naples boy isn’t worried about what he’s getting for Christmas. Instead, he’s working on his 6th annual “Holiday Sock Drive.”
Fort Myers man facing homelessness before the holidays A 75-year-old man is on the brink of homelessness despite working over 80 hours a week.
NAPLES Adoptee uses non-profit to provide suitcases for foster children This holiday season, a Naples woman is on a mission to bring foster children something many take for granted: a suitcase filled with dignity.
MARCO ISLAND City of Marco Island discusses lead awareness during city council meeting The city of Marco Island sent out 4900 letters to residents warning them that their pipes could contain plastic or lead.
NAPLES The future of electric planes in Southwest Florida Features of living near an airport include persistent headache-inducing engine rumbles and foul-smelling jet fuel, but electric planes could play a part in the solution.
PORT CHARLOTTE Neighbors awaiting answers on Port Charlotte Beach Park repairs Neighbors said a contractor hired by the Florida Division of Emergency Management mishandled the boats at Port Charlotte Beach Park.
FGCU introduces new technology for cognitive health screenings Ten minutes. That’s all it takes for doctors to assess how well you remember, how quickly you learn things, and how your brain is working overall.
WINK Investigates: Disgraced contractor faces new lawsuits and allegations Paul Beattie, a disgraced home builder is back doing business but legal challenges continue as another one of his businesses gets sued. Former employees of Beattie speak out, only to WINK.
SWFL reacts to UNC hiring Bill Belichick Southwest Florida reacts to North Carolina hiring Bill Belichick as its new head football coach and how that could impact the decisions of local recruits.
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.