Orange County Carjacker Identified By DNA From Cigarette: OCDA

LAKE FOREST, CA — There was a smoking gun in the case of an Orange County carjacker who left behind evidence after a Brea carjacking. Now, he will serve three years in state prison and is ordered to pay restitution, according to the Orange County District Attorney's Office.

Convicted carjacker Gary Munoz was identified by DNA left on a cigarette in a recovered vehicle, according to a release from the Orange County District Attorney's Office, Tuesday.

The 30-year-old suspect from Orange was arrested, charged and convicted within 50 days of the crime.

"On March 9 at just after 3:30 p.m., Munoz approached an idling vehicle in a parking lot off of Imperial Highway in Brea," OCDA spokesperson Michelle Van Der Linden said

A woman was sitting in the passenger seat at the time of his approach.

"While the driver was away from the car looking for an ATM, Munoz demanded the passenger exit the vehicle and then stole the car and fled," Van Der Linden said. The victims immediately called 911, and the Brea police department investigated the case.

"The stolen car was parked less than two miles away on Jasmine Drive," she said.

The Brea Police Department collected a used cigarette in the cup holder that did not belong to either victim, according to report. The cigarette was submitted for electronic analysis with the OCDA's Rapid DNA instrument.

"On March 15, the DNA profile in evidence was matched to Munoz's DNA profile in the OCDA's local DNA Database," Van Der Linden said. "By March 22, Munoz was arrested on a warrant from the La Habra Police Department and later charged with carjacking."

The Rapid DNA Program merges the power of the local OCDA DNA Database with cutting edge DNA technology to provide investigators with leads, including suspect names within hours of a crime, according to the OCDA's office release.

The Rapid DNA instrument can generate a DNA profile from evidence collected at a crime scene in less than two hours, according to the release.

Photo: OCDA's Office Booking Photo

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