DNA Evidence Solves 2016 Car Theft In Riverside: Cops

RIVERSIDE, IL — Two men have been arrested after a positive DNA hit came from evidence recovered in a 2016 stolen car incident, Riverside Police said. Steven Shea, 23, of Berwyn; and Brandon Hoynes, 24, of Chicago, have been charged with felony possession of a motor vehicle.

Police said the incident first occurred on Feb. 12, 2016 in Riverside. A car was reported stolen from the 200 block of Longcommon Road; and was eventually found in March 2016 in Chicago. Chicago Police recovered personal property inside the car, and Riverside Police took possession of the evidence.

According to police, Riverside detectives were able to take possession of the stolen car for crime scene processing. They found cigarette butts inside the car, and sent them to the Illinois State Police Crime Lab for DNA testing. There was also one spent handgun shell in the car.

"This isn’t like a television crime series - it took two years for DNA evidence to come back; and they were identified because their DNA was in the felony database in Illinois," Police Chief Tom Weitzel said in a release.

Hoynes was arrested at Statesville Prison in Crest Hill; he was being held on an unrelated charge when he was arrested by Riverside Police. Police said both Shea and Hoynes are documented street gang members who had been committing burglaries and auto thefts in the west suburban area in early 2016. Both were suspects in several unsolved garage burglaries in Riverside during the same time period that the vehicle was stolen in February 2016.

More charges are possible on both offenders once the investigation is completed.

Police said Shea’s criminal history includes, aggravated assault, aggravated battery to victim over 60,
weapons offence by gang member, theft, probation violations and traffic offenses. Hoynes' criminal history includes drugs, trespass, burglary, criminal damage, possession of stolen motor vehicle, reckless conduct, aggravated assault, robbery, aggravated vehicle hijacking, battery and traffic offenses.

Photos provided by Riverside Police Department.