After 24 years, law enforcement finally tracked down the killer of Linda Strait. And her mother got her wish to confront “the scum” – Arbie Dean Williams – who raped and strangled her 15-year-old daughter.

The mystery was solved thanks to advances in DNA testing, but if society wants to see more resolutions like this it will have to spend more money because law enforcement is already struggling with a backlog at crime labs.

Barry Logan, director of the Washington State Patrol’s crime lab in Seattle, recently told the Associated Press, “We get 30 more cases a month than we can turn out.”

In the past year, the state has added 20 DNA analysts, including six in Cheney, but the success of this forensic tool has created a greater demand. There was a time when DNA wasn’t sent to a lab until there was a firm suspect. But now it’s increasingly being used to solve crimes.

The backlog has given rise to frustratingly long waits. For instance, a Tacoma detective investigating a rape submitted evidence for DNA testing in December 2004. It wasn’t until a month ago that he got the results that led to an arrest.

The Washington Legislature should assure that this crime-fighting weapon can be used to its full potential.