Johnia Berry honored at new TBI crime lab

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Johnia Berry honored at new TBI crime lab

Thursday, July 30th, 2009 | Johnia Berry |

WBIR - Murder victim Johnia Berry honored at new TBI facility.

Law enforcement agencies throughout East Tennessee are celebrating the opening of a multi-million dollar facility that could help solve crimes faster. On Wednesday morning, TBI Director Mark Gwyn and Joan Berry helped cut the ribbon to the new TBI consolidated facility in Strawberry Plains.

Johnia Berry was killed in 2004. Since her murder, her parents Mike and Joan Berry have worked with law enforcement and lawmakers to improve the way crimes are solved in the state. After the ribbon cutting, TBI officials revealed the plaque that dedicates one of the many labs to the young woman killed in her Knoxville apartment.

“We dedicated our DNA serology section to Johnia Berry,” TBI Director Mark Gwyn said. “Through DNA, that crime was solved, so how fitting could it be to dedicate the DNA section to her.”

“Hopefully this is going to help lots of other families that they won’t have to lose their child the way we’ve lost Johnia,” Joan Berry said as she fought back tears.

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