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Sat, 04 Apr 2026 10:08:35 -0700 marlon from private IP, post #13241996 /all just like a Hollywood movie https://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/2026/04/detroit-man-freed-after-17-years-as-dna-evidence-overturns-murder-conviction.html Detroit man freed after 17 years as DNA evidence overturns murder conviction Published: Apr. 04, 2026, 8:00 a.m. Dell Crawford Dell Crawford, center, was released from prison in Jackson, Michigan, on March 24, 2026, after serving 17 years for a crime he did not commit. On March 24, Wayne County Circuit Judge Tracy Green vacated Crawford’s second-degree murder conviction and sentence, and dismissed the charge without prejudice. Crawford is pictured with Cooley Innocence Project attorneys Niquole Caringi (left) and Jessa Webber (right), who represented him. | Courtesy of Cooley Law SchoolCooley Law School By Fuad Shalhout | fshalhout@mlive.com DETROIT, MI - A Detroit man who spent 17 years in prison for a murder he long insisted he did not commit is now free, after new DNA evidence excluded him from the crime. “You can’t get years back in your life,” Dell Crawford said. “You can only move forward.” Crawford, 69, was released March 24 after a Wayne County judge vacated his second-degree murder conviction and dismissed the charges. His case was taken up by the Cooley Law School Innocence Project, which worked alongside the Wayne County Conviction Integrity Unit to reexamine evidence from the 2007 killing of Tatanisha “Joy” Williams. New DNA testing of material found under the victim’s fingernails identified a mixture from at least two male contributors and excluded Crawford as a source, attorneys said. The result became the turning point in a case that had previously relied heavily on a witness whose account changed multiple times. “We always believed Dell,” said attorney Niquole Caringi. “But we couldn’t take that belief to court. The DNA gave us something we could show, proof of what he had been saying all along.” From witness to suspect Crawford said he discovered Williams’ body after going to her home when she didn’t answer his calls. But he quickly realized he was being treated as a suspect. “The first day I went down there, they were asking me questions,” he said. “Then they told me the first person to say they did it or say somebody else did it would get a deal.” He said he never felt believed. “No one believed me at the time,” Crawford said. “They just wanted a viable case. They don’t care who they put it on.” A jury ultimately acquitted him of first-degree murder but convicted him of second-degree murder. He was sentenced to 20 years and 10 months to 45 years in prison. Years behind bars Crawford maintained his innocence throughout his incarceration, spending years studying his case and holding onto the belief he would eventually be released. “Everything is hard when you’re there for something you didn’t do,” he said. He said support from his family, and even some of the victim’s relatives, helped him keep going. After his release, one of the first things he did was enjoy a meal he had long missed. “A chili dog and two orders of fries,” Crawford said. DNA breakthrough Attorneys said advances in DNA testing were key to proving Crawford’s innocence. At the time of the original investigation, earlier testing did not detect male DNA under the victim’s fingernails. But newer methods, including Y-STR testing, which isolates male DNA, allowed for a more precise analysis years later. “In cases like this, especially where there are defensive wounds, fingernail evidence can be critical,” said attorney Jessa Webber. “Our job is to identify what evidence could actually point to the true perpetrator and test it.” The updated testing revealed male DNA profiles that did not match Crawford. When attorneys told him the results, Crawford said he wasn’t surprised. “I knew it wasn’t me,” he said. A system questioned Crawford said he believes the justice system failed him from the beginning, pointing to inconsistencies between witness testimony and physical evidence. “They failed me right there,” he said. His attorneys say the case highlights broader issues with wrongful convictions and the importance of post-conviction DNA testing. Dell’s case “is a prime example of why this work matters,” Webber said, pointing to ongoing legislative discussions around expanding access to DNA testing for incarcerated individuals. Moving forward Now back in Detroit, Crawford is adjusting to a world that has changed dramatically since 2007. “Everything is different,” he said. “How you go to the store, the clothes you wear...everything.” He hopes to spend time with his family, start a business and rebuild his life. “I want to be successful at something,” he said. “And I want to fly.”Replies require login.