Off-Topic DNA question

[Mart 'n' Al]

I'm not planning on becoming a mystery thriller writer but this concept puzzles me. If a woman has a sex change operation, and the appropriate chemicals, so that she resembles a man, and then commits a violent crime against a woman  and leaves DNA at the scene, wouldn't the police fail to find this person because the DNA would say it was committed by a woman, but they'd be looking for a man?

I wonder if this idea has been used in a film or literature.

Martin

[familydar]

Is there something you need to tell us Martin?

 

[pharmaT]

It would be more difficult as it wouldn't be immediately obvious that they were a suspect.  However,  there would be records that they were born a man.  more often than not though a DNA is used to confirm they have the correct person rather than to inform the search.

[Mart 'n' Al]

Familydar, was it that obvious?!

Pharma, surely the police would not be looking at medical records, as the DNA would show that it was female DNA, and they would not know whose records to refer to?  At least, not until they had a suspect, and even then, how would they know that the suspect had had a sex-change, unless the person agreed to a DNA test, or declared it, prior to a formal arrest?

Martin

[pharmaT]

Familydar, was it that obvious?!

Pharma, surely the police would not be looking at medical records, as the DNA would show that it was female DNA, and they would not know whose records to refer to?  At least, not until they had a suspect, and even then, how would they know that the suspect had had a sex-change, unless the person agreed to a DNA test, or declared it, prior to a formal arrest?

Martin

That's what I mean though.  Who the suspect is usually informed by witness statements, opportunity and motive.  DNA comes into play more after arrest to prove they have the correct person.

[SmallTownGirl]

https://genetics.thetech.org/ask/ask35

Interesting!

STG

[Mart 'n' Al]

STG, even from 2004 that article is interesting and sums up the basis of my original question. (I did laugh at the probably unintentional use of the expression "... sort of get the ball rolling...").

I don't think people realise that at all.  I'm not intentionally making any sort of socio-ethical comment, it's just something that occurred to me recently and I thought this was a good forum to get a simple and not too technical answer.

There are so many cases where the police take DNA samples from all the (usually) men in one particular area, or at a particular event.

Martin

[Treetotal]

Is there something you need to tell us Martin?

 

Love it... 

[dublin1850]

Any blood left at the scene or taken from a suspect would have unusual levels of sex hormones, more than would be found in a 'natural born' person of that gender.

I agree though, it would be kind of an interesting case for a film (if you could keep people from revealing the twist), or episode of CSI or similar.