‘Katie’s Law’ Close To Expanding In New Mexico

New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez said her plan to expand ?Katie?s Law?n is one step closer to happening. The law is named after Las Cruces murder victim Katie Sepich.

Currently only specific felony arrests, such as those related to murder, kidnapping and abduction, are included in the law. The proposed expansion would require DNA samples be taken from anyone arrested for a felony in the state. The legislation already passed in the New Mexico state house judiciary committee.

Katie’s Law is named after Katie Sepich, a New Mexico State University student who was raped and murdered left in a dump in Las Cruces in 2003.

Gabriel Avila was convicted of Katie’s murder through DNA in 2006. He was in prison serving an unrelated burglary crime, which he was charged with in 2004, at the time. Martinez said investigators could have identified Avila as Katie’s killer when he was arrested for aggravated burglary if there’d been a law like this earlier.