Sorenson Forensics Aids Madison Police Department in Solving Sexual Assault Case

In March 1994. a teenager was sexually assaulted in Madison, Wisconsin and at last in 2021, the perpetrator was sentenced to 3 years, 6 months in prison. Joachim M. McKnight pled guilty to Third Degree Sexual Assault after the victim’s sexual assault kit was tested by Sorenson Forensics and the Wisconsin State Crime Laboratory.

“The survivor in this case waited almost 25 years for her sexual assault kit to be tested and over 27 years for the conviction and sentencing of the defendant. Finally, justice has been delivered,” said Attorney General Josh Kaul. “I strongly encourage the state assembly to pass AB 67, legislation that would help ensure that all sexual assault kits are promptly submitted to the state crime labs and that delays like this never happen again.”

The kit was processed as part of the Wisconsin Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) in 2018. There have been several other convictions and sentences resulting from SAKI.

Joachim McKnight has seven prior felony convictions from Dane County and was previously sentenced to prison.

For survivors looking for information about their kit, contact the law enforcement agency where the assault was reported, a local sexual assault service provider, or the DOJ Office of Crime Victim Services at 1-800-446-6564.