NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Tennessee's crime labs are at or near capacity, and the state could consider expanding current facilities and building new ones.

The Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations (TACIR) launched a study into the issue following Memphis teacher, Eliza Fletcher's September 2022 murder. Her death led to the discovery of a massive backlog of rape kits waiting to be tested inside the TBI's crime labs.

The TBI hired additional agents to address the rape kit turnaround times, but the amount of time it takes to get test results back in almost every other evidence category has since gotten worse.

For example, according to TACIR's report, from August 2022 to January 2025, firearms evidence test times increased from 42 weeks to 67 weeks.

Some worry more d

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