DNA From Candy Leads Investigators to Bank Robbers

A piece of candy helped lead investigators to two bank robbery suspects.
The BB&T Bank, 13191 Glenbrook Avenue, in Meadowview, Virginia was held up by two men on July 11, 2008.
While a K-9 was trying to track down the suspects, detectives from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office found and collected a chewed piece of candy (soft fruit chew).  The candy was sent to a forensic lab in Roanoke to be processed.
DNA from the candy led investigators to William Lee Anderson, II, of Charlotte, NC.  Anderson had a previously submitted a DNA sample to the Florida DNA Data Bank as part of another criminal case.
Both Anderson and his son, William Lee Byron Anderson, Meadowview, were arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit robbery and robbery.
The younger Anderson is being held at the Southwest Virginia Regional Jail in Abingdon.  The Sheriff’s Office says the elder Anderson will soon be extradited back to Virginia.