Lorton Forensic Company That ID'd 'Shopping Cart Killer' Victims To Expand Workforce

LORTON, VA — Bode Technology, a Lorton-based provider of forensic services, will invest $2 million to expand its DNA testing services lab, state officials announced Monday.

The company plans to hire additional senior and entry-level laboratory technicians, forensic science professionals, and other business support roles, creating more than 70 new jobs.

Earlier this year, Bode Technology assisted the Fairfax County Police Department in the identification of two victims of a suspected serial killer dubbed the “Shopping Cart Killer.”

“This incredible company is able to tap into the Commonwealth’s high concentration of biotech workers to help agencies around the globe identify criminals, solve cold cases, and identify remains from wars and natural disasters, making our society safer and providing closure to families with lost loved ones,” Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade Caren Merrick said in a statement Monday.

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority on Bode Technology’s expansion in the county.

The Virginia Jobs Investment Program is providing assistance to Bode Technology as part of the arrangement to keep the company in Fairfax County. The state program provides subsidized consultative services and funding to companies creating new jobs in order to support employee recruitment and training activities.

Bode Technology operates private forensic DNA laboratories and provides forensic DNA collection products, DNA analysis services, and research services to law enforcement, prosecutors, and other government agencies around the world.

As part of its work over the years, Bode Technology’s forensic DNA experts have assisted in identifying victims of the 2001 attack on the World Trade Center and remains of U.S. soldiers dating back to World War II.

“For more than 25 years, Bode Technology has called Virginia our home, and today’s announcement is a testament to that bond,” said Mike Cariola, CEO of Bode Technology.

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