Nearly 50 years ago, Dr. Rudiger Breitenecker realized that saving forensic evidence of sexual assaults could help criminal investigations in the future.

Now his foresight, and the more than 1,400 microscope slides he saved, could pay off in solving decades-old sex crimes.

Baltimore County is asking survivors who experienced assault from 1977 to 1997 to come forward and update their cases as the police begin analyzing the preserved DNA evidence.

“We are committed to doing everything possible to bring information, justice and long-awaited closure to sexual assault survivors,” said Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski. “We encourage those looking for answers to reach out to our expert partner advocates who will guide them through the process, connect them with resources and share next steps.”

Last fall, Baltimore County subpoenaed GBMC the DNA.

To cover the cost of analyzing the slides, the county received two grants totaling $2 million, one from the Governor’s Office and another from the Hackerman Foundation, a philanthropic organization that provides funding and scholarships to hospitals and universities.

The grants will allow the Baltimore County Police Special Victims Unit to apply modern DNA analysis to the slides and fund more kits to preserve sexual assault forensic evidence.

“These survivors took meaningful steps, with hope, that someday justice would be served in their case, and now there is a chance for them to realize that hope,” said Amanda Rodriguez, executive director of TurnAround, Inc., a domestic violence and sexual assault center. “Victim engagement is key. We want to give them back power in a situation where to date they have had none."

All of the slides will be processed by the end of the year, according to the Baltimore County Executive Office

Survivors can call the Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault at 833-364-0046 or email [email protected] to learn more about the project and opt-in to, or opt-out of, receiving information about their sexual assault evidence.