St. Charles police outline why investigations take time and how evidence solves cases

St. Charles Police Chief Dan Likens and Detective Sergeant Joe Donny told the City Insider podcast that solving crimes is a lengthy, methodical process that depends on evidence, technology and legal procedure.

"Crime does not get solved in an hour," Likens said, pushing back on television portrayals of immediate results. He described investigations as a "puzzle" in which detectives collect many items, then triage what proves probative.

The hosts and guests walked listeners through the department's priorities at a scene. "First priority is preservation of life," Likens said, adding that preserving physical and digital evidence follows and requires coordination among patrol, investigators, specialty units and outside partners.

Donny described the range of cases investigators handle—from assaults and sex offenses to fraud and digital scams—and gave a recent example of three fraud reports his team began examining in a single morning. He also recounted a burglary investigation in which a discarded glove caught on video produced a DNA profile that ultimately linked a suspect active in similar crimes across multiple jurisdictions; that case took about "a year and a half" to move from investigation to prosecution.

Speakers described lab turnaround times as a practical constraint. Likens said latent-print processing can take six to nine months and that biology/DNA testing also requires time and evolving laboratory capacity. He noted recent advances have improved testing for items once considered untestable—such as fired cartridge casings—allowing cases to be solved that previously yielded no results.

Digital evidence has broadened investigative opportunity but added complexity. Likens said cellphone and vehicle data, smart devices and service-provider records can map movement and interactions, but obtaining that information usually requires legal process and cooperation from private companies, which can take months. "It's more opportunity," he said, "but it can also slow you down because of volume and court process."

To avoid investigative tunnel vision, Likens said the department regularly debriefs cases and encourages input from multiple investigators rather than locking on a single theory. He and Donny gave examples in which additional interviews or new leads redirected investigations, including instances where reported incidents were later found to be staged for an insurance claim.

The guests discussed how cold cases can be revived by new technology and new information. Likens highlighted how changes in DNA methods and occasional new witness testimony—sometimes prompted by family developments such as death or divorce—have reopened long-unsolved cases.

Detectives also addressed the emotional weight of the work. "You fall back onto the team," Detective Tony said when asked how investigators manage repeated exposure to traumatic cases. He and others described peer support, family decompression time and departmental resources as essential to sustaining staff.

The segment closed with personal statements about public service and professionalism. "Give your best to everything that you do," Donny said, summarizing the department's approach to victims and community trust.

The discussion was presented as a City of St. Charles communications podcast episode and is intended to explain investigative practice, evidence limitations and why timelines can be long rather than to report on a specific pending case.