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NIBIN helps solve Travis County murder
Multiple law enforcement agencies in Travis County were recently recognized for how they used the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network, or NIBIN, to link a suspect to a murder that happened just days before through ballistic evidence from a burglary case.
AUSTIN, Texas - Travis County area law enforcement agencies are teaming up with their counterparts across the country to solve crimes using ballistics evidence.
Recently, multiple agencies were recognized for how they used the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network, or NIBIN, to link a suspect to a murder that happened just days before through ballistic evidence from a burglary case.
In November 2022, county leaders passed the Safer Travis County resolution, which approved the use of the NIBIN program countywide.
The program, managed by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), compares ballistic evidence from crime scenes to see if it matches a weapon used in another crime.
According to the ATF, 5.7 million pieces of ballistic evidence are currently stored in the network, which was established in 1997.
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"A majority of gun crimes are used with a firearm that is used repeatedly, that is used more than once to commit a gun crime," says Travis County District Attorney José Garza in 2022.
Police say 37-year-old Shane Taylor was arrested on December 1, 2022 for a burglary; two guns and ammunition were found on him.
The next day, they arranged for a test firing. The results were put into the NIBIN database, which linked the test fires to casings found at the murder scene of 42-year-old Olmero Santos just two days before.
Taylor is now facing charges of murder, assault, and burglary.
"The NIBIN program’s effectiveness was evident during this investigation," said Travis County District Attorney José Garza. "This is why our office supported the county’s resolution to establish a countywide NIBIN program for its impact on investigations and how it can prevent violent crime."