Evidence in Lopez case is still waiting to be tested

NORWALK — Evidence related to the Melanie Lopez hit and run case is still waiting to be tested by the FBI. Norwalk Chief of Police Mike Conney said the Norwalk Police Department initially sent the evidence to be tested by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI), but the tests were inconclusive. "We did send it to BCI first, but their tests were inconclusive and there were other tests that could be run," he said. "It was transferred to Quantico, to the FBI." Conney said there are no federal charges related to the case. On July 21 an unidentified motorist drove through the Norwalk Mobile Home Park on Jefferson Street and struck 3-year-old Melanie Lopez, who was playing outside, before leaving the scene. In July, Detective Sgt. Dave Daniels said the vehicle and driver involved have both been identified. Conney said they are confident they have the right vehicle that was involved in the hit and run but the DNA test will "just confirm that." "We're very confident that's the vehicle, based on the video evidence and the statements of the driver and the passengers," he said. "It's still gonna come down to the law director's office to decide which direction to go from there once the test results come back in." The case report was turned over to Norwalk law director Stuart O'Hara in early August. "Until we get those test results back, we're not going to formally charge anybody and we can't release a name until formal charges are filed," Conney said in July. Conney said because of the closures due to COVID-19 almost everything has been hampered and slowed down. "There's going to be some far-reaching, unexpected consequences to this whole year," he said. "Each state's responsible for itself but a lot of other departments, a lot of places will send stuff (to the FBI)." Conney said the FBI is able to conduct many more tests than state agencies. "You'd be amazed by what they have there and what they can do. The building for their forensics is gigantic," he said. "They've got every piece of equipment." Huron County Sheriff Todd Corbin said usually the FBI is utilized by state agencies when federal charges can be filed. "If they're going to charge someone with a federal firearms violation for someone in possession of a firearm, and they've committed a crime, rather than filing local charges, they can file them federally to the FBI," he said. Corbin said money laundering charges are also commonly filed through the FBI because they can occur in multiple states or jurisdictions. Usually, evidence is sent to the BCI office in Bowling Green. "Normally your larger cases, where there's a heavier penalty that we can have someone charges or things that go outside our jurisdiction, we can reach out to the FBI," he said.