A Milner man serving time for burglaries in Lamar County has been linked to two more break-ins in Spalding County. Robert F. Funderburk, 28, incarcerated in Wheeler County, is headed back to Griffin to face the additional charges. In January and August 2007, investigators with the Spalding County sheriff’s department answered calls about burglaries on North McDonough Road and West Ellis Road. Sheriff Dee Stewart said air conditioning systems and copper wiring from both locations were targeted. Sgt. Julie Gates of the crime scene investigative unit processed both locations and found blood, said Stewart. It was sent to the Georgia State Crime Lab for evaluation. During that time the cases went cold with no other leads to follow up on. Last week the Georgia State Crime Lab contacted investigators in charge of the cases to say a CODIS hit was made on the two burglaries. CODIS stands for Combined DNA Index System, put in place a few years ago. Every person who serves time in the state prison system submits to a DNA test. ”Those results stay on file with the GBI forever,” said Capt. Tony Ranieri. “When our blood samples were sent to the crime lab in 2007 the suspect hadn’t been in the prison system. In November 2007 Funderburk was arrested and sentenced for burglary in Lamar County.” Funderburk is serving time for the Lamar burglaries at the correctional institute in Alamo. His last known address prior to his incarceration was in Milner. Stewart said Funderburk caused over $100,000 worth of damage to both locations in Spalding County. Investigators Tim Clift and Tim Davis, in charge of the investigation, charged Funderburk with two counts of burglary. Once paperwork is completed Funderburk will be brought to Spalding County, processed and returned to Wheeler County CI until his trial date is set, said Stewart. ”This is an outstanding job conducted by the crime scene personnel, the investigators and the State Crime Lab,” said Stewart. “If it wasn’t for the collection of the evidence during the investigation, this case would still be unsolved.”
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