The Capital Times, http://www.madison.com/tct, The Associated Press State & Local Wire

Madison, WI

A newspaper report says at least four of 10 older, unsolved murder cases being investigated by the Dane County Sheriff's Office, the Madison Police Department and the University of Wisconsin Police Department have been compromised by the mishandling of evidence.

The Capital Times reports Wednesday that while police officials point to recent advances that have improved their ability to keep track of items that could potentially tie a suspect to a crime, evidence over the years has been destroyed or lost.

The newspaper looked at unsolved cases from 1976 to 1981 after a tip from a former Sheriff's Office employee who alleged evidence room staffers in the 1980s were order to destroy evidence.

Sheriff Dave Mahoney denied the allegation that widespread evidence purging occurred.

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