How fast for a DNA test?

Factual Questions
1

In am emergency, like the Saddam Hussain case, a lab can do a DNA test really quickly, but consider this. I must be misunderstanding something.

According to the New York Times the other day (no link), the transit police arrested a guy for slipping under a turnstile. They took him to 45th Precinct and booked him. I presume they took a DNA sample. There was an arrest record, ten arrests in ten years. Some for weapons, but I got the impression that the guy was not going to be held. I see this whole story happening in the station house.

Then they got a call from some lab. They had a DNA match for this guy and that case where someone raped and beat up an elderly lady a few months ago.

Book 'em Danno!

Could this have happened so fast? Could this have happened in less than 24 hours?

2

I assume that this is the story you are referring to.

In that case it appears that the DNA had been taken during a previous run-in with the law and that the “hit” was discovered coincidentally with the time that he was in custody for his most current offenses.

3

aha!

4

A DNA test can be run in just a few hours.

Most police labs are underfunded and backed up so much that the wait for your sample to have the DNA test run is typically weeks to months.