Forensic Genetic Genealogy

C O D I N G B O O K & A N N OTAT E D B I B L I O G R A P H Y 2 O 2 2

FORENSIC GENETIC PROFILE OF CASES P R E PA R E D B Y: D R . T. L . D O W D E S W E L L

G E N E A LO GY P R OJ E C T S O LV E D — 2 0 2 2 DOUGLAS COLLEGE
7 0 0 R OYA L AV E N U E
NEW WESTMINSTER, BC
Table of Contents

The Forensic Genetic Genealogy Project 2022……………………… 3

What is Forensic Genetic Genealogy…………………………………. 5

Research Methods……………………………………………………….. 9

Table of Abbreviations………………………………………………… 11

Code Book……………………………………………………………….. 20

Annotated Bibliography of Cases

Criminal Investigations………………………………………… 39

Disaster Victim Investigations………………………………. 298

Human Remains Investigations…………………………….. 300

Living Doe Investigations……………………………………. 524

F O R E N S I C G E N E T I C G E N E A LO GY P R OJ E C T 2 0 2 2 2
The Forensic Genetic
Genealogy Project,

I
began this project in 2020 for the The Forensic Genetic Genealogy Project
purpose of creating a registry of cases consists of a dataset of cases solved using FGG,
which have been solved using the as well as this User Manual, which explains how
techniques of forensic genetic genealogy the data was collected and coded. I have also
(FGG). included in the User Manual an annotated
My goal in launching this project is to keep bibliography of the sources used to collect this
track of these cases as they make their way data, as well as a brief digest of each case. This
through the justice system to determine how data can be found on Mendelay Data. The first
courts are ruling on this novel form of evidence. results of this project have now been published
as follows:
I also wanted to construct an adequate sample
frame for further research into forensic genetic Dowdeswell, Tracey Leigh. “Forensic Genetic
genealogy. I hope that this research will assist in Genealogy: A Profile of Cases Solved.”
our understanding this burgeoning investigative Forensic Science International: Genetics 58
technique, and provide information to academic (2022): 102679. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/
and public authorities seeking to better j.fsigen.2022.102679.
understand forensic genetic genealogy and
formulate public policies surrounding its This year, I have been fortunate to have two
development and use. tremendous research assistants working with me
When this project began, there had not yet been on this project. I would like to thank Nico
a systematic attempt to define FGG and to Conception and Taryn Mulvihill for their hard
collect information about its use to clear cases. work and dedication. I would also like to thank
This research was conducted to fill this void, the Douglas College Research & Innovation
and to shed light on the use of FGG to date. This Office for the grant which made their work
data has been collected and made available to possible.
assist with further research into FGG, and to
provide accurate information to academic and
Tracey Leigh Dowdeswell, PhD
public authorities seeking to better understand
FGG and to formulate public policies governing Vancouver, BC, February 2023
its development and use.

T H E F O R E N S I C G E N E T I C G E N E A LO GY P R OJ E C T 2 0 2 2 3
2
0
2
2
What is
D
NA Genotyping and samples about 700,000 to
Sequencing. In this 800,000 SNPs across the
photo, a technician at genome to come up with a
Forensic the Cancer Genomics
Research Laboratory, part of
unique SNP profile for that
individual. Genetic genealogy

Genetic the National Cancer Institute's

Division of Cancer
searches for continuous
stretches of shares SNPS that

Genealogy?
Epidemiology and Genetics two individuals have inherited
(DCEG), washes arrays used from a recent common
in DNA sequencing for ancestor. Such sequences are
medical research. This kind of known as ‘Identical by
sequencing searches an Descent’ or IBD. The longer
individual’s genome for small and more frequent are such
variations, called single IBD segments, the more
nucleotide polymorphisms or closely related the two
SNPs. SNPs are places in the individuals are likely to be.
genome at which there is a Photo Credit: National Cancer
mutation in a single Institute, Unsplash, https://
unsplash.com/photos/ysv6k_gPOZM.
nucleotide. The sequencing
used in genetic genealogy
What is Forensic Genetic
Genealogy?

F
orensic genetic genealogy (FGG) the genome, examining about 700,000 to
is an interdisciplinary practice 800,000 SNPs [2,3].
that combines genomics and
computer database technologies, as well
as traditional and genetic methods of Computer Database Technologies:
genealogical research to identify
unknown individuals by reconstructing The SNP profile of the person of interest is
their ancestral lineages and drawing uploaded into one or more DNA databases that
out their family trees. use a set of algorithms designed to match
relatives. The D2C databases that are being used
for FGG use proprietary algorithms to match
Genomics: segments, which is a limitation of this technique
when it is being used as evidence in criminal
Forensic DNA work examines hyper-variable cases [4]. The algorithms examine the number
regions of the genome known as Short Tandem and length of matching DNA segments which
Repeats (STRs) that distinguish one individual are then used to assess the degree of relatedness
from another with a high degree of accuracy and between the person of interest and those persons
precision. These DNA profiles can then be who have uploaded their profile into the
stored in law enforcement databases, such as database [4,5]
CODIS, where they can be used to connect a
single suspect to multiple offences, and to At present, about 60% of searches concerning a
search against future crime scene samples [1]. person of interest of European ancestry will
result in a match to at least a third cousin; often,
An FGG investigation, on the other hand, begins this will be a sufficiently close relationship to
by producing a DNA profile of the unknown identify the person of interest [6]. This is the
individual using Single Nucleotide rate-limiting step of FGG: a successful
Polymorphisms (SNPs). In cases where whole identification through FGG depends mainly on
genome sequencing is performed, this data is the ability to match the suspect with the DNA of
translated into a usable SNP profile. SNP a close relative [6]. A database that covers about
profiles identify variation at different areas of 2% of the population has a very high probability
of disclosing a 3rd cousin relationship to any

W H AT I S F O R E N S I C G E N E T I C G E N E A LO GY 5
person - provided that the samples for the to identify the person of interest [5]. These may
database have been chosen at random [6]. A include birth, death and marriage certificates,
database of this coverage is foreseeable in the obituaries and grave records, and other sources
near future, given the continued popularity of of publicly available information. Once one or
genetic genealogy. more relative matches have been made in the
database, tracing out the family trees is a time-
Most cases included in this dataset used the consuming and non-trivial task [6].
GEDmatch or FamilyTreeDNA (FTDNA)
databases, where users are able to opt-in and Investigations are best able to advance when a
out of law enforcement matching for criminal match is found with a relative who is a 3rd
offences in their account settings. In North cousin or closer. DNA-matching algorithms
America, FTDNA will permit law enforcement often look for segments of DNA that two
searching unless users specifically opt-out in individuals share in common. These individuals
their account settings [7], while GEDmatch likely inherited these shared segments through
opts all users out of law enforcement searching their descent from a common ancestor, and
in criminal investigations [8]. GEDmatch has such segments are known as ‘Identical by
recently modified their terms of service and Descent’ (IBD) [2,11]. Genetic genealogists
privacy policy to automatically opt users in for then identify clusters of shared matches and
human remains investigations whose object is work with these genetic networks to identify
the identification of a decedent [8]. This change the most recent common ancestor (MRCA) of
was due in part to the difficulties faced by the each cluster. The MRCA is the most recent
parents of Wendy Stephens, a victim of serial ancestral couple from whom the individuals are
killer Gary Leon Ridgway, known as the descended [2]. Once a MRCA has been found,
‘Green River Killer’. They had attempted to genealogists build out the family tree to
upload a DNA profile to GEDmatch to locate identify all the descendants of the MRCA. The
their daughter but were not opted-in to law person of interest will be normally found
enforcement matching [9]. These policies have among this group of persons [2].
been criticized by scholars as not ensuring that
users have the knowledge they need to give There may be cases where a sufficiently close
informed consent on this issue and to opt-in match cannot be found, or where the family
and -out of law enforcement matching as they tree may be difficult to construct due to non-
may choose [10,4]. parental events, adoptions, or endogamy. In
such cases, investigators may request DNA
samples and other information from relatives of
Genealogy: the person of interest [2]. Such ‘targeted
kinship testing’ should be conducted with due
Once a relative match is identified using a attention to the ethical and privacy issues
DNA database, genealogists then use traditional involved in the police collection and storage of
sources of information to draw out family trees the DNA samples of those who are not

W H AT I S F O R E N S I C G E N E T I C G E N E A LO GY 6
Suspects, as recommended by SWGDAM [5]. made through kinship testing with a close
This includes informed consent for potential living relative. Other methods of confirmation
relatives who are approached for a DNA used in this dataset include comparing the
sample [12], as well as the requirements that STR-DNA profile obtained from the crime
these samples later be destroyed and not scene to a sample taken at an autopsy or from
uploaded into a law enforcement database [5]. the exhumed remains of a deceased suspect.

Further investigative methods are used to This section and the following section
narrow down this list. Forensic phenotyping, of concerning research methods was excerpted
both visual characteristics and biogeographical from our 2022 paper in Forensic Science
ancestry, can be used to confirm or exclude International: Genetics [14].
certain hypotheses, and to narrow the candidate
pool [6]. In some cases, the use of information
from the Y-chromosome or mitochondrial DNA Sources:
can provide information as to the male and
female lineages respectively, and even to [1] Department of Justice (U.S.), Interim
identify a possible surname for the person of Policy: Forensic Genetic Genealogical DNA
interest, as was done by Colleen Fitzpatrick in Analysis and Searching, United States
the investigation of the ‘Phoenix Canal Department of Justice. (2019). https://
Killer’ [13]. An FGG investigation may be able www.justice.gov/olp/forensic-science (accessed
to narrow down the candidate pool to a single April 8, 2021).
sibling cohort. When combined with other
techniques, such as geographical profiling and [2] E.M. Greytak, C. Moore, S.L. Armentrout,
non-forensic evidence, the suspect lists can be Genetic genealogy for cold case and active
narrowed down to a very small group investigations, Forensic Science International.
composed of one or a few individuals [6]. 299 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1016/
j.forsciint.2019.03.039.

Forensic DNA Profiling: [3] A. Turner, Would You Like Your Data
Raw or Cooked?, in: D.P. Wayne (Ed.),
Once the FGG investigation has produced a list Advanced Genetic Genealogy: Techniques and
of candidates for identification, this Case Studies, Wayne Research, Cushing TX,
information is confirmed using a variety of 2019: pp. 189–214.
methods. For criminal investigations looking to
identify the source of a crime scene sample, [4] D. Kling, C. Phillips, D. Kennett, A.
this will involve matching the suspect’s Tillmar, Investigative genetic genealogy:
forensic STR-DNA profile to the crime scene Current methods, knowledge and practice,
DNA to exclude or include the suspect [5]. In Forensic Science International: Genetics. 52
the case of decedents, confirmation is generally (2021). https://doi.org/10.1016/

W H AT I S F O R E N S I C G E N E T I C G E N E A LO GY 7
[5] Scientific Working Group on DNA Genetics. 46 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1146/
Analysis Methods (SWGDAM), Overview of annurev-genet-110711-155534.
Investigative Genetic Genealogy, 2020. https://
www.swgdam.org/publications (accessed [12] J. Schuppe, “They Lied to Us”: Mom
January 18, 2022). Says Police Deceived Her to Get Her DNA and
Charge Her Son with Murder., NBC News.
[6] Y. Erlich, T. Shor, I. Pe’er, S. Carmi, (2020). https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-
Identity inference of genomic data using long- news/they-lied-us-mom-says-police-deceived-
range familial searches, Science. 362 (2018). her-get-her-n1140696 (accessed August 25,
https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aau4832. 2021).

[7] FamilyTreeDNA, FamilyTreeDNA - [13] C. Fitzpatrick, Solving the Phoenix

Privacy Statement, Family Tree DNA . (2019). Canal Murders, ISHI News. (2018). https://
https://www.familytreedna.com/legal/privacy- www.ishinews.com/solving-the-phoenix-canal-
statement (accessed April 8, 2021). murders/ (accessed April 8, 2021).

[8] GEDmatch.com, GEDmatch.Com Terms [14] T. Dowdeswell. Forensic genetic

of Service and Privacy Policy, genealogy: A profile of cases solved. Forensic
GEDmatch.Com. (2021). https:// Science International: Genetics 58 (2022):
www.gedmatch.com/terms-of-service-privacy- 102679. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/
policy (accessed January 9, 2022). j.fsigen.2022.102679.

[9] D. Whitehead, Denver girl identified as

victim of Green River Killer, NBC 9 News.
(2021). https://www.9news.com/article/news/
crime/denver-girl-wendy-stephens-green-river-
killer-victim/73-
cb7652ba-31b9-49e1-89f8-34448ac2760c
(accessed April 8, 2021).

[10] J. Zabel, The Killer Inside Us: Law,

Ethics, and the Forensic Use of Family
Genetics, Berkeley Journal of Criminal Law .
24 (2019) 47–100.

[11] S.R. Browning, B.L. Browning, Identity

by Descent Between Distant Relatives:
Detection and Applications, Annual Review of

W H AT I S F O R E N S I C G E N E T I C G E N E A LO GY 8
 Research Methods

T
his research attempts to collect all This data set only includes cases that have
publicly available information been successfully cleared, and cases for
concerning cases that were which a public agency had specifically
successfully cleared through FGG, going confirmed that FGG had been used in the
back as far as possible in time and ending investigation. This research does not
on December 31, 2021. Cases were include data on pending FGG
selected for inclusion in the sample investigations that have not yet been
through internet searches, discussion cleared. Information on pending
boards related to genetic genealogy, investigations is rarely made publicly
missing persons, and cold cases, as well as available, and there are significant ethical
press releases and blog posts from private issues in publicizing information that may
companies and non-profit organization interfere with ongoing criminal
known to perform FGG, publications investigations.
devoted to advances in forensic science,
and published court records. There are This data is not able to capture cases in
well over 1000 news articles, blog posts, which law enforcement agencies have not
press releases and court records described come forward with information about the
in the annotated bibliography that were investigative methods they have used to
used to gather the data contained within clear a case. The data may be be biased in
the dataset. favour of cases involving serious crimes,
such as homicides, that are better
This research was not able to uncover all publicized and more likely to have
cases cleared using FGG. The cases excluded cases in which the investigation
collected in this. dataset are likely biased is not publicized for privacy reasons –
in favour of cases that were well- such as the identification of unknown
publicized, and that were conducted by decedents, living does, or cases where an
the larger forensic organizations, investigation is ongoing.
including Parabon Nanolabs, Barbara
Rae-Venter, the DNA Doe Project, A ‘case’ for the purposes of this dataset is
Advance DNA, Othram Inc., Bode defined as the identification of a decedent
Technologies, and United Data Connect. or a living doe and, in the case of criminal
investigations, a victim-offender pair. This

RESEARCH METHODS 9
victims, as well as the prevalence of serial/ of interest. Cases solved through familial
recidivist murderers and sexual offenders. searching of law enforcement databases
Each case is assigned a unique Case are not included in this data set.
Identification Number (Case ID). Cases
were included from all countries which 3. Investigative Purpose: The
have used FGG to date. The information investigation must be for a forensic
on FGG cases was entered into the purpose, meaning that the evidence thus
database by a single researcher, and so produced is relevant to an ongoing legal
there were no issues concerning inter- dispute. Most cases considered here are for
coder reliability. the identification of perpetrators of
criminal offences or the identification of
Cases are only chosen for inclusion in the decedents but can also include the
sample if a public authority had confirmed identification of living does. Not included
that FGG was used in the investigation, are cases that are of purely historical
and the investigation met the following interest, or the identification of unknown
definition of FGG: soldiers by military authorities. Two cases
have been included that were investigated
as ongoing criminal matters but were
1. Investigative Body: The investigation found to be historical cases upon a
was led by a public, and not a private, successful resolution. These cases were
authority, such as a law enforcement not included in data analyses.
agency or a coroner/medical examiner’s
office. Cases that are initiated and led by 4. Causation: This database only includes
private individuals and organizations, even cases that have been successfully cleared
though they may uncover criminal using FGG. The resolution of any
activities – such as child abductions or investigation – particularly very large and
incest – are not included in the dataset. lengthy investigations as were many of the
cases described here – has many causes. In
2. Investigative Techniques: The order to be included here, the FGG
investigation must use the techniques of investigation must have played a
genomics, computer database significant causal role in the resolution of
technologies, and traditional genealogy, as the case.
outlined above. Cases were included when
family lineages were drawn out to at least
three or more generations. The sample
includes investigations that use Y-
chromosome STR profiles and/or
mitochondrial DNA profiles to trace the
paternal and maternal lineages of persons

RESEARCH METHODS 10
 Table of Abbreviations
Abbreviation Used in Database Meaning

AA African American Ancestry

AB Alberta
ACQ Acquaintance
ADM Evidence Admi ed by Court
ADV Adverse Admission of DNA Evidence by Accused
AF Sub-Saharan African Ancestry
AGG Aggravated Assault
AID Aiding & Abe ng Inten onal Homicide
AK Alaska
AKZ Ashkenazi
AL Alabama
ANC Ancestry.com
APD FGG Evidence Appealed, Appeal Denied
APP FGG Evidence Admi ed, Being Appealed
AQT Acqui ed at Trial
AR Arkansas
ARG O ence Mo vated by Argument
AS East Asian Ancestry
AST Assault
ATM A empted Murder
AUT Autopsy Sample
AZ Arizona
BC Bri sh Columbia
BCA Bureau of Criminal Apprehension
BGA Biogeographical Ancestry

TA B L E O F A B B R E V I AT I O N S 11
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 Abbreviation Used in Database Meaning

BI Bureau of Inves ga on
BLD Blood
BNE Bone
CA California
CAN Canada
CASEID Case Iden ca on Number
CCIU Cold Case Inves ga on Unit
CCO County Coroner's O ce
CCU Cold Case Unit
CD County Detec ves
CED Case Cleared by Excep on Due to Death of Suspect
CHARGE1 Most Serious Criminal Charge Laid
CHARGE2 Second Most Serious Criminal Charge Laid
CHD Child Abuse, Not Sexual (when criminal charge)
CHD Child (When Vic m O ender Rela onship)
CHK Choking
CIR Circuit Court
CLEAR Date Case Cleared
CMEO County Medical Examiner's O ce
CO County
CO Colorado (When Referring to U.S. State)
CO Coroner's O ce (When Inves ga ng Organiza on)
COMPL Court of Common Pleas
CON DNA Sample Provided Consenually
CONFM Con rma on of FGG Inves ga on
CPD County Police Department
CRIM Criminal Inves ga on

TA B L E O F A B B R E V I AT I O N S 12
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 Abbreviation Used in Database Meaning

CSA Central/South American Ancestry, Including Mexico

CSO County Sheri 's O ce
CT Connec cut (When Referring to U.S. State)
CT Court
CTR Convicted at Trial
CTRUL Court Ruling on FGG Evidence
DC District of Columbia
DCI Department of Criminal Inves ga on
DE Delaware
DEC Decedent
DENT Dental Records
DES Desecra on of Human Remains
DIS Charges Dismissed
DISP1 Disposi on of Most Serious Charge
DISP2 Disposi on of Second-Most Serious Charge
DIST District Court
DIV Division
DNADBS DNA Database Used in FGG Inves ga on
DOJFDNA Department of Jus ce Familial DNA Search Team
DOM O ence Mo vated by Domes c Violence
DTR Suspect Died During Trial
DVI Disaster Vic m Inves ga on
EU European Ancestry
EXH Exhuma on of Human Remains
F Female
FBI Federal Bureau of Inves ga on
FDLE Florida Department of Law Enforcement

TA B L E O F A B B R E V I AT I O N S 13
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 Abbreviation Used in Database Meaning

FDM First Degree Murder

FGG Forensic Gene c Genealogy
FGGOPEN Date FGG Inves ga on Opened
FGU Forensic Genealogy Unit
FL Florida
FLDO Forensic Laboratory for DNA Research
FNG Fingernal Scrapings
FPT Con rma on Made Through Fingerprint Match
FRD Fraud
FTDNA Family Tree DNA
GA Georgia
GEDM GEDmatch
GP Guilty Plea
HOM Homicide, Not First Degree Murder or Manslaughter
HR Hair
HRI Human Remains Inves ga on
HTF Homicide Task Force
HUM Human Remains
IA Iowa
ICCDAM Idaho Cold Case Advanced DNA Methods Working Group
ID Idaho
IGU Inves ga ve Genealogy Unit
IL Illinois
IN Indiana
INC Incompetent to Stand Trial
IND Indigenous Ancestry
INF Infant of Unknown Age

TA B L E O F A B B R E V I AT I O N S 14
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 Abbreviation Used in Database Meaning

INS Indian Subcon nent Ancestry

INVEST Type of Inves ga on
IP Innocence Project
JUV Juvenile Court
KID Kidnapping
KS Kansas
LA Louisiana
LAW Law Enforcement Sample
LD Living Doe Inves ga on
LDOE Living Doe
LED Law Enforcement Division
LIV Sample Taken from Living Person
LVR Living Rela ve
M Male
MA Massachuse s
MAG Migistrate Court
MAN Non-Negligent Manslaughter
MD Maryland
MDE Middle Eastern & North African Ancestry
ME Maine
MED Medical Sample
MEO Medical Examiner’s O ce
MI Michigan
MIL Military Records
MM Mul ple Murderer
MMP Mul ple Murder Charges Pending
MN Minnesota

TA B L E O F A B B R E V I AT I O N S 15
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Abbreviation Used in Database Meaning

mo Months of Age
MO Missouri
MPS Ministry of Public Security
MS Mississippi
MSA U.S. Metropolitan Sta s cal Area
MT Montana
mtDNA Mitochondrial DNA Database
N No
n/a Not Applicable
NB Newborn, <24 hours old
NC North Carolina
NCIS Naval Criminal Inves ga ve Service
NCO No Charge, but More Serious Charge Laid
nd No Data Available
NH New Hampshire
NM New Mexico
NOR Norway
NTCHI University of North Texas Center for Human Iden ca on
NV Nevada
NY New York
OFM Other Family Member (Not Spouse, Parent, Child)
OH Ohio
OK Oklahoma
ONT Ontario
OP Case Open
OPEN Date Case Opened
OR Oregon

TA B L E O F A B B R E V I AT I O N S 16
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 Abbreviation Used in Database Meaning

ORG O ence Mo vated by Organized Crime, Including Gang-

Related Aci vites & Drug Tra cking
OTH Criminal O ence Coded as 'Other' in the FBI UCR, Not
Domes c Violence
PA Pennsylvania
PAR Parent
PCR Accused Mo oned for Post Convic on Review
PD Police Department
PEN Pending Before a Court
PERP Suspected Perpetrator of Criminal O ence
PERPBGA Suspected Perpetrator Biogeographical Ancestry
PERPFNM Suspected Perpetrator First Name
PERPG Suspected Perpetrator Gender
PERPLNM Suspected Perpetrator Last Name
PLA Placenta
POI Person of Interest
POIAGE Person of Interest Age
POIBGA Person of Interest Biogeographical Ancestry
POIFNM Person of Interest First Name
POIG Person of Interest Gender
POILNM Person of Interest Last Name
PRT Partner/Spouse
PS Police Service
RI Rhode Island
ROB Robbery/O ence Mo vated by Robbery/Burglary
SAK Sexual Assault Kit
SAL Saliva
SAMPSRC Source of DNA Sample Used in FGG Inves ga on

TA B L E O F A B B R E V I AT I O N S 17
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 Abbreviation Used in Database Meaning

SC South Carolina
SD South Dakota
SDCJ State Division of Criminal Jus ce
SECFOR Suspected Perpetrator Member of Public Security Forces
SEM Semen
SEV Several
SEX Sexual Assault
SEXVL Sexual Violence
SL Charges Dismissed Due to Statute of Limita ons
SM Serial Murderer
SMP Serial Murder Charges Pending
SMSU South Missouri State University
SP State Police
SRMDR Serial Murder
SSO Serial Sexual O ender
SSOP Serial Sexual O ender Charges Pending
ST State
ST State Troopers
STK Stalking, Criminal Harassment
STR Stranger
SU State University
SUP Superior Court
SUR Surrup ous Sampling
TCH Touch DNA
TDTF Trans Doe Task Force
TF Trans Female
TM Trans Male

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 Abbreviation Used in Database Meaning

TN Tennessee
TTH Tooth
TX Texas
UNS Unspeci ed Sample Source
USA United States of America
UT Utah
UTT U ering Threats
VA Virginia
VICAGE Age of Vic m
VICBGA Biogeographical Ancestry of Vic m
VICFNM First Name of Vic m
VICG Gender of Vic m
VICLNM Last Name of Vic m
VICPREL Rela onship of Vic m to Perpetrator
VUNVIC Vic m Especially Vulnerable
WA Washington
WAR Wrongfully Arrested
WCH Wrongfully Charged
WCN Wrongfully Convicted
WI Wisconsin
WPN Using a Weapon in Commission of an O ence
WRPROS Wrongful Prosecu on
WRT DNA Warrant
WY Wyoming
Y Yes
Y-STR Y-STR DNA Database
YK Yukon

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Code Book
T
his section explains each heading in
the database, what information was
collected, and how it was coded.

CODE BOOK 20
 Code Book

T
his section explains each heading CRIM: Criminal Investigation
in the database, describing what
information was collected, and In this type of investigation, a biological sample
how it was coded. from the crime scene that is thought to be
probative of guilt is used to obtain a DNA
CASEID: Case ID Number profile of the suspected perpetrator of a criminal
offence.
A case is defined as an individual who is being
identified as part of an ongoing FGG HRI: Human Remains Investigation
investigation, either as a suspected criminal
perpetrator, a living doe, or a decedent. For In this type of investigation, a sample from a
criminal investigations, a case is defined as a decedent is used to develop a DNA profile to
victim-offender pair. This way, information is identify the person and return their remains to
collected on individual victims as well as their family members. In some cases, these
individual offenders, and can be used to better individuals have been victims of criminal
analyze serial offending. offences. In others, the individual’s death is not
suspicious, and is not linked to criminal activity.
Each case is given a unique four-digit number, In a small number of cases, the victim and the
beginning with the number 1001, based upon the perpetrator of a criminal offence have both been
order in which the case was added to the identified through FGG, and these investigations
database. are recorded separately.

DVI: Disaster Victim Identification

INVEST: Type of Investigation
This is a subset of Human Remains
This heading describes the type of investigation Investigations in which FGG is used to identify
which used FGG. Each type of investigation is an unknown individual who has died in a mass
defined below. As of the 2021 version of the disaster, and who cannot be identified through
database, there were no investigations into mass traditional means. As of the 2021 database, FGG
graves, a subset of human remains was used to identify two unknown victims of the
investigations, or into immigration detainees, a 2018 Paradise Camp Fire in California.
subset of investigations into living does.

CODE BOOK 21
MGI: Mass Graves Investigation POIFNM: First Name of Person of Interest

This is a subset of Human Remains This heading indicates the first name of the
Investigations in which FGG is used to identify person identified using FGG, where known. If
an unknown individual who has died as a result there is no data, then this is coded as ‘nd’. If
of an armed conflict or widespread human this heading is not applicable, then this is coded
rights abuse such as genocide, war crimes, or as ‘n/a’.
crimes against humanity, who has been buried
in a mass grave, and who cannot be identified POILNM: Last Name of Person of Interest
through traditional means.
This heading indicates the last name of the
LD: Living Doe Investigation person identified using FGG, where known.
If the individual has been identified but their
This is an investigation in which FGG is used name is not known, then they are coded as
to identify an unknown but living individual. ‘Jane Doe’ for females and ‘John Doe’ for
Examples of living does include disabled males. If a nickname has commonly been used
persons, injured persons, and child victims of to describe an individual whose legal name is
criminal offences who are unable to identify not known, then this may be used here.
themselves.
If the person’s name is known but has been
IMM: Immigration Detainee Investigation withheld for privacy considerations, then this
has been coded CON for “Confidential’.
This is a subset of Living Doe Investigations in
which FGG is used to identify an unknown If there is no data, then this is coded as ‘nd’. If
person who is in immigration detention. this heading is not applicable, then this is coded
as ‘n/a’.
POI: Person of Interest
POIG: Gender of Person of Interest
This heading describes the person of interest in
an FGG investigation. If there is no data, then This heading indicates the gender of the person
this is coded as ‘nd’. If this heading is not identified using FGG, where known. If there is
applicable, then this is coded as ‘n/a’. no data, then this is coded as ‘nd’. If this
heading is not applicable, then this is coded as
DEC: Decedent in a Human Remains ‘n/a’.
Investigation
LDOE: A Living Doe M: Male
PERP: Suspected perpetrator of a criminal F: Female
offence TF: Trans Female
TM: Trans Male

CODE BOOK 22
OT: Other Gender AA: African American
AF: Sub-Saharan Africa
POIAGE: Age of Person of Interest AKZ: Ashkenazi
AS: East Asia
This heading describes the age of the person of
interest in years, where known. In cases where CAS: Central Asia, including Iran
the age of a young child is given in months, CSA: Central and South America, including
this is indicated as ‘mo’. Where the age is not Mexico
known precisely, an estimated age range may EU: Europe, including Russia and Siberia
be given. If there is no data, then this is coded
IND: Indigenous persons, including First
as ‘nd’. If this heading is not applicable, then
this is coded as ‘n/a’. Nations, Native Americans, and Inuit peoples
INS: Indian Subcontinent, including India,
NB: A newborn infant who was born alive but Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka
lived for less than about 24 hours. MDE: Middle East & North Africa, including
INF: An infant of unknown age but is not a the Levant, and the Persian Gulf regions
newborn.
PERPFNM: First Name of Perpetrator
POIBGA: Biogeographical Ancestry of
Person of Interest This heading indicates the first name of the
suspect in a criminal investigation, where
This heading indicates the biogeographical known. If there is no data, then this is coded as
ancestry (BGA) of the person of interest, where ‘nd’. If this heading is not applicable, then this
known. Biogeographical ancestry is not is coded as ‘n/a’.
synonymous with race or ethnicity, but rather
indicates the likely geographical region where PERPLNM: Last Name of Perpetrator
the individual’s recent ancestors lived. It is
divided up into broad, continental, regions. This section indicates the last name of the
suspect in a criminal investigation, where
Many FGG investigations make use of forensic known. If the person’s name is known but has
phenotyping and ancestry determination, and been withheld for privacy reasons, then this has
some of the information included here comes been coded as CON for ‘Confidential’. If the
from the results of those investigations. suspect has not yet been identified, as in a HRI
Otherwise, the individual’s BGA is estimated where the case remains open, then it is coded as
through published newspaper reports and ‘nd’ to indicate that there is no data. If this
photographs. If there is no data, then this is heading is not applicable, then it is coded as ‘n/
coded as ‘nd’. If this heading is not applicable, a’.
then this is coded as ‘n/a’.

CODE BOOK 23
PERPG: Gender of Perpetrator Otherwise, the individual’s BGA is estimated
through published newspaper reports and
This section indicates the gender of the suspect photographs.
in a criminal investigation, where known.
If there is no data, then this is coded as ‘nd’. If If there is no data, then this is coded as ‘nd’. If
this heading is not applicable, then this is coded this heading is not applicable, then this is coded
as ‘n/a’. as ‘n/a’.

M: Male AA: African American

F: Female AF: Sub-Saharan Africa
TF: Trans Female AKZ: Ashkenazi
TM: Trans Male AS: East Asia
OT: Other Gender CAS: Central Asia, including Iran
CSA: Central and South America, including
PERPAGE: Age of Perpetrator Mexico
EU: Europe, including Russia and Siberia
This heading describes the age of the suspect in
a criminal investigation in years, where known. IND: Indigenous persons, including First
Where age is not known precisely, an estimated Nations, Native Americans, and Inuit
age range may be given. If there is no data, INS: Indian Subcontinent, including India,
then this is coded as ‘nd’. If this heading is not Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka
applicable, then it is coded as ‘n/a’.
MDE: Middle East & North Africa, including
PERPBGA: Biogeographical Ancestry of the Levant, and the Persian Gulf Regions
Perpetrator
OPEN: Date Case Opened
This heading indicates the biogeographical
ancestry (BGA) of the suspected perpetrator, This heading indicates the date that the
where known. Biogeographical ancestry is not investigation was opened. Normally, for CRIM
synonymous with race or ethnicity, but rather investigations it will be the day that the crime
indicates the likely geographical region where was committed, or the date that a homicide
the individual’s recent ancestors lived. It is victim was discovered. For HRI investigations,
divided up into broad, continental, regions. it is given as the day when the remains were
found, in those cases in which the date of the
Many FGG investigations make use of forensic homicide or death of the decedent is not
phenotyping and ancestry determination, and known.
some of the information included here comes
from the results of those investigations. Where a month or day is not known, this is

CODE BOOK 24
coded as ‘nd’. If there is no data, then this is coded as ‘nd’. If
this heading is not applicable, then this is coded
FGGOPEN: Date Forensic Genetic as ‘n/a’.
Genealogy Investigation Opened
AGG: Aggravated assault.
This heading indicates the date on which the AID: Aiding & Abetting Intentional Homicide
FGG investigation was opened, where this
AST: All forms of assault that are not
information is known.
aggravated, and are not sexual offences.
Where a month or day is not known, this is ATM: Attempted murder.
coded as a ‘0’. If there is no data, then this is CHD: Child abuse and child endangerment,
coded as ‘nd’. excluding sexual offences.
CHK: Choking and choking-related offences
CLEAR: Date Case Cleared
short of homicide.
This heading indicates the date that the DES: Concealing a corpse, or desecration of
investigation was cleared. Normally, this is the human remains.
date that an arrest is made in a criminal case, or
FDM: Includes the most serious homicides,
the date on which police have publicly
announced the clearance of the case. For such first-degree murder, capital murder, or
human remains investigations, it will normally aggravated murder.
be the date that the investigating authority or HOM: Second degree murder, including all
the forensic organization announces that the forms of homicide other than first-degree
individual has been identified. If there is no
data, then this is coded as ‘nd’. murder and non-negligent homicide, and
including those in which the severity of the
CHARGE1: First Criminal Charge charge is not specified.
KID: Kidnapping, including when combined
This heading indicates the most serious charge
with a sexual offence.
laid when the case includes a criminal
investigation. Charges are grouped into the MAN: All negligent homicide charges,
broad categories described below. These including infanticide and death by child
headings also include inchoate offences and neglect.
modes of participation, except for charges
OBS: Obstruction, tampering with evidence.
relating to attempted murder, which is coded
separately. ROB: Burglary, robbery, and home invasion,
including when combined with a sexual
offence.
SEX: All sexual offences, including rape,

CODE BOOK 25
STK: Stalking, &/or criminal harassmen FDM: Includes the most serious homicides,
WPN: Use of a weapon, deadly weapon, or such first-degree murder, capital murder, or
firearm, including where use of weapon is an aggravated murder.
aggravating factor in the commission of HOM: Second degree murder, including all
another criminal offence. forms of homicide other than first-degree
murder and non-negligent homicide, and
CHARGE2: Second Criminal Charge including those in which the severity of the
charge is not specified.
This heading indicates the second most serious
charge laid when the case includes a criminal KID: Kidnapping, including when combined
investigation. Where there has been a sexual with a sexual offence.
offence in conjunction with a homicide, this is MAN: All negligent homicide charges,
always listed as the second most serious including infanticide and death by child
charge. Charges are grouped into the broad
neglect.
categories described below. These headings
also include inchoate offences and modes of OBS: Obstruction, tampering with evidence.
participation, except for charges relating to ROB: Burglary, robbery, and home invasion,
attempted murder, which is classified including when combined with a sexual
separately.
offence.
If there is no data, then this is coded as ‘nd’. If SEX: All sexual offences, including rape,
this heading is not applicable, then this is coded sexual assault, and child molestation.
as ‘n/a’. STK: Stalking, &/or criminal harassment.
WPN: Use of a weapon, deadly weapon, or
AGG: Aggravated assault.
firearm, including where use of weapon is an
AID: Aiding & Abetting Intentional Homicide
aggravating factor in the commission of
AST: All forms of assault that are not
another criminal offence.
aggravated, and are not sexual offences.
ATM: Attempted murder. SEXVL: Sexual Violence
CHD: Child abuse and child endangerment,
excluding sexual offences. This heading indicates whether a crime had an
CHK: Choking and choking-related offences element of sexual violence in the way in which
it was conducted or in its motivation,
short of homicide.
irrespective of whether the accused was
DES: Concealing a corpse, or desecration of charged with a sexual offence. There are many
human remains. reasons why charges for sexual offences are not
laid, including being barred under existing

CODE BOOK 26
Data is coded Y for ‘yes, and N for ‘no’. If where a robbery or burglary took place as an
there is no data, then this is coded as ‘nd’. If incident to a sexual assault.
this heading is not applicable, then this is coded
SEX: The offence was motivated by sexual
as ‘n/a’.
assault.
MOTIV: Motivation for the Offence
DISP1: Disposition of First Criminal Charge
This heading describes the motivation for a
criminal offence. This heading is correlated This heading describes the disposition of
with those given in the Federal Bureau of Charge 1, the most serious criminal charge. A
Investigation Uniform Crime Reports disposition refers to the outcome of a criminal
Expanded Homicide Data under the heading case that has been cleared and put before the
‘Victim Circumstance.’ court system.

If there is no data, then this is coded as ‘nd’. If If there is no data, then this is coded as ‘nd’. If
this heading is not applicable, then this is coded this heading is not applicable, then this is coded
as ’n/a’. as ‘n/a’.

ARG: The offence was motivated by an AQT: Accused was acquitted after a trial.
argument, including arguments over money and CED: Case was cleared by exception due to
property. death of perpetrator.
DOM: The offence was one of domestic CEO: Case was cleared by exception due to a
violence, including all felonies related to reason other than the death of the perpetrator.
domestic violence, as well as infanticide and CTR: Accused was convicted after a trial.
neonaticide. Excludes child sex offences, which DIS: Charges were dismissed by the
are coded as crimes with a sexual motivation. prosecutor.
This category is coded as ‘Other’ in the FBI DTR: Suspect died while the trial was
UCR data. ongoing.
ORG: The offence was motivated by organized GP: Guilty plea entered by defendant.
crime, including all crimes involving drug INC: Accused found incompetent to stand trial.
trafficking, and adult and juvenile gang-related NC: No charge against accused; this includes
homicides. cases in which police have identified a lead
OTH: All offences not otherwise specified. suspect, but the investigation is ongoing, and
ROB: The offence was motivated by robbery charges have not yet been laid.
or burglary. Does not include sex offences NCO: Accused was not charged with this
offence but has been charged with one or more

CODE BOOK 27
other more serious offences. NC: No charge against accused; this includes
NCT: Defendant pleads no contest, a subset of cases in which police have identified a lead
entering a guilty plea. suspect, but the investigation is ongoing, and
OP: Case is still open as a suspect has not yet charges have not yet been laid.
been identified. NCO: Accused was not charged with this
PCR: Accused has asked for a post-conviction offence but has been charged with one or more
review. other more serious offences.
PEN: Case is currently pending before the NCT: Defendant pleads no contest, a subset of
court. entering a guilty plea.
SL: Perpetrator not charged because of a OP: Case is still open as a suspect has not yet
statute of limitations been identified.
PCR: Accused has asked for a post-conviction
DISP2: Disposition of Second Criminal review.
Charge
PEN: Case is currently pending before the
This heading describes the disposition of court.
Charge 2, the second most serious criminal SL: Perpetrator not charged because of a
charge. If there is no data, then this is coded as statute of limitations.
‘nd’. If this heading is not applicable, then this
is coded as ‘n/a’. SRMDR: Serial and Multiple Murder

AQT: Accused was acquitted after a trial. The definition of a serial offender is that given
CED: Case was cleared by exception due to by the FBI, which considers a serial offence to
death of perpetrator. be two or more criminal offences committed by
CEO: Case was cleared by exception due to a the same perpetrator in separate incidents.
Where an offender has committed two crimes
reason other than the death of the perpetrator.
as part of the same incident, this is coded as a
CTR: Accused was convicted after a trial. multiple murder. In cases in which an offender
DIS: Charges were dismissed by the currently has charges pending before the court
prosecutor. that would render them a multiple or serial
offender, this is indicated, and these offences
DTR: Suspect died while the trial was
will be monitored as they go through the court
ongoing. system.
GP: Guilty plea entered by defendant.
INC: Accused found incompetent to stand trial. To be included under this heading, the accused
must have been found guilty of at least two

CODE BOOK 28
murders, either by entering a guilty plea, cleared by exception due to the death of the
making an adverse admission, being linked to offender.
the offence through forensic DNA evidence, or
the case has been cleared by exception due to In cases in which an offender currently has
the death of the offender. charges pending before the court that would
render them a serial sexual offender, this is
If there is no data, then this is coded as ‘nd’. If indicated, and these offences will be monitored
this heading is not applicable, then this is coded as they go through the court system.
as ‘n/a’.
If there is no data, then this is coded as ‘nd’. If
MM: Multiple Murderer. The suspect has this heading is not applicable, then this is coded
committed two murders arising out of a single as ’n/a’.
incident
SSO: Serial Sexual Offender. The suspect has
MMP: Multiple Murderer Pending. The
been convicted of at least two sexual assaults
suspect has charges pending which, if
arising out of separate incidents.
convicted, will constitute two murder
convictions arising out of a single incident. SSOP: Serial Sexual Offender Pending. The
SM: Serial Murderer. The suspect has suspect has charges pending which, if
committed at least two murders, arising out of convicted will constitute two sexual assault
separate incidents. convictions.
SMP: Serial Murderer Pending. The suspect
has charges pending which, if convicted, will CITY: Location of Criminal Offence
constitute at least two murder convictions
This heading indicates the city, in which the
arising out of separate incidents.
offence took place, or where the decedent’s
remains were located. If the location is in a
SRSO: Serial Sexual Offender rural area, then the county in which the offence
took place will be indicated here.
The definition of a serial sexual offender is an
offender who has committed two or more STATE: State
sexual offences in separate incidents. To be
included under this heading, the suspected This heading indicates the state, province or
perpetrator must have been found guilty of at district in which offence took place, or where
least two separate sexual offences, either by the decedent’s remains were located. The
entering a guilty plea, making an adverse standard abbreviations for US states and
admission, being linked to the offence through Canadian provinces have been used.
forensic DNA evidence, or the case has been

CODE BOOK 29
COUNTRY: Country of Criminal Offence JUV: Juvenile Court
MAG: Magistrate
This heading describes the county in which the
OK: Oklahoma (Federal Court)
offence took place, or where the decedent’s
remains were located. Each country is given a SUP: Superior
three-letter abbreviation of its name.
ADM: Accused’s Admission of DNA
AUS: Australia
CAN: Canada This heading indicates whether the suspected
perpetrator has admitted that they are in fact the
CHN: China
source of the DNA found at the crime scene as
NOR: Norway evidenced by the FGG investigation. This data
SWE: Sweden is coded as Y for ‘yes’ and N for ‘no’.
USA: United States of America ‘Yes’ includes cases in which the accused has
entered a guilty plea to the charges. Also
included are cases in which the accused is
COURT: Prosecuting Court
reported as having confessed this information
to the police or the public, and they are basing
This heading indicates the prosecuting court in
their defence on a separate ground. The most
cases where charges are pending or have been
common instances of this are an accused
tried. It includes the geographical jurisdiction
admitting that he had sexual relations with the
as well as the level of the court. If there is no
victim, but claims this was consensual, or a
data, then this is coded as ‘nd’. If this heading
mother in an infanticide case admitting that she
is not applicable, then this is coded as ‘n/a’.
is the mother of the infant in question.
Abbreviations used are as follows:
If there is no data, then this is coded as ‘nd’. If
this heading is not applicable, then this is coded
CIR: Circuit
as ‘n/a’.
CO: County
COMPL: Common Pleas
CRIM: Criminal CTRUL: Court Ruling on Admission of
CT: Court FGG Evidence
D.C.: District of Columbia
For cases that are pending before a court, this
DIST: District heading indicates what the court’s ruling on the
DIV: Division FGG evidence has been. If there is no data,
INTP: Intermediate People’s, referring to then this is coded as ‘nd’. If this heading is not
applicable, then this is coded as ‘n/a’.
courts in China
JUD: Judicial

CODE BOOK 30
ADM: The court has admitted the FGG SECFOR: Suspected Perpetrator Member
evidence. of the Security Forces
APD: The FGG evidence was appealed, and
This heading indicates whether the suspected
the appeal was denied. perpetrator is or has been a member of a public
APP: The FGG evidence was admitted by the security force, either as a police officer,
court, and this decision is being appealed to a firefighter, or member of the military. It is
higher court. coded as Y for ‘yes’ and N for ‘no’. If there is
no data, then this is coded as ‘nd’. If this
PEN: The case is pending, and no decision has
heading is not applicable, then this is coded as
been made as to admissibility. ‘n/a’.
REJ: The court has not admitted the FGG
evidence. VICFNM: First Name of Victim

This heading indicates the first name of the

WRPROS: Wrongful Prosecution
victim of a criminal offence, where known. It
will be the same as the POI, if the decedent has
This heading indicates whether an innocent
been determined to have been the victim of a
person has been wrongfully prosecuted for a
homicide. If there is no data, then this is coded
criminal offence in that case. If there has been
as ‘nd’. If this heading is not applicable, then
more than one person wrongfully prosecuted,
this is coded as ‘n/a’.
this is indicated by a number at the end of the
letter code.
VICLNM: Last Name of Victim
If there is no data, then this is coded as ‘nd’. If
This heading indicates the last name of the
this heading is not applicable, then this is coded
victim, where known. It may be the same as the
as ‘n/a’.
POI, if the decedent has been determined to
have been the victim of a homicide.
WAR: Wrongful Arrest. An individual has been
wrongfully arrested for that offence. If the individual’s name is not known, then they
WCH: Wrongful Charge. An individual has are coded here as ‘Jane Doe’ for females and
been wrongfully charged for that offence. ‘John Doe’ for males. If a nickname has
commonly been used to describe an individual
WPR: Wrongful Prosecution. An individual
whose name is not known, then this may be
was wrongfully prosecuted in court for that used here.
offence but was acquitted or the charges were
withdrawn before they could be convicted. If there is no data, then this is coded as ‘nd’. If
WCN: Wrongful Conviction. An individual this heading is not applicable, as when a
decedent is not thought to have been the victim
was wrongfully convicted of that offence.

CODE BOOK 31
of a homicide, then this is coded as ‘n/a’. INF: An infant of unknown age, but is not a
newborn.
VICG: Gender of Victim
VICBGA: Biogeographical Ancestry of
This section indicates the gender of the victim Victim
of a criminal offence, where known. It will be
the same as the POI, if the decedent has been This heading indicates the biogeographical
determined to have been the victim of a ancestry (BGA) of the victim of a criminal
homicide. offence, where known. Biogeographical
ancestry is not synonymous with race or
If there is no data, then this is coded as ‘nd’. If ethnicity, but rather indicates the likely
this heading is not applicable, then this is coded geographical region where the individual’s
as ‘n/a’. recent ancestors lived. It is divided up into
broad, continental, regions.
M: Male
F: Female Many FGG investigations make use of forensic
phenotyping and ancestry determination, and
TF: Trans Female
some of the information included here comes
TM: Trans Male from the results of those investigations.
OT: Other Gender Otherwise, the individual’s BGA is estimated
through published newspaper reports and
VICAGE: Age of Victim photographs.

This heading indicates the age of the victim of If there is no data, then this is coded as ‘nd’. If
a criminal offence in years, where known. this heading is not applicable, then this is coded
as ‘n/a’.
In cases where the age of a young child is given
in months, this is indicated as ‘mo’. Where age AA: African American
is not known precisely, an estimated age range AF: Sub-Saharan Africa
is given. If there is no data, then this is coded
AKZ: Ashkenazi
as ‘nd’. If this heading is not applicable, then
this is coded as ‘n/a’. AS: East Asia
CA: Central Asia, including Iran
The homicides of infants who are thought to be
CSA: Central and South America, including
under 12 months of age are coded as follows:
Mexico
NB: A newborn infant who was born alive but EU: Europe, including Russia and Siberia
lived for less than about 24 hours. IND: Indigenous persons, including First
Nations, Native Americans, and Inuit

CODE BOOK 32
INS: Indian Subcontinent, including India, All victims of violent crime are vulnerable, but
Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka this heading indicates whether the victim is part
of a group that would render them especially
MDE: Middle East & North Africa, including
vulnerable to criminal activity. This category
the Levant, and the Persian Gulf Regions includes children and teenagers under the age
of 19 years, elderly persons over the age of 65
VICPREL: Relationship of Victim to years, persons with physical or mental
Perpetrator disabilities, sex workers, and trans- and gender-
fluid persons. These persons are coded as ‘Y’
This heading indicates the relationship of the for yes. Victims who do not fall into one of
victim of a criminal offence to the suspected these categories are coded as ‘N’ for no.
perpetrator, where known. The categories have
been drawn from the FBI’s Uniform Crime If there is no data, then this is coded as ‘nd’. If
Reports in order that they might be compared. this heading is not applicable, then this is coded
as ‘n/a’.
If there is no data, then this is coded as ‘nd’. If
this heading is not applicable, then this is coded SAMPSRC: Source of DNA Sample
as ‘n/a’.
This heading indicates the source of the DNA
ACQ: Acquaintance. The victim is known to sample used for the FGG investigation, where
the suspect but is not related. known.
CHD: Child. The victim is the child of the
If there is no data, then this is coded as ‘nd’. If
suspect, including adopted and stepchildren. this heading is not applicable, then this is coded
PAR: Parent. The victim is the parent of the as ‘n/a’.
suspect.
AUT: Sample taken at autopsy.
PRT: Partner. The victim is the partner of the
BLD: Blood located at the crime scene.
suspect, including a spouse, common-law
BNE: Bone. Sample taken from skeletal
spouse, boyfriend or girlfriend.
remains.
OFM: Other family member. The victim is any
FNG: Tissues taken from underneath a victim’s
other family relation to the suspect other than a
fingernails.
child, parent or partner.
HR: Sample taken from human hair found at a
STR: Stranger. The victim is a stranger to the
crime scene or from the decedent.
suspect.
HUM: Sample taken from human remains, not
VUNVIC: Vulnerable Victim otherwise specified.
HUM/BLD: Sample taken from the blood of a

CODE BOOK 33
decedent. mtDNA: A search involving the Y-
LAW: Sample on file with a law enforcement chromosome haplotype, in which the database
agency or database not specified.
LIV: DNA sample taken from a living human. Y-STR: A search involving the mitochondrial
MED: DNA sample of file from a previous DNA haplotype, in which the database not
medical procedure. specified.
PLA: Placenta
SAK: Sexual assault kit, taken from a living CONFM: Method of Confirmation of FGG
sexual assault victim, or during an autopsy.
This heading indicates the method of initial
SAL: Saliva, taken from clothing or bitemarks confirmation of the leads provided by the FGG
found at a crime scene. investigation. In criminal investigations, this
SEM: Sample taken from semen or sperm initial confirmation will be followed by
located at crime scene or on victim’s body or forensic STR typing of the suspect’s DNA
profile, which can then be used as evidence in a
clothing.
court.
TCH: Touch DNA from crime scene, including
skin and epithelial cells. If there is no data, then this is coded as ‘nd’. If
TTH: Tooth this heading is not applicable, then this is coded
as ‘n/a’.
UNS: Sample source not specified.
AUT: DNA match confirmed through tissues
DNADBS: DNA Database Used
collected during an autopsy.
This heading indicates the DNA database used CON: DNA match confirmed through suspect
in the FGG search, where known. providing a consent sample of DNA.
DENT: Human remains identification
If there is no data, then this is coded as ‘nd’. If
confirmed through dental records on file.
this heading is not applicable, then this is coded
as ‘n/a’. EXH: DNA match confirmed through
exhumation of suspect’s remains.
ANC: Ancestry.com. FPT: DNA matched confirmed through a
DNASLV: Othram’s DNA Solves Database. review of fingerprints on file.
FTDNA: Family Tree DNA, includes LAW: DNA match confirmed through law
autosomal, Y-STR, and mtDNA unless enforcement sample of individual’s DNA
specified. already on file
GEDM: GEDmatch.

CODE BOOK 34
LVR: DNA match confirmed by a match to a INVESTORG: Investigating Organization
living relative.
This heading indicates the public organization
MIL: DNA match confirmed through military
that is conducting the investigation. The data
records. includes the following abbreviations, as well as
SUR: DNA match confirmed through police the standard two-letter US state abbreviations.
taking a surreptitious sample of a suspect’s
DNA. BCA: Bureau of Criminal Apprehension
WRT: DNA match confirmed through police BI: Bureau of Investigation
taking a suspect’s DNA on the authority of a CMEO: County Medical Examiner’s Office
warrant CCO: County Coroner’s Office
CCU: Cold Case Unit/Cold Case Task Force
DNAOTH: DNA Sampling of Other CD: County Detectives
Suspects CO: Coroner’s Office
CPD: County Police Department
This section indicates data on whether DNA CSO: County Sheriff’s Office
samples have been taken from other suspects
DCI: Department of Criminal Investigation
before the FGG investigation commenced. The
data is indicated by a number, where available. HTF: Homicide Task Force
The data is entered once per criminal FBI: Federal Bureau of Investigation
investigation, including in cases where there FDLE: Florida Department of Law
are multiple victims.
Enforcement
If there is no data, then this is coded as ‘nd’. If IP: Innocence Project
this heading is not applicable, then this is coded LED: Law Enforcement Division
as ‘n/a’. MEO: Medical Examiner’s Office
NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service
SEV: DNA samples taken from more than one
NTCHI: University of North Texas Center for
suspect, but the number is not specified.
Human Identification
N: No. DNA samples are not known to have
PD: Police Department
been taken from other suspects.
PS: Police Service
Y: Yes. DNA samples are known to have been
SDCJ: State Division of Criminal Justice
taken from at least one other suspect, but the
SMSU: South Missouri State University
number is not specified.
SP: State Police

CODE BOOK 35
ST: State Troopers
SU: State University

FORORG: Forensic Organization

This data indicates the organization that

undertook the FGG portion of the investigation.
If there is no data, then this is coded as ‘nd’. If
this heading is not applicable, then this is coded
as ‘n/a’.

CODE BOOK 36
Annotated Bibliography:
Criminal Investigations

The following is an annotated bibliography of all

Criminal Investigations that were solved through
Forensic Genetic Genealogy (FGG).
Attempts were made to include sources that are made
freely available to the public whenever possible.
Information has been con rmed through at least two to
three different sources, whenever possible.

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S
fi
Criminal Ailes’ attorneys challenged the DNA
evidence, alleging that there are technical
Investigations deficiencies in the warrant used to obtain
Ailes’ DNA sample. They alleged that the
affiant and the person who signed the warrant
are different, and therefore all DNA evidence
Case ID 1589: Ailes, Lloyd Wendell should be excluded.

Lloyd Wendell Ailes, 58, was arrested on Ailes pled guilty to the charges in early May
December 9, 2021, for the January 9, 2006, of 2022. In July of 2022, Ailes was sentenced
rape of a student at the University of Miami to 17 years in prison for two counts of rape
in Oxford, Ohio. The suspect wore a mask with a firearm enhancement. He will serve 10
throughout most of the attack, but the victim years concurrently for two counts each of
was able to see her attacker’s face long aggravated burglary and aggravated robbery.
enough for a composite sketch to be prepared.
After the sexual assault, the attacker took $60 Sources:
from the victim’s purse. A DNA sample was
obtained but produced no leads. Goffinet, Jared. “DNA Leads to Man’s Arrest
in 2006 Miami University Rape
The FGG investigation was conducted by Investigation.” Fox 19 News, December 10,
Parabon Nanolabs. The genealogical research 2021. https://www.fox19.com/2021/12/10/
was particularly complex in this case due to a dna-leads-mans-arrest-2006-miami-
non-paternal event. Ailes’ father was a man university-rape-investigation/?
with whom Ailes’ mother had been having an outputType=apps.
extra-marital relationship, and this was
unknown to all parties involved. Luperon, Alberto. “Man Sentenced to 17
years in Prison for Raping University Student
Ailes is facing charges in the Butler County After DNA Linked Him to 2006 Cold Case.”
Court of Common Pleas, where he has been Law & Crime, July 5, 2022. Accessed July
held on a $775,000 bond. He has been 29, 2022. https://lawandcrime.com/crime/
indicted by a Grand Jury on charges of rape, man-sentenced-to-17-years-in-prison-for-
aggravated robbery, and aggravated burglary, raping-university-student-after-dna-linked-
with the use of a firearm. him-to-2006-cold-case/.

A similar sexual assault took place in March McCrabb, Rick, and Lauren Pack. “Lloyd
of 2006 in nearby Fayette County, Indiana. Ailes Case: Sentencing in June for Man
That case remains open, but Ailes’ DNA Guilty in Miami University Sexual Assault.”
profile has been linked to DNA evidence Journal-News, May 13, 2022. Accessed May
collected in that case, as well. Prosecutors 15, 2022. https://www.journal-news.com/
state that they continue to investigate that news/man-faces-63-years-in-prison-after-
assault, but no charges have been laid as of pleading-guilty-to-2006-rape-of-miami-
the time of writing.

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 39
university-student/ police officer, and she was able to fight off
O275WW57UFAWRM6NW4IKBRWENY/ her attacker. This may be why the subsequent
victims were all elderly women. One woman
Pack, Lauren. “Bond Set for Man Arrested in was attacked in her home twice, first on 19
2006 Miami University Rape Case Involving June 2010 and then again on 5 January 2011.
DNA Genealogy Tracing.” Journal-News, On August 21, 2010, an 86-year-old woman
December 10, 2021. Accessed December 11, was raped at a senior living center. The
2021. https://www.journal-news.com/news/ victims were threatened, and the attacker used
dna-and-genealogy-investigation-lead-to- a weapon. The cases were linked together
arrest-in-2006-rape-of-miami-student/ through semen recovered from the crime
UWPJYN4XFVBKRN3LLVJBW2GFJY/. scenes.

Pack, Lauren. “DNA Search Warrant Flawed The FGG investigation was performed by
in 2006 Miami University Rape Case, Parabon Nanolabs. The confirmation was
Defense Says.” Dayton Daily News, March 2, made after police obtained warrant to take a
2022. Accessed March 5, 2022. https:// DNA sample from Alexander.
www.daytondailynews.com/crime/dna-
search-warranted-flawed-in-2006-miami- Alexander pled guilty to these offences in
university-rape-case-defense-says/ May of 2019 and has been sentenced to life in
M64GKO65WZB3VAFBRXZSTPPWXE/. prison.

Wheaton, Courtney. “Genealogy Sites, DNA Sources:

Lead to Arrest in 2006 Rape of a Miami
University Student.” Local 12 News, Broom, Scott. “Genealogy Database Tightens
December 10, 2021. Accessed December 11, Privacy Rules After Helping Catch
2021. https://local12.com/news/local/ Montgomery County Serial Rapist.” WUSA 9
genealogy-sites-dna-lead-to-arrest-in-2006- News, May 21, 2019. Accessed December 10,
rape-of-a-miami-university-student- 2020. https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/
cincinnati-ohio-lloyd-ailes-gun-burglary- local/maryland/genealogy-database-tightens-
robbery-indiana. privacy-rules-after-helping-catch-
montgomery-county-serial-rapist/
65-56c0acb8-a3e6-4497-ba13-ffa674cb093b.
Case ID 1107-1110: Alexander, Marlon
Michael Collins, Pat, and NBC Washington Staff.
“Montgomery County Rapist Who Targeted
Marlon Michael Alexander was charged on Elderly Sentenced to Life in Prison.” NBC 4
September 14, 2018, for the home invasion News Washington, May 21, 2019. Accessed
sexual assaults of four women that took place December 10, 2020. https://
between 2007 and 2010 in Germantown and www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/
Gaithersburg, Maryland. montgomery-county-rapist-who-targeted-
elderly-sentenced-to-life-in-prison/159940/.
His first victim was a 25-year-old woman in
Gaithersburg. She is reported to have been a

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 40
DiGangi, Diana, and Brad Bell. “Life in engaged in sex work that he picked up at
Prison for Man Convicted of Raping Two truck stops in the area. He would then cross
Elderly Women in Maryland.” WJLA News, state lines and dump their bodies along
May 21, 2019. Accessed December 10, 2020. different interstate highways. Goble was
https://wjla.com/news/local/life-in-prison- excluded in 1995 when his DNA profile was
for-man-convicted-of-raping-two-elderly- compared with the semen collected from
women-in-maryland. Cobb’s body at her autopsy.

Moore, Jack, and Mike Morillo. “Police ID Cobb was from King’s Mountain, North
Montgomery Co. Cold Case Rape Suspect Carolina. She was a widow who was
Using DNA, Online Genealogy Sites.” WTOP suffering from a drug addiction, and she had
News, September 14, 2018. Accessed recently lost custody of her 3-year-old son to
December 10, 2020. https://wtop.com/ her sister.
montgomery-county/2018/09/germantown-
man-charged-several-cold-case-rapes- Authorities state that there are several
including-woman-senior-living-center/. unsolved homicides of sex workers in the area
in which Goble has been eliminated as a
suspect. They are now investigating whether
Case ID 1663: Alexander, Warren Luther Alexander may be responsible for some of
these murders.
On March 15, 2022, authorities arrested 71-
year-old Warren Luther Alexander for the Sources:
July 7, 1992, rape and murder of 29-year-old
Nona Stamey Cobb near Elkin, North Jonasson, Lori. “1992 Homicide Solved
Carolina. Her body was found around 6:15 Using Forensic Genetic Genealogy.”
am in a rural area of Surry County, just off the Identifinders International, March 17, 2022.
northbound side of the Interstate-77 highway. Accessed March 18, 2022. https://
She had been sexually assaulted and strangled identifinders.com/1992-homicide-solved-
to death. Cobb had last been seen the day using-forensic-genetic-genealogy/.
before at a truck stop at the Welcome Center
in Cleveland County getting into a truck with Lambe, Jerry. “Mississippi Man Charged in
an unknown male. 30-Year-Old Cold Case Murder of N.C.
Woman Who Was Strangled and Left on
The case was reopened for further DNA Highway.” Law & Crime, March 17, 2022.
testing in April of 2021. The FGG Accessed March 18, 2022. https://
investigation was conducted by Colleen lawandcrime.com/crime/mississippi-man-
Fitzpatrick of Identifinders International. charged-in-30-year-old-cold-case-murder-of-
There is currently no information on how n-c-woman-who-was-strangled-and-left-on-
police made the initial confirmation. highway/.

Police suspected that Cobb may have been a Miller, Jax. “Man Arrested In 1992 Murder of
victim of a serial killer named Sean Patrick Woman Once Thought the Victim of a Serial
Goble as he was known to attack women Killer.” Oxygen, March 18, 2022. Accessed

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 41
March 18, 2022. https://www.oxygen.com/ sexual assault kits and the closure of sexual
crime-news/warren-alexander-arrested-1992- assault cases.
murder-nona-cobb.
Most of the male relatives in the
neighborhood voluntarily submitted their
Case ID 1369-1372: Alleano, Angelo Jr. DNA samples to the police, but there is no
public estimate of how many individuals this
Angelo Alleano Jr. was arrested on May 27, included.
2020 and charged with four home invasion
rapes in Manchester, Connecticut that took Alleano pled guilty to all charges. Alleano
place between 2001 and 2008. Alleano was was convicted of four counts of sexual
47 years old at the time of his arrest. He had assault and sentenced to 25 years
worked a firefighter for 24 years in imprisonment followed by 10 years of special
Manchester, and was the union president. parole. Alleano will also be required to
register as a sexual offender with the
Prosecutors had obtained a ‘John Doe Connecticut Sex Offender Registry. Only one
Warrant’ in 2010 to stop the statute of of the victims is still alive.
limitations from running. Police had also
obtained an FBI profile from the FBI Violent Sources:
Crime Behavioral Analysis Unit in 2008. The
FBI profile indicated that the suspect was Connecticut Courts. “Case Detail for Alleano,
white or Hispanic, of medium build, and Angelo, Docket No. TTD -CR20-0737864-0.”
about 28 years old at the time of the first Connecticut: Judicial Branch. https://
attack in 2001, all of which appears to have www.jud2.ct.gov/crdockets/CaseDetail.aspx?
been correct. The FBI profile also indicated source=Pending&Key=2ac549a8-
that the offender might be a police officer or a c3ad-4884-9ff9-06cd6ed4b97b.
firefighter, because of his familiarity with the
town’s streets, and recommended taking their Hardaway, Liz. “CT Man Pleads Guilty to
DNA samples, but this suggestion appears to Sexually Assaulting Women in Manchester,
have been dismissed by investigators. It is Vernon, Tolland State’s Attorney Says.”
partly due to cases such as this one that this CTPost, June 24, 2022. Accessed January 12,
project has included data on whether the 2023. https://www.ctpost.com/news/article/
suspect is a member of police or security CT-man-pleads-guilty-to-sexually-assaulting-
forces: this may shield suspects from women-17264645.php.
suspicion, while facilitating certain kinds of
crimes, such as home invasion rapes. Leavenworth, Jesse. “CT Firefighter Charged
in Cold Case Sexual Assaults.” Firehouse,
There is no information on who conducted the and Hartford Courant, May 28, 2020.
FGG investigation in this case, but it was Accessed December 10, 2020. https://
funded by a grant from the Bureau of Justice www.firehouse.com/careers-education/news/
Assistance (BJA) and its Sexual Assault Kit 21140124/ct-firefighter-charged-in-cold-case-
Initiative (SAKI). These grants are intended sexual-assaults.
to assist investigators with the testing of

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 42
Leavenworth, Jesse. “Former Manchester was located beside a roadway in Delaware
Firefighter Fired After Rape Arrest Can Still County, Ohio on October 16, 1983. It is
Collect $28K Annual Pension.” Hartford thought that Muncy was kidnapped from the
Courant, June 11, 2020. Accessed December East Side of Columbus, Ohio, near where he
10, 2020. https://www.courant.com/ lived.
community/manchester/hc-news-manchester-
fired-firefighter-20200611- The blood of the suspected perpetrator was
vxpa77a7nretjdwavtjnzhxvxy-story.html. collected from Muncy’s body at the time of
the offence, and a DNA profile was later
NBC News. “Genealogy Service Leads to obtained. The FGG investigation was
Arrest of Firefighter Charged in Sex Assaults conducted by Parabon Nanolabs. The FGG
in Vernon, Manchester.” NBC News investigation in this case narrowed the
Connecticut, May 28, 2020, last modified suspect pool down to Daniel or one of his two
May 29, 2020. Accessed December 10, 2020. brothers. FGG can often narrow a suspect
https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/ down to a sibling cohort, and these siblings
police-in-vernon-manchester-to-make- must then be eliminated through additional
announcement-on-arrest-in-cold-cases/ investigative methods. In this case, Daniel’s
2278461/. two living brothers were quickly eliminated
as suspects without their DNA being tested.
Office of the State’s Attorney Judicial District There is no data in this case as to how the
of Tolland. “Vernon Man Sentenced to 25 initial confirmation was made.
Years in Prison for Multiple Sexual Assaults.”
Connecticut State Division of Criminal Anderson died in 2013, and so the case has
Justice, September 2, 2022. Accessed been cleared by exception. Investigators state
January 12, 2023. https://portal.ct.gov/DCJ/ that Anderson had a violent criminal past
Press-Room/Press-Releases/ involving other young boys.
09022022Alleano.
Sources:
Wood, Alex. “Prosecutor: At Least One Rape
Victim May Have Died.” Journal Inquirer, Associated Press. “Authorities Solve Cold-
May 30, 2020, last modified June 10, 2020. Case Slaying of Dismembered Teen Boy.”
Accessed December 10, 2020. https:// U.S. News, April 30, 2020. Accessed
www.journalinquirer.com/crime_and_courts/ December 10, 2020. https://
prosecutor-at-least-one-rape-victim-may- www.usnews.com/news/best-states/ohio/
have-died/article_3144a718-a214-11ea- articles/2020-04-30/authorities-solve-cold-
ab91-3369922416c0.html. case-slaying-of-dismembered-teen-boy.

Narciso, Dean. “After 36 Years, Delaware

Case ID 1356: Anderson, Daniel Alan County Detectives Solve Slaying of 15-Year-
Old Columbus Boy.” Columbus Dispatch,
Daniel Alan Anderson has been identified as April 29, 2020. Accessed December 10, 2020.
the lead suspect in the murder of 15-year-old https://www.dispatch.com/news/20200429/
John Muncy. Muncy’s dismembered body

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 43
after-36-years-delaware-county-detectives- Anderson’s profile was the same as that of the
solve-slaying-of-15-year-old-columbus-boy. semen found near Quayle’s body.

Unidentified and Missing People. “Thanks to Anderson is charged with two counts of first
Renowned Forensic Genealogist CeCe Moore degree murder – murder by deliberation, and
and Her Team at Parabon Nanolabs.” murder in the commission of a felony.
Facebook (Post), May 1, 2020. Accessed
December 10, 2020. https:// His first trial in March of 2022 ended in a
www.facebook.com/ hung jury. A jury convicted him on both
UnidentifiedAndMissingPeople/posts/thanks- counts of first-degree murder on July 30,
to-renowned-forensic-genealogist-cece- 2022. On August 4, 2022, he was sentenced
moore-and-her-team-at-parabon-nanol/ to life in prison. He will be eligible for parole
2668743406737859/. after 20 years.

Sources:
Case ID 1462: Anderson, David Dwayne
Lambe, Jerry. “Colorado Man Convicted of
On February 10, 2021, David Dwayne Murder More Than 40 Years After He Raped,
Anderson was arrested for the rape and Stabbed, and Shot Woman in Her Home.”
murder of 34-year-old Sylvia Quayle in Law & Crime, July 1, 2022. https://
Cherry Hills Village, Colorado. An unknown lawandcrime.com/crime/colorado-man-
male broke into her home by removing the convicted-of-murder-more-than-40-years-
screen to a bathroom window and disabling after-he-raped-stabbed-and-shot-woman-in-
her telephone line. She had been sexually her-home/.
assaulted, strangled, stabbed, and finally shot
in the head. Her father found her body the Nicholson, Kieran. “Murder Suspect Arrested
next morning. in 1981 Cherry Hills Village Cold Case.”
Denver Post, February 25, 2021. Accessed 26
A male DNA profile was developed in 2000 February 2021. https://www.denverpost.com/
from a semen sample on a rug near her body. 2021/02/25/david-anderson-arrested-sylvia-
The FGG investigation was conducted by quayle-murder-cold-case/.
United Data Connect. The family tree in this
case was very large, totalling over 3,300 Oravetz, Janet. “‘He’s Going to Pay the
people. Consequences’: Killer Sentenced in 1981
Slaying of Cherry Hills Village Woman.”
Anderson was identified as the lead suspect in NBC 9 News, August 4, 2022. Accessed
January of 2021. The confirmation was made August 6, 2022. https://www.9news.com/
through police surveillance and the article/news/crime/cherry-hills-village-cold-
surreptitious sampling of items from the trash case/73-a8f4389d-c7b2-436c-93d6-
that had been discarded outside his home, d4fbb267cf2a.
including a can of vanilla Coke. On January
29, 2021, DNA testing indicated that Osborne, Ryan. “Arrest Made in 1981 Killing
of Cherry Hills Village Woman; Genealogy

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 44
Helped Trace Suspect.” The Denver Channel, The charges against Anderson are currently
February 25, 2021. Accessed 26 February pending in Orange County Superior Court. At
2021. https://www.thedenverchannel.com/ the time of the murder, Anderson was
news/crime/arrest-made-in-1981-killing-of- stationed as a Marine at the nearby Marine
cherry-hills-village-woman-genealogy- Corp Air Station El Toro and he lived very
helped-trace-suspect. close to the restaurant from where Penrod
Harris disappeared.
Padilla, Anica. “1981 Cold Case: David
Dwayne Anderson Arrested for Murder of Anderson died in December of 2020 from
Sylvia Quayle in Cherry Hills Village.” CBS complications due to COVID-19 while
4 Denver, 25 February 2021. Accessed awaiting trial. He was 68 years old.
February 26, 2021. https://
denver.cbslocal.com/2021/02/25/sylvia- Sources:
quayle-david-anderson-arrested-cold-case-
cherry-hills-village-colorado/. Bonvillian, Crystal. “Former Marine Arrested
in 1976 California Slaying Following DNA
Hit Through Genealogy Site.” WSB-TV 2
Case ID 1209: Anderson, Eddie Lee News Atlanta, June 5, 2019. Accessed
December 10, 2020. https://www.wsbtv.com/
Eddie Lee Anderson was arrested on May 24, news/trending-now/former-marine-arrested-
2019, at his home in New Orleans for the in-1976-slaying-following-dna-hit-through-
1976 murder of Leslie Penrod Harris in Costa genealogy-site/955540716/.
Mesa, California. Penrod Harris and her
husband had just moved to the area. On the KTLA Digital Staff. “68-Year-Old O.C.
evening of May 17, 1976, Leslie had stepped Inmate Accused in 1976 Killing Dies After
out while she and her husband were having Testing Positive for Coronavirus.” KTLA
dinner at a restaurant in Costa Mesa, and News 5, December 18, 2020. Accessed
never returned. Her nude body was found December 28, 2021. https://ktla.com/news/
early the next morning by military police. She local-news/68-year-old-o-c-inmate-accused-
had been sexually assaulted and died by in-1976-killing-dies-after-testing-positive-for-
strangulation. coronavirus/.

This case was reopened in 2017, and a DNA KTLA News. “Former Marine Arrested in
profile was obtained from autopsy swabs. 1976 Killing of Woman Who Disappeared
This DNA profile was used to do familial from Costa Mesa Restaurant.” Los Angeles
searching of the California state DNA Times, May 30, 2019. Accessed December 10,
database, but this produced no leads. In 2020. https://www.latimes.com/socal/daily-
August of 2018, investigators turned to FGG. pilot/news/tn-dpt-me-cold-case-
The FGG investigation in this case was arrest-20190530-story.html.
conducted by the FBI Investigative
Genealogy Unit (IGU). The initial Orange County DA. “OCSD Arrests Man
confirmation was made when Anderson Suspected in 1976 Cold Case Murder.”
voluntarily provided a DNA sample to police. Orange County DA (Press Release), May 30,

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 45
2019. Accessed December 10, 2020. http:// of interest but, as Patch reports, there was not
orangecountyda.org/civica/press/display.asp? then enough evidence to file charges.
layout=12&Entry=5871.
Sources:

Case ID 1620-1621: Arnold, Kelvin Fox 5 Atlanta Digital Team. “Cold Case
Rape, Murder of 14-Year-Old Atlanta Girl
Kelvin Arnold was identified on January 4, Solved with DNA, APD Says.” Fox 29 News
2022, as the lead suspect in the June 7, 1995, Philadelphia, January 4, 2022. Accessed
rape and murder of 14-year-old Nacole Smith January 4, 2022. https://www.fox29.com/
in Atlanta Georgia. She was on her way to news/nacole-smith-atlanta-1995-cold-case-
school but she turned back to retrieve some rape-murder.
forgotten homework. She cut through a
wooded area near her home, where she was Garner, Marcus. “26-Year-Old Atlanta Cold
attacked. Her body was found later that day. Case Murder, Rape, Solved Using
She had been sexually assaulted, and then Genealogy.” Patch, January 4, 2022.
killed with two gunshots to her face. Accessed January 4, 2022. https://patch.com/
georgia/atlanta/26-year-old-atlanta-cold-case-
Arnold is also identified as the lead suspect in murder-rape-solved-using-genealogy.
the sexual assault of 13-year-old Betty Brown
that took place in the East Point suburb of Greer, Karyn, and Josh Morgan. “Suspect
Atlanta on June 20, 2004. The forensic match Named in 1995 Rape, Murder of 14-Year-Old
between the two cases was made in 2004; Nacole Smith.” CBS News 46, January 4,
Smith’s case had been reopened in 2002, and 2022. Accessed January 4, 2022. https://
a DNA profile of the suspect was obtained at www.cbs46.com/investigations/csiatlanta/
that time. suspect-named-in-1995-rape-murder-of-14-
year-old-nacole-smith/
There is no information as to who conducted article_f499e902-68c5-11ec-892e-
the FGG investigation. It has been reported df6b1b60be29.html.
that it was conducted by investigators at the
Georgia Bureau of Investigation. It was not Kalmbacher, Colin. “‘So Many Unanswered
reported how police made the final Questions’: Victims and Family Members Get
confirmation, only that they obtained ‘Bittersweet’ News that 1995 Atlanta Rape
Arnold’s DNA from an unrelated piece of and Murder Cold Case Ends with Suspect
evidence. Dead.” Law & Crime, January 4, 2022.
Accessed January 4, 2022. https://
Arnold passed away in August of 2021 in a lawandcrime.com/crime/so-many-
hospice in Fulton County of liver and kidney unanswered-questions-victims-and-family-
failure. He was 49 years old. He has not been members-get-bittersweet-news-that-1995-
linked through his DNA profile to any other atlanta-rape-and-murder-cold-case-ends-with-
rapes and murders, but police continue to suspect-dead/.
investigate. A sketch had been made of the
suspect by Brown, and he had been a person

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 46
Case ID 1742, 1757: Artman, Garry Dean: motorist on May 4, 2006 along the
Interstate-70 highway. She had no shoes or
Garry Dean Artman, 64, was arrested on identification. She had two tattoos on her
August 19, 2022 for the October 3, 1996 rape back depicting dragons with the words
and murder of 29-year-old Sharon Kay ‘Gypsy Rose’. She had been beaten and
Hammack in Caledonia Township, Michigan. stabbed to death.
Hammack had been hogtied, strangled, and
then stabbed twice in the head. Her body was The DNA profile of the suspect in both
dumped along the roadside near 76th Street homicides were linked in CODIS on August
and Kraft Avenue. Hammack, the mother of 18, 2008. The FGG investigation was
two young children, struggled with addiction, conducted by Identifinders International.
and she was one of about a dozen women -
many of whom were engaged in sex work - Artman has a lengthy history of violent sexual
who were killed in and around Grand Rapids assaults. He was convicted of a 1979 rape in
at this time. which he sexually assaulted a woman at
knifepoint after offering her a ride in his
Hammack was found the same day she was vehicle. He was also convicted of sexually
murdered, and semen was recovered from her assaulting two teenaged girls in October 1980
body. A DNA sample was also recovered in Port Huron. He was then charged with
from the rope with which she was tied. There sexually assaulting a 17-year-old girl in
is currently no information on who conducted December of 1980 after he had been released
the FGG investigation. The FGG on bond. He served the maximum sentence of
investigation narrowed the suspect list down 11 years, and was released in June of 1992.
to four brothers. Police found several pairs of women’s
underpants in a storage facility belonging to
Artman lived and worked near where Artman in Kent County, Florida. They are
Hammack was killed in 1996. Artman is searching for other victims.
currently charged with open murder, felony
murder, and first-degree criminal sexual Sources:
conduct in Kent County Criminal Division.
He was arrested in Mississippi and is awaiting Kalmbacher, Colin. “Florida Man Arrested in
extradition. 1996 Cold Case Rape and Murder of Pregnant
Mother of Two.” Law & Crime, August 20,
Hammack was four weeks pregnant at the 2022. Accessed August 26, 2022. https://
time of her murder. Her family states that she lawandcrime.com/crime/florida-man-arrested-
was a loving woman who was working on in-1996-cold-case-rape-and-murder-of-
getting sober and giving her children a good pregnant-mother-of-two/.
life when she was murdered.
Lovern, Keely. “‘He’ll Rot in Prison’: Family
On September 19, 2022, Artman was charged of Murder Victim Relieved of Suspect’s
with the murder of 24-year-old Dusty Myriah Arrest After 26 Years.” ABC 13 News, August
Shuk near New Market in Frederick County, 19, 2022. Accessed August 25, 2022. https://
Maryland. Her body was found by a passing www.wzzm13.com/article/news/

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 47
investigations/family-of-murder-victim- Last modified August 14, 2022. Accessed
relieved-of-suspects-arrest-after-26-years/ August 25, 2022. https://www.woodtv.com/
69-06b0ccbf-c448-4ca7-a77a-4e912484076a. news/target-8/we-got-him-florida-trucker-
arrested-in-1996-rape-murder-of-grand-
Luperon, Alberto. “Man Recently Charged in rapids-woman/.
1996 Murder is Now Accused of Killing
Another Woman Identified by ‘Two Dragon
Tattoos.’” Law & Crime, September 19, 2022. Case ID 1523, 1597: Avis, Brian
Accessed September 25, 2022. https://
lawandcrime.com/crime/man-recently- 59-year-old Brian Avis was arrested on
charged-in-1996-murder-is-now-accused-of- September 17, 2021, for the July 19, 1996,
killing-another-woman-identified-by-two- home invasion rape of a 10-year-old girl in
dragon-tattoos/. Brigantine, New Jersey. The girl was sleeping
in her bedroom when an intruder broke in and
Maryland State Police. “Maryland State raped her. He fled when the girl woke. Police
Police Charge Florida Man in 2006 Cold Case recovered semen from the victim’s bed. This
Homicide.” Maryland State Police was part of a series of reports of an individual
(Press Release), September 19, 2022. engaged in voyeurism and attempted sexual
Accessed September 25, 2022. https:// assaults of young girls in Brigantine between
news.maryland.gov/msp/2022/09/19/ 1995 and 1996.
maryland-state-police-charge-florida-man-
in-2006-cold-case-homicide/. A DNA profile of the suspect was developed
and entered into CODIS in 2002, but there
Rosenberg, Rebecca. “Florida Trucker were no hits. There is currently no
Charged in Pair of Grisly Cold Case Murders information on who conducted the FGG
in Different States.” Fox News Maryland, investigation, but it is described by Atlantic
September 20, 2022. Accessed September 25, County prosecutors as a private company.
2022. https://www.foxnews.com/us/florida- Police obtained a warrant to detain Avis and
trucker-charged-pair-grisly-cold-case- take a sample of Avis’ DNA, which was
murders-different-states. found to be included in the crime scene
sample.
Samples, Susan. “‘Used Knife, No Remorse’:
Suspected Serial Killer on Police Radar in Avis was charged with aggravated sexual
1996.” WOOD TV 8, October 28, 2022. Last assault of a child under 13 years, burglary,
modified October 30, 2022. Accessed January and endangering the welfare of a child in
23, 2022. https://www.woodtv.com/news/ Atlantic County Criminal Court. The string of
kent-county/used-knife-no-remorse- sexual offences in Brigantine at the time are
suspected-serial-killer-on-police-radar- still being investigated by police.
in-1996/.
Avis was indicted by an Atlantic County
Samples, Susan. “‘We Got Him’: FL Trucker Grand Jury on November 30, 2021, for
Arrested in 1996 Rape, Murder of GR-Area several charges of sexual assault, aggravated
Woman.” WOOD 8 News, August 19, 2022. sexual assault, and attempted sexual assault

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 48
on a child under the age of 13, as well as local/crime-and-courts/nj-man-charged-for-
burglary to inflict bodily injury, and child the-sexual-assault-of-10-year-old-girl-
endangerment through sexual conduct in during-1996-home-evasion/3278976/.
relation to both victims.
Office of the Atlantic County Prosecutor.
Police in Brigantine alerted authorities in “Brian Avis Indicted on 8 Counts for Sexual
Galloway Township of the charges against Assaults of 10 Year-Old Brigantine Girl & 5
Avis, and that after arresting Avis they had Year-Old Galloway Girl.” Office of the
obtained a fingerprint hit to the home Atlantic County Prosecutor (Press Release),
invasion assault of a 5-year-old girl on July November 30, 2021. Accessed December 29,
18, 2003, in Galloway Township. 2021. https://www.acpo.org/brian-avis-
indicted-on-8-counts-for-sexual-assaults-
Avis pled guilty in June of 2022. In of-10-year-old-brigantine-girl-5-year-old-
September of 2022, he was sentenced to 17 galloway-girl/.
years imprisonment for offences against both
victims. Walsh, Jim. “Police: DNA Links Man to
Sexual Assault of Child 25 Years Ago.”
Sources: Courier Post, September 17, 2021. Accessed
September 19, 2021. https://
Cohen, Noah. “Arrested Made in 1996 Sex www.courierpostonline.com/story/news/
Assault of Girl During Home Invasion, Police 2021/09/17/brian-lee-avis-brigantine-sexual-
Say.” NJ.com, September 17, 2021. Accessed assault-child-1996/8385756002/.
September 19, 2021. https://www.nj.com/
atlantic/2021/09/arrest-made-in-1996-sex-
assault-of-girl-during-home-invasion-police- Case ID 1322: Backman, Wesley
say.html?
fbclid=IwAR21uw0akAxThhozq7moj7oUse0 Wesley Backman has been identified as the
XUuOw4kQ- lead suspect in the1996 rape and murder of
dgGvmoYnoK6X5L6fXQTyYOA. 25-year-old Tangie Sims in Aurora, Colorado.
Sims’ body was found on October 24, 1996,
Craig, John. “NJ Sex Assault Suspect Nabbed in an alleyway. She had been sexually
With Fingerprint DNA Hears His Sentence.” assaulted and stabbed to death. Her killer had
Daily Voice, September 13, 2022. Accessed cut himself during the attack and a DNA
January 12, 2023. https://dailyvoice.com/ profile was produced from blood collected at
new-jersey/atlantic/news/nj-sex-assault- the crime scene.
suspect-nabbed-with-fingerprint-dna-hears-
his-sentence/843493/. This case was investigated by the Aurora
Police Department, with the FGG work
NBC 4 New York. “NJ Man Charged for the carried out by United Data Connect. United
Sexual Assault of 10-Year-Old Girl During Data Connect was founded by former Denver
1996 Home Invasion.” NBC 4 New York, DA Mitch Morrissey and specializes in FGG
September 17, 2021. Accessed September 19, investigations. The initial confirmation was
2021. https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 49
made with the assistance of a living close Jacksonville, Florida. Baer had worked at the
relative of Backman. Jacksonville Sherriff’s Office as a Detective
for 27 years before retiring. At the time of the
This case was cleared by exception due to the murder, Baer was engaged in surveillance
death of Backman in 2008. He had been a against Kawaf as part of an ongoing drug
long-haul truck driver whose routes took him investigation. Baer thus learned that Kawaf
near the area where Sims’ body was found. had yet to make a weekly bank deposit of
$30,000, and was keeping this cash in his
Sources: home.

CBS 4 News. “1996 Cold Case Murder of On May 17, 1999, two suspects, a male and a
Tangie Sims, Solved, Wesley Backman female, entered Kawaf’s home to steal the
Named Suspect.” CBS Local News Denver, $30,000. Kawaf was tied up in the garage and
January 15, 2020. Accessed December 10, stabbed to death by the male suspect. Kawaf’s
2020. https://denver.cbslocal.com/ wife heard the commotion in the garage, and
2020/01/15/tangie-sims-aurora-wesley- when she went in, she was grabbed and tied
backman-cold-case-murder/. up by the female suspect. Ms. Kawaf bit the
female suspect and obtained some of her
Oravetz, Janet. “DNA From Relative Helped DNA this way. She then told the female
Identify Man Suspected in 1996 Aurora suspect that the cash was hidden in a kitchen
Murder.” NBC 9 News, January 15, 2020. cabinet. The female is believed to be Baer’s
Accessed December 10, 2020. https:// then-wife, Melissa Jo Schafer.
www.9news.com/article/news/crime/dna-
relatives-solves-1996-aurora-homicide-case/ DNA was obtained from blood on the
73-5bd01ffe-fbec-43f2-8f2d-868fb2e14984. suspect’s shirt; blood on the kitchen counter;
finger clippings from Kawaf; and water
Osborne, Ryan. “Genealogy Helps Crack bottles and soda cans from Baer’s garbage.
Aurora Cold Case Murder From 1996, Police The FGG investigation was conducted by the
Say.” Denver Channel, January 15, 2020, last Florida Department of Law Enforcement
modified January 16, 2020. Accessed (FDLE), under the direction of Lori
December 10, 2020. https:// Napolitano.
www.thedenverchannel.com/news/local-
news/genealogy-helps-crack-aurora-cold- Both defendants have pled guilty in Duval
case-murder-from-1996-police-say. County Circuit Court. Schafer pled guilty in
return for her testimony against Baer. She was
sentenced in March of 2022 to 30 years for
Case ID 1392: Baer, William second-degree murder, armed robbery,
kidnapping, and aggravated battery. Baer was
See also: Melissa Jo Schafer. sentenced in September of 2021 to life in
prison on charges of first-degree murder,
William Baer was arrested on July 1, 2020, armed robbery, kidnapping, and aggravated
for the 1999 home invasion robbery and battery.
murder of 39-year-old Saad Kawaf in

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 50
Many people whose cases Baer worked on www.jacksonville.com/story/news/courts/
during his time with the Jacksonville County 2022/03/25/melissa-jo-schafer-sentenced-30-
Sheriff’s Office, from 1979 to 2002, will now years-1999-jacksonville-florida-murder/
be filing post-conviction appeals. 7143114001/.

Sources: Smalls, C. Isaiah II. “The Murder Took More

Than Two Decades to Solve. A Retired
First Coast News Staff. “Warrant: Retired Detective Was Behind it, Cops Say.” Miami
JSO Homicide Detective, Ex-Wife Fatally Herald, July 30, 2020. Accessed December
Stabbed Convenience Store Owner Over 11, 2020. https://www.miamiherald.com/
Money.” First Coast News, July 9, 2020. news/state/florida/article244606062.html.
Accessed December 11, 2020. https://
www.firstcoastnews.com/article/news/crime/ Sokmensuer, Harriet. “Fla. Store Owner Was
warrant-says-retired-jso-homicide-detective- Killed 21 Years Ago in Robbery – and Former
ex-wife-mutilated-convenience-store-owner- Detective Arrested in Cold Case.” People,
over-money/77-e61c0084-6729-4650-82ef- July 6, 2020. Accessed December 11, 2020.
f54c63bac19a. https://people.com/crime/fla-store-owner-
killed-robbery-detective-arrested/.
Harrison, Haley. “Interview Released of
Retired JSO Detective Accused of Murder.”
First Coast News, August 26, 2020, last Case ID 1358-1360: Baldwin, Clark Perry
modified August 27, 2020. Accessed
December 11, 2020. https:// Clark Perry Baldwin was arrested on May 6,
www.firstcoastnews.com/article/news/crime/ 2020, for the 1991 murder of 33-year-old
interview-with-retired-jso-detective-accused- Pamela Aldridge McCall. The body of
of-murder-released/77-0f7b9d12- Aldridge, who was pregnant at the time she
a57c-43af-901d-8fbf5243a921. was killed, was disposed of in a rural area of
Spring Hill, Tennessee, sometime in March of
Kless, Troy. “Attorney: Retired JSO 1991. Aldridge had been raped and strangled.
Detective’s Arrest in 1999 Cold Case May Sperm was recovered from her pantyhose and
Lead to Review of Other Cases He used to obtain a DNA profile of the suspect.
Investigated.” First Coast News, July 3, 2020.
Accessed December 11, 2020. https:// This DNA evidence was uploaded to CODIS
www.firstcoastnews.com/article/news/crime/ and, while it generated no hits to the
attorney-jso-detectives-arrest-may-lead-to- perpetrator, it was a match to DNA profiles
review-of-other-cases-he-investigated/77- obtained from two unsolved homicides in
b99838e6-b572-423c-871a-ed5a9375e7fd. Wyoming, both of whom remain unidentified.
The first victim, known as ‘Bitter Creek
Scanlan, Dan. “Ex-Wife of Former Betty’, was found on March 1, 1992, off
Jacksonville Cop Gets 30 Years for Role in Interstate-80 near the Bitter Creek turnout in
1999 Murder of Store Owner Saad Kawaf.” Sweetwater County, Wyoming. She was nude
Florida Times-Union, March 25, 2022. and had likely died of strangulation. The
Accessed January 13, 2023. https:// second victim, known as the ‘I-90 Jane Doe’,

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 51
was found in April 1992, just off the Suspected Serial Killer in Iowa; Clark Perry
Interstate-90 near Sheridan, Wyoming. She Baldwin Charged with Killing 3 Women in
was also pregnant at the time of her murder. 1990s.” Des Moines Register, May 6, 2020.
Both victims are believed to have been in Accessed December 11, 2020. https://
their early 20s at the time of their murders. www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/
crime-and-courts/2020/05/06/iowa-man-
There is currently no information as to which suspected-4-cold-case-homicides-tennessee-
organization conducted the FGG wyoming/5179320002/.
investigation, but the FBI is reported to have
been involved in the surreptitious sampling of Christen, Mike. “Man Charged With 1991
discarded items from Baldwin’s trash that Spring Hill Murder Arraigned in Maury
were used to perform an initial confirmation County.” Columbia Daily Herald and
of the DNA match. Tennessean, May 30, 2020. Accessed
December 11, 2020. https://
Baldwin worked as a long-haul truck driver, www.tennessean.com/story/news/crime/
with a route that would have taken near where 2020/05/30/clark-perry-baldwin-
the victims were murdered. Baldwin had arraigned-1991-spring-hill-tennessee-slaying/
earlier been charged in 1991 with raping and 5288005002/.
attempting to strangle a 21-year-old woman
in Wheeler County, Texas. The charges were Fike, Ellen. “Who Are ‘Bitter Creek Betty’
dropped when the victim could not be and ‘I-90 Jane Doe’?” Cowboy State Daily,
located, even though he had admitted to May 8, 2020. Accessed December 11, 2020.
committing this crime. https://cowboystatedaily.com/2020/05/08/
who-are-bitter-creek-betty-and-i-90-jane-
The case against Baldwin for the murder of doe/.
Aldridge is currently pending in the Maury
County Circuit Court. Martin, David. “Arrest Made in Sweetwater
County ‘Bitter Creek Betty’ Cold Case.”
Sources: Green River Star and Torrington Telegram,
May 7, 2020. Accessed December 11, 2020.
Alund, Natalie Neysa. “How a True Crime https://torringtontelegram.com/article/arrest-
Book and a DNA Hit Led to an Iowa Man made-in-sweetwater-county-bitter-creek-
Being Charged with Murder in 3 Cold betty-cold-case.
Cases.” Des Moines Register, May 18, 2020.
Accessed December 11, 2020. https://
www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/ Case ID 1493: Bieker, Paul
crime-and-courts/2020/05/18/clark-perry-
baldwin-waterloo-iowa-true-crime-pamela- Paul Bieker was arrested on June 15, 2021,
aldridge-mccall-cold-case-spring-hill- for the March 2003, rape and kidnapping of a
tennessee/5214938002/. 17-year-old girl in McCleary, Washington.
The girl was kidnapped from her home,
Davis, Tyler J., Charles Flesher, and Philip sexually assaulted and then abandoned in her
Jones. “DNA Leads Federal Investigators to own vehicle.

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 52
 KOMO News Staff. “Paul Bieker Found
A DNA profile of the suspect was generated Guilty in 2003 Rape of McCleary Teen.”
from a sexual assault kit taken at the hospital. KOMO News, June 4, 2022. Accessed June 8,
There is currently no information on who 2022. https://komonews.com/news/local/paul-
performed the FGG investigation. Police bieker-found-guilty-in-2003-rape-of-
made the initial confirmation by mccleary-teen.
surreptitiously sampling an item discarded by
Bieker. Sederstrom, Jill. “Authorities Investigating
Whether Man Arrested in Cold Case Rape
Bieker lived close to the victim at the time of Could Have Been Involved in Young Girl’s
the 2003 attack. Police are also investigating Murder.” Oxygen, June 17, 2021. Accessed
Bieker for the June 26, 2009, rape and murder June 20, 2021. https://www.oxygen.com/
of 10-year-old Lindsey Baum, who was also crime-news/paul-bieker-suspect-in-2003-
abducted and raped in McLeary. No charges rape-investigated-for-murder-of-lindsay-
have been filed in that case at the time of baum.
writing.

Bieker was found guilty of first-degree rape Case ID 1161-1162: Bjerke, Jesse
by a jury in Grays Harbor County on June 3,
2022. Jesse Bjerke was charged with the kidnapping
and sexual assaults of two lifeguards working
Sources: at public pools in Virginia. The first incident
took place on August 1, 2014, in Fairfax
Chronicle Staff. “Arrest Made in 2003 Grays County, Virginia, and the second on
Harbor County Rape, Kidnapping; September 3, 2016, in Alexandria, Virginia.
Investigators Eye Lindsey Baum Case.” The Bjerke is also charged with using a firearm in
Chronicle, June 16, 2021. Accessed June 20, the commission of the offences. At the time of
2021. https://www.chronline.com/stories/ the assaults, he was employed as an
arrest-made-in-2003-grays-harbor-county- emergency room nurse.
rape-kidnapping-investigators-eye-lindsey-
baum-case,267708. The FGG investigation was conducted by
Parabon Nanolabs. The initial confirmation
King 5 Staff. “Following Arrest in 2003 Cold was made through surreptitious sampling,
Case, Detectives Looking at Potential both of Bjerke’s garbage and of an item he
Connection to Lindsey Baum Kidnapping.” discarded at a restaurant. The City of
King 5 News NBC, June 16, 2021. Accessed Alexandria also reported that, at the time of
June 20, 2021. https://www.king5.com/article/ his arrest, Bjerke had been reading about the
news/crime/grays-harbor-mccleary-lindsey- use of FGG to identify suspects in crimes, and
baum-cold-case-investigation-suspect/ that he had sought to delete some public
281-67744c4c-9626-4770- information about himself.
b6b8-8b788d0252fd.
Bjerke pled guilty to the offences and has
been sentenced to 65-years in prison. As part

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 53
of his plea agreement, Bjerke is appealing this Augenstein, Neal. “Man Convicted of Raping
decision, and his guilty plea will be Two Lifeguards Appeals to Va. Supreme
withdrawn if his appeal is successful. His Court Over DNA Collected from Drinking
attorneys allege that Bjerke’s DNA was Straws.” WTOP News, December 10, 2021.
collected and searched without a warrant in a Accessed December 28, 2021. https://
way that violated his Fourth Amendment wtop.com/virginia/2021/12/man-convicted-
rights. The Alexandria County Circuit Court of-raping-two-lifeguards-appeals-to-va-
Judge, Lisa Kemler, ruled against the defence, supreme-court-over-dna-collected-from-
and admitted the DNA evidence. drinking-straws/.

Bjerke appealed to the Virginia Supreme Bjerke v. Commonwealth of Virginia. Case

Court. The matter was heard on December 14, Information. Accessed January 13, 2023.
2021. His attorneys challenged the https://eapps.courts.state.va.us/acms-public/
surreptitious sampling of DNA shed in public caseInquiry/showCasePublicInquiry?
places and argued that police were required to caseId=354420&searchName=Bjerke+&searc
obtain a warrant before sampling the drinking hType=Case&partyType=APL&status=both&
straws for his DNA. They did not challenge caseTypeCheck=&lowerTribunalCheck=&cas
the use of FGG, or the results of the forensic eType=&tribunal=&lowerTribunalNumber=
DNA profile. &lowerTribunalNumberCheck=.

On February 03, 2022, the Petition for Appeal City of Alexandria. “Bjerke Convicted of
was refused, and his conviction will now Rape and Firearms Offences.” Government of
stand. Alexandria, Virginia (Press Release),
November 1, 2019, archived. Accessed
Sources: December 11, 2020. https://
www.alexandriava.gov/commattorney/info/
Augenstein, Neal. “DNA Database Search default.aspx?id=111830.
Leads to Suspect, Guilty Plea in 2016
Virginia Rape.” WTOP News, October 17, Fox 5 News. “Registered Nurse Charged in
2019. Accessed December 11, 2020. https:// 2016 Alexandria Lifeguard Rape.” Fox 5
wtop.com/alexandria/2019/10/dna-database- News, February 13, 2019. Accessed
search-leads-to-suspect-guilty-plea-in-2016- December 11, 2020. https://
virginia-rape/. www.fox5dc.com/news/registered-nurse-
charged-in-2016-alexandria-lifeguard-rape.
Augenstein, Neal. “Man Convicted of Raping
Alexandria Lifeguard Pleads Guilty to Earlier Mello-Klein, Cody. “Former Alexandria
Fairfax Co. Rape.” WTOP News, March 19, Nurse Convicted of Rape and Firearms
2020. Accessed December 11, 2020. https:// Offences.” Alexandria Times, October 31,
wtop.com/virginia/2020/03/man-convicted- 2019. Accessed December 11, 2020. https://
of-raping-alexandria-lifeguard-pleads-guilty- alextimes.com/2019/10/alexandria-rape/.
to-earlier-fairfax-co-rape/.
Moore, Jack. “Police Canvassing
Neighborhood After Alexandria Pool Rape.”

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 54
WTOP News, September 5, 2016. Accessed significant for those who might also have
December 11, 2020. https://wtop.com/ been victimized by the real perpetrator, as
alexandria/2016/09/police-canvassing- well as those who may continue to be
neighborhood-alexandria-pool-rape/. wrongfully suspected of the crime. Since
criminal investigations are performed in the
name of the public, and using the resources of
Case ID 1307: Blair, Curtis Edward the public, the community should also receive
the benefits of having the case cleared and the
Curtis Edward Blair has been identified as the suspect publicly named.
lead suspect in the 1984 rape and murder of
15-year-old Reesa Dawn Trexler in Salisbury, Blair passed away on October 6, 2004.
North Carolina. The case has been cleared by
exception due to the death of Blair. Sources:

Trexler was raped and stabbed to death in her Potts, Shavonne. “Salisbury Police Solve 35-
grandfather’s home while he had gone out to Year-Old Murder of Reesa Dawn Trexler.”
the grocery store, and he found her body Salisbury Post, December 3, 2019. Accessed
when he returned home a short time later. One December 11, 2020. https://
of the stab wounds was so severe, it severed www.salisburypost.com/2019/12/03/
her spinal cord. salisbury-police-solve-35-year-old-murder-of-
reesa-dawn-trexler/.
Police have neither confirmed nor denied the
identification. They state that the body of the Sederstrom, Jill. “DNA Clears Woman of
suspect was exhumed in order to make the Sister’s Brutal 1984 Murder after Spending
confirmation. It is known that Blair worked Years Living Under a Cloud of Suspicion.”
very close to the Trexler residence at the time Oxygen, December 4, 2019. Accessed
of the murder. December 11, 2020. https://
www.oxygen.com/crime-news/dna-clears-
There have been many suspects over the jodi-laird-of-sister-reesa-trexlers-brutal-1984-
years. Jodie Trexler Laird, Reesa’s sister, was murder.
long accused of involvement in the crime.
Laird was instrumental in finding her sister’s Whisenant, David. “Police: Man Who
killer, and in clearing herself and her family Murdered Salisbury Teen in 1984 Has Been
from suspicion. Investigators have stated that Identified.” WBTV News, December 3, 2019.
she is now completely exonerated. Accessed December 11, 2020. https://
www.wbtv.com/2019/12/03/police-man-who-
This case shows the damage that can be done murdered-salisbury-teen-has-been-identified/.
over time when a case is not cleared – even
when there is no evidence against those who
are wrongfully suspected, and they are never Case ID 1458: Blair, David Lee
formally charged. When police refuse to
name the suspect, the case is not really David Lee Blair was arrested on January 26,
cleared in the eyes of the public. This is 2021, for the 2016 murder of 75-year-old

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 55
George Washington Price in Elizabeth City, taken to a nearby field where she was
North Carolina. Price was found stabbed to sexually assaulted.
death in his home on March 24, 2016.
These cases were linked through DNA
The FGG investigation was conducted by profiles obtained from the victims’ sexual
Parabon Nanolabs. assault kits. The FGG investigation was
conducted by Parabon Nanolabs.
Blair is currently being held without bond and Investigators also used Y-STR DNA to
the case against him is pending in the narrow down the male lineage to whom the
Pasquotank District Court. suspect belongs. Investigators were then able
to obtain a search warrant for a sample of
Sources: Blankenship’s DNA to confirm that his
profile is consistent with that found at the
Hinton, John. “Investigators Use Advanced crime scene.
DNA Technology in Arrest of Winston-Salem
Man on Murder Charge in 2016 Elizabeth Authorities in Cincinnati alerted investigators
City Death.” Winston-Salem Journal Now, in Campbell County, Kentucky, where
January 27, 2021. Accessed January 27, 2021. Blankenship was a long-time resident. As a
https://journalnow.com/news/crime/ result of their investigation, Blankenship was
investigators-use-advanced-dna-technology- charged for sexual assaults on six further
in-arrest-of-winston-salem-man-on-murder- victims. Three of the victims were adults, and
charge-in/article_bd6ac96e-60e8-11eb-98ed- two were around twelve years old.
cfd3de5de61c.html. Prosecutors have not stated whether they have
DNA evidence in these cases.
WXII12.com Web Staff. “Winston-Salem
Man Arrested for 2016 Murder After Police The final victim, described as being between
Use Genealogy Technology.” WXII12 NBC 12-14 years of age, was known to
News, January 27, 2021. Accessed January Blankenship who groomed the child over a
27, 2021. https://www.wxii12.com/article/ period of two years from about 1989 to 1991.
winston-salem-man-arrest-2016-murder-dna- He is charged with statutory rape in
genealogy/35340730#. connection with this victim, who has come
forward only recently.

Case ID 1335-1596: Blankenship, William On February 10, 2023, Blankenship pled

Brian guilty in Hamilton County to three counts of
rape; in exchange, the other charges against
William Brian Blankenship was charged on him in that jurisdiction were dismissed.
February 11, 2020, with three home invasion
rapes that took place in Cincinnati, Ohio Sources:
between 1999 and 2001. The victims included
an adult woman, a 14-year-old girl, and a 10- Eden, Jessie. “Campbell County Man Linked
year-old girl. This youngest girl was to 3 Cold Cases in OH, May be Linked to
kidnapped from a camper in her driveway and More in NKY.” Fort Thomas Matters,

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 56
February 13, 2020. Accessed December 11, and-courts/2020/02/11/hes-pig-deters-
2020. http://www.fortthomasmatters.com/ says-20-year-old-serial-rape-case-solved-
2020/02/campbell-county-man-linked-to-3- using-genealogy-site/4726302002/.
cold.html.
WCPO Staff. “Prosecutor: DNA Obtained
Fox 19 News. “Live Press Conference.” from Ancestry Site Closes 20-Year-Old Rape
Facebook, July 29, 2021. Accessed December Case.” WCPO News, February 11, 2020, last
28, 2021. https://www.facebook.com/ modified February 14, 2020. Accessed
FOX19Cincinnati/videos/881641349115903. December 11, 2020. https://www.wcpo.com/
news/crime/live-hamilton-county-prosecutor-
Ingram, Angela. “Suspect Indicted in holding-press-conference-on-a-cold-case.
Hamilton County Cold Case Rapes Dating
Back to 1999.” Local 12 News, February 11,
2020. Accessed December 11, 2020. https:// Case ID 1390: Bloomquist, Brent
local12.com/news/local/suspect-indicted-in-
hamilton-county-rapes-dating-back-to-1999- Brent Bloomquist was arrested on July 1,
cincinnati. 2020, for the 2002 sex assault of a 62-year-
old woman. She had been walking home on
Jordan, Felicia. “Man Charged for Serial the night of May 31, 2002, in Arvada,
Rape Cases in Two Counties Pleaded Guilty Colorado, when she was grabbed from behind
to Hamilton County Charges.” WCPO ABC by an unknown assailant.
News 9 Cincinnati, February 10, 2023.
Accessed February 11, 2023. https:// A DNA profile was obtained from semen
www.wcpo.com/news/local-news/hamilton- found at the crime scene, and a ‘John Doe
county/man-charged-for-serial-rape-cases-in- Warrant’ was issued for the suspect. The FGG
two-counties-pleaded-guilty-to-hamilton- investigation was conducted by United Data
county-charges. Connect.

Keller, Aaron. “Alleged Serial Rapist of The suspect’s DNA has matched another cold
Women and Girls Charged with 37 Crimes case rapes in the area, but since a DNA
Dating Back to 1987 in Two Different warrant was not issued in those cases, the
States.” Law & Crime, July 29, 2021. statute of limitations may have run out.
Accessed December 28, 2021. https://
lawandcrime.com/crime/alleged-serial-rapist- On January 11, 2021, Bloomquist pled guilty
of-women-and-girls-charged-with-37-crimes- to the charges in Jefferson County Court. In
dating-back-to-1987-in-two-different-states/. April of 2021, he was sentenced to 4 years in
prison.
Mitchell, Madeline, and Kevin Grasha. “‘He’s
a Pig.’ Deters Says 20-Year-Old Serial Rape Sources:
Case Solved Using Genealogy Site.”
Cincinnati Enquirer, February 11, 2020. Arvada Press. “Man Arrested in Arvada Case
Accessed December 11, 2020. https:// from 2002.” Arvada Press, July 7, 2020.
www.cincinnati.com/story/news/crime/crime- Accessed December 11, 2020. https://

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 57
arvadapress.com/stories/man-arrested-in- A DNA profile of the suspect was produced
arvada-assault-case-from-2002,312016. from samples found at the crime scene. The
FGG investigation was conducted by Parabon
Butzer, Stephanie. “Man Arrested 18 Years Nanolabs.
After Alleged Sexual Assault in Arvada.” The
Denver Channel, July 2, 2020. Accessed Boice pled guilty to this offence, and charges
December 11, 2020. https:// related to the home invasion were dropped as
www.thedenverchannel.com/news/local- part of the plea agreement. In February 2021,
news/man-arrested-18-years-after-alleged- he was sentenced to 45 years in prison.
sexual-assault-in-arvada.
Zionts reports that this case reportedly
Campbell-Hicks, Jennifer. “Man Pleads inspired the Sioux Falls PD to use the same
Guilty in 2002 Arvada Sexual Assault.” NBC method to solve the Baby Andrew case,
News 9, January 11, 2021. Accessed described below.
December 29, 2021. https://www.9news.com/
article/news/crime/man-pleads-guilty- Sources:
in-2002-arvada-sex-assault/73-3756ec32-
cbeb-4acd-bb25-bf74c5bb5285. Associated Press. “Man Gets 45 Years in
Prison for Assault Case Solved with
Oravetz, Janet. “Man Sentenced to 4 Years Genealogy.” Forensic Magazine, February
Following Arrest in 2002 Sex Assault.” NBC 19, 2021. Accessed February 20, 2021.
News 9, April 14, 2021. Accessed December https://www.forensicmag.com/573435-Man-
29, 2021. https://www.9news.com/article/ Gets-45-Years-in-Prison-for-Assault-Case-
news/crime/suspect-sentenced-2002-sex- Solved-with-Genealogy/.
assault/73-c9c7af85-3025-4dc8-ba25-
c05fa5f3db0c. Rapid City Journal Staff. “Man Pleads Guilty
to 2012 Belle Fourche Rape Case Solved
Takahara, Deborah. “Nearly 20 Years After Through DNA, Genealogy.” Rapid City
Sexual Assault, Arvada Police ID and Arrest Journal, September 11, 2020. Accessed
Suspect.” Fox 31 News Denver, July 1, 2020. December 11, 2020. http://geogen.org/man-
Accessed December 11, 2020. https:// pleads-guilty-to-2012-belle-fourche-rape-
kdvr.com/news/local/suspect-in-2002-sex- case-solved-through-dna-genealogy-rapid-
assault-arrested-thanks-to-new-technology/? city-journal/.
fbclid=IwAR1JbMrkSWB6_cVvabYwxk3_Q
k_cYD6TxUcDEMu4oajWbxYU9wzVWg86 Zionts, Arielle. “Man Pleads Guilty to 2012
NOU. Belle Fourche Rape; Case Solved Through
DNA, Genealogy.” Rapid City Journal,
September 11, 2020. Accessed December 11,
Case ID 1147: Boice, Shane 2020. https://rapidcityjournal.com/news/local/
crime-and-courts/man-pleads-guilty-to-2012-
Shane Boice was arrested on January 2, 2019, belle-fourche-rape-case-solved-through-dna-
for a 2012 home invasion rape in Belle genealogy/article_cb206d36-5446-5167-
Fourche, South Dakota. bebb-54e42df71e17.html?

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 58
utm_campaign=snd- The FGG investigation was conducted by
autopilot&utm_medium=social&utm_source Parabon Nanolabs, who had earlier performed
=facebook_Rapid_City_Journal&fbclid=IwA forensic phenotyping for this case in 2016.
R3NT6w1m5d7Vm9U4-HXVL- They produced a Snapshot of the suspect in
dtG0QRPRNKU9pAlwzxYKNRs3VYCN8ov 2017, but all of the suspects thus identified
yIW-8. were cleared. The FGG investigation
produced four possible suspects.
Zionts, Arielle. “Police Chief: Ancestry
Website, DNA Led to Suspect 7 Years After Bolsinger died by suicide on March 23, 1988,
Rape Reported.” Rapid City Journal, January at the age of 30. Bolsinger had a lengthy
11, 2019, last modified February 21, 2019. record for violence against women. He was
Accessed December 11, 2020. https:// convicted of the 1980 murder of 33-year-old
rapidcityjournal.com/news/local/crime-and- Kaysie Sorensen in Salt Lake City, Utah.
courts/police-chief-ancestry-website-dna-led- Sorensen’s body was found with a clock radio
to-suspect-years-after/article_2558d56d- cord wrapped around her throat. Bolsinger
fc73-5327-af24-def53262735e.html. claimed that the sexual intercourse and the
use of the cord were consensual, and that her
death was accidental. He was released on
Case ID 1636-1638: Bolsinger, John parole a few months before Hensley’s murder.
Charles
After Dickinson’s murder, Bolsinger was
On February 2, 2022, police announced that arrested for breaking and entering into
John Charles Bolsinger (b. September 17, another woman’s home and attempting to
1957) was identified as the lead suspect in the attack her. She managed to fight him off, and
killing of three women in Eugene, Oregon, in he was captured with the assistance of the K9
the 1980s. unit. He was given a 5-year sentence but was
released again on parole in 1987, a few
Gladys Mary Hensley, age 62, was killed a months before Toohey’s murder.
few days before her body was found on June
5, 1986. An employee of the apartment Police state that throughout the years of the
complex in which she lived went to check on investigation, several suspects had their DNA
her after she had not been heard from for taken, and were excluded as suspects.
several days.
Sources:
Janice Marie Dickinson, age 33, was killed on
June 19, 1986. Her body was found behind a Hunt, Chelsea. “New DNA Technology
car dealership. She was naked and had been Identifies Lane County Serial Killer.” KEZI 9
sexually assaulted. News, February 2, 2022. Accessed February
7, 2022. https://www.kezi.com/news/new-
Geraldine Spencer Toohey, age 73, was found dna-technology-identifies-lane-county-serial-
dead in her home on February 28, 1988. She killer/article_67663d6e-847d-11ec-93d6-
had also been sexually assaulted. db043e7c701e.html.

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 59
Tron, Gina. “DNA Identifies Oregon Serial On May 24, 1995, a 20-year-old woman was
Killer as Man Who Died by Suicide in 1988.” abducted from her car at gun point, and she
Oxygen, February 3, 2022. Accessed February managed to struggle and get free.
7, 2022. https://www.oxygen.com/crime-
news/john-charles-bolsinger-idd-as-1980s- In 2019, investigators engaged Advance DNA
oregon-serial-killer. to conduct the FGG investigation. Advance
DNA identified three brothers, one of whom
Urenda, Gabby. “New Tech Helps Solve was serving a life sentence for sexual assault
Decades-Old Serial Killer Case.” KOIN 6 at the time. Detectives then investigated the
News, February 3, 2022. Accessed February remaining two brothers. Police made the
7, 2022. https://www.koin.com/news/new- initial confirmation to Bortree from the
tech-helps-solve-decades-old-serial-killer- surreptitious sampling of a cigarette he had
case/. discarded near his workplace.

The statute of limitations has run out on the

Case ID 1246-1249: Bortree, Ralph kidnapping and sexual assault charges.
Bortree was indicted on the 1993 charge of
In August of 2019, Ralph Bortree was attempted aggravated murder. He was
identified as the lead suspect in a series of convicted of this charge in November of 2020
violent rapes in Sidney and Logan County, after a four-day jury trial. The jury reached a
Ohio. guilty verdict after deliberating for only one
hour.
On July 31, 1993, a 19-year-old woman was
forced off the road by another vehicle in Judge David Faulkner rejected the
Logan County, Ohio. She was kidnapped at defendant’s arguments that the length of time
gunpoint, raped, beaten, and her throat the case had been open had violated his rights
slashed several times. She was left for dead in to mount an adequate defence, as well as his
the ditch, but she survived and was able to arguments that the surreptitious sampling of
make it to a nearby home for assistance. the cigarette butt violated his Fourth
Semen was recovered from the shirt she was Amendment rights.
wearing, and a DNA profile of the suspect
was obtained. Bortree appealed that decision. The matter
was heard by the Supreme Court of Ohio in
This DNA profile was linked to three other June of 2022. In November of 2022, they
sexual assaults. On May 23, 1992, a 19-year- found that the law in force in Ohio at that
old woman was walking home alone in time did indeed bar a prosecution for
Shelby County when she was abducted at attempted aggravated murder under R.C.
gunpoint and raped. 2923.02(A) after a 6-year statute of
limitations. They vacated Bortree’s conviction
On July 22, 1993, a 16-year-old girl was and his 11-year sentence.
abducted from her vehicle at gun point; the
assailant then attempted to rape her, and she
fled.

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 60
Sources: www.courtnewsohio.gov/cases/2022/SCO/
1103/211254.asp#.Y2bk8VLMJQK.
Associated Press. “Judge Rejects Efforts to
Toss Bortree Attempted Case.” Bellefontaine
Examiner, August 15, 2020. Accessed Case ID 1100-1105: Bowden, Darold
December 11, 2020. https:// Wayne
www.examiner.org/judge-rejects-effort-to-
toss-bortree-attempted-case/. Darold Wayne Bowden was charged on
August 22, 2018, with a series of sexual
Bellefontaine Examiner Staff. “Bortree Found assaults that took place between 2006 and
Guilty of Attempted Aggravated Murder.” 2008 in Fayetteville, North Carolina. The
Bellefontaine Examiner, November 6, 2020. suspect in this case was known as the
Accessed December 11, 2020. https:// ‘Ramsay Street Rapist’ and the ‘Phantom of
www.examiner.org/bortree-found-guilty-of- Ramsay Street’, as he operated near Ramsay
attempted-aggravated-murder/. Street in Fayetteville, where he has been
linked to the home invasion rapes of six
Court News Ohio. “Man Caught 26 Years women.
Later Through DNA Search of Family Tree
Contests Conviction.” Einnews, June 7, 2022. The FGG investigation was conducted by
Accessed June 17, 2022. https:// Parabon Nanolabs.
www.einnews.com/pr_news/575795257/man-
caught-26-years-later-through-dna-search-of- Bowden has been involved with Neo-Nazi
family-tree-contests-conviction. groups, and has been charged with over 70
criminal offences, none of which were serious
Tipple, Bill. “Cold Case Ends with Attempted enough to have his DNA sample taken. This
Aggravated Murder Investigation.” Peak of has caused a push to increase the kinds of
Ohio News, November 6, 2020. Accessed offences for which arrestee’s DNA can be
December 11, 2020. https:// collected and uploaded into CODIS.
www.peakofohio.com/news/details.cfm?
clientid=5&id=313685#.X6V9GEi4AuI.faceb In February of 2022, he entered a guilty plea
ook. in Cumberland County Superior Court and
was sentenced to serve 29 years in prison.
Tipple, Bill. “DNA Helped Solve 1993 Rape
Case; County Man Indicted.” Peak of Ohio, Sources:
August 20, 2019. Accessed December 11,
2020. https://www.peakofohio.com/news/ ABC 11 News. “Fayetteville Police Release
details.cfm?clientid=5&id=289444. New Sketch of Ramsey St. Rapist.” ABC 11
News, April 24, 2017. Accessed December 11,
Trevas, Dan. “Attempted Murder Conviction 2020. https://abc11.com/1911154/.
Vacated; Statute of Limitations Expired.”
Court News Ohio, November 3, 2022. ABC 11 News. “The Genetic Detective
Accessed November 5, 2022. https:// Shines Light on Fayetteville’s ‘Ramsay Street
Rapist’.” ABC11 News, June 23, 2020.

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 61
Accessed December 11, 2020. https:// Case ID 1305, 1333: Bowman, Dennis Lee
abc11.com/genetic-detective-kobi-haschen-
darold-bowden-ramsey-street-rapist/ Dennis Lee Bowman was identified as the
6261466/. lead suspect in the September 11, 1980, rape
and murder of 25-year-old Kathleen O’Brien
Davis, Akilah. “Ramsey Street Rapist Pleads Doyle. Doyle was the wife of a Navy pilot.
Guilty to 24 Charges of Rape, Faces a She had been raped, strangled, and stabbed to
Maximum 339 Months Behind Bars.” ABC death in her home. Bowman was himself in
News 11. February 11, 2022. Accessed the Navy Reserves at the time of the murder.
February 11, 2022. https://abc11.com/ramsey-
street-rapist-darnold-bowden-rape-suspect- The FGG investigation in this case was
darold-guilty/11555740/. conducted by Parabon Nanolabs.

Nortin, F.T. “Survivors of ‘Ramsey Street On June 10, 2020, Bowden pled guilty to first
Rapist’ Speak as He’s Sentenced to More than degree murder and sexual assault in the death
Teo Decades in Prison.” Fayetteville of Doyle. At age 71, he was sentenced to two
Observer, February 12, 2022. Last modified terms of life imprisonment.
March 31, 2022. Accessed January 27, 2022.
https://www.fayobserver.com/story/news/ As a result of his arrest for Doyle’s murder,
2022/02/12/darold-wayne-bowden-sentenced- he was charged in connection with the 1989
more-than-22-years-prison-ramsey-street- murder of his adopted daughter, Aundria
rapist/6755315001/. Michelle Bowman. Aundria’s remains were
found in a shallow grave on Bowman’s
Payton, Marius. “‘Ramsey Street Rapist’ property in February of 2020. He is charged
Survivor Says Accused Man Never Should with homicide, child abuse, and mutilation for
Have Been on Fayetteville Streets.” CBS 17 the disposal of her remains. It is suspected
News, November 12, 2020. Accessed that he killed her after she accused him of
December 11, 2020. https://www.cbs17.com/ sexually abusing her.
news/local-news/cumberland-county-news/
ramsey-street-rapist-survivor-says-accused- Bowman had earlier been convicted of a
man-never-should-have-been-on-fayetteville- sexual assault in Ottawa Co, Michigan, in
streets/. 1981, but this conviction was later struck
down by the appellate court. This case had
Shapiro, Emily, and Dominick Proto. “Man been pending before the courts when Doyle
Arrested for 6 Cold Case Rapes Through was killed.
Same Type of Testing that Caught ‘Golden
State Killer’ Suspect.” ABC News, August 22, Two serial killers were wrongfully charged
2018. Accessed December 11, 2020. https:// with the murder of Doyle: Henry Lee Lucas
abcnews.go.com/US/man-arrested-cold-case- and Ottis Toole, both of whom made several
rapes-type-testing-caught/story?id=57337367. confessions to unsolved murders that they
later recanted. Further inquiries led
investigators to drop the charges against

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 62
Lucas and Toole. For further information on dennis-bowman-plea-20200610-
Lucas, see also Debra Jackson, below. jvavv4igznbsfl344espqekmee-story.html.

On December 22, 2021, Bowman pled no May, Samantha. “Dennis Bowman Charged
contest in Allegan County Circuit Court to with Murder After Remains of Missing
second-degree murder for the killing of Adopted Daughter Found.” WWMT News
Aundrea Bowman. In February of 2022, he West Michigan, May 15, 2020. Accessed
was sentenced to 30 to 50 years for second- December 11, 2020. https://wwmt.com/news/
degree murder. local/dennis-bowman-charged-with-murder-
after-remains-of-missing-adopted-daughter-
Sources: found.

Associated Press. “Virginia Inmate Sentenced Pelisek, Christine. “Mom Searched for
in Michigan for Daughter’s Killing.” Yahoo Daughter She Placed for Adoption and
News, February 7, 2022. Accessed February Uncovered a Killer: ‘I Had a Gut Feeling’.”
11, 2022. https://news.yahoo.com/virginia- People, September 30, 2020. Accessed
inmate-sentenced-michigan- December 11, 2020. https://people.com/
daughters-162617275.html. crime/mom-searched-daughter-adoption-gut-
feeling/.
Denean, Austin, and Angeline McCall.
“Mom: Man Confessed to Killing Adopted Shatara, Jay. “‘I Did it Out of Love for My
Daughter in 1989.” Fox 17 News, February 5, Daughter’: Mom of Victim Reacts to Dennis
2020. Accessed December 11, 2020. https:// Bowman Sentencing.” WWMT News 3,
www.fox17online.com/news/local-news/ February 7, 2022. Accessed January 27, 2023.
lakeshore/allegan/mom-man-confessed-to- https://wwmt.com/news/local/mom-wants-
killing-stepdaughter-in-1989. daughters-remains-after-dennis-bowman-
sentenced-in-her-death.
Geiger, Dorian. “‘I Think He’s a Serial
Killer’: Michigan Man Arrested for ‘80s Tunison, John. “West Michigan Man Tied to
Murder, Now Accused in Adopted Daughter’s Two Killings, Including Daughter, Pleads in
Killing.” Oxygen, May 18, 2020. Accessed Virginia Case.” Michigan Live, June 10,
December 11, 2020. https:// 2020. Accessed December 11, 2020. https://
www.oxygen.com/crime-news/dennis- www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/2020/06/
bowman-allegedly-killed-missing-adopted- west-michigan-man-tied-to-two-killings-
daughter. including-daughter-pleads-in-virginia-
case.html.
Matray, Margaret. “Decades-Old Norfolk
Cold Case Closed as Man, Now 71 and Tied
to Another Killing, Pleads Guilty.” The Case ID 1383-1384: Bradley, Robert Lynn
Virginian-Pilot, June 10, 2020. Accessed
December 11, 2020. https:// Robert Lynn Bradley has been identified as
www.pilotonline.com/news/crime/vp-nw- the lead suspect in the 1991 murder of Wanda
Dean Kirkum. Kirkum’s body was found in

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 63
the Florida Keys on February 15, 1991. She Speak’: Genetic Genealogy IDs Victim,
had been raped and strangled with her bathing Suspect From 1991 Cold Case.” Forensic
suit top. She was unidentified for many years Magazine, June 19, 2020. Accessed
and, because she is thought to have been December 11, 2020. https://
killed on Valentine’s Day, she became known www.forensicmag.com/565493-Your-DNA-
as ‘Valentine Jane Doe.’ It is now known that Will-be-the-Voice-for-Someone-Who-Can-
she was 18 years-old at the time of her No-Longer-Speak-Genetic-Genealogy-IDs-
murder and had been hitchhiking in the area. Victim-Suspect-From-1991-Cold-Case/.

The FGG investigation was performed by the Theisen, Tiffini. “‘Valentine Jane Doe
Florida Department of Law Enforcement Homicide’ Cold Case Solved 29 Years After
(FDLE), who identified both the victim and Teen Girl Found Dead in Florida.” South
the perpetrator in this homicide. Florida Sun Sentinel, June 15, 2020.
Accessed December 11, 2020. https://
Bradley was murdered in Tarrant County, www.sun-sentinel.com/os-ne-florida-keys-
Texas in April 1992 when he was 31 years rape-murder-cold-case-solved-dna-
old. Investigators matched the DNA found at technology-20200615-
Kirkum’s crime scene with a DNA sample cscvcegv7rhylfx5igyuaqvfby-story.html.
collected at Bradley’s autopsy. This case was
cleared by exception.
Case ID 1401: Branch, Steve
Sources:
Steve Branch was identified as the lead
Bonvillian, Crystal. “‘Valentine Jane Doe’ suspect in the 1996 rape and murder of 17-
Rape, Murder Solved Through DNA After 29 year-old Jessica Baggin in Sitka, Alaska. On
Years.” Fox 13 News Memphis, June 16, August 3, 2020, police visited Branch, then
2020. Accessed December 11, 2020. https:// 66, at his home in Arkansas and asked him to
www.fox13memphis.com/news/trending/ voluntarily provide a DNA sample. About a
valentine-jane-doe-rape-murder-solved- half an hour later, Branch committed suicide
through-dna-after-29-years/ with a gunshot to his head. At his autopsy, a
RYE6KJSQTZFXFPBO64CQBQLCOM/. DNA sample was taken and confirmed to be
consistent with the DNA sample taken from
Filosa, Gwen. “A Murder Case in the Keys the crime scene.
Has Been Solved 29 Years Later. No Charges
Will Be Filed.” Miami Herald, June 15, 2020, Baggen was raped and murdered only a few
last modified June 16, 2020. Accessed blocks from her home. She had been walking
December 11, 2020. https:// home alone from her sister’s house along a
www.miamiherald.com/news/local/ well-travelled and visible route, making her
community/florida-keys/ murder particularly devastating for this small
article243552692.html. community of only 8000 persons.

Taylor, Michelle. “‘Your DNA Will be the The FGG investigation in this case was
Voice for Someone Who Can No Longer conducted by Parabon Nanolabs.

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 64
A local maintenance worker named Richard Theriault Boots, Michelle. “23 Years Ago, the
Bingham had earlier confessed to the crime. State of Alaska Tried the Wrong Man for the
He was tried and acquitted in 1997. He has Murder of a Sitka Teenager. Now Police Say
cognitive disabilities and was coerced into a They’ve Found the Real Killer. Why Wasn’t
confession by police. None of the physical He a Suspect All Along.” Anchorage Daily
evidence linked him to the crime. Bingham News, September 5, 2020. Accessed
spent 13 months in prison before being December 11, 2020. https://www.adn.com/
acquitted by a jury, after only two hours of alaska-news/crime-courts/2020/09/05/23-
deliberations. years-ago-the-state-of-alaska-tried-the-
wrong-man-for-the-murder-of-a-sitka-
Branch had been charged with the sexual teenager-now-police-say-theyve-found-the-
assault of another local teenage girl two real-killer-why-wasnt-he-a-suspect-all-along/.
months before Baggins’ murder, but he was
only arrested for this crime three months later. Thiessen, Mark. “Cold Case Murder, Sexual
Branch might have been a suspect, but by that Assault of 17-Year-Old Alaska Girl Solved
time Bingham was already in jail, wrongly with DNA Match.” USA Today, August 12,
accused of the crime. Theriault Boots of the 2020. Accessed December 11, 2020. https://
Anchorage Daily News, below, reports that www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/
one of the lead detectives on the case, Nick 2020/08/12/alaska-cold-case-murder-jessica-
Ward of the Sitka Police Department, was baggen-17-solved-using-dna/3352772001/.
married to a sister of Branch. Branch was
later acquitted of that rape, on the grounds
that he believed she had consented. Case ID 1121-1125: Brashers, Robert
Eugene
After his acquittal, Bingham never went back
to Sitka. He stated to Theriault Boots that it is Robert Eugene Brashers has been identified
only now that Branch had been identified as as the lead suspect in a series of violent
the true killer that the “fog of suspicion that sexual assaults and three homicides. The case
has clouded his life is lifting.” has been cleared by exception due to his
death in 1999. The FGG investigation was
Sources: conducted by Parabon Nanolabs.

Mulraney, Frances. “Arkansas Man, 66, Kills The first victim was 28-year-old Genevieve
Himself After Refusing to Give a Voluntary (Jenny) Zitricki, who was raped and strangled
DNA Sample to Cops Investigating Cold in her apartment in Greenville, South
Case Killing of Alaska Teenager, 17, Who He Carolina, on April 4, 1990.
Raped and Strangled 24 Years Ago.” Daily
Mail, August 12, 2020. Accessed December Brashers is thought to be responsible for the
11, 2020. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ violent home invasion rape of a 14-year-old
article-8620381/Arkansas-man-kills-refusing- girl in Memphis, Tennessee in March of 1997.
voluntary-DNA-sample-cold-case-murder-
investigation.html.

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 65
He is also thought to be responsible for the abc.com/shows/the-genetic-detective/episode-
March 28, 1998, murders of 12-year-old guide/season-01/02-hunt-for-the-runaway-
Megan Scherer and her 38-year-old mother killer.
Sherri in their home in Portageville, Missouri.
Megan had been raped before she was killed. Gearty, Robert. “1990s Cold Case Murders in
Sherri’s son found the bodies of his mother South Carolina, Missouri Solved Through
and sister when he came home from school. DNA Breakthrough, Police Say.” Fox News,
October 6, 2018. Accessed December 11,
Later that same day, Brashers is thought to 2020. https://www.foxnews.com/us/1990s-
have broken into the home of a woman in cold-case-murders-in-south-carolina-
Dyersburg, Tennessee. The attacker attempted missouri-solved-through-dna-breakthrough-
to rape her and then shot her and fled. The police-say.
bullet was linked to the Scherer murders.
Gross, Daniel, Gabe Cavallaro, and Elizabeth
On April 12, 1998, Brashers was arrested LaFleur. “Greenville Cold Case Solved:
trying to break into a woman’s home, but he Jenny Zitricki Killed by Serial Killer Robert
was released. He committed suicide during a Brashers in 1990, Police Say.” Greenville
police stand-off on January 13, 1999. News, October 5, 2018, last modified October
6, 2018. Accessed December 11, 2020.
Brashers’ daughter, Deborah Brashers- https://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/news/
Claunch, gave police a DNA sample to crime/2018/10/05/greenville-cold-case-
confirm his identity as the source of the crime zitricki-murder-first-series-murders-across-
scene DNA. Brashers-Claunch, was only 7 three-states/1532153002/.
years-old when her father killed himself. She
had been taken out of a motel room shortly Jacob, Richy Maria. “Who is Robert Eugene
before his suicide. She stated to Sweeny that Brashers and How Did He Die?” The
she was willing to assist in the investigation, Cinemaholic, June 2, 2020. Accessed
even though the truth has been very hard for December 11, 2020. https://
her to learn. Brashers’ body was then www.thecinemaholic.com/robert-eugene-
exhumed to confirm the DNA match to the brashers/.
crime scene DNA.
LaFleur, Elizabeth. “Robert Brashers: A
Brashers had been convicted of beating and Timeline of Crimes Police Say He
shooting a woman in Port St. Lucie, Florida Committed.” Greenville News, October 5,
in 1985, for which he was sentenced to 12 2018. Accessed December 11, 2020. https://
years. He was released in 1989 after serving www.greenvilleonline.com/story/news/crime/
3-and-a-half years. 2018/10/05/greenville-cold-case-robert-
brashers-jenny-zitricki/1534079002/
Sources:
Sweeney, Kathy. “‘My Father was a Serial
Connor, Christine. The Genetic Detective. Killer’: Robert Brashers’ Daughter Speaks
Season 1, Episode 2, “Hunt for the Runaway Out.” KFVS News 12, February 5, 2019, last
Killer.” ABC. Aired May 26, 2020. https:// modified February 26, 2019. Accessed

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 66
December 11, 2020. https://www.kfvs12.com/ the Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench in
2019/02/05/my-father-was-serial-killer- Calgary. In October of 2022, he was
robert-brashers-daughter-speaks-out/. sentenced to 7 years imprisonment.

Sources:
Case ID 1559: Brodie, Thomas Craig
CBC News. “Man Charged in 30-Year-Old
On July 9, 2021, the Sexual Assault Sexual Assault on Young Mother in Southeast
Investigative Unit Cold Case Team charged Calgary.” CBC News, July 9, 2021. https://
Thomas Craig Brodie for a May 4, 1991 www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/calgary-
home invasion rape in Calgary, Alberta. After sexual-assault-thomas-craig-
an evening drinking at a Calgary strip club, an brodie-1.6096110.
intruder broke into the home of a woman
known in court records only as DG. He broke Grant, Meghan. “Rapist Who ‘Terrorized;
a basement window and came up the stairs, Young Mother While Her Baby Slept Pleads
with his face covered up by his t-shirt, and Guilty 30 Years After Attack.” CBC News,
said to the victim, “I want to f—k you, bitch.” December 16, 2021. Accessed December 23,
The 28-year-old victim ran from the intruder, 2021. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/
locked a door, and phoned 911. The 911 call, calgary/historic-sex-assault-thomas-
played in court, discloses that the victim was brodie-1.6288886.
heard screaming before the call was
disconnected. The victim was brutally Martin, Kevin. “Victim of 30-Year-Old Rape
assaulted, punched repeatedly in the head, Tells Court the Brutal Attack has Caused a
and raped twice while her 18-month-old baby Lifetime of Grief.” Calgary Herald,
slept upstairs. The intruder wiped down his December 16, 2021. Accessed December 23,
fingerprints before leaving. 2021. https://calgaryherald.com/news/crime/
victim-of-30-year-old-rape-tells-court-the-
A DNA profile of the suspect was obtained brutal-attack-has-caused-a-lifetime-of-grief.
from a sexual assault kit taken at the hospital,
but there were no leads. There is no Martin, Kevin. “Rapist Handed Seven-Year
information at this time on who performed the Sentence for 1991 Attack of Calgary Woman
FGG investigation. in Her Home.” Calgary Herald, October 03,
2022. Accessed January 13, 2023. https://
Brodie lived near the victim at the time of the calgaryherald.com/news/crime/rapist-handed-
attack, and he matched a description the seven-year-sentence-for-1991-attack-of-
victim provided to police. Brodie, who was calgary-woman-in-her-home.
18 years old at the time of the attack has no
criminal record. He is described as having led
an “unassuming life,” and went on to have a Case ID 1717: Brooks, Robert A.
family of his own.
On July 30, 2022, police announced that they
Brodie pled guilty to breaking and entering have identified Robert A. Brooks as the lead
and sexual assault on December 16, 2021, in suspect in the August, 1990 rape and murder

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 67
of 17-year-old Michelle Koski in Snohomish Accessed July 3, 2022. https://
County, Washington. The case has been www.nbcnews.com/dateline/family-friends-
cleared by exception due to the death of hoping-answers-three-decades-after-michelle-
Brooks. koski-was-n1239399.

Koski's body was found on August 25, 1990 Fox 13 News Staff. “Suspect Identified in
near a highway in rural Snohomish County. 1990 Snohomish County Cold Case Murder.”
She had been sexually assaulted and Fox 13 News Seattle, June 30, 2022. Accessed
strangled. Her head was bashed in with a July 3, 2022. https://www.q13fox.com/news/
piece of concrete. suspect-identified-in-1990-snohomish-
county-cold-case.
The FGG investigation was performed by
Parabon Nanolabs, with the assistance of Shapiro, Emily. “Genetic Genealogy
genealogist Deb Stone, using a DNA mixture Identifies Suspect in 1990 Murder of 17-Year-
of the victim and perpetrator. It took about 12 Old Girl.” ABC News, July 1, 2022. Accessed
months to narrow the list of potential suspects July 3, 2022. https://abcnews.go.com/US/
down to a cohort of two brothers. genetic-genealogy-identifies-suspect-1990-
murder-17-year/story?id=86067450.
At the time of the murder, Brooks was 22 and
was staying with family a few blocks from Scott, Hanna. “Snohomish County Cold Case
Koski’s home and where she was last seen on Unit, Genetic Genealogy ID Suspect in 1990
August 20, 1990. At that time, someone drove Teen Murder.” My Northwest, July 1, 2022.
her to a hangout for teenagers in Snohomish Accessed July 3, 2022. https://
County. Brooks had been released from mynorthwest.com/3542195/snohomish-
prison on August 18 - just two days before county-cold-case-unit-genetic-genealogy-id-
Michelle disappeared. His prior convictions suspect-1990-teen-murder/.
have not been reported.

Police state that several suspects were asked Case ID 1254: Brown, Jake Edward
to provide their DNA over the years,
including Koski’s boyfriend, a local serial Jake Edward Brown has been identified as the
rapist, and the friend who drove her to the lead suspect in the November 23, 1972,
hangout. All were ruled out as being suspects. murder of 11-year-old Terri Lynn Hollis. The
case has been cleared by exception due to the
Brooks died from natural causes in 2016 in death of Brown.
King County.
Hollis disappeared while riding her bike on
Sources: Thanksgiving Day in 1972 in Torrance,
California. Her body was later found by
Cavallier, Andrea. “Family, Friends Hoping fishermen on a cliff below the Pacific Coast
for Answers Three Decades After Michelle Highway in Ventura County, where she may
Koski was Brutally Murdered in Snohomish, have been thrown over. She was clad only in
Washington.” NBC News, September 4, 2020. a T-shirt, and she had been sexually assaulted.

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 68
 jake-edward-brown-killed-11-year-old-terri-
The FGG investigation was conducted by lynn-hollis-in-1972.
Parabon Nanolabs. Brown passed away on 27
May 2003 at the age of 66 in Goodyear, Percy, Nathaniel. “The Terri Lynn Hollis
Arizona. His body was exhumed to confirm Murder Investigation: A 47-Year Timeline.”
that his DNA profile is consistent with that Daily Breeze, September 12, 2019. Accessed
recovered from Hollis’ body. December 11, 2020. https://
www.dailybreeze.com/2019/09/12/the-terri-
Brown had been charged in two separate lynn-hollis-murder-investigation-a-47-year-
sexual assault cases after Hollis’, in 1973 and timeline/.
1974. Authorities are investigating whether he
may be responsible for other crimes.
Case ID 1364-1367: Brown, Stoney
Police conducted more than 2,000 interviews
during the decades this case was open. A 29- Stoney Brown has been identified as the lead
year-old man from Gardena was arrested on suspect in a series of four violent home
February 20, 1974, but the charges were invasion rapes that took place in Cincinnati in
dropped on 1995 and 1996. The attacks took place near
April 2, 1974, due to evidence he was not the University of Cincinnati campus. Three of
involved. He did admit to molesting a 10- the victims were students there. Brown lived
year-old boy in 1974. just blocks away at the time of the rapes.

Sources: These cases were linked through DNA taken

from the victims’ sexual assault kits. A ‘John
Dazio, Stephanie. “California Cold Case Doe Warrant’ was obtained in 2008 to prevent
Solved Through DNA, Genealogy.” Daily the statute of limitations from running out.
Herald, September 11, 2019. Accessed There is no information on who conducted the
December 11, 2020. https:// FGG investigation. The initial confirmation
www.dailyherald.com/article/20190911/news/ was made by the surreptitious sampling of
309119897. items Brown had discarded in his trash.
Investigators also used Y-STR DNA in this
Find a Grave. “Jake Edward Brown. Find a case to narrow down the list of suspects by
Grave Memorial no. 115919752.” Find A tracing Brown’s male lineage.
Grave, Accessed December 11, 2020. https://
www.findagrave.com/memorial/115919752/ On October 4, 2021, Brown pled guilty in
jake-edward-brown. Hamilton County court, and was sentenced to
23 years in prison.
Geiger, Dorian. “Murder of 11-Year-Old Girl
Who Vanished While Bike-Riding on Sources:
Thanksgiving Day Finally Solved Nearly 50
Years Later.” Oxygen, September 13, 2019. Grasha, Kevin. “Prosecutor: Rapes of UC
Accessed December 11, 2020. https:// Students in 1990s ‘Planned and Calculated.’
www.oxygen.com/crime-time/police-say- Man Wore Mask, Gloves.” Cincinnati

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 69
Enquirer, June 23, 2020. Accessed December Case ID 1149: Bunney, Zachary Aaron
11, 2020. https://www.cincinnati.com/story/
news/2020/06/23/rapes-university-cincinnati- Zachary Aaron Bunney was arrested on
students-planned-and-calculated-stoney- January 10, 2019 and charged in the 2006
brown/3242982001/. robbery and murder of 47-year-old Scott
Martinez in La Mesa, California. Martinez
Grasha, Kevin. “Victim of Serial Rapist Who was slain in his apartment on June 17, 2006,
targeted UC Students Will ‘Live in Fear’ of by an assailant wielding a sword. Martinez
His Possible Release from Prison.” had been slashed about 30 times with the
Cincinnati.com, October 5, 2021. Accessed sword, and it is likely that the perpetrator cut
December 29, 2021. https:// himself during the attack.
www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2021/10/05/
stoney-brown-serial-rapist-who-targeted-uc- Blood was found at the scene and used to
students-pleads-guilty/6006159001/. create a DNA profile of the suspect but did
not match any suspects in the law
Johnson, Karin. “Prosecutor: Ancestry enforcement databases. The FGG
Database Ties Retired City Worker to Rapes investigation was conducted by Parabon
of UC Students.” WLWT 5 NBC News, May Nanolabs.
19, 2020. Accessed December 11, 2020.
https://www.wlwt.com/article/prosecutor- Bunney pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter
ancestry-database-ties-retired-city-worker-to- on 13 November 2019 and was sentenced to
rapes-of-uc-students/32603431? 12 years in prison. He was dating Martinez’
utm_campaign=snd- babysitter, and he lived in the area at the time
autopilot&utm_medium=social&utm_source of the murder. There is no known motive for
=twitter_WLWT#. the killing, and Bunney had not been a
suspect at the time.
Lair, Mollie. “Cincinnati Police Make Arrest
in 25-Year-Old Rape Case.” WLWT 5 News, Sources:
May 17, 2020. Accessed December 11, 2020.
https://www.wlwt.com/article/cincinnati- Figueroa, Teri. “Police: Genetic Genealogy
police-make-arrest-in-25-year-old-rape-case/ Leads to Arrest in 2006 Fatal Sword
32531549. Stabbing.” San Diego Union-Tribune, January
24, 2019. Accessed December 11, 2020.
Swilley, Kristen. “DNA Genealogy Test Led https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/
Police to Arrest in Decades-Old Cold Case.” public-safety/sd-me-la-mesa-sword-cold-
WCPO News Cincinnati, May 19, 2020, last case-20190124-story.html.
modified May 20, 2020. Accessed December
11, 2020. https://www.wcpo.com/news/local- Putnam, Neal. “Man Pleads Guilty in 2006
news/hamilton-county/cincinnati/dna- Murder Case, Used Sword.” The Californian,
genealogy-test-led-police-to-arrest-in- November 23, 2019. Accessed December 11,
decades-old-cold-case. 2020. https://eccalifornian.com/man-pleads-
guilty-in-2006-murder-case-used-sword/.

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 70
Repard, Pauline. “DNA Tied Him to Fatal
Sword Attack. He’ll Spend 12 Years in Prison In February 2020, Burns was convicted by a
Now.” Los Angeles Times, December 19, jury in Linn County, Iowa of first-degree
2019. Accessed December 11, 2020. https:// murder in the death of Martinko. He has
www.latimes.com/california/story/ appealed and asked for a new trial. His
2019-12-19/la-mesa-sword-slaying-zachary- attorneys have challenged both the adverse
bunney-sentencing. admissions Burns made to officers on his
arrest, as well as the use of FGG. Defence
attorneys filed a motion claiming that the use
Case ID 1144: Burns, Jerry Lynn of Burns’ family members’ DNA is a
violation of the Fourth and Fourteenth
Jerry Lynn Burns was arrested on December Amendments. Section 3 of the Defence’s
19, 2018 and charged in the December 19, motion for a new trial states that “the searches
1979 murder of Michelle Martinko in Cedar and seizures leading to the discovery of his
Rapids, Iowa. Martinko’s body was found DNA profile and that of his family violated
inside her car in the Westdale Mall parking his rights to be free from unreasonable
lot, where she had gone to purchase a new searches and seizures.” It is not known at this
winter coat. Her family went looking for her time on what legal basis the challenges are
when she failed to come home that evening. being made.
Martinko had been stabbed several times in
the face and chest. Blood not belonging to Burns appealed his conviction to the Iowa
Martinko was also found in the vehicle and is District Court decision to the Supreme Court
thought to have come from the perpetrator of Iowa. Burns claimed that the straw
when he cut himself in the stabbing attack. belonged to him at the time it was collected
by the police, and that he had an expectation
A DNA profile of the suspect was obtained of privacy in the straw. Burns claims that the
from the blood found at the crime scene. The police violated article I, section 8 of the Iowa
FGG investigation was performed by Parabon Constitution: which proscribes warrantless
Nanolabs. The initial confirmation was made searches that violate a defendant’s reasonable
by police surveillance followed by the expectation of privacy. The ACLU has joined
surreptitious sampling of a straw that Burns in the appeal, which is pending. A decision
had used. Police then obtained a warrant to had not been handed down as of the end of
take a buccal swab from Burns to obtain a 2022.
forensic DNA profile.
Police took DNA from over 125 suspects
Published accounts indicate that about 3 during the decades the case was open. Since
distant relatives of Burns voluntarily provided the crime took place in a small community,
their DNA to officers to help establish the numerous local men were suspects. In 1980,
identify of Martinko’s killer by developing investigators produced a composite sketch of
their family tree, a process known as targeted an unknown man produced from a witness
kinship testing. It appears that two siblings of that had been placed under hypnosis.
Burns had their DNA tested as well,
eliminating them from the investigation.

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 71
Sources: dna-behind-much-of-the-argument-in-jerry-
burns-appeal.
Davis, Tyler J. “Use of Genealogy in Iowa
Cold Case Conviction of Jerry Lynn Burns Moulton, Jen. “Michelle Martinko’s Murder
was Unconstitutional, Motion for New Trial ‘Haunted’ the Cedar Rapids Community for
Says.” Des Moines Register, June 16, 2020. 40 Years. Now, Her Suspected Killer is Set to
Accessed December 12, 2020. https:// Go on Trial.” Little Village, October 2, 2019.
www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/ Accessed December 12, 2020. https://
crime-and-courts/2020/06/16/jerry-burns- littlevillagemag.com/michelle-martinko-
investigation-conviction-unconstitutional- murder-trial/.
michelle-martinko/3197966001/.

Iowa v. Burns. Motion for a New Trial. In the Case ID 1263-1275, 1326: Burns, Mark
District Court of Iowa in and for Linn County. Douglas: The Clearfield Rapist
No. FECR129781. Accessed December 12,
2020. https://www.desmoinesregister.com/ Mark Douglas Burns was arrested for a series
story/news/crime-and-courts/2020/06/16/ of violent home invasion rapes in Utah and
jerry-burns-investigation-conviction- Wyoming that took place between 1991 and
unconstitutional-michelle-martinko/ 2001. In one case, Burns raped a mother and
3197966001/. daughter in their home while the entire family
was kidnapped, tied up at gun point, and
Iowa v. Burns. Appellant’s Final Brief. forced to watch.
Supreme Court No. 20-1150. Accessed
January 13, 2023. https:// DNA was taken from the victims, and a
www.iowacourts.gov/courtcases/15314/ profile developed from their sexual assault
briefs/4994/embedBrief. kits were uploaded to CODIS. This tied this
series of rapes to a single suspect, who came
Nozicka, Luke. “Police Collected DNA from to be known as the ‘Clearfield Rapist’.
Dozens While Investigating 1979 Killing of
Michelle Martinko.” Des Moines Register, The FGG investigation in this case was
April 15, 2019. Accessed December 12, 2020. conducted by Barbara Rae-Venter. Police
https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/ confirmed the results of the FGG
news/crime-and-courts/2019/04/15/michelle- investigation match through surreptitious
martinko-jerry-burns-suspect-murder- sampling of items that Burns had discarded in
homicide-cedar-rapids-iowa-dna-parabon- his trash.
labs-cold-case/3476459002/.
Burns was arrested at his Ogden home on
Moudy, Shannon. “Police Search of DNA September 25, 2019. Burns confessed to all of
Behind Much of the Argument in Jerry Burns’ the rapes with which he was charged, but
Appeal.” Iowa News Now, April 5, 2021. some of the cases did not go to court as the
Accessed December 23, 2021. https:// sexual assault charges were barred by the
cbs2iowa.com/news/local/police-search-of- statute of limitations. Prosecutors had filed a
DNA warrant in 2003 to stop the statute of

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 72
limitations on only some of the rape charges. Sources:
Burns was eventually sentenced to 242 years
for the rapes. Burns has confessed to two Hawkins, Erik. “‘There Was So Much Pain’:
other homicides, and the investigations into Life Sentence for Serial Rapist Investigated
other crimes he may have committed are on ‘Cold Justice: Sex Crimes.’” Oxygen,
ongoing. April 8, 2020. Accessed December 12, 2020.
https://www.oxygen.com/mark-douglas-
Burns is also charged in the 2001 murder of burns-life-sentence-rapes-cold-justice-sex-
28-year-old Sue Ellen Gunderson Higgins. crimes.
Higgins was murdered in her home in
Evanston, Wyoming on July 18 of 2001. Herbets, Adam. “‘Clearfield Rapist’ Avoids
Burns gained access to her house on the Death Penalty in New Murder Case, Receives
pretext of taking a survey. When she grew Life in Prison.” Fox 13 News, December 4,
suspicious and stated she was phoning the 2020. Accessed December 12, 2020. https://
police, he claims that he shot her. Facing the www.fox13now.com/news/local-news/
death penalty, Burns pled guilty to this clearfield-rapist-avoids-death-penalty-in-new-
offence and has received a life sentence murder-case-receives-life-in-prison.
without the possibility of parole.
Herbets, Adam. “Fox 13 Exclusive: Suspect
This was not the first time that Burns faced in Clearfield Serial Rape Cold Case is Now
the death penalty. He had earlier been Confessing to Multiple Murders.” Fox 13
convicted of raping a woman in the News Salt Lake City, January 27, 2020.
washroom of a McDonald’s restaurant in Accessed December 12, 2020. https://
North Carolina. He had been on death row for www.fox13now.com/2020/01/27/fox-13-
this crime in the 1970s, but his sentence was exclusive-suspect-in-clearfield-serial-rape-
commuted to life, and he was released after cold-case-is-now-confessing-to-multiple-
serving 13 years in prison. murders/?
fbclid=IwAR1Fguu8I3Omj9SdVoDLYoUAB
Police stated that many suspects over the VZHhvg_D9nmW_QiPKGlzhFRTac9rzZD2y
years were asked to provide police with their 8.
DNA and were subsequently cleared of
involvement in the rapes. Kauffman, Gretel. “Ogden Man Arrested in
Decades-Old Rapes in Utah and Wyoming.”
Gunderson’s husband, Sen Higgins, found her Desert News, September 25, 2019. Accessed
body when he came home from work. In July December 12, 2020. https://
of 2005 he was arrested and charged with that www.deseret.com/utah/2019/9/25/20884338/
crime. There was little evidence linking him ogden-man-arrested-in-decades-old-rapes-in-
to his wife’s murder, but officers thought he utah-and-wyoming-mark-douglas-burns?
did not show the proper emotion at her death. fbclid=IwAR1865djxkFGmJId3Eoxf1hmRUI
These charges were eventually dropped in pmMZ8diqw2aYgHD-pjPQI7qx3ypEPCAw.
March of 2006, after he had spent $70,000 on
his defence. Knox, Annie. “Ogden Truck Driver
Unexpectedly Pleads Guilty in Years-Old

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 73
Clearfield Sexual Assaults.” Desert News, article_85e18edb-
February 20, 2020. Accessed December 12, eb7f-5e93-98cd-510142772f59.html.
2020. https://www.deseret.com/utah/
2020/2/20/21144955/truck-driver-guilty- Wells, David. “‘Clearview Rapist’ Pleads
serial-sexual-assaults-rape-utah-wyoming. Guilty to 17 Charges.” Fox 13 News Salt Lake
City, February 20, 2020. Accessed December
Knox, Annie. “Serial Rapist to Spend Life in 12, 2020. https://www.fox13now.com/news/
Prison for Decades-Old Attacks in Northern local-news/clearfield-rapist-pleads-guilty-
Utah.” Desert News, April 6, 2020. Accessed to-17-charges.
December 12, 2020. https://
www.deseret.com/utah/2020/4/6/21209682/ Wells, David, and Adam Herbets. “‘Clearfield
serial-rapist-trucker-utah-wyoming-dna- Rapist’ Mark Burns Sentenced to 242 Years to
sentenced-life-in-prison. Life in Prison.” Fox 13 News Salt Lake City,
April 6, 2020. Accessed December 12, 2020.
McGuire, Sheila. “Cold Case May be Solved: https://www.fox13now.com/news/local-news/
Utah Man Implicated in 2001 Evanston clearfield-rapist-mark-burns-due-for-
Murder.” Uinta County Herald, February 3, sentencing-monday.
2020. Accessed December 12, 2020. https://
uintacountyherald.com/article/cold-case-may-
be-solved-utah-man-implicated-in-2001- Case ID 1443-1445: Byrd, James
evanston-murder.
James Byrd was arrested on December 9,
McGuire, Sheila. “Serial Rapist Pleads Guilty 2020 and charged with the sexual assaults of
to 2001 Murder.” Uinta County Herald, three women in Tampa and Hillsborough
September 17, 2020. Accessed December 12, County, Florida. The first rape took place in
2020. https://uintacountyherald.com/article/ Tampa on March 8, 1998. The 22-year-old
serial-rapist-pleads-guilty-to-2001-murder. victim was walking alone when the assailant
made a U-turn in his vehicle, pulled up beside
Reavy, Pat. “Genealogy, DNA Helped her and offer her a ride. After she got into the
Identify Utahn Suspected in Multiple Sex vehicle, he raped her at knife point.
Assaults.” Desert News, September 26, 2019.
Accessed December 12, 2020. https:// The victim’s sexual assault kit was tested in
www.deseret.com/utah/2019/9/26/20885697/ 2015, at which point it was linked to two very
genealogy-dna-helped-identify-utahn- similar rapes in Hillsborough County that
suspected-in-multiple-sex-assaults. took place in 1999.

Scholl, Jacob. “Wyoming Police Suspect A familial search of law enforcement

Jailed Ogden Man in 2001 Homicide of databases was performed in March of 2020
Woman in Evanston.” Standard-Examiner, and turned up no further leads. The case was
January 30, 2020. Accessed December 12, then sent to Parabon Nanolabs, who
2020. https://www.standard.net/police-fire/ conducted the FGG investigation. Police
courts/wyoming-police-suspect-jailed-ogden- made the initial confirmation through
man-in-homicide-of-woman/ surreptitious sampling.

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 74
 Byrd pled not guilty, and his case proceeded UbrF_-
in Hillsborough County. NbhlGLFuJ_NuLWZ_ZFforWRuEK5w.

Byrd was tried for the March, 1998 assault Fiallo, Josh. “Man, 60, Accused in 1998
and was acquitted by a jury after only an hour Kidnapping, Sexual Battery, Tampa Police
of deliberation on December 7, 2021. The Say.” Tampa Bay Times, December 10, 2020.
defence had argued that the victim was a Accessed December 11, 2020. https://
prostitute, and there was no corroborating www.tampabay.com/news/crime/2020/12/10/
evidence that the sexual encounter was not man-60-accused-in-1998-kidnapping-sexual-
consensual beyond the victim’s testimony. battery-tampa-police-say/.

Sullivan reports, “His attorney, Benjamin Sullivan, Dan. “23 Years Later, Jury Acquits
Buck, admitted that Byrd had sexual contact Man in Tampa Rape Case.” Tampa Bay
with the woman, but questioned her Times, December 7, 2021. Accessed
credibility, emphasizing that she had made December 29, 2021. https://
money through prostitution. ‘He hired a www.tampabay.com/news/crime/
prostitute,’ Buck told the jury. ‘The prostitute 2021/12/07/23-years-later-jury-acquits-man-
got in his truck and they had sex. That’s all in-tampa-rape-case/.
that happened.’”
Tampa Government. “Arrest Made in 1998
The victim claims that he raped her at knife Armed Kidnapping and Rape Case.” Tampa
point, and then dropped her off, throwing her Government (Press Release), December 10,
clothing out the window. She reported the 2020. Accessed December 11, 2020. https://
incident to the police right away, and attended www.tampa.gov/news/arrest-made-1998-
a hospital, where a sexual assault kit was armed-kidnapping-and-rape-case-61141.
administered. This is the only offence to date
cleared through FGG that has resulted in an
acquittal. Case ID 1168-1169: Caldwell, Cecil

There is currently no information on the Cecil Caldwell has been identified as the lead
progress of the remaining two charges against suspect in the 1973 murders of 24-year-old
Byrd. Linda and Clifford Bernhardt in Billings,
Montana. The case was cleared by exception
Sources: as Caldwell passed away in 2003 at the age of
59.
10 Tampa Bay Staff. “Arrest Made in 1998
Rape and Kidnapping Case, Tampa Police Clifford and Linda Bernhardt were killed
Say.” 10 Tampa Bay News, December 10, inside their Billings Heights home on the
2020. Accessed December 11, 2020. https:// evening of November 7, 1973. Their dinner
www.wtsp.com/article/news/crime/tampa- table had been set that evening for three
police-arrest-kidnapping-rape-case/ persons. They had both been bludgeoned in
67-5aeca707-0337-4f3f-be4d-94b37d124c12? the head and Linda had been sexually
fbclid=IwAR0zyuw9S3TFbXlkDDB6s5bBN assaulted. The killer had turned the heat off

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 75
and opened the bedroom windows, perhaps to new-hope-after-years-killer-s-dna-extracted/
slow down decomposition. Linda’s mother article_6eb553bf-e646-5034-
found her the next day. Caldwell had been a acf9-93699ce22089.html.
co-worker of Linda at the time, but the motive
for the killings is unknown. Wilson, Sam, and Phoebe Tollefson. “45-
Year-Old Billings Heights Double-Homicide
The case was reviewed in 2005, and a DNA Solved, Sheriff Says.” Billings Gazette,
profile of the killer was extracted from semen March 25, 2019. Accessed December 12,
found on the pants Linda was wearing on the 2020. https://billingsgazette.com/news/state-
night she was killed. The FGG investigation and-regional/crime-and-courts/45-year-old-
was conducted by Parabon Nanolabs. billings-heights-double-homicide-solved-
sheriff-says/article_f4f04035-2f2b-518e-bf3f-
Caldwell had no criminal history, and went on bfe36b1a3d26.html.
to marry, raise kids and live a normal life.
Nevertheless, police state that these killings
fit a modus operandi based on personal Case ID 1398: Carbo, Michael Allan Jr.
information they have about Caldwell, but
have not disclosed further details. Michael Allan Carbo, Jr. was arrested on July
29, 2020 and charged in the July 16, 1986
Over the decades that this investigation was murder of 38-year-old Nancy Jane Daugherty
open, about 80 different men in 12 states had in Chisholm, Minnesota. Daugherty had been
their DNA tested and were excluded as sexually assaulted and strangled to death in
suspects. her bed. Neighbours had heard a struggle and
cries for help around 3.30 am that morning.
Sources:
DNA from the suspect was collected from a
Kordenbrock, Mike. “Investigators Hope for sexual assault kit as well as from scrapings
Closure in Solved 45-Year-Old Billings Cold from the victim’s fingernails. The FGG
Case.” Billings Gazette, March 26, 2019. investigation was conducted by Parabon
Accessed December 12, 2020. https:// Nanolabs. Confirmation was made through
billingsgazette.com/news/local/investigators- police surveillance and the surreptitious
hope-for-closure-in-solved-45-year-old- sampling of items that Carbo had discarded in
billings-cold-case/ his trash. The suspect then agreed to
article_90546011-588a-5931-8503-2928673d voluntarily provide a DNA sample to
40a2.html. investigators. Carbo may have been an
acquaintance of Daugherty, as he had
Shay, Becky. “New Clue, New Hope: After attended school with her children.
31 Years, Killer’s DNA Extracted in
Unsolved Murders of Billings Couple.” Before the case was cleared, police had
Billings Gazette, January 29, 2005, last collected DNA samples from over 100
modified March 25, 2019. Accessed suspects, all of whom were eliminated.
December 12, 2020. https://
billingsgazette.com/news/local/new-clue-

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 76
Carbo pled not guilty to charges of second- and only one gives consent to law
degree murder in her death and his case is enforcement to search the home.”
pending in St. Louis County District Court.
The case was delayed due to pre-trial motions After the above ruling, a Grand Jury in
by the defence seeking additional disclosure Hibbing, St. Louis County, indicted Carbo, on
from Parabon. April 11, 2022, for first-degree murder in
Daugherty’s killing. On August 16, 2022, a
On May 31, 2021, Judge Robert Findlay of jury convicted Carbo on two counts of first-
the State District Court denied the defence degree murder in the commission of a sexual
motion for disclosure from Parabon assault. On September 30, 2022, he received
concerning Carbo’s identification as a person an automatic sentence of life in prison. He
of interest in Daugherty’s murder. The court will be eligible for parole in 17 years.
found that several of items requested by the
defence did not speak to guilt or innocence, Carbo admitted that the semen found at the
including Parabon’s standard operating crime scene was his, and that he had
procedures, case notes, communications, consensual sex with Daugherty but that she
database searches, and the family trees of all was murdered by a different person. His
persons identified as suspects. The court lawyers stated that they intent to appeal the
found that it was not this information that led verdict. The appeal, case number A22-1823,
to the arrest of the defendant, but the fact that was filed in the Minnesota Court of Appeals
police later matched his DNA to that on December 27, 2022, but has yet to be
recovered from the victim’s sexual assault kit heard.
and from under her fingernails.
Sources:
On November 10, 2021, Judge Robert Friday
denied the defence motion to suppress the Associated Press. “Murder Charges Filed in
DNA evidence. He reiterated that a defendant Chisholm Cold Case.” KARE 11 News, July
retains no privacy interest in DNA left at a 31, 2020. Accessed December 12, 2020.
crime scene. He also rejected the notion that a https://www.kare11.com/article/news/crime/
family member could have an ownership murder-charges-filed-in-chisholm-cold-case/
interest in, or veto, another person’s use of 89-b9f7d33c-46ad-4b2c-a33e-4263589debc5.
their DNA or genetic information.
Griswold, David. “DNA Match Leads to
As reported by Olsen, “Simply put, defendant Arrest in Chisholm Cold Case Homicide.”
does not have standing to challenge the KARE 11 News, July 29, 2020. Accessed
expectation of privacy of a third party’s December 12, 2020. https://www.kare11.com/
genetic material, even when it is in common article/news/crime/dna-match-leads-to-arrest-
with his own,” Friday said. “There is no in-chisholm-cold-case-homicide/89-
allegation that any of the profiles which be6f8b95-d608-47e0-aebe-3f1e8c6fbc1a.
contained common DNA with defendant were
obtained without consent, making this no Johnson, Brooks. Delays Could Derail Iron
different than concluding a search is valid Range Cold Case Cracked with Genealogy
when two people reside in a home together Databases.” Yahoo Money, reprinted from

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 77
Star Tribune, February 16, 2021. Accessed 20 2021. https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/
February 2021. https://money.yahoo.com/ news/crime-and-courts/7281293-Judge-
delays-could-derail-iron- affirms-DNA-database-searches-that-led-to-
range-205200352.html. arrest-in-1986-Chisholm-slaying

Killelea, Eric. “The Arrest of Michael Allen Olsen, Tom. “Iron Range Man Charged in
Carbo Jr.” Mesabi Tribune, August 29, 2020. Unsolved 1986 Homicide, but Connection to
Accessed December 12, 2020. https:// Victim Unclear.” Twin Cities Pioneer Press,
www.mesabitribune.com/news/local/the- July 30, 2020. Accessed December 12, 2020.
arrest-of-michael-allen-carbo-jr/ https://www.twincities.com/2020/07/30/iron-
article_dc26412e- range-man-charged-in-unsolved-1986-
ea3e-11ea-9db6-3366c6cf575d.html. homicide-but-connection-to-victim-unclear/.

LeSavage, Briggs. “Judge Denies Supervised Olsen, Tom. “Minnesota Cold-Case Suspect
Release for Cold Case Murder Suspect.” Alleges Constitutional Violations in DNA
KBJR 6 News, August 27, 2020. Accessed Database Search.” Park Rapids Enterprise,
December 12, 2020. https://kbjr6.com/ July 1, 2021. Accessed July 10, 2021. https://
2020/08/27/judge-denies-supervised-released- www.parkrapidsenterprise.com/news/crime-
for-cold-case-murder-suspect/. and-courts/7096731-Minnesota-cold-case-
suspect-alleges-constitutional-violations-in-
Olsen, Tom. “Carbo Gets Life Sentence for DNA-database-search.
1986 Chisholm Murder; Closure Remains
Elusive for Daugherty’s Family.” Duluth Olsen, Tom. “Suspect Indicted on First-
News Tribune, September 30, 2022. Accessed Degree Murder Charges in 1986 Chisholm
October 7, 2022. https:// Slaying.” Duluth News Tribune, April 14,
www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/local/ 2022. Accessed April 15, 2022. https://
carbo-gets-life-sentence-for-1986-chisholm- www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/local/
murder-closure-remains-elusive-for- suspect-indicted-on-first-degree-murder-
daughertys-family. charges-in-1986-chisholm-slaying.

Olsen, Tom. “Defendant in 1986 Chisholm State of Minnesota, Respondent vs. Michael
Killing Not Entitled to DNA Database Allan Carbo Jr., Appellant, Case No.
Details, Judge Rules.” Duluth News Tribune, A22-1823, Minnesota Courtney Appeals,
May 31, 2021. Accessed June 7, 2021. https:// December 27, 2022. Accessed February 7,
www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/crime- 2023. https://macsnc.courts.state.mn.us/
and-courts/7047661-Defendant-in-1986- ctrack/view/publicCaseMaintenance.do?
Chisholm-killing-not-entitled-to-DNA- csNameID=101210&csInstanceID=116875.
database-details-judge-rules.

Olsen, Tom. “Judge Affirms DNA Database

Searches That Led to Arrest in 1986
Chisholm Slaying.” Duluth News Tribune,
November 14, 2021. Accessed November 18,

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 78
Case ID 1553: Chapa, Ray Anthony killer-1986-texas-rape-murder-delta-ticket-
agent/
Ray Anthony Chapa was identified on ZOUNQC3ZDFGDPKGP2LMMWC72HI/.
November 15, 2021 as the lead suspect in the
April 24, 1986 rape and murder of 32-year- Kalmbacher, Colin. “Texas Cold Case Ends
old Janet Elaine Love in Bedford, Texas. The More than Three Decades After Cops Say
case has been cleared by exception due to the Now-Dead Neighbor Raped and Murdered
death of Chapa. Woman.” Law & Crime, November 16, 2021.
Accessed November 19, 2021. https://
An unknown intruder had broken into Love’s lawandcrime.com/crime/texas-cold-case-
apartment and raped, and then fatally shot her. ends-more-than-three-decades-after-cops-say-
Love’s body was found by co-workers after now-dead-neighbor-raped-and-murdered-
she failed to show up for work. She had been woman/.
a ticket agent for Delta Airlines.
Ramirez, Jr., Domingo. “DNA Identifies
A DNA profile of the suspect was obtained Killer of Woman in 1986 Bedford Cold Case;
from a sexual assault kit but did not match Suspect Died in January.” Fort Worth Star
any profiles in law enforcement databases. Telegram, November 15, 2021. Accessed
The FGG investigation was funded by the November 19, 2021. https://www.star-
Texas Department of Public Safety’s Sexual telegram.com/news/local/crime/
Assault Kit Initiative Project. Two family article255832211.html.
members of Chapa assisted investigators
through targeted kinship testing.
Case ID 1182: Chartrand, Paul Jean
Chapa was 19 years old at the time of Love’s
murder, and he lived close to Love in a Paul Jean Chartrand has been identified as the
neighboring apartment complex. Chapa lead suspect in the homicide of 37-year-old
passed away in January 2021 at the age of 53 Barbara Becker on March 21, 1979 in La
from a terminal illness. He had a criminal Jolla, California. The case has been cleared
history of theft and drug possession, but no by exception due to the death of Chartrand.
offences that would have required him to
provide his DNA. Police continue to Becker was found dead in her living room by
investigate whether Chapa might be linked to her two sons, then aged 7 and 9, when they
other crimes. came home from school. There appeared to
have been a struggle in the course of an
Sources: attempted burglary, and the killer was injured
in the fight.
Bonvillian, Crystal. “Dead Man Identified as
Alleged Killer in 1986 Texas Rape, Murder of A DNA profile of the suspect was obtained
Delta Ticket Agent.” The Eagle, November from blood left at the scene. No matches to
17, 2021. Accessed November 19, 2021. this profile were found in CODIS.
https://www.houstonseagle.com/news/
trending/dead-man-identified-alleged-

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 79
In October 2018, San Diego police engaged Anderson in Honolulu, Hawaii. Anderson was
the assistance of the FBIs Investigative stabbed dozens of times by an intruder to her
Genealogy Unit. Relatives of Chartrand apartment in Waikiki. She had about 63
voluntarily gave their DNA samples to police. separate wounds to her body. Anderson’s
Chartrand passed away in Phoenix, Arizona in body was found by her roommate, who was
1995. asleep in the apartment at the time of the
murder. Anderson had just recently graduated
Sources: from high school in Michigan and moved to
Honolulu to work at a local MacDonald’s.
Avitabile, Rafael. “DNA Tech Helps SDPD
Solve 40-Year-Old Cold Case.” NBC 7 San Police found several bloody towels in her
Diego, March 21, 2019. Accessed December bathroom, as well as blood on her bed and on
12, 2020. https://www.nbcsandiego.com/ the floor near her body. Another bloody towel
news/local/dna-tech-helps-sdpd-solve-40- was found in the stairwell of her apartment
year-old-cold-case/147408/. complex.

Figueroa, Teri. “In a First for San Diego The FGG investigation was performed by
Police, Genetic Genealogy Helps Solve 1979 Paragon Nanolabs, beginning in the summer
Homicide.” Hartford Courant, March 21, of 2020, in partnership with the Honolulu
2019. Accessed December 12, 2020. https:// Police Department. Parabon also performed
www.courant.com/sd-me-la-jolla-cold-case- forensic phenotyping in this case. The initial
solved-20190321-story.html. confirmation was made to a DNA sample
voluntarily provided to police by Chirila’s
Find a Grave. “Paul Roger Jean Chartrand.” son. On September 1, 2022, a warrant was
Find a Grave (Memorial No. 120553357). obtained for Chirila to provide a sample of his
Accessed December 12, 2020. https:// DNA.
www.findagrave.com/memorial/120553357/
paul-roger_jean-chartrand. Chirila was a graduate assistant at the
University of Hawaii at the time of
Shapiro, Emily. “DNA, Genetic Genealogy Anderson’s murder. He would go on to
Identify San Diego Mom’s Murderer After 40 become an attorney and ran a failed campaign
Years: Police.” ABC News, March 22, 2019. to sit on the Nevada Supreme Court, where he
Accessed December 12, 2020. https:// was formerly a clerk. Chirila was arrested at
abcnews.go.com/US/dna-genetic-genealogy- his home in Reno, Nevada, and is awaiting
identify-san-diego-moms-murderer/story? extradition to Hawaii.
id=61834159.
Chirila had no prior criminal record that
would have required him to provide a DNA
Case ID 1755: Chirila, Tudor sample. He is reported to have operated a
local brothel called the Mustang Ranch, and
Tudor Chirila Jr., 77, was arrested on spent time in jail around 1992 for failure to
September 13, 2022 for the January 7, 1972 pay child support. In 1995, he was acquitted
murder of 19-year-old Nancy Elaine

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 80
of charges that he kidnapped a former September 15, 2022. https://www.rgj.com/
girlfriend and beat and attempted to rape her. story/news/2022/09/15/reno-lawyer-tudor-
chirila-arrested-1972-violent-stabbing-
Sources: murder-honolulu-hawaii-teen-nancy-
anderson/10374605002/.
Boylan, Peter. “DNA Analysis Leads to Arrest
in 1972 Waikiki Fatal Stabbing.” Star
Advertiser, September 15, 2022. Accessed Case ID 1393: Chrisco, Johnny
September 15, 2022. https://
www.staradvertiser.com/2022/09/13/ See also: Anita Louise Piteau
breaking-news/dna-analysis-leads-to-arrest-
in-1972-waikiki-fatal-stabbing/. Johnny Chrisco has been identified as the lead
suspect in the March 14, 1968 murder of 26-
Blanco, Andrea. “Nevada Man Arrested After year-old Anita Louise Piteau in Huntington
Son’s DNA Links Him to 50-Year-Old Beach, California. The case has been cleared
Murder in Hawaii.” Independent, September by exception due to the death of Chrisco.
14, 2022. Accessed September 15, 2022.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/ Piteau’s body was found in a field by three
americas/crime/tudor-chirila-cold-murder- young boys playing there. She had been raped
case-b2167517.html. and beaten, and her throat was cut. She could
not be identified – becoming Orange
Keller, Aaron. “Former Chief Deputy County’s oldest Jane Doe – and the case went
Attorney General and Candidate for Nevada cold.
State Supreme Court Charged in 1972 Hawaii
Cold Case Murder.” Law & Crime, A male DNA profile was developed in 2001
September 16, 2022. Accessed September 25, from the sexual assault kit taken at Piteau’s
2022. https://lawandcrime.com/crime/former- autopsy. No workable leads were generated
chief-deputy-attorney-general-and-candidate- from law enforcement databases to identify
for-nevada-state-supreme-court-charged- either Piteau or her killer. Permission was
in-1972-hawaii-cold-case-murder/. obtained for familial searching to be
performed in the California state DNA
Keller, Aaron. “Man Arrested After Son’s database, but this also produced no leads. The
DNA Provides Link to 50-Year-Old Cold FGG was undertaken by Colleen Fitzpatrick
Case Murder in Hawaii.” Law & Crime, of Identifinders, who identified both Piteau
September 14, 2022. Accessed September 15, and the suspect in her murder.
2022. https://lawandcrime.com/crime/man-
arrested-after-sons-dna-provides-link-to-50- Piteau had left her home in Maine in February
year-old-cold-case-murder-in-hawaii/. of 1968 to work as a waitress in California,
and her family never heard from her again.
McAndrew, Siobhan. “Reno Lawyer Linked She has two sisters and a brother who never
to Violent 1972 Murder of Hawaii Teen stopped searching for her these past 52 years.
Arrested After DNA Match.” Reno Gazette Her remains were taken from an unmarked
Journal, September 15, 2022. Accessed

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 81
grave in California and delivered to her OC Tribune Staff. “After 53 Years, Cold Case
family in Maine. is Solved.” Orange County Tribune, July 23,
2020. Accessed December 12, 2020. https://
Chrisco had served in the Army, but he was orangecountytribune.com/2020/07/23/
discharged due to failing a psychological after-52-years-cold-case-is-solved/.
exam that showed he suffered from
aggression, anger, and impulsivity. He was Shalby, Colleen. “DNA Solves Orange
charged with several violent offences over the County’s Oldest Cold Case, Identifying Jane
years, including domestic violence, statutory Doe and Suspected Killer.” Los Angeles
rape, and child molestation. He killed one of Times, July 23, 2020. Accessed December 12,
his own sons in a drunk driving accident, 2020. https://www.latimes.com/california/
while another infant son died in suspicious story/2020-07-23/dna-solves-orange-countys-
circumstances. He passed away in 2015 in oldest-cold-case-identifying-jane-doe-and-
Washington state. suspected-killer.

Sources:
Case ID 1255: Clanton, James
Binion, Andrew. “Murderer in 1968 Cold
Case Never Saw Justice, Living and Dying in Also known as Curtis Allen White, James
Bremerton.” Kitsap Sun, July 29, 2020. Clanton was arrested on September 11, 2019
Accessed December 12, 2020. https:// for the January 16, 1980 rape and murder of
www.kitsapsun.com/story/news/ 21-year-old Helene Pruszynski in Englewood,
2020/07/29/1968-cold-case-unsolved-murder- Colorado. Pruszynski was an aspiring
rape-suspect-california-washington/ journalist who had come to Denver for an
5529511002/. internship at a local radio station. Her body
was found in a field after she failed to come
CBSLA Staff. “Authorities Identify Victim, home from work. She had been sexually
Suspect in 1968 Huntington Beach Rape, assaulted and stabbed to death, her hands
Murder.” CBS Los Angeles, 22 July 2020. bound behind her.
Accessed December 12, 2020. https://
losangeles.cbslocal.com/2020/07/22/ The case was reopened in 1998, and a DNA
authorities-identify-victim-suspect-in-1968- profile was obtained from semen found at the
huntington-beach-rape-murder/. crime scene. The FGG investigation was
conducted by Parabon Nanolabs, as well as
Li, Johanna. “Orange County’s Oldest Jane Joan Hanlon of United Data Connect. In this
Doe, Found 52 Years Ago, Identified as Anita case, researchers narrowed the suspect list
Louise Piteau.” Inside Edition, July 26, 2020. down to James and a brother, William White
Accessed December 12, 2020. https:// Jr., who had a history of sexual misconduct.
www.insideedition.com/orange-countys- Investigators surreptitiously sampled
oldest-jane-doe-found-52-years-ago- William’s DNA from a mug in a bar where he
identified-as-anita-louise-piteau-60886. was drinking, but he was excluded. Clanton’s
DNA was then tested surreptitiously and
found to be a match.

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 82
 Clanton confessed to investigators upon his news/man-pleads-guilty-in-1980-murder-for-
arrest, and he eventually pled guilty. The colorados-first-conviction-through-
statute of limitations barred charges for the genealogy-testing.
sexual assault, but he was sentenced to life
without parole for 20 years for Pruszynski’s Vaughan, Kevin. “40 Years in the Dark: How
murder. At the time of the murder, Clanton Genetic Genealogy Solved the Helene
was on parole after serving 4 years for a Pruszynski Murder Case.” NBC 9 News.
previous rape. September 5, 2020. Accessed December 12,
2020. https://www.9news.com/article/news/
Sources: investigations/40-years-dark-helene-
pruszynski-cold-case-documentary/73-
Associated Press. “Man Pleads Guilty to 1980 d69931af-088a-42ec-ac0e-2b16bc233a45.
Colorado Killing of Wheaton College Student
Helene Pruszynski.” CBS Local Boston,
February 21, 2020. Accessed December 12, Case ID 1686: Clark, William
2020. https://boston.cbslocal.com/
2020/02/21/james-curtis-clanton-pleads- William Clark, 59, was arrested on April 18,
guilty-1980-colorado-killing-wheaton- 2022, for the March 6, 1987 rape of a 14-
college-student-helene-pruszynski/. year-old girl in Fairfax City, Virginia. The
suspect had telephoned the girl’s mother
Bradbury, Shelly. “Killer Sentenced to Life in claiming to be well-known radio personality
Prison in 1980 Colorado Cold Case Solved Don Geronimo and that she had won a $1000
With DNA.” Denver Post, July 1, 2020. prize and a trip to Hawaii. He used this ruse
Accessed December 12, 2020. https:// to obtain her home address and personal
www.denverpost.com/2020/07/01/helene- information. He phoned again and told the
pruszynski-murder-james-clanton-colorado/. girl she needed to come to the radio station in
person to claim the prize. When she arrived,
KUSA Staff. “Solving a 1980 Cold Case he kidnapped her and drove her to the woods,
Murder Took the Work of More than 100 where he sexually assaulted and then left her.
People from Over 2 Dozen Organizations.”
NBC 9 News, September 4, 2020, last Police were telephoned, and a forensic sample
modified September 5, 2020. Accessed of the suspect’s DNA was taken from the
December 12, 2020. https://www.9news.com/ victim. The FGG investigation was conducted
article/news/investigations/helene- by Parabon Nanolabs. Police have not
pruszynski-cold-case-investigators/73- disclosed how they made the initial
bc403d91-eaf3-4fcf-86a9-8b2182e68a11. confirmation, only that they obtained a
sample of Clark’s DNA.
Osborne, Ryan. “Man Pleads Guilty in 1980
Murder for Colorado’s First Conviction Clark is facing charges of rape, abduction
Through Genealogy Testing.” The Denver with intent to defile, and attempted forcible
Channel, February 21, 2020. Accessed sodomy in Fairfax County General District
December 12, 2020. https:// Court Criminal Division. He is being held
www.thedenverchannel.com/news/local- without bond.

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 83
 Police state that they investigated over 70 evening out with friends. Her body was found
other suspects in this case who had their DNA the next day in her home. She had been
samples taken and compared with the crime stabbed to death.
scene DNA profile. All of them were
eliminated. Windsor Police had solved this case in
December 2019, but they put out a video
Sources: statement only in July of 2020 after several
family members of Christou went public.
Fairfax County Police Department News. Police refused to state who the suspect is, or
“DNA Leads to Arrest in 1987 Sexual how they identified him. It was only in
Assault.” Fairfax County Police Department October of 2020, after the Toronto PD
News, April 20, 2022. Accessed April 23, announced that they had used FGG to identify
2022. https://fcpdnews.wordpress.com/ Calvin Hoover as the lead suspect in the
2022/04/20/dna-leads-to-arrest-in-1987- murder of Christine Jessop, that Windsor
sexual-assault/. Police confirmed they, too, had used FGG in
their investigation. The Windsor Police took a
Jouvenal, Justin. “Man Charged in 1987 similar stance with regards to the murder
Rape, Accused of Posing as Radio Host Don investigation into Ljubica Topic.
Geronimo.” Washington Post, April 20, 2022.
Accessed April 23, 2022. https:// Windsor police claim that they will not
www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/ disclose the suspect’s identity as he passed
2022/04/20/rape-genetic-genealogy-don- away from cancer years earlier. They also
geronimo/. confirmed that Christou’s killer was an
acquaintance of hers. This generated a debate
Mondeaux, Cami. “Virginia Man Charged for in Canada concerning whether the results of
Allegedly Impersonating Radio Host to Rape criminal investigations should be kept private
Woman in 1987.” Washington Examiner, from the public. It is difficult to hold police to
April 21, 2022. Accessed April 23, 2022. account, to check the results of their
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/ investigations, or to study the methods that
crime/virginia-man-charged-for-allegedly- they are using if they are keeping the
impersonating-radio-host-to-rape-woman- information secret from the public.
in-1987.
In addition, closing cases and identifying
suspects brings many benefits to a
Case ID 1396: Confidential: Murder of community: feelings of safety and security
Carol Christou are promoted, trust in police is strengthened,
and innocent persons are no longer suspected.
Windsor Police announced that a lead suspect These benefits cannot be realized if police do
had been identified in the murder of 55-year- not disclose the results of their investigations
old Carol Christou. Christou was killed and the public’s feelings of trust in the local
sometime on the evening of September 13, police may be undermined.
2000, in Windsor, Ontario. She had last been
seen leaving a local restaurant after an

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 84
There is no information on who conducted the Case ID 1831: Confidential: Murder of
FGG investigation in this case. One Knut Kristiansen
possibility is Wyndham Forensic Group in
nearby Guelph, Ontario, run by Valerie On February 2, 2023, Oslo Police announced
Blackmore, who states that they do not that they had identified a lead suspect in the
disclose their clients. July 1999 murder of 71-year-old Knut
Kristiansen in the district of Sandaker in
Sources: Oslo, Norway. The case has been cleared by
exception due to the death of the suspect, and
Campbell, Taylor. “Relatives Say There’s police have not released his name.
Been a Break in Two Decade-Old Cold
Case.” Kristiansen’s body was found in his
Windsor Star, July 24, 2020. Accessed apartment on July 20, 1999. He had been
December 12, 2020. https://windsorstar.com/ killed by blunt force trauma by an unknown
news/local-news/relatives-say-theres-been-a- individual. Police believe that Kristiansen let
break-in-two-decade-old-cold-case. the intruder into his apartment, and may have
known him, as there were no signs of forced
Campbell, Taylor. “Windsor Police Close 20- entry. Police believe that he may have killed
Year-Old Christou Cold Case, Chief sometime on July 4, 1999. The length of time
Confirms.” between the murder and its discovery
Windsor Star, July 25, 2020. Accessed complicated the investigation.
December 12, 2020. https://windsorstar.com/
news/local-news/windsor-police-close-20- A DNA profile of the suspect was developed
year-old-christou-cold-case-chief-confirms. from evidence collected from Kristiansen’s
apartment, although the biological source of
CBC News. “A Cold Case Almost 20 Years in the samples was not disclosed. The profile
the Making Has Been Resolved, Say Windsor was entered into Norway’s national law
Police.” CBC News, July 24, 2020. Accessed enforcement DNA database, but produced no
December 12, 2020. https://www.cbc.ca/ hits.
news/canada/windsor/windsor-police-resolve-
carol-christou-cold-case-1.5662383. It was not reported who developed the
forensic genealogical profile, or who
Freeze, Colin, and Patrick White. “Genetic conducted the FGG investigation, although
Genealogy Generates Heated Debate Over the Oslo University Hospital and Norway’s
Privacy National Archives have been singled out for
While Helping to Crack Cold Cases.” Globe providing their expertise. The FGG
& Mail, October 23, 2020. Accessed investigation began after the case was
December 12, 2020. https:// reopened in 2020. The final confirmation was
www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article- made by matching the DNA found at the
genetic-genealogy-generates-heated-debate- crime scene with a DNA profile of the suspect
over-privacy-while-helping/. that police had collected in an earlier violent
offence in which he was involved. He was

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 85
never convicted in that case because he the-culprit-behind-the-1999-murder-of-
passed away. linguist-knut-kristiansen/.

This is the first case in Norway in which Oslo Police District. “Solution in a Murder
investigators used FGG to clear a case. This Case from 1999.” Politiet Norway (Press
case is part of a pilot project following a Release), February 2, 2023. Accessed
mandate from the Attorney General to study February 4, 2023. Google Translate. https://
the feasibility of using FGG in Norway. www.politiet.no/aktuelt-tall-og-fakta/aktuelt/
nyheter/2023/02/02/losning-i-drapssak-
Police have withheld the name of the suspect fra-1999/.
out of respect for the privacy of his family.
Police have stated that the perpetrator was a
Norwegian man from Oslo, in his mid-40s at Case ID 1189: Confidential (Youth):
the time of the murder. He struggled with
violence, intoxication, and mental illness. It is A 17-year-old male has been charged with
not known if he knew Kristiansen, but he aggravated assault in a 2018 attack on 71-
lived close to his apartment. He passed away year-old Margaret Orlando in Centerville,
the following year. He was never a suspect in Utah. The suspect is not being identified since
the case. he was under the age of 18 years at the time
of the offence. Orlando was playing the organ
Kristiansen was a noted linguist, who had in a church around 9 pm on the evening of
written a book about the Romani language. November 17, 2018, when she heard someone
His family states that the case has tormented pounding on the door. She refused to let the
them for the last 24 years, and that they can person in. A short time later, she was attacked
now find some peace. from behind. She was strangled and left
unconscious. The perpetrator had entered the
Sources: church by breaking a window. He cut himself
on the broken shards of glass, and so left
News Beezer. “Knut Kristiansen was Found some of his blood at the scene.
Murdered in Oslo in 1999 - They Think They
Know Who the Killer Is.” News Beezer, A DNA profile was developed from this
February 2, 2023. Accessed February 4, 2023. blood. The FGG investigation was performed
Google Translate. https://newsbeezer.com/ by Parabon Nanolabs, using GEDmatch.
norwayeng/knut-kristiansen-was-found- Centerville Police Detective Mike Taggert
murdered-in-oslo-in-1999-they-think-they- could find no match to the blood, so he
know-who-the-killer-is/. approached GEDmatch for their assistance.
Doing so was against GEDmatch’s terms of
News Beezer. “Police Believe They Have use, as the crime was not a murder or a sexual
Found the Culprit Behind the 1999 Murder of assault. This caused controversy and
Linguist Knut Kristiansen.” News Beezer, discontent among many of GEDmatch’s
February 2, 2023. Accessed February 4, 2023. users. As a result, GEDmatch changed their
Google Translate. https://newsbeezer.com/ terms of service to require users to
norwayeng/police-believe-they-have-found- deliberately opt-in to law enforcement

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 86
matching. Several hundred thousand users Reavy, Pat. “Plastic Milk Container,
eventually did so, but the lower numbers Genealogy Helped Utah Police Crack Church
limited the utility of GEDmatch for FGG Assault Case.” Desert News, May 13, 2019.
investigations. Accessed December 12, 2020. https://
www.deseret.com/2019/5/13/20673157/
Investigators made the initial confirmation by plastic-milk-container-genealogy-helped-
having a school resource officer take a juice utah-police-crack-church-assault-case.
box and a milk container out of the trash for
surreptitious DNA testing. There was a
motion to move this case into adult court, but Case ID 1503: Confidential (Youth)
no news updates have been reported since that
time. A 15-year-old girl was arrested on July 12,
2021, and charged in a July 30, 2020 assault
Sources: on 74-year-old Joan Koss in Lake Oswego,
Oregon. Koss had gone outside to retrieve a
Joh, Elizabeth. “Want to See My Genes? Get package when she was followed into her
a Warrant.” New York Times, June 11, 2019. garage by the assailant. There, she was
Accessed December 12, 2020. https:// robbed and brutally assaulted. Her husband
www.nytimes.com/2019/06/11/opinion/ found her shortly after the attack. Koss
police-dna-warrant.html. suffered serious injuries requiring
hospitalization, including 14 broken ribs and
Klopfenstein, Jacob. “Police: Teen Arrested in a severe head injury. At one point, she was
Connection with Centerville Church Organist not expected to survive.
Attack.” KSL News, April 24, 2019. Accessed
December 12, 2020. https://www.ksl.com/ There is currently no data on the source of the
article/46538683/police-teen-arrested-in- biological sample that was found at the crime
connection-with-centerville-church-organist- scene. The FGG investigation was conducted
attack. by Parabon Nanolabs.

Knox, Annie. “‘I Pray for You,’ Utah Woman The assailant had been described by
Tells Teen Who Attacked Her in Church.” eyewitnesses as being between about 25 and
KSL.com, July 20, 2019. Accessed November 35 years old, Caucasian with tan skin, of
13, 2021. https://www.ksl.com/article/ slender build, and with curly brown hair. The
46598308/i-pray-for-you-utah-woman-tells- youth who was later identified had in fact
teen-who-attacked-her-in-church. been only 14 years old at the time of the
offence. She was in custody on an unrelated
Miller, Jessica. “Centerville Organist charge when she was arrested for assault and
Describes Feeling ‘Absolutely Helpless’ After burglary.
a Stranger Broke into a Church and Attacked
Her.” Salt Lake Tribune, May 29, 2019, last Sources:
updated May 30, 2019. Accessed December
12, 2020. https://www.sltrib.com/news/ Forrest, Jack. “Teen Charged in ‘Brutal’
2019/05/29/centerville-organist/. Assault of 74-Year-Old Lake Oswego

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 87
Woman.” The Oregonian, July 13, 2021. took place during a break-in at their home on
Accessed July 17, 2021. https:// October 9, 2011. There was a violent
www.oregonlive.com/news/2021/07/teen- confrontation between James and the intruder
charged-in-brutal-assault-of-74-year-old-lake- that ranged throughout the house, and outside
oswego-woman.html. to the mailbox, where he died. James had
been stabbed about 50 times, and Linda about
Howell, Clara. “Police Arrest Girl, 15, in 23 times. Corbett was a 16-year-old high
‘Brutal Lake Oswego Assault.” Portland school student at the time of the murder.
Tribune, July 14, 2021. Accessed July 17,
2021. https://pamplinmedia.com/pt/9-news/ Blood was found at the crime scene, on
515341-411885-police-arrest-girl-15-in- James’ shirt, on a door handle, on a
brutal-lake-oswego-assault? baseboard, and in the street where James’
wallit_nosession=1&fbclid=IwAR36NqH9oJ body was found. This was used to develop
LgiSC0-RUK- two male DNA profiles, one of which was
GediYRQo3EcnqGkIlD5LW7haSQ2tRRiWm linked to Corbett. An unknown male profile
2h-jU. was also developed that has not yet been
identified.
KATU Staff. “Stranger ‘Brutally Attacks’ 74-
Year-Old Woman in Her Lake Oswego The FGG investigation was conducted by
Garage, Police Say.” KATU 2 News ABC, Parabon Nanolabs. Investigators collected
August 5, 2020. Accessed July 17, 2021. some items from the garbage outside
https://katu.com/news/local/police-to-hold- Corbett’s home, which they sampled
update-on-brutal-assault-in-lake-oswego- surreptitiously to provide an initial
garage. confirmation of the FGG match.

Marine, Drew. “‘This Really Helps Bring Only the sample from the baseboard resulted
Closure’: Family of Lake Oswego Assault in a full profile. The other profiles were
Survivor Relieved After Teen Arrested.” Fox mixtures, whose interpretation was disputed
12 News, July 13, 2021. Last Modified July at trial. Corbett was convicted after an 8-day
14, 2021. Accessed July 17, 2021. https:// jury trial.
www.kptv.com/news/this-really-helps-bring-
closure-family-of-lake-oswego-assault- He was sentenced to 115 years for both
survivor-relieved-after-teen-arrested/ crimes. An appeal court upheld his conviction
article_d6d8b030- and sentence in November of 2021. The FGG
e46b-11eb-9f84-1787fc8e6683.html. evidence was not challenged directly, but the
appeal court found that seizure of his trash for
DNA testing was lawful under the Indiana
Case ID 1128-1129: Corbett, Winston Constitution as police had a reasonable
suspicion.
Winston Corbett was arrested on October 28,
2018 and charged with the murder of James
Miller and the attempted murder of Linda
Miller in Goshen, Indiana. These offences

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 88
Sources: Miller.” ABC 57 News, November 12, 2020.
Accessed December 12, 2020. https://
Ambrose, Aimee. “DNA Disputed as Expert www.abc57.com/news/winston-corbett-trial-
Findings Clash During Murder Trial.” Goshen verdict-on-murder-attempted-murder-
News, November 10, 2020. Accessed charges?
December 12, 2020. https:// fbclid=IwAR1NxuHFy33SDbtVz557dknyTD
www.goshennews.com/news/dna-disputed-as- 3xCd-mhFKWrkjLnjWJNL-
expert-findings-clash-during-murder-trial/ A9bQ131mLDNY.
article_33a84df0-23cb-11eb-9107-671b4c80f
d93.html.
Case ID 1520: Cornett, Carlin
Ambrose, Aimee. “Process to ID and Arrest
Suspect in Professor’s Murder Took About 69-year-old Carlin Edward Cornett was
Two Weeks.” Goshen News, November 6, arrested on September 14, 2021 for the July
2020. Accessed December 12, 2020. https:// 31, 1974 robbery and murder of 22-year-old
www.goshennews.com/news/process-to-id- Christy Bryant in National City, California.
and-arrest-suspect-in-professors-murder-took- Bryant was working alone as a clerk in a 7-
about-two-weeks/ Eleven store when she was stabbed to death
article_18b9d8e6-2098-11eb-9286- by an unknown person during a robbery.
ef05038c1a4e.html. Bryant was working in National City at the
time, after being recently discharged from the
Ambrose, Aimee. “Suspect Convicted in Marines.
2011 Murder of Goshen College Professor.”
Goshen News, November 12, 2020. Accessed A DNA profile of the suspect was developed
December 12, 2020. https:// from blood recovered the scene. The profile
www.goshennews.com/news/suspect- was entered into CODIS in 2008 but
convicted-in-2011-murder-of-goshen-college- produced no hits.
professor/article_8ffab7f2-255e-11eb-94f5-
e36246000048.html? The FGG investigation was conducted by the
fbclid=IwAR0rUFX8RM98UVWNZ7dzkz7h San Diego County District Attorney’s Office
sCMwFu5Fn88FvsPSUXTZYRrD3NFl8xJD using an in-house genealogist working as part
HWg. of the Cold Homicide and Research
Genealogy Effort (CHARGE).
Husdon, Melissa. “Appeals Court Upholds
Conviction, Sentence in Murder of Goshen Cornett was detained at his home in Las
Professor James Miller.” ABC News 57, Vegas. On October 25, 2021, Cornett was
November 10, 2021. Accessed December 23, arraigned in San Diego County Court, where
2021. https://www.abc57.com/news/appeals- he pled not guilty to a charge of murder.
court-upholds-conviction-sentence-in-
murder-of-goshen-professor-james-miller. Sources:

Hudson, Melissa. “Winston Corbett Benitez, Clara and Brittney Donovan. “DNA
Convicted in Murder of Professor James Leads to Arrest in 1974 Murder of 22-Year-

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 89
Old 7-Eleven Clerk.” WGN9 News Chicago, Her body was found by her mother and sister
September 17, 2021. Accessed September 19, the next morning when they went to wake her
2021. https://wgntv.com/news/dna-leads-to- up.
arrest-in-1974-california-murder-of-22-year-
old-7-eleven-clerk/. The FGG investigation was conducted by
Parabon Nanolabs. The Cox family raised the
City News Service. “Man Pleads Not Guilty money for the FGG and advanced DNA
to Killing National City Convenience Store testing. The suspect was found to be Fawn’s
Clerk in 1974.” NBC San Diego, October 28, cousin, Donald Fox Jr. He died of a drug
2021 Accessed January 14, 2023. overdose several years ago.
https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/
man-pleads-not-guilty-to-killing-national- Three teenagers were initially charged with
city-convenience-store-clerk- the crime, but the charges were dropped due
in-1974/2768402/. to a lack of evidence.

Ong, Germaine. “Las Vegas Man Arrested in Sources:

Deadly 1974 Stabbing in National City.” ABC
News 10 San Diego, September 16, 2021. Feldman, Kate. “1989 Rape, Murder of 16-
Accessed September 19, 2021. https:// Year-Old Kansas City Girl Solved with New
www.10news.com/news/local-news/las- DNA Technology.” New York Daily News,
vegas-man-arrested-in-deadly-1974-stabbing- November 10, 2020. Accessed December 12,
in-national-city?fbclid=IwAR2NL- 2020. https://www.nydailynews.com/news/
qLaC1HQbhB4mOxEouZhOpW_c20NDHP- crime/ny-fawn-cox-kansas-rape-
aoc9LcfajxW8cjgkz6UIMY. murder-20201110-5rms4lao5rh6peztlcb7q6cl
xe-story.html.
Ravikumar, Vandana. “California Woman
Working Alone at 7-Eleven was Killed in Ricono, Angie. “New DNA Technology Helps
1974. Now, There’s an Arrest. Sacramento Solve 31-Year-Old Kansas City Murder
Bee, September 16, 2021. https:// Case.” KCTV 5 News, November 9, 2020.
www.sacbee.com/news/nation-world/ Accessed December 12, 2020. https://
national/article254303578.html. www.kctv5.com/news/investigations/new-
dna-technology-helps-solve-31-year-old-
kansas-city-murder-case/
Case ID 1429: Cox, Donald Jr. article_8c6c331c-22b2-11eb-867a-5fe20e34f
036.html?
Donald Cox Jr. has been identified as the lead fbclid=IwAR11GPw4J1jpnrWySQt6BXuL3K
suspect in the July 26, 1989 murder of 16- 61O_6TfSgKczWpUZeSdES_IP6nWt5S-bA.
year-old Fawn Cox in Kansas City, Missouri.
The case has been cleared by exception due to Ricono, Angie, and Cyndi Fahrlander.
the death of Cox. Fawn was assaulted by an “Kansas City Family Questions Lack of
intruder in her bedroom after coming home Advanced DNA Testing in Cold Case.” KCTV
from work on the night of July 26, 1989. She 5 News, July 17, 2020. Accessed December
had been sexually assaulted and strangled. 12, 2020. https://www.kctv5.com/news/

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 90
investigations/kansa -city-family-questions- It was reported that Cox was arrested and
lack-of-advanced-dna-testing-in-cold-case/ charged with a misdemeanor offence in
article_530b50aa-c6b7-11ea-be94- Colorado. His fingerprints were taken for this
b7185cce0a36.html. offence and were used to help confirm the
DNA match. He had no more serious criminal
record that would have resulted in his DNA
Case ID 1690: Cox, Thomas Davis being collected.

Thomas Davis Cox, 58, was arrested on April Sources:

23, 2022 for the October 16, 1989 rape and
murder of 22-year-old Susan Morse in Mesa, Baker, David. “Man Arrested in Mesa Cold
Arizona. Morse had been sexually assaulted Cases that Happened 30+ Years Ago.” AZ
in her bed by an intruder, and then strangled Family News, April 26, 2022, last modified
with an extension cord. She was discovered April 27, 2022. Accessed May 8, 2022.
during a welfare check that her parents had https://www.azfamily.com/2022/04/27/man-
phoned in when she failed to show up for arrested-mesa-cold-cases-that-happened-30-
work the next day. years-ago/.

Cox was also charged with a similar home Kalmbacker, Colin. “Colorado Man Arrested
invasion rape in the same apartment complex Over 1989 Cold Case Murder and 1990
against a 23-year-old victim on November 13, Sexual Assault Which Happened at the Same
1990. An intruder had broken into her Arizona Apartment Complex.” Law & Crime,
apartment through a window, and threatened April 27, 2022. https://lawandcrime.com/
her with a knife. crime/colorado-man-arrested-over-1989-cold-
case-murder-and-1990-sexual-assault-which-
Investigators collected DNA evidence as well happened-at-the-same-arizona-apartment-
as fingerprints that tied the two cases complex/.
together, but no hits to a suspect were found
in CODIS. Loose, Ashley. “Arrest Made in 1989
Homicide of Young Mesa Woman, Susan
There is currently no information on he Morse.” ABC News 15 Arizona, April 26,
biological source of the crime scene samples 2022, last modified May 4, 2022. Accessed
or who performed the FGG investigation, May 8, 2022. https://www.abc15.com/news/
although the FBI Phoenix Field Office is region-southeast-valley/mesa/arrest-made-
reported to have assisted the Mesa PD with in-1989-homicide-of-young-mesa-woman-
the investigation. susan-morse.

Cox, who was extradited from Colorado Sederstrom, Jill. “Man Arrested in 1989
Springs, Colorado, is now facing charges of Murder of 22-Year-Old and Cold Case Sexual
first-degree murder as well as sexual assault, Assault of Another Woman at the Same
burglary and kidnapping in Maricopa County Apartment Complex.” Oxygen, April 28,
Superior Court. 2022. Accessed May 8, 2022. https://
www.oxygen.com/crime-news/thomas-cox-

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 91
s­
accused-raping-killing-susan-amy- Sources:
morse-1989.
Gene By Gene. “A Busy Month for Gene By
Gene, Dr. Barbara Rae-Venter, and Law
Case ID 1284: Cross, Philip Enforcement.” PR Newswire (Press Release),
November 21, 2019. Accessed December 13,
Philip Cross has been identified as the lead 2020. https://apnews.com/press-release/pr-
suspect in the December 15, 1984 rape and prnewswire/
murder of 18-year-old Traci Hammerberg in 87801e92bb698e450c9c39d4ff33ed1b.
Saukville, Wisconsin. The case has been
cleared by exception due to the death of Madani, Doha. “35-Year-Old Cold Case
Cross. Hammerberg was last seen alive Murder in Wisconsin Solved Using DNA and
leaving a house party at about 12:30 am. It Genealogy, Police Say.” NBC News, October
was about a four-mile walk in the winter cold, 22, 2019. Accessed December 13, 2020.
and she may have accepted a ride or met her https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/35-
killer along the road. Her body was found in a year-old-cold-case-murder-wisconsin-solved-
driveway in the snow that morning. She was using-dna-n1070181.
naked from the waist down. She had been
violently raped, her head was battered, and it Pruitt, Sharon Lynn. “Genetic Genealogy
was determined that she died of strangulation. Used to Crack 35-Year-Old Cold Case of
Murdered Teen.” Oxygen, October 23, 2019.
A DNA profile was developed from blood and Accessed December 13, 2020. https://
semen that was found at the crime scene. The www.oxygen.com/crime-news/traci-
FGG investigation was conducted by Barbara hammerberg-cold-case-solved-philip-cross-
Rae-Venter. She found a second cousin match identified-as-killer.
to Cross and was able to build out the family
tree. Cross’s DNA was confirmed as being Shapiro, Emily. “Man Who Allegedly Raped,
consistent using samples that had been taken Strangled Teen in 1984 Identified With
at his autopsy. Genetic Genealogy.” ABC News, October 20,
2019. Accessed December 13, 2020. https://
Philip Cross would have been 21 years old at abcnews.go.com/US/man-allegedly-raped-
the time of the crime. Cross and Hammerberg strangled-teen-1984-identified-genetic/story?
may have known each other, as they had id=66467113.
ridden on the same school bus. Police stated
that Cross had a violent criminal record, and a
known anger problem. He may have become Case ID 1526: Crowder, Paul David Jr.
enraged had Hammerberg spurned his sexual
advances. He died of a drug overdose in Paul David Crowder Jr. has been identified as
2012. the lead suspect in the December 24, 1977
rape and murder of 77-year-old Alma Jones in
Raleigh, North Carolina. Her body was found
in the hallway of her home by her daughter
and grandson when they came to visit her on

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 92
Christmas Day. Her family suspected the Othram Inc. “Raleigh Police Department
assailant was someone Alma knew, as she Uses Othram’s Genetic Testing Platform to
was very careful about letting people into her Solve the Assault and Murder of Alma
home. Jones.” DNASolves.com, September 22, 2021.
Accessed September 23, 2021. https://
The case was reopened by Raleigh police in dnasolves.com/articles/Alma_Jones/.
2011. A DNA profile of the suspect was
developed from a cigarette butt found at the Shen-Berro, Julian. “‘She Can Rest in Peace
scene, as well as a semen stain on a blanket. Now’: Family Relieved After Police Solve
No hits were produced through CODIS. The Murder 44 Years Later.” Herald Sun,
FGG investigation was performed by Othram September 23, 2021. Accessed September 23,
Inc. Funding for the FGG investigation was 2021. https://www.heraldsun.com/news/local/
provided by the SAKI. The final confirmation crime/article254462293.html.
was made through kinship testing with a close
living relative of Crowder. Tauss, Leigh. “DNA Cracks Four Decade Old
Raleigh Murder.” Indy Week, September 22,
Crowder is reported to have died in 2015 at 2021. Accessed September 23, 2021. https://
the age of 73. He lived in the area at the time indyweek.com/news/wake/dna-cracks-four-
of Jones’ murder and was the grandson of one decade-old-raleigh-murder/.
of Jones’ neighbours.
The Raleigh PD states that this is one of about
75 unsolved homicides dating back to the Case ID 1194: Curry, James Richard
1960s.
See also: Mary Edith Silvani
Even though the suspect would not face trial,
Lamb reports that: “‘It feels really good to James Richard Curry was identified as the
know and to understand our history,’ said Teia lead suspect in the murder of 34-year-old
Petrus, Jones’ great-great-granddaughter.” Mary Edith Silvani, whose body was found in
Washoe County, Nevada. The case was
Sources: cleared by exception due to the death of
Curry.
Lamb, Amanda, and Matthew Burns. “Even
Though Suspect is Dead, Family Glad Police Silvani’s body was found on July 17, 1982,
Solved Raleigh Woman’s 1977 Rape, by hikers on a popular trail near Incline
Murder.” WRAL, September 22, 2021. Last Village, Lake Tahoe. She was wearing a
Modified September 23, 2021. Accessed bathing suit, a powder blue t-shirt, blue jeans
September 23, 2021. https://www.wral.com/ and yellow tennis shoes. Her long hair was
even-though-suspect-is-dead-family-glad- arranged in a bun. She had been sexually
police-solved-raleigh-woman-s-1977-rape- assaulted, and it appears as though she was
murder/19889176/. shot in the back of the head while bending
over to tie her shoe while getting dressed. She
had likely been dead for less than 24 hours
when she was found. She had received some

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 93
unique and high-quality dental work, but she Sources:
could not be identified. Because she was
found near an area known as the ‘Sheep Flat’ Associated Press. “Genealogy Site, DNA
she became known as the ‘Sheep’s Flat Jane Help Solve Decades-Old Murder of Mary
Doe’. Silvani.” New York Post, May 8, 2019.
Accessed December 13, 2020. https://
A DNA profile was obtained from semen nypost.com/2019/05/08/genealogy-site-dna-
found at the crime scene, but over the years help-solve-decades-old-murder-of-mary-
there were no hits in law enforcement silvani/.
databases. The FGG investigation was
conducted by the DNA Doe Project as well as Find a Grave. “James Richard Curry.” Find a
Identifinders, who identified both the victim Grave. Memorial No. 119434705. Accessed
and the killer in this case. This project was December 13, 2020. https://
led by Colleen Fitzpatrick and involved more www.findagrave.com/memorial/119434705/
than 2,000 hours of research by her team. james-richard-curry.
This investigation was an especial challenge
because Curry had been born out of wedlock Hernández, Lauren. “Suspect in 37-Year-Old
and raised under a different name. Curry’s Unsolved Lake Tahoe Homicide Linked to
living children provided the DNA samples Bay Area.” San Francisco Chronicle, May 8,
that confirmed his DNA was consistent with 2019. Accessed December 13, 2020. https://
that of the semen found at the Tahoe crime www.sfchronicle.com/crime/article/Suspect-
scene. in-37-year-old-unsolved-Lake-
Tahoe-13827776.php.
On February 3, 1983, Curry confessed to
three murders in California: Gerald McGinness, Brett, Sam Gross, and Marcella
Novoselatz, his wife Sharon, and a man Corona. “Sheep’s Flat Jane Doe: DNA
named Richard Lemmon. Sharon had been Identifies Victim, Suspect in 1982 Killing.”
sexually assaulted, and her body was dumped Reno Gazette Journal, May 7, 2019. Accessed
off a highway. Police found Lemmon’s body December 13, 2020. https://www.rgj.com/
in a storage locker where they were directed story/news/2019/05/07/sheeps-flat-jane-doe-
by Curry. Currey was arrested the next day, sheriff-announce-major-breakthrough/
and the day after that he died by suicide in his 1130650001/.
jail cell.
Reno Gazette Journal Archives. “Sheep’s Flat
Mary Edith Silvani was born on September Jane Doe: What We Know.” Reno Gazette
29, 1948, in Detroit, Michigan. Her Journal, May 7, 2019. Accessed December
fingerprints were on file from a misdemeanor 13, 2020. https://www.rgj.com/story/news/
arrest in 1974, which assisted in confirming 2019/05/06/sheep-flat-jane-doe-timeline-
her identity. She is buried alone at Our investigation/1123726001/.
Mother of Sorrows Cemetery near Reno.

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Case ID 1516: Cymanski, Bruce MidJersey News. “Barnegat, NJ Man Indicted
and Arrested for 22-Year-Old Cold Case
Bruce Cymanski, 49, was indicted on August Murder.” MidJersery News, August 31, 2021.
31, 2021, by a Grand Jury in Middlesex Accessed September 4, 2021. https://
County, New Jersey for first degree murder midjersey.news/2021/08/31/barnegat-nj-man-
and aggravated sexual assault in the January indicted-and-arrested-for-22-year-old-cold-
7, 1999 homicide of 17-year-old Nancy Noga case-murder/.
in Sayreville, New Jersey. Noga was reported
missing that day when she did not return
home from work. Her body was found five Case ID 1483: Darnell, Thomas Elvin
days later in a wooded area behind a shopping
plaza. She had been sexually assaulted and Thomas Elvin Darnell was arrested on May
had been killed by blunt force trauma. She 11, 2021 at his home in Kansas City, Kansas
was found face down in the snow. for the March 17, 1983 murder of 26-year-old
Laura Marie Purchase near Conroe in
The FGG investigation was conducted by Montgomery County, Texas. She had been
Parabon Nanolabs. sexually assaulted and strangled to death. Her
body was then posed in a field and set on fire,
Cymanski is currently facing several charges, where it was discovered by a deputy of the
including first degree murder, first degree Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office.
felony murder, and aggravated sexual assault,
in Middlesex County Superior Court. The FBI was able to identify Purchase in May
of 1986 using her fingerprints. By this time,
Sources: Henry Lee Lucas had confessed to her
murder. Lucas and his friend, Ottis Elwood
Attrino, Anthony. “Reward Offered in Toole, had been convicted of the murder
Unsolved Killing of Sayreville Girl 16 Years earlier in 1986. The evidence against
Ago.” NJ.com, January 12, 2015. Last Purchase was then dismissed as being of little
Modified March 29, 2019. https:// relevance.
www.nj.com/middlesex/2015/01/
reward_offered_for_information_in_killing_o A DNA profile was obtained in 2008 from
f_sayre.html. semen taken from Purchase’s body during her
autopsy. This profile eliminated both Lucas
Luperon, Alberto. “Authorities Say they and Toole. Lucas passed away in prison in
Solved 1999 Cold Case Murder of 17-Year- 2001, and Toole passed away in prison in
Old Found Beaten to Death Behind Mini- 1996.
Mall.” Law & Crime, September 1, 2021.
Accessed September 4, 2021. https:// There is currently no information on who
lawandcrime.com/crime/authorities-say-they- conducted the FGG investigation.
solved-1999-cold-case-murder-of-17-year-
old-found-beaten-to-death-behind-mini-mall/. Darnell was extradited to Montgomery
County to face charges of capital murder in
Montgomery County Superior Court.

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 95
However, he died from natural causes in July Case ID 1373: Davis, Arthur Raymond
of 2021 while detained in the Montgomery
County Jail and the case has now been closed. Arthur Raymond Davis has been identified as
the lead suspect in the August 31, 1983 rape
Sources: and murder of 20-year-old Susan Eads in
Seabrook, Texas. The case has been cleared
KTRK. “75-Year-Old Man Arrested for 1983 by exception due to the death of Davis.
Murder in Montgomery County.” ABC 13
Eyewitness News, May 21, 2021. Accessed Eads was working as a waitress in the Prickly
February 13, 2023. https://abc13.com/13- Bear Bar in this small waterfront community
unsolved-cold-case-crime-arrest-in-1983- on Galveston Bay. She was last seen leaving
murder-thomas-elvin-darnell/10668818/. work on the night of her death. She had been
seen at the bar that evening with a man in a
KYRK. “Montgomery County Cold Case cowboy hat. A police sketch was made at the
Murder Suspect Dies of Natural Causes.” time using witness descriptions, but the man
ABC News 13, July 29, 2021. Accessed was never identified. That sketch appears
January 27, 2023. https://abc13.com/13- very similar to a picture of Ray Davis taken at
unsolved-cold-case-crime-arrest-in-1983- about that time.
murder-thomas-elvin-darnell/10914552/.
Eads was found the next morning in an empty
Luperon, Alberto. “DNA Leads to 1983 lot. She was naked and bound, her clothing
Murder Suspect After Authorities Debunk had been wound around her neck and
Previous Admission of ‘Confession Killer’ tightened with a stick as a tourniquet, which
from Netflix Docuseries.” Law & Crime, May was tightened until she died. After the
21, 2021. Accessed May 21, 2021. https:// murder, Eads mother was taunted by phone
lawandcrime.com/crime/dna-leads-to-1983- calls from a man claiming to be her
murder-suspect-after-authorities-debunk- daughter’s killer.
previous-admission-of-confession-killer-
from-netflix-docuseries/. The case was reopened for modern forensic
testing in 2017. Semen was recovered from
O’Connell, Oliver. “Arrest Made in Decades- her clothing and a DNA profile was created.
Old Texas Cold Case Murder to Which There is currently no information on who
Notorious Serial Killer Had Falsely conducted the FGG investigation, but the FBI
Confessed.” The Independent, May 21, 2021. is reported as having assisted the police in
Accessed May 21, 2021. https:// Texas with the investigation.
www.independent.co.uk/news/world/
americas/crime/henry-lee-lucas-murder-laura- Davis was a former member of the armed
purchase-b1851733.html. forces who had served in Vietnam. An
estranged relative assisted police to confirm
Unidentified Wiki. “Laura Purchase.” the identity of Davis as the source of the DNA
Wikia.org, n.d. Accessed April 24, 2022. found on Eads’ body. Davis died in a car
https://unidentified-awareness.fandom.com/ accident in 1983, just a few months after
wiki/Laura_Purchase.

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 96
Eads’ murder. Police continue to investigate An intruder had climbed into Bennallack’s
him for further crimes. second-story apartment through a sliding
glass door she left ajar for her cat. She was
Sources: sexually assaulted in her bedroom and
stabbed numerous times, being nearly
Texas Department of Public Safety. “Texas decapitated. She had numerous defensive
Rangers Cold Case Investigations Details: wounds, showing that she fought back against
Susan Eads.” Texas Department of Public her attacker.
Safety, 2020. Accessed December 13, 2020.
https://www.dps.texas.gov/coldCase/Home/ A DNA profile was obtained in 2004 from
Details/216. blood the attacker had left during his struggle
with Bennallack. The FGG investigation was
Vault Studios. True Crime Chronicles. commenced in November of 2019, although
“Strangled in Seabrook, Episode 69.” the forensic organization has not been
Podcast. Apple. Aired October 4, 2020. 38 disclosed. The final confirmation was made to
Minutes. a living relative.

White, Grace. “Finding a Killer: How DNA Davis passed away in November of 1997 at
Helped Solve a Seabrook Cold Case Murder.” the age of 54, from what are described as
KHOU-11 News, June 11, 2020. Accessed complications from alcoholism. He had one
December 13, 2020. https://www.khou.com/ arrest for DUI. He lived in the same
article/news/investigations/missing-pieces/ apartment complex as Bennallack at the time
susan-eads-murder-solved-seabrook-police- of her murder.
department-missing-pieces/285-89de486f-
a2c2-499d-86aa-cd8d1a0e4541. This is the oldest cold case homicide solved
to date in Sacramento County, which has long
White, Grace. “How a 1983 Seabrook been a leading jurisdiction in the use of FGG.
Woman’s Murder Case Was Cracked Decades
Later.” KHOU 11 News, Accessed December Sources:
13, 2020. https://www.khou.com/article/news/
investigations/missing-pieces/susan-eads- Ahumada, Rosalio. “DNA Evidence Leads to
misisng-pieces-podcast/285-1042a429- Killer in 1970 Sacramento Cold Case: ‘Nancy
bf22-4ab6-99a1-25474f142e1c. Was Never Forgotten’.” Sacramento Bee,
August 11, 2022. Accessed August 12, 2022.
https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/crime/
Case ID 1739: Davis, Richard John: article264313741.html.

Richard John Davis was identified on August Keller, Aaron. “1970 Cold Case Murder of
10, 2022 as the lead suspect in the October Court Reporter ‘Nearly Decapitated’ While
26, 1970 murder of 28-year-old Nancy Marie Engaged to Public Defender is Finally
Bennallack in Sacramento, California. The Solved, Sheriff Says.” Law & Crime, August
case has been cleared by exception due to the 11, 2022. Accessed August 12, 2022. https://
death of Davis. lawandcrime.com/crime/1970-cold-case-

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 97
murder-of-court-reporter-nearly-decapitated- Sources:
while-engaged-to-public-defender-is-finally-
solved-sheriff-says/. Associated Press. “Arkansas Man Identified
as Killer in Cold Case.” 4029 TV News,
Padilla, Cecilio. “Genetic Genealogy October 27, 2020. Accessed December 13,
Identifies Suspect in Brutal 1970 Killing of 2020. https://www.4029tv.com/article/
Sacramento-Area Woman.” CBC News richard-william-davis-north-little-rock-cabot-
Sacramento, August 10, 2022. Accessed arkansas/34493435?
August 12, 2022. https://www.cbsnews.com/ utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&
sacramento/news/nancy-bennallack- utm_campaign=Arkansas%20man%20identifi
sacramento-murder-cold-case-genetic- ed%20as%20killer%20in%20cold%20case&
genealogy-suspect-id/. utm_term=khbs_news_local_breaking#.

Brantley, Max. “Montana Closes 46-Year-Old

Case ID 1425: Davis, Richard William Case of the Death of Abducted Child by
Naming Arkansas Man.” Arkansas Times,
Richard William Davis has been identified as October 27, 2020. Accessed December 13,
the lead suspect in the 1974 rape and murder 2020. https://arktimes.com/arkansas-blog/
of 5-year-old Siobhan McGuinnes in 2020/10/27/montana-closes-46-year-old-case-
Missoula, Montana. The case was cleared by of-the-death-of-abducted-child-by-naming-
exception due to the death of Davis. arkansas-man.
McGuinnes had gone missing on February 5,
1974, just a few blocks from her home. Her Georgiou, Maritsa. “DNA Identifies Killer in
body was found two days later, off the Turah Missoula Cold Case 46 Years Later.” NBC
exit on Interstate-90. Montana, October 26, 2020. Accessed
December 13, 2020. https://nbcmontana.com/
The FGG investigation in this case was news/local/dna-identifies-killer-in-missoula-
conducted by Othram. A confirmation was cold-case-46-years-later.
made by through the assistance of living
relatives of Davis. His wife and children have McCauley, Connor. “New DNA Testing Helps
also reached out to the McGuinnes family. Identify Suspect in 1974 Missoula Murder.”
Missoula Current, October 26, 2020.
Davis died in Arkansas in 2012 at the age of Accessed December 13, 2020. https://
70. At the time of the murder, he was passing missoulacurrent.com/montana-today/2020/10/
through Missoula as part of his work as a dna-missoula-murder/.
truck driver. The vehicle he owned in 1974
matched descriptions given by witnesses at
the time. Authorities are investigating Davis Case ID 1180-1181: Day, Kenneth Earl
for other, similar, crimes that took place in the
1970s. Kenneth Earl Day has been identified as the
lead suspect in a murder and a series of rapes
in Rockville, Maryland in the late 1980s and

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 98
early 1990s. The case has been cleared by wchstv.com/news/local/maryland-police-say-
exception due to the death of Day. cold-cases-solved-with-dna-tests-identifies-
suspect-as-wva-resident.
On June 25, 1989, a 53-year-old woman was
abducted and raped as she left the Twinbrook Morse, Dan. “A Research Biologist Was
metro station. There were reports that other Raped and Killed 24 Years Ago. Police Say
women had been attacked while walking Attacker May Have Looked Like This.”
alone in that area. Washington Post, July 9, 2018. Accessed
December 13, 2020. https://
On October 3, 1994, 44-year-old Le Bich- www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-
Thuy, a research scientist working at the safety/a-research-biologist-was-raped-and-
Children’s National Medical Center, was killed-23-years-ago-police-say-attacker-may-
murdered by an unknown assailant in that have-looked-like-this/
same area. She got out at the Twinbrook 2018/07/09/762893c2-8370-11e8-9e80-403a2
metro station when she was grabbed and 21946a7_story.html.
dragged into a side yard. She was raped and
bludgeoned with a piece of concrete and then
strangled to death. DNA profiles from the two Case ID 1397: Dean, Alan Edward
assaults linked the crimes together, but there
were no hits in law enforcement databases. Alan Edward Dean was arrested on July 28,
2020 and charged in the 1983 murder of 15-
The FGG investigation was conducted by year-old Melissa Lee in Bothell, Washington.
Parabon Nanolabs, who had produced a Lee was abducted from her home on April 13,
forensic phenotype of the suspect in 2017. 1993, sometime between 9:30 pm, when she
Day’s DNA was confirmed to be consistent spoke to her mother by phone, and midnight,
with the crime scene DNA using a sample when her mother came home to signs of a
that had been taken at his autopsy. He died in struggle. Lee’s body was found the next day.
2017 at the age of 52. She had been strangled and thrown off a
bridge. Ethyl ether or heptane may have been
Sources: used in the crime, as these substances were
found in her system.
Shapiro, Emily. “Suspect in Decades-Old
Murder, Rape Cold Cases in Maryland The FGG investigation was undertaken by
Identified Through DNA: Police.” ABC News, Parabon Nanolabs. Police made the initial
March 18, 2019. Accessed December 13, confirmation through surveillance of Dean
2020. https://abcnews.go.com/US/suspect- and the surreptitious sampling of a cigarette
decades-murder-rape-cold-cases-maryland- he threw away. He was the third murder
identified/story?id=61767765. suspect arrested through collaboration
between Parabon and the Snohomish County
Moore, Anna. “Maryland Police Say Former Sheriff’s Office.
W.Va. Resident Identified as Suspect in Cold
Case.” WCHS Eyewitness News, March 21, Dean was questioned at the time of the
2019. Accessed December 13, 2020. https:// offence, and he may have known Lee from a

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 99
chat line. He was also reported to be involved genealogy-used-to-make-first-arrest-of-its-
in the sexual assault of a minor in Arizona. kind-in-new-mexico/.

Dean was charged with first-degree murder Hutton, Caleb. “1993 Murder Suspect Sent to
and first-degree kidnapping in Snohomish Mental Hospital Indefinitely.” Herlad.net,
County Superior Court. Dean underwent April 21, 2021. Accessed December 29, 2021.
several competency reviews. The court https://www.heraldnet.com/news/1993-
committed him indefinitely to Western State everett-murder-suspect-sent-to-hospital-
Hospital in April of 2021 and dismissed the indefinitely/.
charges against him. The prosecution has
stated that he is a follower of the sovereign King 5 Staff. “Bothell Man Arrested for 1993
citizen movement, and that he is competent Cold Case Murder.” King 5 News, July 29,
but non-cooperative. He has demonstrated 2020. Accessed December 13, 2020. https://
behaviour that appears to be delusional, www.king5.com/article/news/crime/alan-
paranoid, and possibly schizophrenic. If he edward-dean-arrested-1993-murder-melissa-
can be successfully treated, then the charges lee/281-5eb28d1d-0eed-4465-
against him may proceed. b491-5c6ba2a22bbf.

Dean was to be released in August of 2022, King 5 Staff. Charges Refiled Against Man in
but was ordered detained on a $2 million 1993 Murder of Bothell Teenager After
bond after the prosecution filed the charges Treatment.” King 5 News, March 11, 2022.
for a third time. In competency evaluations, Accessed January 13, 2023. https://
the onus is on the defence to prove that the www.king5.com/article/news/crime/charges-
defendant does not understand the refiled-against-man-1993-murder-bothell-
proceedings, and cannot assist in their teenager-after-treatment/
defence. 281-9c714183-70d6-475d-
bc44-8b86c22ed029.
Sources:
Lotmore, Mario. “A Cigarette Leads to an
Associated Press. “Competency Evaluation Arrest in a 27-Year Cold Case.” Lynnwood
for Man Accused of Killing Girl.” Seattle Times, July 29, 2020. Accessed December 13,
Times, August 19, 2020, last modified August 2020. https://lynnwoodtimes.com/
20, 2020. Accessed December 13, 2020. 2020/07/29/a-cigarette-leads-to-an-arrest-in-
https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/ a-27-year-cold-case/.
man-charged-with-1993-murder-of-bothell-
teen-to-undergo-competency-evaluation/. Luperon, Alberto. “Sheriff’s Office Says It
Solved 1993 Cold Case Murder of 15-Year-
Atkins, Rebecca, and Jackie Kent. Old Girl.” Law & Crime, July 30, 2020.
“Genealogy Matching Used to Make First Accessed December 13, 2020. https://
Arrest of Its Kind in New Mexico.” KRQE lawandcrime.com/crazy/sheriffs-office-says-
News, January 16, 2020, last modified it-solved-1993-cold-case-murder-of-15-year-
January 28, 2020. Accessed December 13, old-girl/.
2020. https://www.krqe.com/news/crime/dna-

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 100
Mutasa, Tammy. “Cold Case Murder Suspect His first murder was the shooting of 45-year-
Charged for 3rd Time, KOMO Investigates old Claude Snelling on September 11, 1975.
Competency Issues.” KOMO News, October He murdered Brian and Kate Maggiore in
28, 2022. Accessed January 27, 2023. https:// their home in Rancho Cordova on February 2,
komonews.com/news/local/mother-of- 1978. He murdered Debra Manning and
murdered-daughter-growing-impatient-in- Robert Offerman in Goleta on December 30,
calls-for-justice. 1979. Charlene and Lyman Smith were
murdered in their Ventura home on March 13,
Snohomish County. “Suspect Arrested in 1980. Patrice and Keith Harrington were
1993 Cold Case.” Snohomish County murdered in Dana Point on August 19, 1980.
Washington Government (Press Release), July Manuela Witthuhn was murdered in Irvine on
29, 2020. Accessed December 13, 2020. February 6, 1981. This was followed by the
https://snohomishcountywa.gov/ double murder of Gregory Sanchez and Cheri
Archive.aspx?ADID=6505. Domingo in Goleta on July 27, 1981. His last
victim was 18-year-old Janelle Cruz of Irvine,
Wurzer, Wayne. “Mother Seeks Clues to whom he killed about five years later, on May
Girl’s Slaying In ’93.” Seattle Times, archive. 4, 1986.
December 8, 1994. Accessed December 13,
2020. https://archive.seattletimes.com/ The FGG investigation in this case was
archive/?date=19941208&slug=1946151. conducted by Barabara Rae-Venter, whose
work in identifying a living Jane Doe and
uncovering serial killer Terry Peder
Case ID 1017-1088: DeAngelo, Joseph Rasmussen, described below, inspired
James: The Golden State Killer Detective Paul Holes to ask her to identity the
Golden State Killer. This investigation
Joseph James DeAngelo Jr. has pled guilty to received a good deal of media attention and
a series of murders and sexual assaults that placed both FGG and the GEDmatch database
took place in California in the 1970s and in the spotlight. This generated a good deal of
1980s characterized by their exceptional controversy and criticisms of the new
cruelty and brutality. Over the decades, he has investigative technique, and also inspired
been known as the Golden State Killer, the many law enforcement agencies to adopt it to
Diamond Knot Killer, the Visalia Ransacker, solve their own cold cases.
the East Area Rapist, the Original Night
Stalker, and EARONS (East Area Rapist/ On June 29, 2020, DeAngelo pled guilty in
Original Night Stalker). He would stalk his Sacramento County Superior Court to 13
victims beforehand, case their homes counts of murder, and 13 counts of felony
thoroughly, and would sometimes telephone rape, for which he was sentenced to 11 terms
them after the attack to terrorize them further. of life in prison without parole. He was then
He would often attack couples in their homes, 74 years old. The statute of limitations had
tying up the man and sexually assaulting the run out on 50 of the rape charges, all of which
woman. he admitted perpetrating. Some of these
charges were prosecuted instead as
kidnapping to commit robbery, and this is

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 101
how they are coded in this database. Many of prosecutors. He was released for lack of
his crimes were never formally charged, evidence in May of 1982.
including crimes he committed against the
male companions of his rape victims, who Michelle McNamara reports that police
were often tied up, threatened, and beaten. All continued to suspect one particular male for
of these charges are coded as having a many years. He was first stopped by police in
disposition of ‘NCO’, which denotes crimes a 1977, and they noted several items in his
perpetrator was not charged because he was vehicle which they found suspicious,
charged instead with a more serious crime including a bottle of hand lotion in the front
arising out of the same incident. The code of the car as well as a rope, a pair of tennis
‘SL’ is used for the rapes which could not be shoes, a firearm, and a hunting knife that
charged because the statute of limitations had were found in his trunk. McNamara states,
expired. “They couldn’t shake the memory of what
they found inside his car. That’s why, decades
The investigation into the Golden State Killer later, his DNA was collected and analyzed by
was important for the development of the law the crime lab. He was exonerated despite the
concerning forensic DNA in California. Some fact that police thought he was The One.”
of the victims’ families, led by Bruce This demonstrates the strength of police
Harrington, lobbied the California State tunnel vision, and how even very slender
legislature to pass Bill SB-1242 which evidence can lead to decades of suspicion.
authorized increases in DNA collection from
all prisoners convicted of felonies. There was also one male who had his DNA
sampled as part of an earlier investigation, not
There are also several persons who were conducted by Rae-Venter, to track the Golden
investigated by police as suspects. Over the State Killer using his Y-chromosome. Police
years, many suspects had their DNA samples obtained a court order for a DNA sample
taken by police and there was at least one from a 73-year-old man living in a nursing
wrongful prosecution. home in Oregon. His DNA cleared him of
involvement in the crimes.
A DNA sample was taken with a court order
from prisoner Paul Schneider in 2004. About Sources:
3 dozen death row inmates in California were
examined and had their DNA taken – 5 of Balsamo, Michael, Jonathan J. Cooper and
them by force. Another career criminal had Gillian Flaccus. “DNA Search for California
his body exhumed by court order. Serial Killer Led to Wrong Man.”
Physics.org, April 28, 2018. Accessed
A DNA sample was also taken from Joe January 1, 2021. https://phys.org/news/
Alsip, a business associate of Lyman Smith, 2018-04-dna-california-serial-killer-
who was wrongfully prosecuted for the wrong.html.
murders of Lyman and Charlene Smith. He
was bound over for trial after a preliminary Bee Staff and Wire Reports. “These Are the
inquiry, but the charges were later dropped by Crimes DeAngelo Pleaded Guilty to in the
Golden State Killer Case.” Sacramento Bee,

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June 29, 2020. Accessed December 13, 2020. State Killer’s Murder Victims: Newlyweds, a
https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/crime/ Mom and More Lives Cut Short.” People,
article243866887.html. April 26, 2018. Accessed December 13, 2020.
https://people.com/crime/joseph-deangelo-
Cason, Colleen. “The Silent Witness.” golden-state-killer-victims/.
Ventura County Star, November 28, 2002.
Archived. Accessed January 1, 2021. People v. Joseph James DeAngelo. First
www.coldcase-earons.com/2002-Cason- Amended Felony Complaint, No.
SilentWitness.pdf. 18FE0080017, August 20, 2018. Accessed
December 13, 2020. https://
GoldenStateKiller.com. “List of Attack www.peopleversusjosephdeangelopressmateri
Locations.” GoldenStateKiller.com, 2020. als.com/.
Accessed December 13, 2020. http://
www.goldenstatekiller.com/attack-list.php.
Case ID 1126-1127: DeVaughn, Michael
Hallissy, Erin, and Charlie Goodyear. “Court Wayne
Says Inmate Must Give DNA/Suspect in 20-
Year-Old Murders.” San Francisco Chronicle, Michael Wayne DeVaughn was arrested on
April 25, 2002. Archived. Accessed January October 6, 2018 and charged in the rape and
1, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/ murder of Betty Jones and Kathryn Crigler on
20180105214004/http://www.sfgate.com/ September 3rd, 1990 in Starkville,
bayarea/article/Court-says-inmate-must-give- Mississippi. These killings came to be known
DNA-Suspect-in-2845640.php. as the ‘Labour Day Murders’.

Kincaid, Alex. “Sun City Woman Survived The two friends were at home together on
Attack by East Area Rapist. She Never Gave Labor Day when they heard a knock on the
Up Hope He’d Be Caught.” Island Packet, door. A man answered, and when 65-year-old
March 8, 2018, last modified April 26, 2018. Jones tried to fend him off he cut her throat.
Accessed December 13, 2020. https:// She died at the scene. The man sexually
www.islandpacket.com/news/local/crime/ assaulted Crigler, then 81 years old. Crigler
article204163654.html. had recently had her leg amputated, yet she
managed to survive, and was able to crawl to
McNamara, Michelle. I’ll Be Gone in the the kitchen to phone 911. Crigler passed away
Dark. New York: Harper, 2018, at 265, 338. from her injuries in a nursing home two
months later. She reported being very sorry
Miller, Aron. “DNA Findings Throw New for her friend’s death, for which she blamed
Light on Old Case.” Ventura County Star, herself.
October 8, 2000. Archived. Accessed January
1, 2021. www.coldcase-earons.com/ A DNA profile of the offender was obtained
2000-10-08.pdf. from the sexual assault kit performed on
Crigler. It was not common for a sexual
Pelisek, Christine, Sandra Sobieraj Westfall, assault kit to be done at that time. As with
and Adam Carlson. “These Are the Golden many sexual assault kits, the DNA was not

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 103
profiled immediately, and it was not until www.cdispatch.com/news/article.asp?
2005 that a profile of the suspect was aid=84704.
obtained. This resulted in no hits in CODIS.
Holloway, Alex. “Devaughn Pleads Not
Betty Jones’ step-grandsons, Jason and Simon Guilty to Labor Day Murder Charges.”
Jones, created a podcast to bring attention to Commercial Dispatch, January 31, 2019.
the cold case and try to find some justice for Accessed December 13, 2020. https://
their grandmother. They were able to raise www.cdispatch.com/news/article.asp?
funds to continue the investigation. aid=71476.

This enabled Parabon to conduct the FGG Krajicek, David J. “How a DNA Database
investigation. The initial confirmation was Helped Solve a Horrific Double Murder.”
made through police surveillance, followed New York Daily News, August 25, 2019.
by the surreptitious sampling of a cigarette Accessed December 13, 2020. https://
butt that had been discarded by DeVaughn. www.nydailynews.com/news/crime/ny-
justice-story-mississippi-murders-20190825-
DeVaughn pled guilty to capital murder on nq6o32rrm5b3xjcuvpvuwhj3du-story.html.
November 17, 2020. In return for his guilty
plea, prosecutors dropped the other charges, LeMaster, C.J. “3 On Your Side Investigates:
including the sexual battery charge against The Labor Day Murder.” WLBT 3 News,
Crigler, and they withdrew their request for October 17, 2018. Accessed December 13,
the death penalty. He was sentenced to life in 2020. https://www.wlbt.com/2018/10/18/
prison without the possibility of parole. He your-side-investigates-labor-day-murder/.
had little prior criminal record, except for
some drug offences. He may have been a user Moore, William. “Capital Murder Suspect
of methamphetamine. Led a Quiet Life.” Daily Journal, October 9,
2018. Accessed December 13, 2020. https://
After DeVaughn’s arrest, Simon Jones told www.djournal.com/news/capital-murder-
David Krajicek that his grandmother’s killer suspect-led-a-quiet-life/article_c78f9280-
was no longer a ‘bogeyman’, stating, “I see bb77-52f4-a180-3ec9ab5abb29.html.
this guy on my phone and on TV, and he’s
just a sad-looking dude with recent drug Poe, Katie. “Suspect Arrested, Bond Set in
charges… That takes away so much of the Labor Day Murders Case.” The Reflector,
power that this unnamed person had when October 8, 2018, last modified September 19,
you finally see their face.” 2020. Accessed December 13, 2020. http://
www.reflector-online.com/news/
Sources: article_04608d7e-cb25-11e8-93f7-
f742437a362d.html.
Altman, Isabelle. “Rienzi Man to Serve Life
for 30-Year-Old Starkville Murder.” The
Dispatch, November 18, 2020. Accessed
December 13, 2020. https://

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 104
Case ID 1571-1585: Doran, David Edward: Doran was 49 years old at the time of the first
Myers Park Rapist of the Myers Park assaults. He moved from
the area, living in California, Texas, and
On December 6, 2021, Charlotte- Ohio, among other places. Police have
Mecklenburg Police announced that David notified authorities in those jurisdictions. He
Edward Doran was the lead suspect in a series is currently being investigated for two other
of 15 home invasion rapes that took place assaults. Police believe he may have been
from June 1990 to January 1999. The suspect responsible for many more rapes over the
became known as a the ‘Myers Park Rapist.’ years, and they continue to investigate.
The case has been cleared by exception due to
the death of Doran. Sources:

Thirteen of the victims were under the age of Boudin, Michelle, and Mitzi Morris. “The
18. The youngest victim was about 10 years Defenders: Cold Case Unit Investigating
old, and the eldest in her early 20s. The Serial Rape Case.” WCNC Charlotte,
suspect broke into the girls’ homes armed November 9, 2018. Accessed December 10,
with a knife, took them to a different location, 2021. https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/
and then sexually assaulted them. He the-defenders-cold-case-unit-investigating-
typically wore a ski mask and gloves. serial-rape-case/275-613158029.
A DNA profile was obtained from sexual
assault kits (SAKs) and items found at the Dickerson, Brad, and Caroline Hicks.
crime scene. The SAKs were originally tested “CMPD: ‘Myers Park Rapist’ Identified, Tied
in the 1990s only for serotyping. Police to 15 Sexual Assaults in 1990s.” WBTV 3,
matched the crime scene DNA with a DNA December 6, 2021. Accessed December 10,
sample from Doran, but they have not stated 2021. https://www.wbtv.com/2021/12/06/
where they obtained that sample. cmpd-man-dubbed-myers-park-rapist-
identified-tied-15-sexual-assaults-1990s/?
The FGG investigation was conducted by fbclid=IwAR0hvwkgYj2Yj0sv-
Parabon Nanolabs, with funding from the hfQFMZZVS58s5bGuZ0gJl6qVHOqnhIkY7
Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI). The xIkxcRopw.
case was investigated by the Charlotte-
Mecklenburg Sexual Assault Cold Case Unit, Korynta, Emma. “CMPD Identifies Suspect
which has cleared over 400 cases since its in Several Sexual Assault Cases from the
formation in 2006. 1990s.” WCNC News Charlotte, December 6,
2021. Accessed December 10, 2021. https://
Doran is reported to have died on June 24, www.wcnc.com/article/news/crime/cmpd-
2008. Police report that he was a ‘cat burglar’ cold-case-sexual-assault-myers-park-suspect-
who targeted higher-end residences to steal identified/275-d0a9af65-c0f2-40bc-befa-
jewelry. His most recent conviction in dcb774444852.
Charlotte was in 2001, when he was
convicted of possession of breaking and Limehouse, Jonathan. “‘Myers Park Rapist’
entering tools. He was never a suspect in the Who Sexually Assaulted 15 Girls in the 1990s
case. Identified, Police Say.” Charlotte Observer,

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 105
December 6, 2021. Accessed December 10, Sources:
2021. https://www.charlotteobserver.com/
news/local/crime/article256380462.html. Big Country News. “Arrest Made After DNA
Evidence Links Man to 18-Year-Old Pullman
Cold Cases.” Big Country News, March 17,
Case ID 1666-1668: Downing, Kenneth: 2022. Accessed March 20, 2022. https://
Pioneer Hill Serial Rapist www.bigcountrynewsconnection.com/local/
arrest-made-after-dna-evidence-links-man-
Kenneth Downing, 47, was arrested on March to-18-year-old-pullman-cold-cases/
17, 2022, and charged with two home article_9be558f6-a63b-11ec-
invasion rapes that took place in 2003 and a4b5-1bdb9cc0f31e.html.
2004 in the Pioneer Hill neighborhood of
Pullman, Washington. Evan, Ellis. “Suspected Pioneer Hill Serial
Rapist Appears in Court.” Big Country News,
The first victim was woken up in her March 18, 2022. Accessed March 20, 2022.
bedroom in November of 2003 by an intruder https://www.bigcountrynewsconnection.com/
who threatened her with a gun and then local/suspected-pioneer-hill-serial-rapist-
proceeded to rape her several times. appears-in-court/article_d0cfa4c0-a6dd-11ec-
bd4f-d7aef7cd3a80.html.
The second and third victims were attacked in
March of 2004 when they arrived home to Gibson, Nick. “Pullman Spree Rapist Gets
find a man waiting for them. He also Life in Prison for ‘Heinous, Premeditated,
threatened them with a gun, tied up one of the Deliberately Cruel’ Crimes.” Spokesman-
women and raped the other. Review, August 19, 2022. Accessed August
25, 2022. https://www.spokesman.com/
The FGG investigation was conducted by stories/2022/aug/19/pullman-spree-rapist-
Identifinders International. gets-life-in-prison-for-heino/.

Downing was charged with four counts of Simchuk, Kyle. “Suspect in 18-Year Cold
first-degree rape, two counts of burglary, and Case in Pullman Facing Life in Prison.”
forcible confinement – among other charges – KREM 2 News, March 18, 2022. Accessed
in Whitman County Superior Court. On March 20, 2022. https://www.krem.com/
August 19, 2022, Downing was sentenced to article/news/crime/suspect-cold-case-
life in prison after pleading guilty to four pullman-life-in-prison/
counts of first-degree rape and one count of 293-9ca8be3d-5f32-4202-
assault in the second degree with a sexual b628-7e1c4afb5a8a.
motivation. As part of the plea agreement, he
will be eligible for parole after serving 23
years.

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 106
Case ID 1163: Downs, Steven Harris has yet been made. The defence may be
preparing the way for an admission that
Steven Harris Downs was arrested on Downs had consensual sexual contact with
February 15, 2019 for the April 26, 1993 rape the victim. His attorneys have stated that
and murder of 20-year-old Sophie Sergie in there is no evidence as to when the sexual
Fairbanks, Alaska. Sergie lived in the contact may have occurred. Sophie arrived in
northern community of Pitkas Point and had Fairbanks by plane two days before she was
travelled to Fairbanks for a dentist murdered.
appointment. She was staying with a friend at
a dorm at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Sophie Sergie’s family is of Alaskan Inuit
She was last seen that evening at about heritage, and her mother, Elena Sergie, speaks
midnight after she stepped outside to have a Yup’ik. Translation is being provided for her
cigarette. Her body was found the next during the proceedings.
morning by janitors in a bathtub in the
Bartlett Hall dormitory. She had been raped, In March of 2021, defence motions began.
stabbed in both eyes, stabbed in her face, The defence attorney, James Howaniec, has
gagged with a ligature, and shocked with a claimed that Downs did not give his
stun gun. She died by a gunshot to the back of permission for his DNA sample to be
her head. uploaded to GEDmatch to be used in the
criminal investigation, and so should be
A sexual assault kit taken at Sergie’s autopsy excluded as an unreasonable search and
was reprocessed in May of 2000, and a DNA seizure. The defence motions were denied.
profile of the suspect was obtained. The FGG
investigation was conducted by Parabon On February 10, 2022, Downs was convicted
Nanolabs. An aunt of Downs had uploaded by a jury of first-degree murder and sexual
her information to GEDmatch, and this was assault. On September 26, 2022, Downs was
used to identify Downs as the source of the sentenced in Fairbanks Superior Court to 75
DNA profile. CeCe Moore located a maternal years in prison, including 67 years for her
Aunt of Downs on GEDmatch, who matched murder and 8 years for her sexual assault.
Downs at a level of 23%.
On October 24, 2022, Downs filed an appeal
Downs was thus identified as the lead of his conviction and sentence with the
suspect. He was working as a nurse in Maine Alaska Court of Appeals. He is seeking public
at the time of his arrest, although he had been funding for his appeal. His trial attorneys
attending UA Fairbanks and living in Bartlett have withdrawn due to a lack of funds for
Hall at the time of the murder. their fees.

Downs has pleaded not guilty and his case is Sources:

pending in the District Court in Fairbanks.
The defence has argued that the DNA Associated Press. “Defense Seeks to Have
evidence should be excluded because it could Fairbanks Cold Case Charges Tossed.” Alaska
have been the result of crime scene Public Media, November 27, 2019. Accessed
contamination, but no ruling on the evidence December 13, 2020. https://

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 107
www.alaskapublic.org/2019/11/27/defense- from-2009-cold-case-review-finds-new-lead-
seeks-to-have-fairbanks-cold-case-charges- in-1993-slaying/.
tossed/.
McGee, Madeline. “25 Years After Sophie
Associated Press. “Judge: Auburn Man’s Sergie Was Found Dead in a UAF Bathtub,
Right to Speedy Trial Wasn’t Violated in Maine Man Charged with Murder.”
Alaska Cold Case Killing.” Bangor Daily Anchorage Daily News, February 15, 2019,
News, January 16, 2020. Accessed December last modified February 22, 2019. Accessed
13, 2020. https://bangordailynews.com/ December 13, 2020. https://www.adn.com/
2020/01/16/news/judge-auburn-mans-right- alaska-news/crime-courts/2019/02/16/25-
to-speedy-trial-wasnt-violated-in-alaska-cold- years-after-a-woman-was-found-dead-in-a-
case-killing/. uaf-bathtub-alaska-state-troopers-make-an-
arrest/.
Associated Press. “Man Charged in Fairbanks
Cold-Case Killing Pleads Not Guilty.” State of Alaska v. Steven Harris Downs.
Anchorage Daily News, August 15, 2019. Information. In the District Court for the State
Accessed December 13, 2020. https:// of Alaska Fourth Judicial District at
www.adn.com/alaska-news/crime-courts/ Fairbanks. February 15, 2019. Accessed
2019/08/15/man-charged-in-fairbanks-cold- December 13, 2020. https://
case-killing-pleads-not-guilty/. s3.amazonaws.com/arc-wordpress-client-
uploads/adn/wp-content/uploads/
Cole, Shannon. “Downs Sentenced to 75 2019/02/16013650/ST-Information-
Years for Murder and Assault of Sophie Signed-2.15.19.pdf.
Sergie in Fairbanks.” Alaska News Source,
September 26, 2022. Accessed October 5, Williams, Christopher. “Anatomy of a Cold
2022. https://www.alaskasnewssource.com/ Case: A Breakdown of the Steven Downs
2022/09/27/downs-sentenced-75-years- Murder Trial.” Sun Journal, February 19,
murder-assault-sophie-sergie/. 2022. Accessed February 22, 2022. https://
www.sunjournal.com/2022/02/19/anatomy-
Daigle, Matthew. “Maine Man Seeks of-a-cold-case/?
Dismissal of DNA in Alaska Rape and utm_content=buffer07860&utm_medium=soc
Murder Case.” Sun Journal, and WGME 13 ial&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campai
News, December 17, 2019. Accessed gn=buffer&fbclid=IwAR2-nQh0H-
December 13, 2020. https://wgme.com/news/ YnmvHzx4KETb9yCo8EYpEYFb57MCG0J
local/maine-man-seeks-dismissal-of-dna- BX6sXOn5--H0YVeYGs.
evidence-in-alaska-rape-and-murder-case.
Williams, Christopher. “DNA Expert Says
Halpin, James. “From 2009: Cold-Case She Found Suspect Steven Downs Through
Review Finds New Lead in 1993 Slaying.” Profile Matching in 1993 Alaska Murder
Anchorage Daily News, April 25, 2009, last Case.” Press Herald, March 11, 2021.
modified February 15, 2019. Accessed Accessed March 16, 2021. https://
December 13, 2020. https://www.adn.com/ www.pressherald.com/2021/03/11/dna-
alaska-news/crime-courts/2019/02/16/ expert-says-she-found-suspect-steven-downs-

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 108
through-profile-matching-in-1993-alaska- In 2017, DNA Labs International produced a
murder-case/? DNA profile of the suspect from a rag found
fbclid=IwAR1XgChMydhtDfrxxGwgqpOe_h at the crime scene. There were no hits to
z_9kmEylr4EOZi9EI8Az3Mm8Bk08LwJfg. CODIS. The FGG investigation was
conducted by Parabon Nanolabs. The initial
Williams, Christopher. “Maine Man Appeals confirmation was made through police
Alaska Murder and Sex Assault Convictions surveillance followed by the surreptitious
and Sentences.” Anchorage Daily News, sampling of items discarded by Drinnon in
October 25, 2022. Accessed January 27, his trash.
2023. https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/
crime-courts/2022/10/25/maine-man-appeals- Police interviewed Drinnon, then in very ill
alaska-murder-and-sex-assault-convictions- health, at his home on January 13, 2021. He
and-sentences/. confessed to having committed the crime
after being provided with a Miranda warning.
Williams, Tess. “Jury Finds Man Guilty in He stated that Gibbs had tried to rob him at
Fairbanks Cold-Case Murder.” Anchorage gunpoint, and she was killed accidentally
Daily News, February 10, 2022. Accessed when they fought over the gun. Drinnon
February 11, 2022. https://www.adn.com/ passed away on January 18, 2021 at the age
alaska-news/crime-courts/2022/02/10/jury- of 65, and the case was cleared by exception.
finds-maine-man-guilty-in-fairbanks-cold-
case-murder/. Sources:

Braun, Michael. “1984 Murder of Claretha

Case ID 1451: Drinnon, James Glen ‘Coco’ Gibbs Solved: Fort Myers Police Link
DNA on Rag to Suspect.” Fort Myers News-
James Glen Drinnon has been identified as Press, January 20, 2021. Accessed January
the lead suspect in the June 26, 1984 murder 25, 2021. https://www.news-press.com/story/
of 31-year-old Claretha ‘Coco’ Gibbs in Fort news/crime/2021/01/20/1984-case-about-
Myers, Florida. The case has been cleared by woman-fatal-shooting-solved/4228658001/.
exception due to the death of Drinnon.
Fort Myers Police Department. “Parabon,
Gibbs had been shot in the abdomen, and she Fort Myers Police Solve 1984 Cold Case
died a short time later in the hospital. Gibbs Homicide.” Forensic Magazine, January 22,
was a sex-worker who was seen getting into a 2021. Accessed January 25, 2021. https://
vehicle with a male near Palm Avenue and www.forensicmag.com/572448-Parabon-Fort-
Lincoln Boulevard just before she was shot Myers-Police-Solve-1984-Cold-Case-
and dumped in the street. Despite witness Homicide/.
descriptions of the vehicle and the suspect,
the case went cold. Gibbs was one of 16 sex Glenn, Sarah. “Fort Myers Police Solve 1984
workers killed in Fort Myers whose murders Murder Case.” NBC 2 News, January 20,
remained unsolved. 2021. Accessed January 25, 2021. https://
nbc-2.com/news/2021/01/20/fort-myers-
police-solve-murder-case-from-1984/.

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 109
Case ID 1207: Dripps, Brian Leigh Sr. did not assist Tapp, however, as he had told
police that he did not sexually assault Dodge,
Brian Leigh Dripps Sr. was arrested on May but he was with two men who did. Tapp was
15, 2019 and charged with the 1996 murder exonerated with the help of the Idaho
of 18-year-old Angie Dodge in Idaho Falls, Innocence Project, and with the support of
Idaho. An intruder broke into her apartment Angie’s mom, Carol Dodge, who was eager to
on the evening of June 13, 1996. He raped her find the truth about her daughter’s murder.
and cut her throat.
This case has also gained a good deal of
Semen samples were collected from the scene notoriety for being the case in which Michael
but produced no hits to law enforcement Usry was identified as a possible suspect
databases. About 20 samples were collected through a Y-STR profile matched through
from local men, but not Dripps as he had left what was then the Sorensen database. Usry’s
the area shortly after the murder. Dripps had father was a close match to the crime scene
lived across form the street from Dodge at the DNA on the Y-chromosome, and Usry had
time. He had been interviewed by the police, once travelled to Idaho. Once Usry’s DNA
but he told them that he had been drinking sample was analyzed in 2014, he was
heavily that evening and could remember excluded as a contributor, but he had to wait
nothing. about a month for this news.

Semen was found on Dodge’s legs and The FGG investigation conducted by CeCe
clothing. The FGG investigation was Moore of Parabon Nanolabs. They learned
conducted by Parabon Nanolabs. The initial that Dripps is indeed a descendent through the
confirmation was made through police male line of the Usry family. Moore narrowed
surveillance followed by the surreptitious the suspect list down to six male descendants
sampling of a discarded cigarette butt of Clarence Ussery (1896-1949), and his wife
discarded by Dripps. Cleo Ardis Landrum (1899-1979). Police
conducted surveillance and surreptitious
Dripps confessed to the crime when sampling of a wad of chewing tobacco from
confronted with the DNA evidence. He stated one Wendell Ussery, but his DNA was
to police that he did not mean to kill her, just excluded as being a contributor to the crime
to hold the knife to her throat; he thought she scene DNA. Wendell appeared to be a first
was still alive when he left. His case is cousin once removed or a second cousin once
pending in the Bonneville District Court. removed, to the actual perpetrator.
Investigators then realized that there was a
This case is also notable as it involved the male descendent missing from the family tree.
wrongful conviction of Chris Tapp who spent This led them to discover that Brian Dripps’
20 years in prison for the murder after a false mother had divorced and remarried when
confession. Police had used coercive Brian was very young, and he was raised
interview tactics that are now known to under his stepfather’s name – Dripps, and not
produce false confessions. His DNA sample his father’s name – which had been Ussery.
was taken, and he was found to be excluded
as a contributor to the crime scene DNA. This

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 110
Dripps entered a guilty plea, and was www.idahostatesman.com/news/local/crime/
sentenced on June 8, 2021 to 20 years to life article230630919.html.
in prison.
State of Idaho v. Brian Leigh Dripps.
Sources: Detective Sage Albright Affidavit in Support
of Arrest Warrant. In the District Court of the
Brown, Ruth. “Who is Brian Dripps? Seventh Judicial District State of Idaho,
Caldwell Man Arrested for Long-Unsolved County of Bonneville, Magistrate Court. May
Murder of Angie Dodge.” Idaho Statesman, 15, 2019. Accessed December 13, 2020.
May 16, 2019. Accessed December 13, 2020. https://www.eastidahonews.com/2019/05/
https://www.idahostatesman.com/news/local/ read-new-angie-dodge-murder-court-
crime/article230488864.html. documents/.

Eaton, Nate. “Dripps Says He Didn’t Mean to

Kill Angie Dodge and Acted Alone, Case ID 1439: Duncan, Jimmy Dean
According to Court Documents.” East Idaho
News, May 17, 2019, last modified May 20, Jimmy Dean Duncan was identified as the
2019. Accessed December 13, 2020. https:// lead suspect in the 1975 home invasion rape
www.eastidahonews.com/2019/05/dripps- and murder of 19-year-old Deborah
told-police-he-didnt-mean-to-kill-angie- Tomlinson in Grand Junction, Colorado. The
dodge-according-to-court-documents/. case was cleared by exception due to the
death of Duncan.
Grossarth, Eric. After 25 Years, Brian Dripps
Goes to Prison for Rape and Murder of Angie On December 27, 1975, an intruder had
Dodge.” East Idaho News, June 8, 2021. broken into Tomlinson’s home. She was
Accessed June 12, 2021. https:// bound, sexually assaulted, and strangled to
www.eastidahonews.com/2021/06/after-25- death. Her body was found in her bathtub
years-brian-dripps-goes-to-prison-for-rape- when the building manager telephoned police
and-death-of-angie-dodge/. for a welfare check.

Innocence Project. “DNA Testing Identifies The FGG investigation was conducted by
Actual Perpetrator in 1996 Idaho Falls Rape Parabon Nanolabs. Duncan, who was 26
and Murder, Confirming Christopher Tapp’s years-old at the time of the murder, is
Innocence.” Innocence Project (Press reported to have passed away in 1987. The
Release), July 17, 2019. Accessed January 12, DNA match was confirmed with the
2021. https://innocenceproject.org/ assistance of an unspecified living relative,
christopher-tapp-exoneration/. who cooperated with investigators.

Sewell, Cynthia. “‘Negative. Negative. Sources:

Negative.’ Then, a DNA Match. Here’s How
Science Cracked Angie’s Case.” Idaho CBS 4 News. “Grand Junction Cold Case
Statesman, May 24, 2019. Accessed Murder of Deborah Tomlinson Solved After
December 13, 2020. https:// 45 Years.” CBS 4 News Denver, December 2,

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 111
2020. Accessed December 13, 2020. https:// sexual assault kits funded by the federal
denver.cbslocal.com/2020/12/02/grand- government in 2016. Duran is currently
junction-cold-case-murder-deborah- charged with the 1997 home invasion rape;
tomlinson-jimmy-dean-duncan/? the remaining 7 cases are still under
fbclid=IwAR33BfjuVqIf8FeNbrVqzr_s08Nn investigation, and charges are expected. The
q8YOKQWQWB1nMMcHoG3c8qqYXW_gj assaults took place in July 1990, August
Hs. 1992, October 1992, January 1993, July 1993,
October 1993, January 1994, and 1997.
Corey, Calvin. “Cold Case: GJPD Solves 45-
Year-Old Homicide Case Involving Deborah The FGG investigation, as well as the
Tomlinson.” NBC 11 News, December 2, laboratory work, was conducted by Bode
2020. Accessed December 13, 2020. https:// Laboratories. The initial confirmation was
www.nbc11news.com/2020/12/02/cold-case- made through police surveillance, followed
gjpd-solves-45-year-old-homicide-case-of- by the surreptitious sampling of a fork he had
deborah-tomlinson/. used at a sushi restaurant in Albuquerque.

Reader, Grace. “GJPD Corporal Reopens Duran was convicted of sexual assault in
Deborah Tomlinson Case, Demands Justice 1979 and again in 1991 (for a rape that took
for Family.” KJCT 8 News, March 26, 2019. place in 1989) for which he was given a
Accessed December 13, 2020. https:// sentence of 6 months each. Six of the sexual
www.kjct8.com/content/news/GJPD- assaults with which he is now being
corporal-reopens-Deborah-Tomlinson-case- investigated took place while he was on
demands-justice-for-family-507704961.html. probation (which expired on September 15,
1994) for the 1989 rape conviction; one took
place while the case was pending before the
Case ID 1610-1617: Duran, Edward courts. He had no subsequent convictions that
Gilbert would have led to his DNA being in the
CODIS database. He was arrested in 1995 for
Edward Duran, 63, was charged on December battering a household member, but this crime
21, 2021, in connection with a July 7, 1997, is not considered serious enough to require a
home invasion rape in Albuquerque, New DNA sample.
Mexico. An intruder broke into the victim’s
apartment, sexually assaulted her at The original complaint in the 1997 rape case
knifepoint, and then made her take a shower. states that the victim reported to police that,
The victim went to the hospital and had a “He was not nervous once he had literally
sexual assault kit taken. The SAK was not beaten me into submission; contrary, he was
tested until February of 2020. assured, commanding, and knew every step.
He was very smooth, and knew exactly what
A total of seven other rape cases were linked he would do next.”
to the same suspect through sexual assault
kits taken from the victims at the time of the An arraignment hearing was held on January
rapes. This information was uncovered during 3, 2022, and a pre-trial conference is
a recent effort to clear the backlog in untested scheduled for February 21, 2023.

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 112
Sources: Case ID 1417: Durborow, Adam Antonio
Spencer
Frendak, Giuli. “Albuquerque Man Arrested
in Connection to 1997 Cold Case.” KOB 4 Adam Antonio Spencer Durborow was
News, December 21, 2021. Accessed arrested on October 10, 2020 and charged
December 23, 2021. https://www.kob.com/ with the 2011 murder of 64-year-old Sherry
albuquerque-news/albuquerque-man-arrested- Black in Salt Lake City, Utah. Black had been
in-connection-to-1997-cold-case/6338996/. working in her bookstore, B&W Billiard and
Books on November 30, 2011, when she was
Laflin, Nancy. “DA: Person Searching for robbed and murdered by an intruder.
Family History Leads them to Arrest in Cold
Case Rape.” KOAT Action News 7, December Durborow is charged with aggravated murder,
22, 2021. Accessed December 23, 2021. aggravated burglary, and desecration of a
https://www.koat.com/article/da-person- human body, as there appears to have been a
searching-family-history-leads-them-to- violent post-mortem sexual assault.
arrest-in-cold-case-rape/38584989#.
A small amount of blood was collected at the
Kaplan, Elsie. “Suspected Serial Rapist scene and developed into a DNA profile of
Charged in 1997 Case.” Albuquerque Journal, the suspect. There were no hits in CODIS.
December 21, 2021. Accessed December 23, Familial searching of Utah DNA databases
2021. https://www.abqjournal.com/2456030/ also turned up no hits.
das-office-announces-arrest-in-1997-cold-
case-rape.html. The FGG investigation in this case was
conducted by Parabon Nanolabs, who had
McKee, Chris, and Stephanie Chavez. analyzed the DNA and produced a phenotypic
“Albuquerque Man Arrested in Connection profile of the suspect in 2017. Ancestry
with 1997 Rape Cold Case.” KRQE, analysis at that time indicated that the suspect
December 21, 2021. Last modified December had about 46% West African heritage, and
22, 2021. Accessed December 23, 2021. about 1/3 northern European heritage. Police
https://www.krqe.com/news/albuquerque- used surveillance followed by surreptitious
metro/bernalillo-county-da-to-announce- sampling to make the initial confirmation of
break-in-1997-rape-cold-case/. the results of the FGG investigation.

State of New Mexico v. Edward Gilbert Durborow was convicted of attempted rape
Duran. “Register of Actions Activity: Case and aggravated assault in May of 2006 when
Number D-202-CR-202102546.” State of he was 14 years old. He spent time in juvenile
New Mexico Courts. Accessed January 14, detention for this offence, for which he was
2023. https://caselookup.nmcourts.gov/ also ordered to provide a DNA sample, but it
caselookup/app? is unknown if this took place.
component=cnLink&page=SearchResults&se
rvice=direct&session=T&sp=SD-202- Durborow had a very difficult upbringing. His
CR-202102546. adoptive father had served time in federal

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 113
prison for child sexual offences and a large July 21, 2021. Accessed July 22, 2021.
child pornography operation, which he ran https://www.abc4.com/news/local-news/the-
out of a studio in the home where he lived justice-files-unsealed-search-warrants-offers-
with Durborow and his siblings. Law new-insight-in-sherry-black-murder-
enforcement authorities report that Durborow investigation/.
confessed to committing the crime during
police interviews. Reavy, Pat. “Man Arrested in Sherry Black
Killing Has Quiet Rap Sheet, but Outspoken
Durborow pled guilty to aggravated murder in Social Media Posts.” Desert News, October
the Salt Lake 3rd District Court on Monday 12, 2020. Accessed December 13, 2020.
October 4, 2021. He was sentenced to life https://www.deseret.com/utah/
without the possibility of parole on February 2020/10/12/21513213/arrest-sherry-black-
23, 2022. cold-case-criminal-history-social-media-
posts.
Sources:
Reavy, Pat. “Orem Man Admits Murdering
Bittan, Ryan. “Sherry Black’s Murderer, Bookstore Owner Sherry Black in 2010.”
Rapist Sentenced to Life in Prison with no Desert News, October 4, 2021. Accessed
Parole.” ABC News 4, February 23, 2022. October 5, 2021. https://www.deseret.com/
Accessed March 5, 2022. https:// utah/2021/10/4/22709797/orem-man-admits-
www.abc4.com/news/local-news/sherry- murdering-south-salt-lake-bookstore-owner-
blacks-murderer-rapist-sentenced-to-life-in- sherry-black-in-2010.
prison-with-no-parole/.
Reavy, Pat. “Police Hope Phenotyping Will
Cawley, Dave, KSL Newsradio, and Keira Crack Sherry Black Murder Case.” Desert
Farrimond. “KSL Uncovers Disturbing News, November 30, 2017. Accessed
Details Surrounding Cold Case Murder December 13, 2020. https://
Suspect’s Childhood.” KSL TV News, October www.deseret.com/2017/11/30/20636730/
13, 2020. Accessed December 13, 2020. police-hope-phenotyping-will-crack-sherry-
https://ksltv.com/446967/adam-durborow/. black-murder-case#heidi-and-gregg-miller-
the-daughter-and-son-in-law-of-sherry-black-
Knox, Annie. “Murder Charge Filed in attend-a-press-conference-in-south-salt-lake-
Decade-Old Killing of Bookstore Owner on-thursday-nov-30-2017-about-new-dna-
Sherry Black.” Desert News, October 26, phenotyping-snapshots-of-a-man-suspected-
2020. Accessed December 13, 2020. https:// of-killing-black-64-in-2010.
www.deseret.com/utah/
2020/10/26/21534465/murder-charge-filed- Weaver, Jennifer. “Salt Lake County DA
in-decade-old-killing-of-bookstore-owner- Details Arrest of Man Charged with Sherry
sherry-black. Black’s Murder.” KUTV 2 News, October 26,
2020. Accessed December 13, 2020. https://
Ortiz, Marcos. “The Justice Files: Unsealed kutv.com/news/local/salt-lake-county-da-
Search Warrants Offer New Insight in Sherry update-on-sherry-black-case.
Black Murder Investigation.” ABC News 4,

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 114
Case ID 1098: Dusseault, Matthew local_news/suspect-who-had-implicated-
Norman attleboro-man-pleads-innocent-to-
woonsocket-murder/
Matthew Norman Dusseault, 21, was arrested article_97ee0c80-4dbc-5fd4-
on July 18, 2018 and charged with first- b8a3-6fb84ac88823.html.
degree murder in the death of 81-year-old
Constance Gaultier in Woonsocket, Rhode Milkovits, Amanda. “How DNA and a Tattoo
Island. Gaultier was stabbed to death in her Led to Charges in Cold R.I. Murder Case.”
home on March 23, 2016. There were 76 stab Providence Journal, July 27, 2018. https://
wounds on her head and upper body. She was www.providencejournal.com/news/20180727/
found under the mattress in her bedroom, how-dna-and-tattoo-led-to-charges-in-cold-ri-
which was covered in blood spatter. Tyler murder-case.
Grenon, 20, a neighbour of Gaultier’s who
discovered her body, was originally arrested Olivo, Russ. “Judge to Dusseault Dad: Keep
on murder and conspiracy charges as well, Away.” Woonsocket Call, December 19, 2019.
but these were later dismissed for lack of https://www.pressreader.com/usa/
evidence. woonsocket-call/
20191219/281487868248267.
The DNA profiles were reportedly obtained
from touch DNA, or skin cells, making this Towne, Shaun, and Walt Buteau. “Arrests
one of the few FGG cases to use touch DNA Made in Murder of Woonsocket Woman, 81.”
to generate a suspect’s profile. The FGG WPRI News, July 18, 2018, last updated July
investigation was conducted by Parabon 19, 2018. https://www.wpri.com/news/local-
Nanolabs. news/blackstone-valley/arrests-made-in-
murder-of-woonsocket-
Dusseault has pled not guilty, and is being woman-81/1309532333/.
held without bail. His case is pending in the
Providence County Superior Court.
Case ID 1095: Earhart, James Otto
Sources:
James Otto Earhart has been identified as the
Buteau, Walt. “Bail Hearing Chronicles lead suspect in the December 1, 1981 murder
Twists and Turns of Grisly Murder.” WRPI 12 of 40-year-old Virginia Freeman in College
News, December 9, 2019. Accessed Station, Texas. This case was closed by
December 13, 2020. https://www.wpri.com/ exception due to death of Earhart, who was
target-12/bail-hearing-chronicles-twists-and- executed in 1999 for the murder of Kandy
turns-of-grisly-murder/. Kirtland.

Linton, David. “Suspect Who Had Implicated On the day of Freeman’s murder, an unknown
Attleboro Man Pleads Innocent to man had phoned the real estate agency where
Woonsocket Murder.” The Sun Chronicle, she worked looking to buy a house. She went
January 31, 2019. Accessed January 27, 2023. to the house to show it to the prospective
https://www.thesunchronicle.com/news/ client and did not return. She was found in the

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 115
home later that evening by her worried article_73c0e259-3369-5488-
colleagues. She had been strangled, stabbed a6d2-3a2a0602aa5e.html.
in the neck, and bludgeoned to death.
Wiley, Kenny. “Modern Forensics Lead
A DNA profile was obtained from tissues Brazos County Authorities to Executed
under Freeman’s fingernails. The FGG Murderer as Likely Killer of Virginia
investigation was conducted by Parabon Freeman.” The Eagle, June 26, 2018.
Nanolabs, who had performed forensic Accessed December 13, 2020. https://
phenotyping in 2017 as part of a documentary theeagle.com/news/local/modern-forensics-
special about facial reconstruction for lead-brazos-county-authorities-to-executed-
National Geographic. The initial confirmation murderer-as-likely-killer-of-virginia-freeman/
of the match was accomplished through DNA article_12592822-78ab-11e8-8e6c-5345b043
provided by Earhart’s son. A court order was bd50.html.
then obtained to exhume Earhart’s body and
obtain a DNA profile sufficient to be entered
into CODIS. At the date of writing, Earhart Case ID 1737: Edwards, Robert
has not yet been identified as the lead suspect
in any other criminal offence. Robert Edwards, 67, was arrested on August
5, 2022, for the June 3, 1991 rape and murder
Earhart was executed at age 56, on August 11, of 30-year-old Alma Lake in Urbancrest,
1999, in Huntsville, Texas for the murder of Ohio. Two passers-by found Lake’s body
9-year-old Kandy Kirtland. She had been lying on the grass near a street corner. She
kidnapped and murdered while walking home was naked, bound, and had been sexually
from the school bus. This crime took place on assaulted before being strangled to death.
2 May 1987, several years after Virginia
Freeman’s murder. A DNA profile of the suspect was developed,
but there were no hits in CODIS. The case
Sources: was reopened in 2020. There is presently no
information on who conducted the FGG
Brown, Kelly. “Texas Executes Bryan Girl’s investigation. The initial confirmation was
Killer.” The Eagle, August 12, 1999. https:// made through surreptitious DNA sampling,
theeagle.com/archives/texas-executes-bryan- followed by a warrant to confirm that
girl-s-killer/ Edwards’ DNA profile was consistent with
article_a6694d3a-7946-11e8-9fa7- that found on Lake’s body.
e3de25bb0727.html?1530023802674.
Edwards’ DNA has also matched a suspect
Wiley, Kenny. “Body of Executed Killer profile found on the body of Michelle
James Earhart Exhumed for DNA Testing.” Dawson, who was murdered in similar
The Eagle, June 28, 2018. Accessed circumstances. Her remains were found on
December 13, 2020. https://theeagle.com/ November 11, 1996 about 50 miles east of
news/local/body-of-executed-killer-james- where Lake was killed. The investigation into
earhart-exhumed-for-dna-testing/ this case is ongoing, and charges in this case
may be forthcoming.

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 116
The investigation was also furthered by a DNA-Links-Suspect-to-Two-Cold-Case-
victim who was assaulted by an unknown Homicides/.
male a few days after Lake’s murder.
Edwards cannot be charged in her case, as the
statute of limitation on sexual assault has Case ID 1342: Edwards, Robert Dale:
expired.
Robert Dale Edwards has been identified as
Edwards is facing charges of aggravated the lead suspect in the February 27, 1973 rape
murder in the Franklin County Court of and murder of 57-year-old Naomi Sanders in
Common Pleas. Vallejo, California. The case was cleared by
exception, as Edwards died in 1993 of a drug
Sources: overdose.

10TV Web Staff. “Columbus Man Linked to Sanders was strangled to death in a violent
Two Women Found Dead in 1990s by DNA.” home invasion rape. She appeared to have
WBNS News 10, August 8, 2022. Last been cooking dinner when she was attacked.
modified August 9, 2022. Accessed August In 2014, a DNA profile of the suspect was
15, 2022. https://www.10tv.com/article/news/ obtained from semen found on her clothing
crime/columbus-man-to-two-woman- and entered into CODIS. Familial searching
sexually-assaulted-killed-in-1990s/ was also performed in 2016. The FGG
530-5b065fc8-5f9a-49e2-8810-271c56712a9 investigation was conducted by Parabon
9. Nanolabs.

Benatar, Orri. “Man Arrested for 1991 There was another lead in the case. Police
Murder in Franklin County.” NBC 4 News, traveled to Louisiana and surreptitiously
August 9, 2022. Accessed August 14, 2022. sampled his DNA, and he was eliminated as a
https://www.nbc4i.com/news/local-news/ suspect. Edwards was then the sole remaining
franklin-county/man-arrested-for-1991- suspect, but he had been cremated. The DNA
murder-in-franklin-county/. match to Edwards was confirmed by
comparison with a living child of his.
McMahan, Clayton. “Cold Case Investigation
Leads to Arrest in 1991 Ohio Homicide.” Edwards had a criminal history for violent
WANE News, August 9, 2022. Accessed offences. His father had been a co-worker of
August 14, 2022. https://www.wane.com/top- Sanders and so he may have known her.
stories/cold-case-investigation-leads-to-
arrest-in-1991-ohio-homicide/. Sources:

Taylor, Michelle. “Familial DNA Links Associated Press. “DNA Leads to Deceased
Suspect to Two Cold Case Homicides.” Suspect in Decades-Old Rape, Killing.” ABC
Forensic Magazine, August 10, 2022. 10 News, February 28, 2020. Accessed
Accessed August 14, 2022. https:// December 13, 2020. https://www.abc10.com/
www.forensicmag.com/589009-Familial- article/news/crime/dna-leads-to-deceased-

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 117
rape-suspect/103-32e23016-15f7-4931-9999- Gwendolyn Harris, 27, was murdered on
d0b1900d7243. December 21, 1980. She was stabbed to death
in the street near Andrews Drive and East 47th
Cassidy, Megan. “DNA Leads to Deceased Street in Denver.
Suspect in Vallejo Woman’s 47-Year-Old
Rape, Murder.” San Francisco Chronicle, Antoinette Parks, age 17, was murdered on
February 27, 2020. Accessed December 13, January 24, 1981. She was stabbed to death in
2020. https://www.sfchronicle.com/crime/ the street near Broadway and 64th Avenue in
article/DNA-leads-to-deceased-suspect-in- Denver.
Vallejo-15090650.php.
Officers state that DNA profiles of the suspect
Luperon, Alberto. “‘Closure’: It’s Too Late to were obtained, and the four cases linked
Charge the Alleged Killer, But Cops Say together, sometime between 2013 and 2018.
They Solved 1973 Murder.” Law & Crime, The FGG investigation was conducted by the
February 28, 2020. Accessed December 13, Denver Police Crime Laboratory. The final
2020. https://lawandcrime.com/crazy/closure- confirmation was made by exhuming Ervin’s
its-too-late-to-charge-the-alleged-killer-but- body from a cemetery in Arlington, Texas,
cops-say-they-solved-1973-murder/. and comparing his DNA to that found at the
above crime scenes.

Case ID 1632-1635: Ervin, Joe Michael Ervin had a history of violence. He was first
indicted at age 17 for a murder that took place
On January 28, 2022, authorities identified in October of 1969 in Tarrant County. He was
Joe Michael Ervin as the lead suspect in four accused of killing 21-year-old Rodney Gene
cold case homicides in Denver, Colorado, that Bonham, but fled to Colorado. There, he was
took place between 1978 and 1980. The case indicted for rape and murder charges, but was
has been cleared by exception due to the released twice on bond.
death of Ervin.
On June 27, 1981 he killed Debra Sue Corr, a
Authorities state that the killings were patrol officer in Aurora, with her own service
sexually motivated. The victims are as revolver during a routine traffic stop. A 19-
follows: year-old bystander who tried to help Corr was
also shot, but survived. Ervin was taken into
Madeline Furey-Livaudais, 33, was killed on custody. He committed suicide while awaiting
December 7, 1978. She was stabbed to death trial. He was 30 years old.
in her home in Denver.
Sources:
Delores Barajas, 53, was killed on August 10,
1980. She was stabbed to death on the street, Abeyta, Michael. “Denver Police Say Joe
near the 500 block of East 17th Avenue in Michael Ervin Was a Serial Killer Who
Denver. Murdered 5 Women More than 40 Years
Ago.” CBS News 4 Denver, January 28, 2022.
Accessed January 30, 2022. https://

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 118
denver.cbslocal.com/2022/01/28/joe-michael- A DNA profile of the offender was developed
ervin-serial-killer-identified-denver-murders- from semen in 2018. The FGG investigation
madeleine-furey-livaudais-gwendolyn-harris- was conducted by Colleen Fitzpatrick of
antoinette-parks-debra-sue-corr/. Identifinders.

CBSDFW.com Staff. “Denver Serial Killer, Eugene Carroll Field died in 2009 of throat
Joe Michael Ervin, Had Deep Ties to North cancer, from a tumour that likely blocked his
Texas.” CBS News Dallas Fort Worth, breathing. Confirmation to crime scene DNA
January 30, 2022. January 30, 2022. https:// was provided by a full sibling – a living
dfw.cbslocal.com/2022/01/30/denver-serial- brother of Field. Field had lived in the area at
killer-joe-michael-ervin-had-deep-ties-to- the time of Miller’s murder, and former
north-texas/. partners report that he was abusive towards
them.
Stelloh, Tim. “Four Colorado Women Were
Found Dead 40 Years Ago. Their Alleged Michael Beckers, the owner of Beckers
Killer Was Just Identified.” NBC News, Pharmacy, was long the main suspect in this
January 28, 2022. Accessed January 30, 2022. case, as he had made advances towards Miller
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/ which she had rejected. He was widely
four-colorado-women-found-dead-40-years- believed to be responsible for the murder by
ago-alleged-killer-was-just-id-rcna14040. the police and within the community. He was
cleared only years later through DNA, along
with about 25 other suspects after the profile
Case ID 1223: Field, Eugene Carroll was developed in 2018.

Eugene Carroll Field was identified as the Sources:

lead suspect in the February 29, 1968 rape
and murder of 60-year-old Gwen Vivian Associated Press. “Investigators Crack Cold
Miller in Rapid City, South Dakota. The case Case Murder of South Dakota Woman.” City
has been cleared by exception due to the News, June 18, 2019. Accessed December 15,
death of Field. 2020. https://toronto.citynews.ca/2019/06/18/
investigators-crack-cold-case-murder-of-
Miller was a pharmacist, and when she failed south-dakota-woman/.
to show up for work at a local hospital, her
co-workers went to her home to look for her. Mitchell, Trevor J. “Rapid City Police Solve
She had been beaten and sexually assaulted. 51-Year-Old Cold Case with Help of
She had broken bones in her neck and ribs Genealogy.” Argus Leader, June 17, 2019.
and is thought to have died from Accessed December 15, 2020. https://
strangulation. Miller had earned her www.argusleader.com/story/news/
Pharmacy degree from South Dakota State 2019/06/17/rapid-city-police-solve-51-year-
University (then South Dakota State College) old-cold-case-help-genealogy-gwen-miller/
and was the Head Pharmacist at the Bennett- 1481518001/.
Clarkson Memorial Hospital.

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 119
Zionts, Arielle. “DNA, Genealogy Help Solve repeatedly. She was found unconscious in the
1968 Rapid City Rape, Murder.” Billings bushes.
Gazette, June 21, 2019. Accessed December
15, 2020. https://billingsgazette.com/news/ The fourth attach took place on July 16, 2017,
state-and-regional/crime-and-courts/dna- when a 19-year-old woman was walking
genealogy-help-solve-1968-rapid-city-rape- home and was attacked, pushed against a wall
murder/article_dc04619d-bc1f-5b70- and raped. She then managed to escape her
bbe9-86559577b904.html. attacker.

Zionts, Arielle. “DNA, Genealogy Identify DNA samples were collected from the victims
1968 Rapid City Rapist, Murderer.” Rapid at the hospital. The attacks were linked to a
City Journal, June 17, 2019, last modified single perpetrator through a DNA profile
July 25, 2019. Accessed December 15, 2020. developed from the sexual assault kits. There
https://rapidcityjournal.com/news/local/ were no hits to the CODIS database. There is
crime-and-courts/dna-genealogy- no data as to who performed the FGG
identify-1968-rapid-city-rapist-murderer/ investigation. The initial confirmation was
article_9f0e53af-4efd-5a54-8494- made to the suspect’s parents. Fields is their
f17f84a5b3b8.html. only child.

Fields worked in the State College area. On

Case ID 1639-1642: Fields, Jeffrey P. March 10, 2022, Fields pled guilty to 14
charges in relation to the four assaults in
Jeffrey P. Fields, then 36, was arrested on July Centre County Court. On July 8, 2022, Fields
21, 2020 for the rapes of four women at was sentenced to 29 years imprisonment for
Pennsylvania State University between 2010 the rape of the four women.
and 2017 in State College, Pennsylvania.
Sources:
The first attack took place on August 22,
2010. A 20-year-old Penn State student was Pallotto, Bret. “Man Sentenced to Decades in
attacked in the Apple Valley area in the early Prison for the Rape of 4 Penn State Students
morning hours. in State College.” Centre Daily Times, July
14, 2022. Accessed January 13, 2023. Read
A 19-year-old woman was attacked in the more at: https://www.centredaily.com/news/
late-night hours on January 28, 2011, after local/crime/
leaving a party in the Fraternity Row area. article263193038.html#storylink=cpy.
She got into a vehicle with her assailant who
promised her a ride home. He struck her in Rushton, Geoff. “Port Matilda Man Arrested
the face and then raped her. for Alleged Serial Rapes of Four Penn State
Students.” StateCollege.com, July 21, 2020.
A 20-year-old woman was attacked on April Accessed March 11, 2022. https://
3, 2011, while walking home. She was www.statecollege.com/port-matilda-man-
dragged into a bush area and hit and raped arrested-for-alleged-serial-rapes-of-four-
penn-state-students/.

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 120
 Rushton, Geoff. “Port Matilda Man Pleads was consensual. He testified in his own
Guilty to Serial Rapes of Four Penn State defence, stating that he had consensual sexual
Students in State College.” StateCollege.com, relations with Dalzell in his car after having
March 10, 2022. Accessed March 11, 2022. met her at a bar that evening. Dalzell’s sister
https://www.statecollege.com/port-matilda- testified that she had spoken to Dalzell that
man-pleads-guilty-to-serial-rapes-of-four- evening, and that she was tired and was at
penn-state-students-in-state-college/. home working on her sister’s taxes.

Stonesifer, Nick. “Port Matilda Man Pleads One of the jurors on this case testified that
Guilty After Allegedly Raping 4 Penn State they did not believe Fleming’s defence,
Students.” Daily Collegian, March 11, 2022. stating to Christ Anderson that, “There was
Accessed March 11, 2022. https:// no question about it,” the juror said. “Even he
www.collegian.psu.edu/news/campus/port- said it was his.”
matilda-man-pleads-guilty-after-allegedly-
raping-4-penn-state-students/ Sources:
article_0d7fd780-a163-11ec-
b61e-5b7e292c5506.html. Anderson, Chris. “Inside the Jury of Luke
Fleming’s Murder Trial.” St. Augustine
Record, March 2, 2020. Accessed December
Case ID 1111: Fleming, Luke Edward 15, 2020. https://www.staugustine.com/
opinion/20200302/anderson-inside-jury-of-
Luke Edward Flemming was arrested on luke-flemingrsquos-murder-trial.
September 19, 2018 and charged in the March
29, 1999 rape and murder of 47-year-old Hurtado, Daniela, Rebecca Fernandez, and
Deborah Dalzell in Sarasota, Florida. An ABC 7 Staff. “Luke Fleming Found Guilty of
accountant and attorney, Dalzell was raped First-Degree Murder, Sexual Battery in
and murdered by an assailant who broke into Sarasota Cold Case.” WWSB ABC 7 News,
her home. Dalzell had been battered, gaged February 27, 2020. https://
with a sock, and strangled with a T-shirt. Her www.mysuncoast.com/2020/02/27/luke-
head was submerged in the tub in the master fleming-found-guilty-first-degree-murder-
bedroom, with the water left running. Blood sexual-battery-sarasota-cold-case/.
and semen were collected at the scene.
Munoz, Carlos R. “DNA Experts Testify in
DNA samples from semen collected during Luke Fleming Sarasota Murder Trial.” USA
her autopsy were used to create a DNA Today, 26 February 2020. Accessed
profile of the suspect. The FGG investigation December 15, 2020. http://gm5-
was conducted by DNA Labs International. lkweb.newscyclecloud.com/news/20200226/
The initial confirmation of the match was dna-experts-testify-in-luke-fleming-sarasota-
made through one of Fleming’s children. murder-trial.

Fleming was convicted after a jury trial in Munoz, Carlos R. “Jury Finds Luke Fleming
February of 2020. He admitted that the DNA Guilty of 1999 Sarasota Murder.” Herald
evidence was correct but claimed that the sex Tribune, February 27, 2020. Accessed

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 121
December 15, 2020. https:// Sources:
www.heraldtribune.com/news/20200227/jury-
finds-luke-fleming-guilty-of-1999-sarasota- Stockley, Leela. “Arrest Made in 26-Year-Old
murder. Hancock County Assault Cold Case.” Bangor
Daily News, November 9, 2022. Accessed
Munoz, Carlos R. “New DNA Technology November 11, 2022. https://
Solves 1999 Murder of Florida Woman.” www.bangordailynews.com/2022/11/09/
Palm Beach Post, September 20, 2018. news/hancock/hancock-county-cold-case-
Accessed December 15, 2020. https:// arrest/.
www.palmbeachpost.com/news/state--
regional/new-dna-technology-solves-1999- Trotter, Bill. “Prosecutor Says Man Arrested
murder-florida-woman/ in Hancock 26-Year-Old Cold Case is a Serial
26VWFjjBRF86VtuxUlV9HP/. Rape Suspect.” Bangor Daily News,
November 10, 2022. Accessed November 11,
2022. https://www.bangordailynews.com/
Case ID 1785: Follette, Jason 2022/11/10/news/hancock/hancock-county-
cold-case-suspect-potential-serial-rapist/.
Fifty-six-year-old Jason Follette was arrested
on November 9, 2022 for the August 11, 1996 Vogen, Michael. “Maine State Police Partners
rape of a 21-year-old woman in Hancock, with Othram to Identify a 1990s Serial Sexual
Maine. The woman was sexually assaulted by Predator.” DNASolves.com, November 9,
an unknown suspect who broke into her 2022. Accessed November 11, 2022. https://
apartment. dnasolves.com/articles/jason-follettee-maine/.

A DNA profile of the suspect was developed

from evidence left at the crime scene. A “John Case ID 1480: Foreman, Clayton
Doe Warrant” was issued by District Attorney
Michael Povich just before the statute of Clayton Bernard Foreman was arrested on
limitations was about to expire. This is the April 29, 2021 for the January 13, 1995
first time that charges have been filed in murder of Mary Catherine Edwards in
Maine using a John Doe Warrant. Beaumont, Texas. Edwards, a popular
elementary school teacher, had been
The FGG investigation was conducted by handcuffed, sexually assaulted, and drowned
Othram in partnership with the Maine State in her bathtub. She was found by her parents
Police, beginning in 2022. the next day, when they went to her home to
check on her because she was not answering
Follette is facing a charge of sexual assault in her phone.
the Hancock County Superior Court, and is
being held in the Hancock County Jail. He is A DNA profile of the suspect was developed
a suspect in four or five similar sexual from semen found on Edwards’ body. There is
assaults that took place in Hancock County. currently no information on who conducted
Those investigations are continuing, and the FGG investigation. Investigators state that
further charges may be forthcoming. they obtained voluntary DNA samples from

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 122
30 relatives in targeted kinship testing to draw Beaumont Teacher Killed in 1995.” MSN
out the family tree. Investigators narrowed News, May 5, 2021. Accessed May 6, 2021.
down the suspect pool to Foreman and his https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/
brother. As Foreman had a previous genetic-genealogy-is-game-changer-in-case-
conviction for a similar sexual assault in of-beaumont-teacher-killed-in-1995/ar-
1981, investigators focused on him. The BB1gmPUq.
initial confirmation was made to the crime
scene DNA through the surreptitious KFDM 6 News. “New Details About Arrest in
sampling of items from Foreman’s garbage. 1995 Beaumont Teacher Rape and Murder.”
KJAS News, May 4, 2021. Accessed May 6,
Both of Foreman’s known victims were high 2021. https://www.kjas.com/news/
school acquaintances who were sexually local_news/article_bb7d3112-
assaulted in their homes. During the 1981 ad02-11eb-9dab-539a9a215d55.html.
sexual assault, Foreman claimed to be a
police officer.
Case ID 1646: Forte, James Paul
Foreman was detained in Franklin County,
Ohio, and was extradited to Jefferson County, James Paul Forte was identified on February
where he is facing a charge of capital murder 10, 2022, as the lead suspect in the March 18,
in Jefferson County Criminal District Court. 1964 rape and murder of 9-year-old Marise
Ann Chiverella in Hazelton, Pennsylvania.
Sources: The case has been cleared by exception due to
the death of Forte.
Ellsworth, Meagan. “Beaumont Capital
Murder Cold Case Set for Review.” Chiverella had been abducted by an unknown
Beaumont Enterprise, June 29, 2022. man while walking to school. She was raped
Accessed January 27, 2023. https:// and strangled. Her body was found in a waste
www.beaumontenterprise.com/news/article/ coal pit later that day.
Beaumont-capital-murder-cold-case-set-for-
review-17268557.php. DNA was collected from semen found on
Chiverella’s jacket. The FGG investigation
Eslinger, Scott, and Daniel Brown. “Trash was conducted by Eric Schubert, a history
and DNA Evidence Lead to Arrest in 1995 student at Elizabethtown College, and his
Murder of Beaumont Teacher.” 12 News Now, company ES Genealogy. Schubert, a
May 4, 2021. Accessed May 6, 2021. https:// practitioner of genetic genealogy since he was
www.12newsnow.com/article/news/crime/ a young boy, volunteered his time to build out
dna-evidence-leads-to-arrest-1995-murder-of- the offender’s family trees. One family
beaumont-teacher/ member, who is a state police captain in New
502-0d52678d-90c7-4588-9c0d- Jersey, provided DNA to help narrow the
a6870d118155. field, and other family members provided
family research that they had performed. The
James, Jordan, and Scott Eslinger. “Genetic final confirmation was made by exhuming
Genealogy is ‘Game Changer’ in Case of Forte’s body in January of 2022 and

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 123
comparing his DNA with that found at the robbery, three victims were bound and
crime scene. assaulted, including Margaret Ridgley,
Donald Gagnon, and Kelly Skarwecki.
Forte died in May of 1980 at the age of about Michael Temple was shot multiple times
39 – 16 years after killing Marise. He was while trying to fend off Frampton, while the
about 22 years old at the time of the murder. other attacker, Johnathan Ludwig, beat and
Forte had been convicted of sexual assault in choked Ms. Ridgley. Temple was rendered a
1974, and served a year on probation. quadriplegic after the shooting. He lived in a
wheelchair until he passed away from health
Sources: complications in June of 2015.

Bonvillian, Crystal. “College Genealogist, The FGG investigation was conducted by

DNA Help Solve 57-Year-Old Rape, Murder Parabon. Investigators put Frampton under
of 9-Year-Old Pennsylvania Girl.” KIRO 7 surveillance and surreptitiously collected
News, February 11, 2022. Accessed February DNA from a cigarette butt and a coffee cup
11, 2022. https://www.kiro7.com/news/ that he had discarded at a 7-11 store in
trending/college-genealogist-dna-help- Crofton.
solve-57-year-old-rape-murder-9-year-old-
pennsylvania-girl/ Frampton pled guilty to first-degree murder.
4SY2QWPHMZHGLDT5U34NJJLZNE/. The second suspect, Johnathan Ludwig, was
also identified, but he had passed away.
Reilly, Patrick. “DNA and College Student
Help Solve 1964 Rape and Murder of 9-Year- Sources:
Old Girl.” New York Post, February 10, 2022.
Accessed February 11, 2022. https:// EOA Staff. “Glen Burnie Man Pleads Guilty
nypost.com/2022/02/10/dna-college-student- in Odenton Cold Case Murder Solved With
help-solve-64-rape-and-murder-of-girl/. DNA.” Eye On Annapolis, July 1, 2019.
Accessed December 15, 2020. https://
Rubinkam, Michael. “Police Solve 1964 www.eyeonannapolis.net/2019/07/glen-
Rape, Murder of Girl with DNA.” ABC News, burnie-man-pleads-guilty-in-odenton-cold-
February 10, 2022. Accessed February 11, case-murder-solved-with-dna/.
2022. https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/
police-solve-1964-rape-murder-girl-dna- Find a Grave, “Michael Anthony Temple Jr.”
volunteer-82806195. Find a Grave. Memorial No. 166893444.
Accessed December 15, 2020. Accessed
December 15, 2020. https://
Case ID 1131-1134: Frampton, Frederick www.findagrave.com/memorial/166893444/
Lee Jr. michael-anthony-temple.

Frederick Lee Frampton Jr. was arrested on Shapiro, Emily. “DNA, Genetic Genealogy
November 1, 2018 and charged in a February Led Police to Suspected Killer in Maryland
2, 2010 home invasion robbery and murder in Cold Case.” ABC News, November 5, 2018.
Odenton, Maryland. During the course of the Accessed December 15, 2020. https://

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 124
abcnews.go.com/US/dna-genetic-genealogy- shallow grave outside of Cobden, Illinois. His
led-police-suspected-killer-maryland/story? killer has never been identified. He worked as
id=58972682. a trucker.

After the DNA profile was developed in

Case ID 1653: Freeman, Thomas O. 2001, police began asking possible suspects
to provide DNA samples, but all were cleared
On February 25, 2022, police announced that of involvement in Rotatori’s murder.
Thomas O. Freeman was the lead suspect in
the murder of 32-year-old Lee Rotatori on
June 25, 1982, in Council Bluffs, Iowa. The Sources:
case has been cleared by exception due to the
death of Freeman. Brownlee, Mike. “Police Solve Decades-Old
Murder in Council Bluffs, Iowa.” The
Rotatori had just moved to the area a few Courier, February 25, 2022. Accessed March
days before for a new job as a food service 5, 2022. https://wcfcourier.com/news/state-
director at the Jennie Edmundson Hospital and-regional/police-solves-decades-old-cold-
and was still staying at a local Best Western case-murder-in-council-bluffs-iowa/
Hotel. Her boss phoned the hotel after she article_6a65672b-1c2d-5298-9eca-61889acb2
failed to show up for work. Staff checked on 606.html.
her in her room, and they found her deceased.
She had been sexually assaulted and stabbed KETV 7 News Omaha. “Council Bluffs
to death. Police Clear 1982 Cold Case Murder of
Michigan Woman.” KETV 7 News Omaha,
A DNA profile from evidence collected from February 25, 2022. Accessed March 5, 2022.
the hotel room was first developed in 2001 https://www.ketv.com/article/council-bluffs-
and entered into law enforcement databases, police-clear-1982-cold-case-murder-of-
but no leads were produced. The FGG michigan-woman/39223826.
investigation was conducted by Parabon
Nanolabs, beginning in April of 2019, with Lambe, Jerry. “Cold Case Murder of Woman
the assistance of Eric Schubert of ES Sexually Assaulted and Stabbed Inside Iowa
Genealogy. The initial matches were to 6th to Hotel Room Solved After Nearly 40 Years:
8th cousins, which is not close enough for an Police.” Law & Crime, February 25, 2022.
identification. Eventually, Freeman’s great- Accessed March 5, 2022. https://
grandparent was identified, and the case was lawandcrime.com/crime/cold-case-murder-of-
able to progress. Several family members woman-sexually-assaulted-and-stabbed-
provided samples as part of targeted kinship inside-iowa-hotel-room-solved-after-
testing. The final confirmation was made to nearly-40-years-police/
Freeman’s daughter.

Freeman, then 35, died shortly after Rotatori’s

murder, having been murdered himself. He
was shot several times, and buried in a

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 125
.

Case ID 1655: Gadlin, Sharron Eugene The next court date is scheduled for March 24
2023.
Sharron Eugene Gadlin, 48, was arrested and
charged with the April 24, 1994, murder of Sources:
39-year-old Cheri Huss in Desert Hot
Springs, California. Huss was found dead on Albani-Burgio, Paul. “Gene Database Leads
the floor of her apartment by her parents. She to Arrest of Gardena Man in 1994 Cold Case
had been bitten and died from multiple stab Killing in Desert Hot Springs.” Desert Sun,
wounds. She had fought against her attacker, March 8, 2022. https://www.desertsun.com/
whose blood was also found at the crime story/news/2022/03/08/1994-desert-hot-
scene. Investigators believe that she was springs-cold-case-murder-gene-website-
killed sometime after 10:00 pm the evening leads-arrest/9426574002/.
before.
Bonvillian, Crystal. “DNA from Bite Mark
A DNA profile was obtained from saliva Ties California Man to Woman’s Brutal 1994
collected from a bite mark on Huss’ body. Cold Case Murder.” WGAU News, March 10,
The profile matched the blood found in Huss’ 2022. Accessed March 13, 2022. https://
home. There were no hits in CODIS to this www.wgauradio.com/news/trending/dna-bite-
DNA profile. mark-ties-california-man-womans-
brutal-1994-cold-case-murder/
There is currently no information on who 7Q3YZX5JOJAYHPP4465N3DBKQM/.
conducted the FGG investigation.
Investigators obtained a warrant on February CBSLA Staff. “Gardena Man Arrested,
14, 2022, to test Gadlin’s DNA against the Charged in 1994 Murder of Desert Hot
DNA profile developed from the crime scene. Springs Mother Cheri Huss.” KCAL News 9,
March 8, 2022. Accessed March 13, 2022.
Gadlin is facing charges of first-degree https://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2022/03/08/
murder in Riverside County. He lived in sharron-gadlin-arrested-charged-1994-
Thousand Palms around the time of the murder-desert-hot-springs-mother-cheri-
murder, which is about 12 miles from Huss’ huss/.
home. Huss had told her parents shortly
before her murder that someone was Miller, Jax. “Bite Marks Left on the Body of
following her and calling her, and that she a 1994 Murder Victim Lead to Arrest.”
was afraid. Oxygen, March 9, 2022. Accessed March 13,
2022. https://www.oxygen.com/crime-news/
Gadlin has a minor criminal record for sharron-eugene-gadlin-arrested-for-1994-
entering property, public intoxication, and murder-of-cheri-huss.
DUI, all in 1999.
Reyes, Jesus. “Gardena Man Pleads Not
On March 25, 2022, Gadlin pleaded not guilty Guilty to 1994 Murder of Desert Hot Springs
to all charges. He’s currently held at Smith Woman.” KESQ, March 25, 2022. Accessed
Correctional Facility on a $1 million bond. January 13, 2023. https://kesq.com/news/
2022/03/25/gardena-man-pleads-not-quilty-

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 126
to-1994-murder-of-desert-hot-springs- The FGG investigation was conducted in
woman/. partnership with the Ventura County Sheriff’s
Office, although the organization who
Inmate Information System. “Sharron Eugene performed the FGG analysis has not yet been
Gadlin.” Riverside Sheriff’s Office, 2022. disclosed.
Accessed January 13, 2023. https://
jimspub.riversidesheriff.org/cgi-bin/ At the time of the murders, Garcia lived only
iisinfo.acu?bkno=202208592G. a few miles from where the victims were
found. He is reported to have been a long-
time resident of the area.
Case ID 1841-1842: Garcia, Tony
Garcia is now facing two charges of first-
On February 9, 2023, 68 year old Tony Garcia degree murder with special circumstances in
was arrested and charged with the rape and Ventura County Superior Court.
murder of two women in 1981 in Oxnard,
California. Sources:

The body of 20-year-old Rachel Zendejas was Associated Press. “Southern California Man
found by two newspaper boys - who were Charged with Two 1981 Cold Case Killings.”
only 9 and 14 years old - on January 18, NBC News, February 10, 2023. Accessed
1981. Zendejas was a single mother of two February 11, 2023. https://
daughters. She had gone out the evening www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/southern-
before her murder, and had just driven her california-man-charged-two-1981-cold-case-
babysitters home when she was attacked at killings-rcna70047.
about 6:30 am by her assailant in a car port
near her home. She was a student at the Leonard, Eric. “Genealogical Cases Led to
Oxnard Community College. She had been Ventura County Cold Case Arrest.” NBC
raped and was killed by strangulation. News 4 Los Angeles, February 9, 2023.
Accessed February 11, 2023. https://
The body of 21-year-old Lisa Gondek was www.nbclosangeles.com/investigations/
found on December 12, 1981. She had also __trashed-11/3093183/.
been sexually assaulted and killed by
strangulation. Pelisek, Christine. “Hiding in Plain Sight:
DNA Allegedly Links Calif. Karate Instructor
A DNA profile of the suspect in Zendejas’ to 1981 Rapes, Murders of 2 Women.”
case was developed in 2002. The cases were People, February 10, 2023. Accessed
linked together in 2004 as having been February 11, 2023. https://people.com/crime/
committed by the same perpetrator when a dna-allegedly-links-calif-karate-
DNA profiles of the suspect in Gondek's case instructor-1981-rapes-murders-2-women/
was obtained and uploaded into the CODIS
database.

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 127
Case ID 1177, 1494: Garner, Thomas Lewis named ‘Tommy’. Her body was found by
joggers the next morning along Nuuanu Pali
Thomas Lewis Garner was arrested on March Drive. She had most likely been thrown there
13, 2019 and charged in the August 5, 1984 from the roadway, and rolled down the
rape and murder of 25-year-old Pamela embankment. Like Cahanes, she had been
Cahanes in Sandford, Florida. Cahanes had strangled and sexually assaulted. Garner had
been sexually assaulted, beaten and strangled, been stationed in Hawaii at the time of the
and left in an overgrown lot. She was a Navy murder. He is currently charged with second
recruit, and a student at the Orlando Naval degree murder for the death of Hicks.
Training Center.
Garner is currently facing charges of second
A DNA profile was obtained from semen degree murder for the death of Hicks in
found on her underwear, and from tissue Honolulu Circuit Court.
taken from under her fingernails. The FGG Sources:
investigation was conducted by Parabon
Nanolabs. Associated Press. “DNA Leads to Arrest 34
Years After Navy Recruit’s Slaying.” Navy
At a recent bond hearing, the defence Times, March 14, 2019. Accessed December
admitted that there may have been sexual 15, 2020. https://www.navytimes.com/news/
contact and that the semen might belong to your-navy/2019/03/14/dna-leads-to-arrest-34-
Garner, but that it is not connected with her years-after-navy-recruits-slaying/.
death. Garner himself has denied knowing
Cahanes. They may have the Orlando Naval Brieskorn, Katlyn. “Man Found Guilty of
Training Center at the same time. 1984 Killing of Navy Recruit in Seminole
County.” ABC 9 News WFTV, May 6, 2021.
Garner took the stand in his own defence and Accessed May 21, 2021. https://
stated that while he had sexual relations with www.wftv.com/news/local/seminole-county/
Cahanes, he did not kill her. Garner was watch-9-am-closing-arguments-set-begin-
convicted of first-degree murder by a jury trial-man-accused-killing-navy-recruit-
after less than two hours of deliberation in seminole-county-more-than-30-years-ago/
Seminole County on May 6, 2021. He was ZKW6TGK6B5D45JRIDM4KZHSLHI/.
sentenced to life in prison.
Honolulu Police Department. “Kathy Hicks.”
On June 21, 2021, Garner was arrested for the Honolulu Police Department, Cold Case
September 19, 1982 murder of 25-year-old (Website), n.d. Accessed June 30, 2021.
Kathy Warnette Hicks in Honolulu, Hawaii. https://www.honolulupd.org/cold-case/kathy-
After his arrest for Cahanes murder, his DNA hicks/.
was entered into CODIS and matched DNA
taken from semen found in Hick’s body. Levkulich, Jeff, and Sarah Wilson. “DNA
Hicks was an airline employee who was on a From Suspect in Seminole County Cold Case
company retreat at the Ilikai Hotel at the time Murder Possibly Linked to Another Cold
she was killed. She was last seen in the Case in Hawaii.” WFTV 9 ABC News, April
elevator going to the hotel pool with a man 29, 2021. Accessed June 30, 2021. https://

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 128
www.wftv.com/news/local/seminole-county/ coach, was strangled with her own sweater
dna-suspect-seminole-county-cold-case- while walking to her home near the Stanford
murder-possibly-linked-another-cold-case- campus.
hawaii/
7GPCXLYO65FQDDEWXJ4VT5TRQ4/. Getreu is also charged with the February 13,
1973 murder of 21-year-old Leslie Marie
Luperon, Alberto. “A Man Who Was Just Perlov in Santa Clara, California. Perlov’s
Convicted of Murdering a Navy Recruit Has body was also found on the Stanford campus.
Been Indicted in the Cold Case Murder of She worked as a clerk at the Law Library in
Another Woman.” Law & Crime, June 21, Palo Alto. She had been sexually assaulted
2021. Accessed June 30, 2021. https:// and was strangled to death with her sister’s
lawandcrime.com/crime/a-man-who-was-just- scarf.
convicted-of-murdering-a-navy-recruit-has-
been-indicted-in-the-cold-case-murder-of- Getreu had been convicted in 1964 of the rape
another-woman/. and murder of a 16-year-old girl in Germany
where he lived while his father was stationed
Williams, Michael. “Bond Denied for Suspect as a sergeant major in the U.S. army. The
in 1984 Slaying of Navy Recruit Pamela killing took place on June 8, 1963. The girl is
Cahanes.” Orlando Sentinel, July 12, 2019. reported to be the daughter of an Army
Accessed December 15, 2020. https:// chaplain at the base. Getreu was tried as a
www.orlandosentinel.com/news/breaking- juvenile offender, and he returned to the U.S.
news/os-ne-thomas-garner- after serving about 2 years of a 5-year
arthurhearing-20190712- sentence. He was also accused in a 1975
lanytqwoi5gillhbspi5ynlz2q-story.html. home invasion rape of a 17-year-old Palo Alto
girl. He pled guilty to statutory rape and was
Williams, Michael. “Man Reacts with given a sentence of six months in jail with 5
Disbelief After DNA Links Him to Decades- months suspended.
Old Killing: ‘This is Almost Like the Twilight
Zone’.” Orlando Sentinel, July 8, 2019. Diane Perlov, Perlov’s sister, attended his bail
Accessed December 15, 2020. https:// hearing and asked the court that he be denied
www.orlandosentinel.com/news/breaking- bail. She stated to Lee that, “While justice
news/os-ne-thomas-garner-pamela-cahanes- doesn’t heal all wounds, it is the least we can
discovery-release-20190708- do.”
sfq3ob4yzzfrvoctojjmyaamkq-story.html.
On September 14, 2021, a jury in San Meteo
County found Getreu guilty of Taylor’s
Case ID 1138, 1208: Getreu, John Arthur murder after deliberating for about an hour.

John Arthur Getreu has been arrested and Kahng reports that, “When called for
charged with two cold case murders. The first comment about today’s verdict, Getreu's only
is the March 24, 1974 murder of 21-year-old son Aaron Getreu asked to convey sympathy
Janet Ann Taylor in Woodside, California. to Taylor’s family and all his father’s victims.
Taylor, the daughter of a Stanford university

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 129
“My family had no clue about my father’s victims-green-pants-to-be-key-piece-of-
past and have nothing but sympathy for all of evidence-in-serial-killer-case.
his victims,” he said. "We only knew him as a
loving father and grandfather, but science Kahng, Grace. “Alleged ‘Stanford Murders’
doesn’t lie. With this conviction I hope these Serial Killer Convicted of 1974 Cold Case
families can now have closure.”” Murder.” ABC News, September 14, 2021.
Accessed September 19, 2021. https://
Getreu pled guilty to the murder of Leslie abcnews.go.com/US/alleged-stanford-
Perlov in January of 2023. His sentencing murders-serial-killer-convicted-1974-cold/
hearing is scheduled for April 26, 2023. story?
id=80016906&fbclid=IwAR3JWsW11Q1lHo
Sources: 7AISSYQThw6bL4IHHvQX07yK5yZXSwc
MdaXXSKiDqcjxk.
Bay City News. “Convicted Killer Pleads
Guilty to 1973 Murder of Stanford Law Lee, Lloyd. “Alleged Serial Killer Pleads Not
Librarian.” NBC Bay Area News, January 11, Guilty in 1973 Murder Case.” The Almanac,
2023. Accessed January 21, 2023. https:// December 4, 2019. Accessed December 15,
www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/south-bay/ 2020. https://www.almanacnews.com/news/
convicted-killer-pleads-guilty-1973-murder- 2019/12/04/alleged-serial-killer-pleads-not-
stanford-law-librarian/3126773/?amp=1. guilty-in-1973-murder-case.

Dowd, Katie. “Police Think They’ve Solved Salonga, Robert. “‘She Fought Desperately’:
the Long-Cold Murder of Stanford Football Arrest in 1973 Killing of Stanford Grad After
Coach’s Daughter.” SFGate, May 16, 2019. DNA Genealogy Probe.” Mercury News,
Accessed December 15, 2020. https:// November 21, 2018, last modified November
www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/janet-taylor- 23, 2018. Accessed December 15, 2020.
leslie-perlov-john-getreu- https://www.mercurynews.com/2018/11/21/
stanford-13851125.php. dna-genealogy-sleuthing-spurs-arrest-
in-1973-killing-of-stanford-grad/.
Dremann, Sue. “Serial Killer John Getreu
Pleads Guilty to 1973 Murder of Leslie
Perlov.” Paloaltoonline.com, January 10, Case ID 1349: Giese, Clayton Carl
2023. Accessed January 13, 2023. https://
www.paloaltoonline.com/news/2023/01/10/ Clayton Carl Giese has been identified as the
serial-killer-john-getreu-pleads-guilty- suspect in the August 3, 1985 rape and
to-1973-murder-of-leslie-perlov. murder of 12-year-old Marsi Leah Belecz in
Spokane, Washington. The case has been
Dreman, Sue. “Victim’s Green Pants to be cleared by exception due to the death of
Key Piece of Evidence in Serial Killer Case.” Giese.
The Almanac, November 7, 2019. Accessed
December 15, 2020. https:// Belecz had bought a new dress and a pair of
www.almanacnews.com/news/2019/11/07/ jelly shoes to go to a party at her friends’
house. Her father had been very upset at this,

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 130
since they were a strict family, and so she left www.kxly.com/spokane-police-solve-1985-
for the party without permission. She never cold-case-murder-of-12-year-old-girl/.
came home. Her body was found next day in
a towing yard in an old neighbourhood near Sokol, Chad. “Spokane Police Say Genetic
downtown Spokane. She had been raped, Sleuthing Solved 1985 Murder of 12-Year-
beaten, and stabbed more than two dozen Old Girl.” Spokesman Review, March 25,
times. 2020. Accessed December 21, 2020. https://
www.spokesman.com/stories/2020/mar/25/
A DNA profile of the suspect was created police-solve-cold-case-killing-from-1985/.
through semen found on Belecz’s body at her
autopsy. The FGG investigation was
conducted by Parabon Nanolabs. Giese had Case ID 1649: Gilham, Patrick Wayne
died in a car accident in 1989. His body was
exhumed to confirm the DNA match with the Patrick Wayne Gilham, 67, was arrested on
DNA sample recovered from Belecz. February 17, 2022 for the February 20, 1987
murder of 30-year-old Roxanne Leigh Wood
At the time of Belecz’s murder, there were in Niles Township, Michigan. Wood had gone
several homeless camps along the Spokane bowling that evening with her husband, Terry
River, and the men there became suspects. Wood, but they returned home separately.
Police interviewed over 115 transient men, Roxanne arrived home first. When her
suspecting them of possible involvement in husband came home about 45 minutes later,
the little girl’s death. About 87 suspects he found her body in the kitchen. She had
provided their DNA to police, and they were been raped and stabbed repeatedly by an
all eliminated. intruder. Her throat had been slit, which was
likely the cause of death.
Sources:
When the case was reopened in 2020, the
Curry, Rob. “Spokane Police Solve 1985 only biological evidence that had been
Cold Case, Suspect Deceased.” KHQ Q6 preserved were two vials of dried blood. The
News, March 25, 2020, last modified March FGG investigation was conducted by
27, 2020. Accessed December 21, 2020. Identifinders International. Identifinders
https://www.khq.com/top_story/spokane- states that this was a record-breaking
police-solve-1985-cold-case-suspect- investigation as it used the lowest-known
deceased/ amount of DNA to generate a usable profile
article_0ddb7008-6ebc-11ea-962c-4fa56dab7 for FGG – amounting to only a few cells
1de.html. belonging to the intruder – due to the DNA in
the blood samples being highly degraded.
Luck, Melissa, and Taylor Graham. “Spokane
Police Used Genealogy, Exhumed Suspected Gilham pled no contest to a charge of second-
Killer’s Grave to Solve 1985 Cold Case degree murder on March 18, 2022. Until that
Murder.” KXLY News, March 25, 2020. time, police did not release any details of the
Accessed December 21, 2020. https:// FGG investigation that led to his arrest.
Gilham had been living in the area at the time

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 131
of Wood’s murder. He is reported to have a www.clickondetroit.com/news/michigan/
lengthy criminal history, but it is not known at 2022/03/19/indiana-man-sentenced-in-1987-
this time why his DNA profile was not in murder-in-berrien-county-closing-cold-case/.
CODIS.
Tollefson, Byron. “Woman Who Helped
Roxeanne’s husband, Terry Wood, was long Solve Roxanne Wood Case Shares Story.”
thought to be a suspect in the case. It was not Wood TV, March 19, 2022. Accessed March
possible for him to be cleared until a DNA 19, 2022. https://www.woodtv.com/news/
profile was finally obtained from the michigan/woman-who-helped-solve-roxanne-
degraded blood sample taken at the crime wood-case-shares-story/amp/.
scene. Vargas stated to Tollefson that, “He
was the target of the investigation. He was
their subject. And in it devastated the family, Case ID 1488-1489: Gould, Kenneth
it tore them apart, it ruined his life.”
Kenneth Gould has been identified as the lead
Gilham was sentenced in Berrien County suspect in a double homicide in Great Falls,
Court Criminal Division on March 19, 2022, Montana. The case has been cleared by
to a minimum sentence of 23 years. exception due to the death of Gould.

Sources: The body of Duane Bogle was found on

January 3, 1956. He had been shot in the
Associated Press. “Indiana Man Arrested in head, and his body was face down beside his
Michigan Woman’s 1987 Slaying.” car. His hands were tied behind his back with
Clickondetroit.com, February 20, 2022. his belt. The body of Patty Kalitzke was
Accessed March 19, 2022. https:// found the following day on January 3, 1956.
www.clickondetroit.com/news/michigan/ The pair had last been seen together on the
2022/02/20/indiana-man-arrested-in- evening of January 2nd, on a section of what is
michigan-womans-1987-slaying/. now Wadsworth Park that was then used as a
lover’s lane. It is thought that the killer shot
Identifinders International. “1987 Roxanne Bogle, and then took Kalitzke several miles
Wood Homicide Solved Using Forensic away, where she was sexually assaulted and
Genetic Genealogy Case Solved Based on shot. The autopsy report indicated that
Record Low Amount of DNA.” Identifinders Kalitzke had suffered blunt force trauma
International, 2022. Accessed March 19, consistent with a sexual assault.
2022. https://identifinders.com/1987-roxanne-
wood-homicide-solved-using-forensic- A small amount of sperm was located on a
genetic-genealogy-case-solved-based-on- slide of a vaginal sample taken from
record-low-amount-of-dna/. Kalitzke’s body during her autopsy, and a
DNA profile was developed by the state crime
Johncox, Cassidy. “Indiana Man Sentenced in lab in 2001. There were no matches in
1987 Berrien County Murder, Closing Cold CODIS. About 36 suspects, including serial
Case.” Clickondetroit.com, March 19, 2022. killer Edward Wayne Edwards and mafia
Accessed March 19, 2022. https://

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 132
enforcer “Whitey” Bulger, all of whom were fbclid=IwAR2FelcjpQMa_NQs7lS61wQAjR
ruled out as suspects after DNA testing. aDvUFoF-yvuGjKemZLMDiHTxCq8n-tnSk.

Bode was able to develop a new DNA sample Rowell, Jenn. “CCSO Closes 1956
in 2019, which they then used for the FGG Wadsworth Park Murders.” The Electric, June
investigation. The final confirmation was 8, 2021. Accessed June 12, 2021. https://
made to the living children of Gould, who theelectricgf.com/2021/06/08/ccso-
died in 2007 and was cremated. closes-1956-wadsworth-park-murders/?
fbclid=IwAR0Fq5vABasQelHyCIXelK3eQQ
Gould has no criminal record. He lived in the G16RptjUucut3xWAkCpTSVFrTmgFbEasI.
Great Falls and was known to ride horses in
the area near where Kalitzke’s body was
found. He sold the family’s property and left Case ID 1605-1607: Graham, Thomas
the area about a month after the murders.
Thomas Graham was identified on December
Sources: 16, 2021, as the lead suspect in three cold
case sexual assaults that took place in the
CBS/Associated Press. “Investigators Solve 1990s in Cleveland, Ohio.
1956 Killings of Montana Teens. It May be
the Oldest Case Cracked Using DNA and The first victim was a 25-year-old woman
Forensic Genealogy.” CBS News, June 10, who was attacked on June 7, 1994, when
2021. Accessed June 12, 2021. https:// Graham picked her up in his vehicle near
www.cbsnews.com/news/montana-1956- Madison Avenue. He then drove her to an
killings-patricia-kalitzke-duane-bogle-solved- alley where he sexually assaulted her at
dna/? knifepoint. A SAK was obtained from the
fbclid=IwAR2cHpZfVXH0ru1iPqoCpY4erw victim at the hospital. It has been reported
wAhBV9Y40vB-0C58vsYdEzAWzTlKpplY that the victim had met Graham briefly two
8. weeks earlier.

McGonigal, Tim. “Cold Case: 1956 Murder The second victim was a 20-year-old woman
of Two People in Great Falls Finally Solved.” who was attacked on November 24, 1994,
KRTV 3 News, June 8, 2021. Accessed June when Graham approached her as she walked
12, 2021. https://www.krtv.com/news/cold- down the street near West 44th Street and
case-1956-murder-of-two-people-in-great- Clark Avenue and forced her into his vehicle.
falls-finally-solved. He then drove her to a nearby location where
he sexually assaulted her and then pushed her
Rose, Andy. “A 1956 Double Murder Has out of the vehicle. A SAK was obtained from
Been Solved Using DNA Evidence. It May the victim at the hospital.
Be the Oldest Case Cracked Like This So Far,
Investigator Says.” CNN, June 10, 2021. June The third victim was a 27-year-old woman
12, 2021. https://www.cnn.com/2021/06/10/ who was attacked on August 30, 1998, when
us/montana-1956-double-murder-solved-dna/ Graham picked her up in his vehicle near
index.html? West 47th Street and Lorain Avenue. He

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 133
sexually assaulted her and stole $40 before Suspects on ’20 Most Wanted’ List.” Fox 8
pushing her out of the vehicle. A SAK was News, December 28, 2021. Accessed January
obtained from the victim at the hospital. 9, 2022. https://fox8.com/news/cuyahoga-
county-prosecutor-identifies-three-more-
A DNA profile from the SAKs was obtained sexual-assault-suspects-on-20-most-wanted-
and matched to a single suspect in 2013, but list/.
there were no hits in the CODIS database.
The suspect, known as “John Doe #11” was Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office.
chosen as one of 20 priority cases for the “Ohio’s G.O.L.D. Unit IDs 3 More Sexual
Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office’s Assault Suspects from 20 Most Wanted.”
G.O.L.D. (Genetic Operations Linking DNA) Forensic Magazine, January 5, 2022.
Unit. The funding for this project was Accessed January 9, 2022. https://
provided by the U.S. Department of Justice in www.forensicmag.com/582405-Ohio-s-G-O-
October of 2020. L-D-Unit-IDs-3-More-Sexual-Assault-
Suspects-from-20-Most-Wanted/.
The FGG investigation was conducted by
Barbara Rae-Venter of Gene By Gene. The Shaffer, Cory. “Cuyahoga County
initial confirmation was made through the Prosecutors’ Genealogical DNA Unit IDs
surreptitious sampling of a close relative of Three More Men Accused of Raping Women
Graham. The final confirmation was made in the 1990s.” Cleveland.com, December 27,
after investigators obtained a warrant for 2021. Accessed January 9, 2022. https://
tissue samples held at the Cleveland Clinic, www.cleveland.com/court-justice/2021/12/
where the suspect received treatment for cuyahoga-county-prosecutors-genealogical-
pancreatic cancer. dna-unit-ids-three-more-men-accused-of-
raping-women-in-the-1990s.html.
Graham passed away from pancreatic cancer
in October 2020, and a motion to dismiss the
case due to his death was filed on December Case ID 1195-1205: Green, Johnnie B. Jr.
16, 2021.
Johnnie B. Green Jr., 48, has been identified
Sources: as the lead suspect in a series of kidnappings
and sexual assaults that took place in and
Anderson, Chris. “3 ‘Most Wanted’ Suspects around Fayetteville, North Carolina. He is
Identified in Decades-Old Cuyahoga County charged with 12 sexual assaults that took
Sexual Assault Cases.” Cleveland 19 News, place between June 2009 and November
December 28, 2021. Accessed January 9, 2010.
2022. https://www.cleveland19.com/
2021/12/28/3-most-wanted-suspects- The cases were linked through the DNA
identified-decades-old-cuyahoga-county- obtained from the victims’ sexual assault kits.
sexual-assault-cases/. The FGG investigation was FGG
investigation was conducted by Parabon
Belle, Cris. “Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Nanolabs.
Identifies Three More Sexual Assault

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 134
Green pled guilty in Cumberland County Ax8H8YK9VP74P7GbRPIKcww4_dqiITmD
Superior Court and was sentenced on October Bl0Pj8C96SzBvOrILWozp2xSWJhMN2ajTi
7, 2022 to 28 years and five months in prison. Njs33zqFeRoyioRKM36TPM-
He will have register as a sex offender when QqPSbHfWj0Aw4F2QSyLZkUOKbes9n1BJ
he is released, and he will be monitored by yvef5sIDmIkeM.
satellite for 10 years.

Five victims testified in person, and two read Case ID 1334: Green, Michael
out statements about how significant an
impact their assaults had on their lives. One Michael Green was arrested on February 11,
victim was on the phone with her mother 2020 and charged in the July 7, 1985
when Green broke in and raped her. homicide of 54-year-old Jane Hylton in El
Dorado Hills, California. Hylton, a well-
Sources: known newspaper columnist, was stabbed to
death in her home. She lived with her 13-
CBS 17 Staff. “DNA Used to Charge Man in year-old teenage daughter, a man named
Connection with 9 Fayetteville Cold Case Ricky Davis, and Connie Dahl, who was then
Rapes.” CBS 17, May 7, 2019, last modified Davis’ girlfriend.
May 9, 2019. Accessed December 21, 2020.
https://www.cbs17.com/news/local-news/ The case was reopened in 1999, and a DNA
cumberland-county-news/dna-used-to-charge- profile was obtained from under Hylton’s
man-in-connection-with-9-fayetteville-cold- fingernails, as well as from saliva found in the
case-rapes/. area of a bite mark on her nightgown.

Mullen, Rodger. “Police: DNA Links Man to Ricky Davis was convicted of the murder in
Unsolved 2009-2010 Fayetteville Rapes.” 2005, and he served almost 15 years of a 16-
Fayetteville Observer, May 7, 2019, last year-to-life sentence for second degree
modified May 8, 2019. Accessed December murder. He was convicted despite the fact that
21, 2020. https://www.fayobserver.com/news/ his DNA did not match the profile developed
20190507/police-dna-links-man-to- from Hylton’s remains. His conviction had
unsolved-2009-2010-fayetteville-rapes. been based on the testimony of Connie Dahl,
who stated that she helped Davis commit the
Solomon, Lexi. “‘Justice is Finally Here’: murder.
Parkton Man Sentenced in String of Cold-
CaseFayetteville Rapes.” Fayetteville Davis had been granted a re-trial, and he was
Observer, reprinted in Yahoo News, October being held in custody. He was only freed
7, 2022. Accessed October 7, 2022. https:// when Green was identified as the suspect who
news.yahoo.com/justice-finally-parkton-man- matches the crime scene DNA profile. Davis
sentenced-181524386.html? was exonerated with the assistance of the
guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly Northern California Innocence Project.
9kdWNrZHVja2dvLmNvbS8&guce_referrer
_sig=AQAAAL_A-
PigmVIiCl2wCMpBRi6EXbDp0ruvUqYMap

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 135
Green was 17 years old at the time of the 2023. https://lawandcrime.com/crime/awful-
murder. The case against him is pending in El mistakes-were-made-cold-case-murder-of-
Dorado County Superior Court. california-newspaper-columnist-solved-
decades-after-detectives-lied-during-
Green plead no contest to second degree interrogation-convicted-the-wrong-man/.
murder, and on October 27, 2022, he was
sentenced to 15 years to life. Lakey, Pat. “Man Who Didn’t Commit
Murder Seeks $18 Million.” Village Life,
Sources: August 16, 2020. Accessed December 21,
2020. https://www.villagelife.com/news/man-
Associated Press, and ABC News. “DNA who-didnt-commit-murder-seeks-18-million/.
Evidence Exonerates Wrongly Convicted
California Man Who Spent 14 Years in Jail Sullivan, Bill. “EDH Murder Suspect Appears
for Murder.” ABC News, February 13, 2020. in Court.” Gold Country Media, February 26,
Accessed December 21, 2020. https:// 2020. Accessed December 21, 2020. https://
www.abc.net.au/news/2020-02-14/dna- goldcountrymedia.com/news/162950/edh-
evidence-frees-ricky-davis-wrongful-murder- murder-suspect-appears-in-court/.
conviction/11967232?
fbclid=IwAR1pMDwzHpHcdRgWlwxv9iV
WpV4cwPx1YSXNqwGiJ7qsVMIsgTFafSC Case ID 1674-1677: Greenwell, Harry
8YJc. Edward: Days-Inn Killer

CBS News. “Genealogy May Exonerate On April 5, 2022, Indiana State Police
California Man Convicted of 1985 Murder.” identified Harry Edward Greenwell as the
CBS News, February 13, 2020. Accessed lead suspect in a series of rape-murders that
December 21, 2020. https:// took place in along the I-65 highway between
www.cbsnews.com/news/jane-hylton-murder- Indiana and Kentucky, from 1987 to 1990. He
genealogy-may-exonerate-california-man- raped and murdered three women who were
ricky-davis-convicted-of-1985-killing/. working alone at motels along the highway.
He became known as the ‘I-65’ or ‘Days-Inn’
Gonzalez, Vicki. “Who is the New Suspect in killer. The case has been cleared by exception
1985 El Dorado Hills Murder?” KCRA 3 NBC due to the death of Greenwell.
News, February 13, 2020. Accessed
December 21, 2020. https://www.kcra.com/ The first victim was 41-year-old Vicky Heath,
article/who-is-the-new-suspect-in-1985-el- whose body was found on February 21, 1987,
dorado-hills-murder/30919518. disposed of near a trash bin behind a Super 8
Motel in Elizabethtown, Kentucky. She had
Kalmbacher, Colin. “Awful Mistakes Were been raped and murdered. She was killed by
Made’: Cold Case Murder of California two gunshots to her head.
Newspaper Columnist Solved Decades after
Detectives Lied During Interrogation, The second victim was 24-year-old Margaret
Convicted the Wrong Man.” Law & Crime, Gill, who was raped and murdered on March
September 29, 2022. Accessed January 13, 3, 1989, while working the night shift at the

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 136
Days Inn in Merryville, Indiana. She was also described by family in his obituary as, “a man
shot in the head. with many friends who loved his straight-up
attitude, and his willingness to help anyone.
The third victim was 34-year-old Jeanne His spirit will live on in many by good deeds
Gilbert, who was raped and murdered on the he offered.” Police are investigating whether
same night while working at the Days Inn in he is linked to more unsolved rapes and
Remington, Indiana. Her body was found on homicides in the Midwest.
the side of the road in White County, about 50
miles from where she was abducted. She was Sources:
also killed by a gunshot to the head. The
killer also stole some money from the hotels. Johnson, Constance. “Police Say They’ve
Solves Decades-Old Case of the ‘I-65’ Serial
On January 2, 1990, the attacker raped a 21- Killer.” Oxygen, April 6, 2022. Accessed
year-old woman working at a Days Inn in April 10, 2022. https://www.oxygen.com/
Columbus, Ohio. She survived the attack, and harry-edward-greenwell-is-i-65-serial-killer-
was able to provide police with enough police-say.
information to produce a composite sketch of
the suspect. Nelson, Sarah. “I-65 Killer Revealed: Police
Link Harry Edward Greenwell to Serial
Police were able to link the bullets used to kill Killings.” Indianapolis Star, April 5, 2022.
Gill and Gilbert to the same gun. In 2019, the Accessed April 10, 2022. https://
case was reopened, and a DNA profile was www.indystar.com/story/news/crime/
able to be produced from evidence collected 2022/04/05/65-killer-revealed-harry-edward-
from the crime scenes. There is currently no greenwell-tied-serial-killings/7244019001/.
information as to who performed the FGG
investigation. The final confirmation was Taylor, Michelle. “Genealogy Helps ID Once-
made through kinship testing of a living Escaped Convict as I-65 Killer.” Forensic
family member. Magazine, April 6, 2022. Accessed April 10,
2022. https://www.forensicmag.com/584887-
Greenwell had an extensive criminal record. Genealogy-Helps-ID-Once-escaped-Convict-
He was convicted of armed robbery in 1963, as-I-65-Killer/.
for which he received a sentence of two years
followed by five years of probation. He was
also convicted of sodomy in 1965, and he Case ID 1784: Greffard, Guy
served four years in Kentucky State
Penitentiary until his parole in 1969. He then On October 13, 2022, 65-year-old Guy
served a sentence in Iowa for burglary. He Greffard was arrested by the Edmonton
escaped twice from prison, finally being Police Service for the July 9, 1981 rape of a
released in 1983 – four years before the I-65 15-year-old girl in Edmonton, Alberta.
killings began.
The girl was sexually assaulted by an
He died of cancer in January of 2013 at the unknown male while walking home across a
age of 68. Johnson reports that he was school field in northeast Edmonton. The file

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 137
was reopened in February of 2018 by the Swensrude, Stephanie. “Edmonton Police Lay
Historical Crimes Unit, and the RCMP Lab Charges in 41-Year-Old Sexual Assault
was able to develop a DNA profile of the Case.” Global News, November 8, 2022.
suspect. There were no hits to Canada’s Accessed November 11, 2022. https://
National DNA Data Bank. Police then turned globalnews.ca/news/9261277/edmonton-
to FGG, beginning in 2021. police-historical-sexual-assualt-genetic-
genealogy/.
There is currently no information on who
conducted the FGG investigation, or how the
initial confirmation as made. Case ID 1796: Gribble, Dennis

Greffard was arrested in Kelvington, Dennis Gribble, 72, was arraigned on

Saskatchewan. He is facing charges of rape November 29, 2022 for the August 8, 1997
and gross indecency in the Alberta Provincial rape of a 9-year-old boy in Brooklyn, Ohio.
Court. Gribbel approached the boy, telling him that
his son needed help. He then led the boy into
The Edmonton Police Service has stated that the woods, where he forced him on his
they have used FGG on five police files thus stomach and sexually assaulted him.
far, including a robbery, a human remains
identification, and two other sexual assaults. A DNA profile of the suspect was taken from
This is the first to result in charges. The a sexual assault kit. There were no matches in
results of the other investigations have not CODIS, and the suspect was indicted as
been made public. “John Doe #147 in order to prevent the statute
of limitations from expiring.
Sources:
The FGG investigation was conducted by
The Canadian Press. “Saskatchewan Man Gene By Gene in partnership with the
Charged in 1981 Sexual Assault Case, Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office and its
Edmonton Police Say.” City News, November G.O.L.D. (Genetic Operations Linking DNA)
8, 2022. Last modified November 9, 2022. Team.
Accessed November 11, 2002. https://
edmonton.citynews.ca/2022/11/08/ Gribble is facing charges of rape in the
saskatchewan-man-charged-in-1981-sexual- Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas.
assault-case-edmonton-police-say/. He has been released on home arrest with
GPS monitoring.
Edmonton Police Service. “Police Lay
Charges in Historical Sexual Assault Case.” Sources:
Edmonton Police Service (Press Release),
November 8, 2022. Accessed November 11, Bingel, Julia. “72-Year-Old Man Now
2022. https://www.edmontonpolice.ca/News/ Charged with 1997 Rape of Brooklyn Child.”
MediaReleases/historicalsexassault. Cleveland 19 News, November 29, 2022.
Accessed November 30, 2022. https://
www.cleveland19.com/2022/11/29/72-year-

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 138
old-man-now-charged-with-1997-rape- that the DNA is his, and that he had sex with
brooklyn-child/. the victim, but he denied killing her. He stated
to police that he was drunk and high on
Cuyahoga County Prosecutor. “Genetic cocaine at the time. In September of 2022, the
Genealogy Leads to Suspect in 1997 Rape of defence was permitted by the court to
9-Year-Old Boy.” Forensic Magazine, introduce evidence of an alternative suspect,
November 30, 2022. Accessed November 30, which is reported to be Holstead’s boyfriend
2022. https://www.forensicmag.com/592378- at the time she was killed.
Genetic-Genealogy-Leads-to-Suspect-
in-1997-Rape-of-9-Year-Old-Boy/. However, on January 28, 2023, Griffin
changed his plea to no contest in return for
Gallek, Peggy. “DNA Leads to Arrest of the charges being reduced to homicide by
Suspected Child Rapist 25 Years Later: I- reckless conduct, a Class C felony. Griffin’s
Team.” WDTN News 2, November 30, 2022. trial was to begin on January 27, 2023. He
Accessed November 30, 2022. https:// reached a plea agreement with prosecutors
www.wdtn.com/news/crime/dna-leads-to- whereby he would plead no contest to a
arrest-of-suspected-child-rapist-25-years- charge of homicide by reckless conduct. His
later-i-team/. sentencing is scheduled for March 27, 2023.

Griffin has previously been convicted of a

Case ID 1428: Griffin, Lou Archie sexual assault on a child and was on parole
for this offence at the time of the murder.
Lou Archie Griffin was identified as the lead
suspect in the August 12, 1986 rape and Sources:
murder of 22-year-old Lisa Holstead in Green
Bay, Wisconsin. Holstead’s body was found Kerhin, Brian. “Judge Allows Evidence of
by construction workers near what is now the Alternate Suspect in 1986 Murder Trial.”
Ken Euers Nature Park in Green Bay. She had WLUK News, September 2, 2022. Accessed
been sexually assaulted and strangled. She January 13, 2023. https://fox11online.com/
was last seen and getting out of her news/local/judge-allows-evidence-of-
boyfriend’s car at around 2:30 am after alternate-suspect-in-1986-murder-trial-lou-
leaving a family gathering. griffin-lisa-holstead-green-bay-ken-euers-
nature-area-dna-match-sexual-assault.
A DNA profile of the suspect was obtained
from semen recovered from the crime scene. Mathew, Benita. “Forensic Genealogy Led to
There is currently no information on who Racine Man’s Arrest in 1986 Homicide of
conducted the FGG investigation. Police Lisa Holstead of Green Bay.” Green Bay
performed surreptitious sampling of Griffin’s Press Gazette, November 2, 2020. Accessed
DNA using a beer can and a cigarette butt that December 21, 2020. https://
he discarded. www.greenbaypressgazette.com/story/news/
2020/11/02/lisa-holstead-cold-case-forensic-
The case against Griffin is pending in Brown genealogy-led-arrest-green-bay-killing/
County Circuit Court. At first, he admitted 6122555002/.

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 139
Mathew, Benita. “Hearing Set for Racine Case ID 1765: Groshart, Jason
Man Accused of Killing Lisa Holstead in
Green Bay in 1986. Green Bay Press Gazette, Jason Groshart, 49, was arrested on October
December 10, 2020. Accessed December 21, 4, 2022 for a March 30, 2004 home invasion
2020. https://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/ rape in Denver, Colorado.
story/news/2020/12/10/green-bay-cold-case-
racine-man-faces-hearing-lisa-holstead-death/ There is currently no information on who
3889357001/. conducted the FGG investigation. Police have
not stated if surreptitious sampling was used,
Reid, Alice. “Exclusive Interview: Arrest in only that his DNA was obtained, and that a
1986 Cold Case. Lisa Holstead’s Son Speaks direct comparison was made with the suspect
Out About the Arrest.” NBC 26 News Green DNA collected from the crime scene.
Bay, October 30, 2020. Accessed December
21, 2020. https://www.nbc26.com/news/local- The investigation was conducted by the
news/green-bay-police-announce-arrest- Denver PD in cooperation with the FBI, the
in-1986-homicide-cold-case. Colorado Bureau of Investigation, and the
Denver Integrated Cold Case Project of the
Reid, Alice. “Green Bay’s Oldest Cold Case: Denver District Attorney’s Office. The
Suspect in Lisa Holstead 1986 Homicide investigation was funded by a Genetic
Pleads No Contest.” WGBA NBC News, Genealogy and Familial Match Searching
January 27, 2023. Accessed February 10, grant from the Bureau of Justice Assistance in
2023. https://www.nbc26.com/news/local- 2020.
news/suspect-in-lisa-holstead-1986-homicide-
case-pleads-no-contest. Groshart was detained in Sedalia, Missouri
and is being extradited to Colorado. He is
Thomsen, Sarah. “‘He Wasn’t on Anybody’s facing charges of first-degree sexual assault,
Radar’: Police Arrest Man in Green Bay’s first-degree burglary, and second-degree
Oldest Cold Case.” WBAY News, October 29, kidnapping in Denver County Court.
2020. Accessed December 21, 2020. https://
www.wbay.com/2020/10/29/arrest-made-in- Sources:
green-bays-oldest-cold-case-murder-
investigation/? Lynn, Nate. “Suspect Arrested in 2004 Sexual
fbclid=IwAR0hpHuTPpsyQrlHClGIS72S_Lg Assault Case.” NBC News 9, October 5, 2022.
KKZsXlJsOmUI1o-puiOBq6XJawbqT9zE. Accessed October 7, 2022. https://
www.9news.com/article/news/crime/suspect-
WBAY News Staff. “Man Convicted in 1986 arrested-sexual-assault-cold-case/
Killing of Lisa Holstead in Green Bay.” 73-89b079ab-65ca-4285-
WEAU News 13, January 27, 2023. Accessed a6c6-251734415b65.
January 28, 2023. https://www.weau.com/
2023/01/27/man-convicted-1986-killing-lisa- McRae, “Genetic Genealogy, DNA Help
holstead-green-bay/. Denver Police Solve Sexual Assault Cold
Case.” CBS News, October 5, 2022. Accessed

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 140
October 7, 2022. https://www.cbsnews.com/ publicportal.alameda.courts.ca.gov/
colorado/news/genetic-genealogy-dna- publicportal/Home/WorkspaceMode?p=0.
denver-police-solve-sexual-assault-cold-case/
#l8xlr4mg73li4ynjdj9. Bay City News Service. “Suspect Arrested in
1990 Cold Case Homicide.” SF Gate, January
Nicholson, Kieran. “Denver Cold Case 24, 2019. Accessed December 21, 2020.
Suspect is Arrested in Missouri in Connection https://www.sfgate.com/news/bayarea/article/
to 2004 Sex Assault.” Denver Post, October Suspect-Arrested-In-1990-Cold-Case-
5, 2022. Accessed October 7, 2022. https:// Homicide-13559217.php.
www.denverpost.com/2022/10/05/
denver-2004-sex-assault-cold-case-arrest/. CBS San Francisco. “Fremont Police Use
DNA Evidence to Find Suspect in Brutal
1990 Homicide Case.” CBS SF Bay Area,
Case ID 1154: Guerrero, Russell Anthony January 24, 2019. Accessed December 21,
2020. https://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/
Russell Anthony Guerrero was arrested on 2019/01/24/fremont-police-dna-evidence-
January 17, 2019, and charged in the find-suspect-brutal-1990-homicide-case/.
December 17, 1990 murder of 30-year-old
Jack Upton in Freemont, California. Upton Freemont Police Department. “Suspect
was reported missing when he did not show Russell Guerrero Arrested for the 1990
up for work. He was found brutally murdered Murder of Jack Upton.” Freemont Police
in his residence, and his vehicle – a 1985 Department (Press Release). January 24,
Nissan – was stolen but was later found 2019. Accessed December 21, 2020. https://
abandoned in a shopping mall in Thousand www.fremontpolice.gov/Home/Components/
Oaks. News/News/88/312.

A DNA profile of the suspect was obtained

from blood found in the apartment and in the Case ID 1324: Gurule, Angel
Nissan. No hits to the suspect’s profile were
found in CODIS. Police made the initial Angel Gurule was arrested on January 16,
confirmation by surveillance followed by the 2020 and charged in a sexual assault that took
surreptitious sampling of his DNA. place in Albuquerque, New Mexico on
Christmas Eve of 2015. A woman was
The case against Guerrero is pending in jogging along a trail near the Rio Grande
Alameda County Superior Court. He had a when she was tackled from behind,
preliminary hearing on January 25, 2023. overpowered, and sexually assaulted twice.
She went to a rape crisis centre and a sexual
Sources: assault kit was taken.

Alameda Superior Court. “Online Records A DNA profile of the suspect was obtained
Search – Russel Guerrero.” Alameda County from the sexual assault kit and uploaded into
Superior Court (Website), n.d. Accessed CODIS but there were no hits. The Bernalillo
January 28, 2023. https:// County District Attorney received a federal

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 141
grant from the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative to August 6, 2020. Accessed December 21,
use genealogy to locate suspects in cases such 2020. https://www.krqe.com/news/crime/
as this one. There is currently no information sentencing-underway-for-man-who-pleaded-
as to who conducted the FGG investigation. guilty-to-cold-case-rape/.

Investigators identified Gurule through a

second cousin in California who uploaded his Case ID 1308: Hall, Frank Arthur
DNA to GEDmatch. Police surveillance of
Gurule followed by surreptitious sampling of In December of 2020, Windsor Police
a cup was used to make the initial announced that they had identified a lead
confirmation with the crime scene DNA. suspect in the 1971 rape and murder of 6-
year-old Ljubica Topic in Windsor, Ontario.
Gurule pled guilty to two counts of sexual On February 7, 2023, they announced that the
penetration and received a sentence of 12 name of the suspect is Frank Arthur Hall.
years in prison followed by probation and
parole. On the afternoon of May 14, 1971, an
unknown male had approached Ljubica and
Sources: her 8-year-old brother, offering her some
money to walk with him. He offered her
Atkins, Rebecca, and Jackie Kent. brother money to ride his bike elsewhere –
“Genealogy Matching Used to Make First the last thing the boy saw was his sister
Arrest of Its Kind in New Mexico.” KRQE walking down Drouillard Road holding the
News, January 16, 2020, last modified man’s hand. He went and told his mother and
January 28, 2020. Accessed December 21, a search for the little girl was immediately
2020. https://www.krqe.com/news/crime/dna- launched. Her body was found in a nearby
genealogy-used-to-make-first-arrest-of-its- alley about four hours later.
kind-in-new-mexico/?fbclid=IwAR0X-ycv-
LwllhZi3LjMpks- Active for almost 50 years, this is one of the
sSAJYJfVpRG6I_qtxpssAs5XzLzt0XDYda8. oldest cases solved by FGG. There is no
information on who conducted the FGG
Boetel, Ryan. “Man Pleads Guilty in NM’s investigation.
First-Of-Its-Kind Rape Investigation.”
Albuquerque Journal, May 4, 2020, last Windsor Police announced on December 9,
modified May 5, 2020. Accessed December 2019 that they had solved this case, but they
21, 2020. https://www.abqjournal.com/ refused to reveal the name of the suspect as
1451248/man-pleads-guilty-in-nms- he is deceased and will not be prosecuted.
firstofitskind-rape-investigation-ex- They also claim that he moved to a province
commercial-genealogy-service-led-to- in Western Canada. Windsor Police confirmed
suspects-id-arrest.html. they had used FGG on October 23, 2020,
after the Toronto PD confirmed that they had
KQRE Staff. “Man Sentenced to 12 Years in used this method to identify Calvin Hoover as
Prison After Pleading Guilty to 2015 Rape.” the lead suspect in the murder of Christine
KRQE News, August 5, 2020, last modified Jessop.

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 142
The decision of the Windsor Police to keep CBC News. “Windsor Police Announce 48-
the names of the killers of Ljubica Topic and Year-Old Cold Case Homicide Solved.” CBC
Carol Christou confidential was strongly News, December 13, 2019. Accessed
criticized. Windsor Police cited the Municipal December 12, 2020. https://www.cbc.ca/
Freedom of Information & Protection of news/canada/windsor/ljubica-topic-homicide-
Privacy Act, that a person has privacy windsor-1.5395367.
interests for 30 years after their death. Since
the suspect in this case passed away only Freeze, Colin, and Patrick White. “Genetic
recently, there are suspicions that he may Genealogy Generates Heated Debate Over
have had other victims. Privacy While Helping to Crack Cold Cases.”
Globe & Mail, October 23, 2020. Accessed
On February 7, 2023, Windsor police finally December 12, 2020. https://
revealed that Frank Arthur Hall is the lead www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-
suspect in this case, and that he died in genetic-genealogy-generates-heated-debate-
February of 2019. He lived less than 2 miles over-privacy-while-helping/.
from Topic’s home at the time of the murder.
He then moved to Edmonton, where he lived Our Windsor. “Suspect in 1971 Ljubica Topic
for the rest of his life. Police state that they Homicide, Identified by DNA, Recently
reviewed their earlier decision to conceal the Deceased: Windsor Police.” Our Windsor,
name of the lead suspect, and that they December 13, 2019. Accessed December 12,
decided to overturn it; they further state that 2020. https://www.ourwindsor.ca/news-story/
they will look at revealing this information on 9774496-suspect-in-1971-ljubica-topic-
a case-by-case basis, and have no formal homicide-identified-by-dna-recently-
policy in place. deceased-windsor-police/.

Windsor Police have also stated that there Wilhelm, Trevor. “Windsor Police Have ‘No
were more than 500 persons of interest in the Defensible Reason’ to Refuse Naming
case over the years. Now that they have Ljubica Topic’s Killer, Expert Says.” Windsor
released the name of the lead suspect in the Star, December 17, 2019. Accessed December
case, other suspects can finally be publicly 12, 2020. https://windsorstar.com/news/local-
cleared of suspicion. news/windsor-police-have-no-defensible-
reason-to-refuse-naming-ljubica-topics-killer-
Sources: expert-says.

CBC News. “Police in Windsor, Ont., Reveal

Neighbour Killed 6-Year-Old Ljubica Topic Case ID 1192: Hand, Jeffrey Lynn
Over 50 Years Ago.” CBC News, February 7,
2023. Accessed February 11, 2023. https:// Jeffrey Lynn Hand was identified as the lead
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/ljubica- suspect in the September 16, 1972 murder of
topic-1.6742072? 19-year-old Pamela Millam in Terre Haute,
fbclid=IwAR0U8zpLVsQoGBdanIPn1bCPqT Indiana. The case has been cleared by
rvV7YQiwjBDeL-pb1ll67ZyDQBkYc6ucA. exception due to the death of Hand.

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 143
 Millam was a student at ISU who did not to-killer-of-indiana-state-student-nearly-50-
return home for the weekend on Friday. Her years-after-slaying/.
father and sister searched the campus for her,
and they found her body in the trunk of her Fitton, Mark. “Homicide Suspect Lived
car. Millam had been beaten, bound and Short, Violent Life.” Tribune-Star, May 6,
gagged. She was determined to have been 2019. Accessed December 21, 2020. https://
strangled to death. www.tribstar.com/news/local_news/reports-
homicide-suspect-lived-short-violent-life/
The FGG investigation was conducted by article_c6ab57ff-6f38-5c7e-
Parabon Nanolabs. In 2009, familial DNA b63a-8f74aff677e5.html.
testing was requested, but not approved. The
initial confirmation was made with one of WTHR.com Staff. “Police Identify Killer in
Hand’s sons. 47-Year-Old Cold Case Murder of ISU
Student.” WHTR News, May 6, 2019.
Less than a year after the murder of Millam, Accessed December 21, 2020. https://
Hand was tried for another murder. He was www.wthr.com/article/news/crime/police-
accused of abducting a pair of hitchhikers – a identify-killer-47-year-old-cold-case-murder-
husband and wife – along the I-70 in 1973. isu-student/531-fc191e35-37b3-44f2-
He murdered the husband and kidnapped the ab6f-14646972e873.
wife, but she escaped. Hand was acquitted at
trial on grounds of insanity and he spent a
short period of time in a mental facility. He Case ID 1500-1501: Harris, Dwight Arthur
was released in 1976.
Dwight Arthur Harris was arrested on July 2,
He tried to abduct another woman in the 2021 for two home invasion rapes in Orlando,
Markland Mall shopping centre in 1978. He Florida that took place in 2002. The assailant
was killed in a shootout with police, after became known as the ‘Woodline Rapist.’ He
having shot an officer who responded to the would break into the women’s homes and
kidnapping. He was 28 years old at the time. wait for them to return. He would then take
them to a nearby wooded area, just beyond
The police’s main suspect in the murder of the treeline, where he would sexually assault
Millam was not Hand but a man named them.
Robert Wayne Austin. DNA tests were only
able to rule him out as a suspect in 2001. The first assault took place on February 1,
2002. He kidnapped the woman at knifepoint
Sources: and forced her behind a dumpster where he
sexually assaulted her. He then took her to a
Adams, Matt. “DNA Evidence Leads Police nearby wooded area where he sexually
to Killer of Indiana State Student Nearly 50 assaulted her again. He made her put her
Years After Slaying.” Fox 59 News, May 6, pants on her head to stifle her crying and told
2019. Accessed December 21, 2020. https:// her to remain in the woods while he left, or he
fox59.com/news/dna-evidence-leads-police- would come back and hurt her.

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 144
The second assault took place on July 10, WFTV 9 News ABC, July 13, 2021. Accessed
2002, when a woman was kidnapped at about July 17, 2021. https://www.wftv.com/news/
3:30 am after returning from a night out with local/orange-county/orlando-police-make-
friends. A blue towel was placed over her face arrest-2-sexual-battery-cold-cases-involving-
while she was taken to a bushy area nearby man-known-woodline-rapist/
and sexually assaulted. She was forced to lie PG3BIA24K5A5BLAAV6HG2TSBMY/.
face down while he departed. She then
gathered up her clothing and returned to her Fox 35 News Staff. “Orlando Police Make
apartment. Arrest in 19 Year Old Sex Battery Cold
Case.” Fox 35 News Orlando, July 13, 2021.
The FGG investigation was conducted by the Accessed July 17, 2021. https://
Florida Department of Law Enforcement www.fox35orlando.com/news/orlando-police-
Genetic Genealogy Investigations Team. The make-arrest-in-19-year-old-sex-battery-cold-
investigation was narrowed down to four cases.
brothers as possible suspects. The final
conformation was made when investigators Sederstrom, Jill. “Florida Man Living
obtained a warrant to take a DNA profile ‘Normal Life’ Accused of Being ‘Woodline
from Harris. Rapist’ Nearly 20 Years After Attacks.”
Oxygen, July 15, 2021. Accessed July 17,
Harris had been charged with a 2021. https://www.oxygen.com/crime-news/
misdemeanour domestic assault against his dwight-arthur-harris-accused-of-being-
wife in 2004. Harris had been investigated for woodline-rapist.
an armed sexual assault in 2011 but the
complainant, a sex worker, declined to press Volz, Brianna. “DNA Leads to Arrest in
charges. As a result of this investigation, ‘Woodline Rapist Cold Cases Dating Back
Orange County authorities have decided to Nearly 20 Years.” Click Orlando, July 13,
store evidence in sexual assault cases for 50 2021. Accessed July 17, 2021. https://
years. www.clickorlando.com/news/local/
2021/07/13/dna-leads-to-arrest-in-woodline-
Harris was still living in Orlando and working rapist-cold-cases-dating-back-nearly-20-
as a delivery driver at the time of his arrest. years/.
He is described as a very pleasant family
man. He is facing two charges of sexual
battery in Orange County. Police state that Case ID 1467: Harris, John Jr.
they are investigating whether Harris is
responsible for other sexual assaults, but no John Harris Jr. was arrested on 25 February
further charges have been laid as yet. 2021 for the rape and attempted murder of a
woman in San Mateo, California. On
Sources: February 4, 1989, an unknown male broke
into the victim’s home just after 4:00 am in
Brieskorn, Katlyn. “Police: Suspected the morning and raped her at knifepoint. He
‘Woodline Rapist’ Linked to 2 Orange County strangled her and slashed her throat, but she
Cold Case Sex Battery Cases Arrested.” survived.

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 145
 There is no information about who conducted Welch had been spending the afternoon with
the investigation. The San Mateo Police her two younger sisters in Puget Park. She
Department stated that they were assisted in went home to make them sandwiches, when
the investigation by the Manteca Police she returned with lunch her sisters had left the
Department and the FBI. park to use the restroom. Welch was last seen
looking for her sisters. She was found by a
The charges against Harris are pending in the tracking dog at 11:30 pm that night in a fire
San Mateo Superior Court. pit area. She had been sexually assaulted and
her throat had been cut.
Sources:
This murder was long thought to be linked to
CBS13 Staff. “Man Arrested in Manteca the similar murder of 13-year-old Jennifer
Linked to 1989 Rape, Stabbing in San Bastian, but DNA testing in 2013 showed that
Mateo.” CBS 13 News Sacramento, February two different men killed the girls.
25, 2021. Accessed February 26, 2021.
https://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2021/02/25/ The FGG investigation was conducted by
john-harris-manteca-arrest-san-mateo-rape- Parabon Nanolabs. Hartman and a brother
stabbing/. were both identified as possible suspects.
Investigators made the initial confirmation
Driscoll, Curtis. “Suspect Arrested in San through surveillance and the surreptitious
Mateo Cold Case Rape, Stabbing.” The Daily sampling of a napkin Hartman had used and
Journal, February 25, 2021. Accessed discarded at a restaurant.
February 25, 2021. https://
www.smdailyjournal.com/news/local/suspect- Hartman is described as a nurse and a family
arrested-in-san-mateo-cold-case-rape- man with no criminal record.
stabbing/article_a17905c8-77d5-11eb-
bc42-472cc73a6e28.html. On March 22, 2022, Hartman was found
guilty on all charges at a bench trial before a
KPIX 5 News. “DNA Evidence Leads to judge alone in Pierce County Superior Court.
Arrest in Grisly San Mateo Rape, Attempted He was sentenced to 26 years and 6 months in
Murder Cold Case from 1989.” KPIX 5 News, prison.
February 25, 2021. Accessed February 26,
2021. https://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/ A victim impact statement submitted by
2021/02/25/dna-san-mateo-cold-case-rape- Michella’s aunt read, “Even though it took 32
attempted-murder-1989/. years to arrest Gary Hartman the hole is still
there. We will never get Michella back but the
arrest of Gary Hartman and bringing him to
Case ID 1093: Hartman, Gary trial is a sad win for our family.”

Gary Hartman was arrested on June 20, 2018 Sources:

and charged with the March 26, 1986 rape
and murder of 12-year-old Michella Welch in Ashley, Megan. “New DNA Evidence Used
Tacoma, Washington. to Solve Two Cold Cases from 1986.”

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 146
Medium, August 17, 2020. Accessed several serial rapists operating in northeast
December 21, 2020. https://medium.com/the- Dallas in the 1980s, a time when sexual
true-crime-edition/new-dna-evidence-used-to- assaults in the city were three times the
solve-2-cold-cases-from-1986-ae278243466b. national average.

KING-TV. “DNA on Napkin Leads to These cases were linked together through
Charges in 32-Year-Old Cold Case.” USA DNA profiles developed from the victim’s
Today, June 23, 2018. Accessed December 21, sexual assault kits. The FGG investigation
2020. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/ was performed by the FBI’s Investigative
nation-now/2018/06/23/dna-napkin-leads- Genealogy Unit, through funding from the
charges-32-year-old-cold-case/728082002/. Sexual Assault Kit Initiative. Investigators
made the initial confirmation through
Parabon Nanolabs. “Murder of Michella surveillance followed by the surreptitious
Welch.” Parabon Nanolabs (Snapshot Case sampling of items Hawkins had discarded in
Summary), 2020. Accessed December 21, his trash.
2020. https://snapshot.parabon-nanolabs.com/
snapshot-case-summary--tacoma-wa-- Hawkins had been convicted of rape in Fort
michella-welch-murder.html. Smith, Arkansas in 1973. He was sentenced to
30 years in jail, with 9 years suspended. He
Spargo, Chris. “Nurse Convicted in 1986 was paroled in 1977, when he moved to the
Rape and Murder of 12-Year-Old-Girl Whose Fort Worth area. The case against Hawkins
Body Was Found Dumped in a Ditch.” Law & for the rapes in Dallas is pending in Dallas
Crime, March 23, 2022. Accessed January 13, County Criminal Court. There are currently
2023. https://lawandcrime.com/crime/ no charges filed in the Louisiana cases, but
michella-welch-cold-case-murder-rape- the investigation is ongoing.
conviction/.
Throughout the course of the investigation,
DNA samples were taken from several other
Case ID 1404-1409: Hawkins, David suspects.
Thomas
Hawkins pled guilty to the charges on August
David Thomas Hawkins was arrested on 27, 2021 and was sentenced to life in prison.
August 19, 2020 and charged with four sexual One of the victims, Carrie Krejci, spoke at the
assaults in Dallas, Texas, and two in sentencing hearing and stated that, despite the
Shreveport, Louisiana. The case has been harm done to her, she had gone on to live a
cleared by exception due to the death of good life. Krejci had been instrumental in
Hawkins. solving the case, asking police to reopen the
investigation and test her evidence in 2005.
One assault in Dallas occurred in 1985, the
others took place from December 1982 to Sources:
April 1985. The women had been raped at
gun point in their homes. The two assaults in 3-Investigates Team. “Bossier Deputies
Louisiana took place in 1980. There were Question Accused Serial Rape Suspect About

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 147
Cold Cases.” KTBS 3 News ABC, September in Garden Grove, California. The case has
1, 2020. Accessed December 21, 2020. been cleared by exception due to the death of
https://www.ktbs.com/news/3investigates/ Hawkins.
bossier-deputies-question-accused-serial-
rape-suspect-about-cold-cases/ Stallcup, a nursing student, was last seen that
article_c902da16-ec9c-11ea-a6e5- evening on her way to a friend’s house. Her
df2fb2eb1b14.html. body was found eight days later in the front
seat of her own vehicle, which had been
Steele, Tom. “Authorities Say 74-Year-Old abandoned outside of an apartment complex
Man Arrested in Dallas Cold Case Could be a in Garden Grove, only about 2 ½ miles from
Serial Rapist from the 1980s.” Dallas her own home. Stallcup had been sexually
Morning News, August 19, 2020. Accessed assaulted and strangled.
December 21, 2020. https://
www.dallasnews.com/news/crime/ DNA profiles of a male suspect were obtained
2020/08/19/74-year-old-man-arrested- in 2002 from swabs taken at the crime scene,
in-1985-dallas-sexual-assault-case- and again in 2020 from material collected at
authorities-suspect-hes-a-serial-rapist/. Stallcup’s autopsy. There is currently no data
on who performed the FGG investigation.
Steele, Tom, and Aria Jones. “Police Say
DNA Program Helped them Arrest Suspect in Hawkins himself had passed away about a
String of 1980s Rapes in Dallas, Louisiana.” year after Stallcup’s murder at the age of 23.
Dallas Morning News, August 21, 2020. He is reported to have died of a drug overdose
Accessed December 21, 2020. https:// in jail in Orange County. He is reported to
www.dallasnews.com/news/crime/ have a criminal record for indecent exposure,
2020/08/21/man-who-sexually-assaulted- as well as weapons and drug offences. He had
dallas-women-in-the-80s-was-finally-undone- also been charged with the rape and murder
by-dna-police-say/. of a 30-year-old woman in Laguna Hills, but
those charges were dropped. He is buried not
Williams, Michael. “Woman Confronts Dallas far from Stallcup in the Forest Lawn
Serial Rapist in Court: ‘In Spite of You, I Memorial Cemetery in Cypress, California.
Have a Good Life.’” Dallas Morning News,
August 27, 2021. Accessed December 29, Sources:
2021. https://www.dallasnews.com/news/
crime/2021/08/27/woman-confronts-dallas- Edds, Kimberly. “Investigative Genetic
serial-rapist-in-court-in-spite-of-you-i-have-a- Genealogy Solve 1976 Rape, Murder of 19-
good-life/. Year-Old Garden Grove Nursing Student.”
Office of the District Attorney, Orange
County, California (Press Release), July 14,
Case ID 1504: Hawkins, Terry Dean 2021. Accessed July 17, 2021. http://
orangecountyda.org/civica/press/display.asp?
Terry Dean Hawkins was identified on June layout=15&Entry=6166.
14, 2021 as the lead suspect in the December
19, 1976 murder of 19-year-old Janet Stallcup

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 148
Licas, Eric. “Suspect in Killing of Nursing He is also charged in the death of 34-year-old
Student in Garden Grove is ID’d 45 Years Julie Green in Daytona Beach. Green had
Later.” Orange County Register, July 14, been shot and her body was found in a ditch
2021. Last Modified July 16, 2021. Accessed about 3 weeks after Gunther’s body was
July 17, 2021. https://www.ocregister.com/ found.
2021/07/14/suspect-in-1976-killing-in-
garden-grove-identified-with-dna- He is charged in the February 24, 2006
technology/. murder of 35-year-old Iwana Patton in
Daytona Beach. She was helping babysit her
Ludwig, Ashley. “Cold Case Murder of Janet niece’s children when she went home to get
Stallcup Solved 44 Years Later in OC.” some clothes and never returned.
Patch, July 14, 2021. Last Modified July 15,
2021. Accessed July 17, 2021. https:// He is also charged in the March 7, 2016
patch.com/california/losalamitos/who-killed- murder of 32-year-old Rachel Elizabeth Bey
janet-stallcup-cold-case-garden-grove- in West Palm Beach. Bey had been beaten
murder-solved. and strangled. Her body was found on
Beeline Highway, near Jupiter, Florida. DNA
recovered from her body has matched the
Case ID 1256-1260: Hayes, Robert: DNA found on two of the Daytona Beach
Daytona Beach Killer victims, Gunther, and Green. Prosecutors are
seeking the death penalty in these cases.
Robert Hayes was arrested on September 15,
2019 and charged in a series of murders that Hayes is not currently charged with the
took place in Daytona Beach and West Palm murder of 30-year-old Stacey Gage. There is
Beach. The assailant was known as the a lack of physical evidence tying Hayes to
Daytona Beach Killer. Gage’s death, due to the advanced state of
decomposition of her remains. Her body was
The FGG investigation was performed under found on January 2, 2008, but investigators
the leadership of CeCe Moore of Parabon think she was killed sometime in late 2007.
Nanolabs and Lori Napolitano of the Florida
Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE). A homeless man named David Lindsay was
The four Daytona Beach murders are linked arrested on June 10, 2006 and detained for
forensically through ballistics – a .40 caliber about 10 days until he was cleared by DNA
Smith & Wesson, and there is DNA from two testing.
of the crime scenes. The initial confirmation
was made through the surreptitious sampling Beginning in February 2008, police begin
of a cigarette butt Hayes had discarded. requesting that all arrestees voluntarily
provide DNA samples to further the
Hayes is charged in the December 24, 2005 investigation into the Daytona Beach Killer.
murder of 45-year-old Laquetta Gunther in This move was controversial, and civil
Daytona Beach. She was assaulted and shot in liberties lawyers and the ACLU raised
the head while kneeling down. objections to this practice. It is not known

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 149
how many DNA samples were taken in this November 21, 2019. Accessed December 21,
manner. 2020. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/
nation/2019/11/21/robert-hayes-suspected-
Hayes was convicted of the murders of serial-killer-indicted-3-deaths-florida/
Laquetta Gunther, Julie Green, and Iwana 4257968002/.
Patton by a jury in Volusia County on
February 22, 2022. On March 2, 2022, Hayes Luperon, Alberto. “Convicted Daytona Beach
was sentenced to three consecutive life Serial Killer to Serve Three Consecutive Life
sentences. Prosecutors had sought the death Sentences behind Bars: Judge.” Law &
penalty. However, the jury could not come to Crime, March 3, 2022. Accessed January 13,
a unanimous decision on the death penalty, 2023. https://lawandcrime.com/live-trials/
which is a requirement in Florida for its live-trials-current/robert-tyrone-hayes/
imposition. daytona-beach-serial-killer-sentenced-to-
serve-three-consecutive-life-sentences-
Sources: behind-bars/.

Aboraya, Abe. “Robert Hayes Charged in Luperon, Alberto. “Robert Hayes Found
Daytona Beach Serial Killer Cold Case.” Guilty of Being Daytona Beach Serial Killer.”
WMFE News, November 21, 2019. Accessed Law & Crime, February 22, 2022. Accessed
December 21, 2020. https://www.wmfe.org/ February 23, 2022. https://lawandcrime.com/
daytona-beach-serial-killer-robert-hayes- live-trials/live-trials-current/robert-tyrone-
charged/140185. hayes/robert-hayes-found-guilty-of-being-
daytona-beach-serial-killer/.
Balona, Patricio G. “Daytona Serial Killings
Arrest: Suspect Charged, Held in South Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office. “Robert
Florida.” Daytona Beach News-Journal, Hayes Arrested for the Murder of Rachel
September 15, 2019, last modified September Bey.” Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office
16, 2019. Accessed December 21, 2020. (Press Release), September 16, 2019.
https://www.news-journalonline.com/news/ Accessed December 21, 2020. https://
20190915/daytona-serial-killings-arrest- www.pbso.org/robert-hayes-arrested-for-the-
suspect-charged-held-in-south-florida. murder-of-rachel-bey/.

Butler, Andreas. “Niece Seeks Justice, Reed, Kristen, and Rachel Jackson. “Daytona
Respect, for Murder Victim.” Daytona Times, Cops to Take DNA in All Arrests.” Orlando
September 28, 2019. Accessed December 21, Sentinel, February 7, 2008. Accessed
2020. https://daytonatimes.com/2019/09/28/ December 21, 2010. https://
niece-seeks-justice-respect-for-murder- www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-
victim/. xpm-2008-02-07-dna07-story.html.

Fernandez, Frank. “Florida Serial Killings Whigham, Julius. “West Palm Man Facing
Suspect Robert Hayes Indicted in 3 Deaths; 2016 Murder Charge Indicted in Three
Survivor Comes Forward to Police, Attorney Central Florida Murders.” Palm Beach Post,
Says.” Daytona Beach News-Journal, November 21, 2019. Accessed December 21,

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 150
2020. https://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/ that the judge admitted at his trial. Henslick
20191121/west-palm-man-facing-2016- himself did not testify at his trial.
murder-charge-indicted-in-three-central- He was convicted by a jury in February 2020
florida-murders. of first-degree murder accompanied by
exceptional brutality or wanton cruelty and
Wilson, Sarah, Katlyn Brieskorn, and James sentenced to life in prison.
Tutten. “Police: Man Charged with Murder in
Palm Beach Linked to Daytona Beach Serial Henslick had been convicted of a drug
Killer Case.” WFTV 9 News ABC, September offence and ordered to provide a DNA
17, 2019. Accessed December 21, 2020. sample, but he refused to do so, and
https://www.wftv.com/news/local/daytona- absconded several times from probation. He
beach-police-department-to-make- also absconded on two felony domestic
announcement-regarding-serial-killer-case/ assault charges.
986559099/.
Before Henslick was identified, the DNA
profile obtained from the crime scene was
Case ID 1106: Henslick, Michael compared to 190 suspects, all of whom were
excluded after providing police with their
Michael Henslick was arrested on August 28, DNA.
2018 and charged with murder and
aggravated assault in the 2009 death of 23- Henslick was sentenced to life without parole
year-old Holly Cassano in Champaign, in June of 2020. In September of 2020, a
Illinois. judge denied Henslick a reduction of this
sentence.
Cassano was found dead in her mobile home
in Mahomet, Illinois on November 2, 2009. Sources:
She had been stabbed around 60 times with a
weapon that is thought to be a kitchen steak Clotter, Haydee. “Holly Cassano’s Mother
knife. DNA from an unknown male was Reacts After Michael Henslick Sentenced.”
collected at several places in the mobile Fox News Illinois, June 5, 2020. Accessed
home, as well as from Cassano’s body. December 23, 2021. https://foxillinois.com/
news/local/michael-henslick-sentenced.
The FGG investigation was undertaken by
Parabon Nanolabs. Police made the initial Homer, Tiffani. “Michael Henslick Found
confirmation through surveillance and the Guilty of First Degree Murder.” Fox News
surreptitious sampling of DNA from Illinois, February 14, 2020. Accessed
cigarettes he discarded. December 22, 2020. https://foxillinois.com/
news/local/michael-henslick-found-guilty-of-
When first arrested in August of 2018, first-degree-murder.
Henslick stated he had consensual sex with
Cassano that evening, and afterwards he had Schenk, Mary. “Judge Denies Reduction of
stabbed her in a fit of rage and had Henslick’s Life Sentence in Cassano Murder.”
intercourse with her remains – a confession The News Gazette, September 29, 2020.

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 151
Accessed December 23, 2021. https:// Case ID 1236-1245: Hessler, Steven Ray
www.news-gazette.com/news/local/courts-
police-fire/judge-denies-reduction-of- Steven Ray Hessler was identified as the lead
henslicks-life-sentence-in-cassano-murder/ suspect in a series of violent home invasion
article_eab6157b-9ce3-5efa-8eca- rapes in Shelbyville and Shelby County,
ce6e6521f4f6.html. Indiana in the early 1980s. He also tied up a
male victim, and severely beat him on his
Schenk, Mary. “Jury Finds Henslick Guilty in head with his gun and sexually assaulted his
Cassano Murder; Faces 20 Years to Life in wife; the man suffered brain damage and
Prison.” News-Gazette, February 14, 2020. permanent disability as a result of this attack.
Accessed December 22, 2020. https://
www.news-gazette.com/news/local/courts- The FGG investigation was conducted by
police-fire/jury-finds-henslick-guilty-in- Parabon Nanolabs. Investigators made the
cassano-murder-faces-20-years-to-life-in- initial confirmation through the surreptitious
prison/article_97acc467-d84c-519d- sampling of DNA from the envelope of Ray’s
b9b7-85a27c79feec.html. utility bill.

Sederstrom, Jill. “Police Arrest Suspect in 9- Hessler was previously convicted of rape in
Year-Old Murder of Young Illinois Mom.” 1990, an offence for which he served about 9
Oxygen, August 29, 2018. Accessed years.
December 22, 2020. https://
www.oxygen.com/crime-time/michael- Hessler was convicted on all charges by a
henslick-arrested-murder-of-holly-cassano- jury on March 4, 2022, after an 8-day trial in
young-illinois-mom. Shelby County. He was sentenced on April 1,
2022, to 650 years in prison for 6 counts of
Shapiro, Emily. “Man Arrested for the 2009 rape, 9 counts of unlawful deviate conduct,
Murder of 22-Year-Old Mother Through seven counts of burglary causing bodily harm,
Same Type of Testing that Caught ‘Golden and one count of robbery.
State Killer’ Suspect.” ABC News, August 29,
2018. Accessed December 22, 2020. https:// Sources:
abcnews.go.com/US/man-arrested-2009-
murder-22-year-mother-type/story? Associated Press. “Prosecutors: Envelope
id=57480270. DNA Linked Man to Cold Case Assaults.”
Associated Press, August 19, 2020. Accessed
WICS/WCCU Staff. “Michael Henslick December 22, 2020. https://apnews.com/
Sentenced to Life in Prison for Murder.” Fox article/e66c2caddf37984d94c32670e920c275.
News Illinois, June 5, 2020. Accessed
December 22, 2020. https://foxillinois.com/ Geiger, Dorian. “‘Sadistic’ Indiana Man Gets
news/local/michael-henslick-sentenced-to- to 650 Years in Prison for Series of Cold Case
life-in-prison-for-murder. Rapes in 1980s.” Oxygen, April 5, 2022.
Accessed April 9, 2022. https://
www.oxygen.com/crime-news/steven-hessler-
sentenced-650-years-cold-case-rapes.

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 152
 Greensburg Daily News Staff. “Greensburg WTHR Staff. “Shelby County Arrest in Serial
Man Arrested in Sexual Assault Case.” Rape Cold Case, Bond Set at $20,000,000.”
Greensburg Daily News, August 19, 2020. WTHR NBC News, August 18, 2020.
Accessed December 22, 2020. https:// Accessed December 22, 2020. https://
www.greensburgdailynews.com/news/ www.wthr.com/article/news/crime/shelby-
local_news/greensburg-man-arrested-in- county-arrest-in-serial-sexual-assault-cold-
sexual-assault-cold-case/article_24ac4088- case/531-58a27fd6-557b-4b3f-
e233-11ea-abb6-775542d5039b.html. a5d8-0a9c21bf8ce2.

Nye, Rich. “Greensburg Man Charged in

Series of Violent Home Invasions in the 80s Case ID 1828-1830: Higgins, Elliott L.
spent Most of the 90s in Prison for Similar
Crime.” WTHR 13 NBC News, August 20, On February 2, 2023, Elliott L. Higgins was
2020. Accessed December 22, 2020. https:// identified by the Tuscaloosa Police
www.wthr.com/article/news/local/greensburg- Department as the lead suspect in three sexual
man-charged-in-series-of-violent-home- assaults that took place between 1991 and
invasions-in-1980s-spent-most-of-the-90s-in- 2004. The case has been cleared by exception
prison-for-similar-crime/531- due to the death of Higgins.
c7e55f45-6e51-4e3f-8786-1067654add5a.
In August of 1991, a 19-year-old student at
Nye, Rich. “Greensburg Man Convicted in the University of Alabama was returning to
Shelby County 1980s Home Invasion Sexual her car when a man kidnapped her at
Assaults.” WTHR NBC News 13, March 3, knifepoint. He forced her into the back of his
2022. Last modified March 4, 2022. Accessed vehicle and then drove her to a separate
March 12, 2022. https://www.wthr.com/ location where he sexually assaulted her. He
article/news/crime/jury-to-decide-verdict-in- then rifled through her purse and read her
trial-of-greensburg-man-charged-in-shelby- identification. He then threatened that he
county-1980s-home-invasion-sexual-assaults- would find her and kill her if she reported the
steven-ray-hessler-shelbyville/ assault.
531-31bc27da-1602-40a9-834d-92f0e085192
4. In 2001, a realtor received a phone call at her
agency in Tuscaloosa from a man using a pay
State of Indiana v. Steven Ray Hessler. Case phone. He asked her to show him a home.
Summary. Case No. 73C01-2008-FA-000001. Once there, he raped her at knifepoint and
Shelby Circuit Court. August 18, 2020. stole some of her jewelry.
Accessed December 22, 2020. https://
public.courts.in.gov/mycase/#/vw/ A woman in Colorado Springs, Colorado, was
CaseSummary/ approached in August of 2004 by a man
eyJ2Ijp7IkNhc2VUb2tlbiI6IllBTGtyOFd6eH looking to purchase a wedding dress she had
J2QjRKWWJRR0VMbkNteVdLekl0OThrcE listed for sale. He then attempted to assault
1VSVI0V3VEclUxIn19. her when she refused to model the dress,
threatening her with a gun. She managed to
wrest the gun from him and alert authorities.

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 153
She bloodied his nose, which enabled a DNA involved in other criminal offences across the
profile of the suspect to be developed. country, and have forwarded his information
to other jurisdictions where the Horn
The cases were re-examined and linked Competition was held over the years.
together in 2005 when grant money became
available to test DNA evidence from sexual Sources:
assaults using new methods.
Phillips, Ryan. “DNA Evidence Helps
Other women have come forward to state that Identify Deceased Serial Rapist in Tuscaloosa
they were approached by a similar-looking Cases.” Patch.com, February 2, 2023.
male who contacted them about items they Accessed February 3, 2023. https://
were selling and then attempted to assault patch.com/alabama/tuscaloosa/dna-evidence-
them. helps-identify-deceased-serial-rapist-
tuscaloosa-cases.
There are also reports that he may be the
same man who raped and murdered a woman Robinson, Carol. “New Mexico Musician
in Tulsa, Oklahoma in similar circumstances, Linked to 2 Alabama Rapes Decade Apart,
but authorities have not yet announced that Others Nationwide, Years After His Death.”
this case has been cleared. AL.com, February 2, 2023. Accessed February
3, 2023. https://www.al.com/news/2023/02/
The FGG investigation was conducted by new-mexico-musician-linked-to-2-alabama-
Parabon Nanolabs in partnership with the rapes-decade-apart-others-nationwide-years-
Violent Crimes Unit of the Tuscaloosa Police after-his-death.html.
Department, beginning in October of 2021.
The method of final confirmation has not Taylor, Drew. “Elliott Higgins Came to
been reported. Alabama Twice for a Horn Competition.
Years After His Death, He’s Linked to 2
Higgins, who was from Jimenez Springs, Sexual Assaults, Spanning 10 Years.” CBS 42
New Mexico, was a former conductor of the News, February 2, 2023. Accessed February
Albuquerque Philharmonic. He was proficient 3, 2023. https://www.cbs42.com/news/crime/
in the French horn. He founded the elliott-higgins-came-to-alabama-twice-for-a-
International Horn Competition in 1976, of horn-competition-years-after-his-death-hes-
which he was also a judge. The competition linked-to-2-sexual-assaults-spanning-10-
was being hosted in Tuscaloosa at the years/.
University of Alabama at the same time as the
two women were attacked. He also ran a Taylor, Stephanie. “TV Show to Feature
music camp for young people. He reportedly Suspect in Local Crimes.” Tuscaloosa News,
has a criminal record for for sexual assaults November 13, 2006. Accessed February 4,
on minors from the 1970s. 2023. https://www.tuscaloosanews.com/story/
news/2006/11/14/tv-show-to-feature-suspect-
Higgins passed away in September of 2014, in-local-crimes/27692786007/.
when he would have been 73 years old. Police
continue to investigate whether he was

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 154
Case ID 1822: Hill, Jospeh Norman www.newsweek.com/police-name-suspect-
murder-boy-found-strangled-belt-50-years-
On January 24, 2023, police identified Joseph ago-1776447.
Norman Hill as the lead suspect in the April
1972 rape and murder of 12-year-old Bradley Boardman Police Department. “Familial DNA
Lee Bellino in Boardman Ohio. Bellino went Identifies Suspect in 1972 Murder of 12-Year-
missing from his home sometime on April 1, Old Boy.” Forensic Magazine, January 25,
1972. His remains were found in a dumpster 2023. Accessed January 25, 2023. https://
on the morning of April 4, 1972. Bellino had www.forensicmag.com/593925-Familial-
been sexually assaulted and strangled with a DNA-Identifies-Suspect-in-1972-Murder-
belt that was still wrapped around his neck. of-12-Year-Old-Boy/.

The case was reopened in 2001, and Bellino’s Gauntner, Mike, Robert McFerren, Zach
clothing was sent for DNA testing. A DNA Mosca, and Sydney Canty. “Suspect
profile of the suspect was developed from Identified in Half-Century Old Boardman
semen found on the clothes. Cold Case.” WFMJ NBC News 21, January
24, 2023. Accessed January 25, 2023. https://
The FGG investigation was conducted by www.wfmj.com/story/48218174/suspect-
Parabon Nanolabs in partnership with the identified-in-halfcentury-old-boardman-cold-
Boardman Police Department beginning in case.
2019. The method of confirmation of Hill’s
identity has not been disclosed.
Case ID 1377: Hill, Julius William Jr.
Hill, who would have been 32 years old at the
time of the murder, was a truck driver for a Julius William Hill Jr. has been identified as
bottled water company. He died in 2019 in the lead suspect in the April 7, 1978 rape and
Yucaipa, California. Hill had never been a murder of 47-year-old Carolyn Cox Rose in
suspect in the case. Escambia County, Florida. The case has been
cleared by exception due to the death of Hill.
Two other boys were killed around the time
of Bellini’s murder. Thomas Baird, 15, was Cox was a realtor who met a potential buyer
killed in 1970, and David Evans, 13, was to show him a house. She was found later that
abducted from a parking lot and murdered in day in the bedroom of the home. She had
January of 1975. Police continue to been bound and her underwear wrapped
investigate their deaths, and whether they around her neck.
have any connection to Hill.
The FGG investigation was conducted by
Sources: under the joint leadership of CeCe Moore of
Parabon Nanolabs and Lori Napolitani of the
Anglesey, Anders. “Police Name Suspect in Florida Department of Law Enforcement
Murder of Boy Found Strangled with Belt 50 (FDLE).
Years Ago.” Newsweek, January 23, 2023.
Accessed January 25, 2023. https://

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 155
Ray died in prison in California in 2007 while Case ID 1557: Hoff, John Reigh
serving a 30-year sentence for robbery.
John Reigh Hoff was identified on November
Sources: 19, 2021 as the lead suspect in the March 6,
1959 rape and murder of 9-year-old Candice
Forensic Magazine. “Parabon Helps Solve (‘Candy’) Rogers in Spokane, Washington.
42-Year-Old Cold Case in Florida.” Forensic The case has been cleared by exception due to
Magazine, June 15, 2020. Accessed the death of Hoff.
December 22, 2020. https://
www.forensicmag.com/565329-Parabon- Candy was a Camp Fire girl, selling mints
Helps-Solve-42-Year-Old-Cold-Case-in- door-to-door, when she went missing.
Florida/. Hundreds of people from the community
joined in to search for the little girl. Three
Legacy.com. “Julius William ‘Butch’ Hill Jr.” men, all members of the Air Force, died when
Salisbury Post (Obituary), April 22, 2007. their helicopter hit a power line and crashed.
Accessed December 22, 2020. https:// Her body was found about two weeks after
www.legacy.com/obituaries/salisburypost/ she went missing. She had been raped and
obituary.aspx?n=julius-william-hill- strangled with a piece of her clothing. Her
butch&pid=87402933. body had been dumped in the brush and
covered in pine needles and branches. Grape-
United States v. Julius William Hill Jr., A/k/a flavoured gum was found on her clothing.
Butch Hill, 995 F.2d 1064 (4th Cir. C.A.
1993). A DNA profile of the suspect was developed
from semen taken from Candy’s clothing in
Warren-Hicks, Colin. “‘42 Years of Holding 2000. There were no matches to samples in
My Breath’: Family of 1978 Murder Victim the CODIS database. Hugh Morse, a known
Finally Exhales as Case Closes.” Pensacola serial killer who had long been a suspect in
News Journal, June 15, 2020. Accessed the case, was exonerated when his DNA did
December 22, 2020. https://www.pnj.com/ not match that of the suspect.
story/news/crime/2020/06/15/carolyn-cox-
rose-murder-1978-family-speaks-out-cold- The FGG investigation was conducted by
case-closes/5344663002/. Othram Inc. They narrowed-down the suspect
list to three brothers, all of whom were
Warren-Hicks, Colin. “ECSO Closes 42-Year- deceased. John Hoff was the only brother to
Old Cold Case Murder of Escambia County have had a child. Police obtained a DNA
Realtor.” Pensacola News Journal, June 9, sample from his daughter, Cathie, and they
2020. Accessed December 22, 2020. https:// confirmed that she was the daughter of
www.pnj.com/story/news/crime/2020/06/09/ Candy’s murderer. Hoff’s body was then
ecso-closes-42-year-old-cold-case-murder- exhumed, and his DNA was confirmed to be
realtor-carolyn-cox-rose/5330036002/. consistent with the suspect’s DNA profile.

Hoff was convicted of a sexual assault in

1961 in which he accosted a woman and tied

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 156
her up with her own clothing and strangled Review, November 18, 2021. Accessed
her. She survived, and Hoff was sentenced to November 19, 2021. https://
6 months in prison. Hoff died by suicide in www.spokesman.com/stories/2021/nov/18/
1970 at the age of 30. He would have been spokane-police-detectives-to-unveil-person-
about 19 years old at the time of Candy’s respons/.
murder. His step-sister was Candy’s big sister
in her Camp Fire Girls group, although it is Sarnoff, Marisa. “Spokane Police Solve 1959
not reported if he knew Candy personally. Cold Case of 9-Year-Old Girl Who Was
Raped and Murdered While Selling Mints.”
Sarnoff reports that his daughter, who had Law & Crime, November 19, 2021. Accessed
assisted with his identification as the killer, November 19, 2021. https://
stated that, “He was evil … he got to die with lawandcrime.com/crime/spokane-police-
people thinking he was an upstanding man, solve-1959-cold-case-of-9-year-old-girl-who-
and he wasn’t.” Other surviving family was-raped-and-murdered-while-selling-
members removed Hoff’s remains from the mints/.
cemetery, as Candy was also buried there.
Vogen, Michael. “Spokane Police Partner
This is reported to have been Spokane’s with Othram to Identify the 1959 Murder of
oldest cold case. Candice Rogers.” DNASolves.com, November
19, 2021. Accessed November 19, 2021.
Sources: https://dnasolves.com/articles/
candice_rogers/.
Briggs, Nick. “Candy Rogers Cold Case
Murder Solved.” Spokane City (Press
Release), November 19, 2021. Accessed Case ID 1512: Hogan, John Patrick
November 19, 2021. https://
my.spokanecity.org/police/news/2021/11/19/ The San Diego Sheriff’s Department
candy-rogers-cold-case-murder-solved/. announced on August 4, 2021, that John
Patrick Hogan has been identified as the lead
Carroll, Megan, and KREM Staff. “Hoe suspect in the October 9, 1980 murder of 20-
Spokane Police Cracked 1959 Cold Case year-old Michelle Louise Wyatt in Santee,
Murder of Candy Rogers and Identified Her California. The case has been cleared by
Killer.” KREM 2 News, November 19, 2021. exception due to the death of Hogan.
Accessed December 3, 2021. https://
www.krem.com/video/news/crime/how- Wyatt was raped and strangled to death by an
spokane-police-cracked-1959-cold-case- intruder into her condo at Kerrigan Court.
murder-of-candy-rogers-and-identified-her- Investigators state that she was strangled with
killer/293-69fb6677-deac-4db0-8d72- her own telephone cord. From witness
a1061190c17c. statements, investigators believe an intruder
knocked on Michelle’s door that night shortly
Mason, Greg. “Spokane Police Detectives to after her boyfriend left and locked the door.
Unveil Person they Say is Responsible for Neighbors heard screaming soon after he left,
1959 Killing of Candy Rogers.” Spokesman- but no one phoned 911. Her body was

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 157
discovered the following morning by her www.cbs8.com/article/news/crime/parents-
roommate. cold-case-murder-victim-want-closure-
suspect-found-dead/509-ea66e66f-5de8-4abc-
Semen was recovered from a sexual assault b035-ec23daeaae16.
kit taken at Wyatt’s autopsy, and a DNA
profile of two males were developed in June Arnold, Thomas K. “Unhappy Ending:
of 2000. One of these samples belonged to Michelle Wyatt Murder Solved with Genetic
Wyatt’s boyfriend, who was eliminated as a Genealogy.” San Diego Reader, June 1, 2022.
suspect. The other sample was entered into Accessed June 8, 2022. https://
CODIS, but this produced no new leads. A www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2022/jun/01/
familial search of CODIS was performed in cover-unhappy-ending/.
March of 2020, and this also turned up no
hits. Figueroa, Teri. “41 Years After San Diego
Woman’s Rape and Murder, DNA Reveals a
There is currently no information as to who Suspect.” Los Angeles Times, August 5, 2021.
conducted the FGG investigation was. Accessed August 10, 2021. https://
Investigators reportedly used targeted kinship www.latimes.com/california/story/
testing in this case – the relative matches 2021-08-05/41-years-after-santee-womans-
consisted of distant relatives, whom rape-and-murder-dna-and-genealogy-reveal-
investigators approached and asked for a-suspect.
assistance in providing DNA samples for
further genealogical testing. This eventually San Diego County Sheriff’s Department.
led investigators to close relatives who were “Cold-Case Homicide Investigation –
able to identify Hogan as the source of the Santee.” San Diego County Sheriff’s
crime scene semen sample. Department, August 4, 2021. Accessed
August 10, 2021. https://www.sdsheriff.gov/
It was reported that, over the years, about 90 Home/Components/News/News/558/16?
suspects were interviewed, most of whom fbclid=IwAR3xn0NklzLkgR27Se4eeFje24tEi
provided DNA samples. A familial search of lMVl83mLI71-xnl5_LOUXBfGIZncfk.
the California law enforcement database was
also performed, with no results. Saunders, Mark. “Investigators Use Genetic
Genealogy to Identify Suspect in Cold Case
Hogan is reported to have died in Phoenix, Murder of Santee Woman.” ABC News 10
Arizona in 2004 at the age of 42 from a San Diego, August 4, 2021. Last Modified
methamphetamine overdose - on October 9, August 5, 2021. Accessed August 10, 2021.
2004, exactly 24 years after Wyatt’s murder. https://www.10news.com/news/local-news/
east-county-news/suspect-identified-in-40-
Sources: year-old-cold-case-of-santee-womans-murder.

Alford, Abbie. “San Diego Parents of Cold

Case Murder Victim Still Want Closure After
Suspect Found Dead.” CBS News 8, August
5, 2021. Accessed August 10, 2021. https://

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 158
Case ID 1136: Holmes, Benjamin Benjamin, and surreptitiously sampled a cigar
and a bottle of beer he had thrown away.
Benjamin L. Holmes was arrested on
November 5, 2018 and charged in the 2001 Several other relatives of Holmes were
murder of 25-year-old Christine Franke in approached by investigators to obtain their
Orlando, Florida. Franke was studying to DNA, perhaps as many as a dozen. In this
become a teacher. She had been killed by an case, the family tree was very large, and
intruder in her home after returning from genealogists wanted to perform targeted
school on October 21, 2001. She had been kinship testing to narrow the investigation
raped, robbed, and shot in the head. She was down to the correct branch of the family tree.
found with her clothing partially removed.
John Hogan was one of the relatives of
A DNA profile was obtained from semen Benjamin Holmes who assisted in the
collected from her body. The FGG investigation. He had uploaded his DNA
investigation was conducted by Parabon profile to GEDmatch as part of his research
Nanolabs. Investigators made the initial into his family history. Hogan, a more distant
confirmation through surreptitious sampling. relative, stated that he is very pleased with the
result, and is glad that his information could
Holmes has a previous criminal record, but help apprehend a murderer and bring closure
the offences were not serious enough to to Franke’s family.
require him to provide his DNA.
This case has therefore raised ethical issues
Over the course of the investigation, police over how police conduct DNA sampling in
took DNA samples from dozens of men cases of targeted kinship testing, and whether
connected to the case, all of whom were it is ethical for police to withhold information
excluded. or mislead potential witnesses in order to
induce them to provide their DNA samples.
This case directly raised the issue of how
different family members of Holmes felt Holmes had pled not guilty, and his case is
about the genealogical investigation. The pending in Orange County Circuit Court.
mother of the accused, Eleanor Holmes, was During the opening statements of the trial in
quite upset by the arrest. She claimed that February of 2023, the defence stated that the
police had lied to her to get a sample of her DNA is that of Holmes, but that his semen
DNA, telling her that they were trying to was planted at the crime scene to protect the
identify someone in her family who had died. “real killer.” They have not yet presented
This DNA test confirmed that the source of evidence of how the semen was introduced
the crime scene DNA was one of Holmes’ into Franke’s body.
two sons. Investigators first put her other son,
Reginal, under surveillance and Sources:
surreptitiously sampled a bottle of Gatorade
he had drank from and thrown away. He was DeForest, Mike. “‘One Person Left:’
excluded as being a contributor to the semen Detective Says DNA Solved 2001 UCF
found on Franke’s body. Police then turned to Student’s Murder.” Click Orlando, February

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 159
3, 2023. Accessed February 4, 2023. https:// Her body was found about a month later by
www.clickorlando.com/news/local/ horseback riders from a local stable. She was
2023/02/03/one-person-left-detective-says- thought to have been sexually assaulted and
dna-solved-2001-ucf-students-murder/. strangled, and she was buried in a shallow
grave. DNA was recovered from blood stains
Perez, Nicole, and Andrea Torres. “Ancestry on Rainey’s shirt.
Customer Says he is Glad His DNA on
GEDmatch Led to Unknown Cousin’s Arrest 16-year-old Carol Anderson was last seen
for Murder.” Local 10 News, August 14, leaving a house party on the night of July 1,
2019. Accessed December 23, 2020. https:// 1979. She may have hitched a ride home with
www.local10.com/news/2019/08/15/ancestry- a stranger. She was found the next morning
customer-says-he-is-glad-his-dna-on- on a local trail. She had been bound, strangled
gedmatch-led-to-unknown-cousins-arrest-for- and sexually assaulted. DNA was recovered
murder/. from her body.

Schuppe, Jon. “‘They Lied to Us’: Mom Says The FGG investigation was conducted by
Police Deceived Her to Get Her DNA and Parabon Nanolabs. Their investigation
Charge Her Son with Murder.” NBC News, narrowed the list of suspects down to Holt or
February 22, 2020. Accessed December 23, one of his two brothers, all of whom were
2020. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us- now deceased. Holt was a graduate of UC
news/they-lied-us-mom-says-police- Berkeley who had worked in real estate in
deceived-her-get-her-n1140696. Tahoe and he lived in the area where their
bodies were found. The confirmation was
Tziperman Lotan, Gal. “DNA Leads made with the assistance of Holt’s son, who
Detectives to Suspect in 17-Year-Old Orlando provided his own DNA and a toothbrush
Murder.” The Ledger, November 6, 2018. belonging to his father.
Accessed December 23, 2020. https://
www.theledger.com/news/20181106/dna- Sources:
leads-detectives-to-suspect-in-17-year-old-
orlando-murder. Dowd, Kaite. “Two Women Were Strangled
in Tahoe in the 1970s. Investigators Finally
Think They Know Who Did It.” SFGate,
Case ID 1166-1167: Holt, Joseph February 25, 2019, last modified February 26,
2019. Accessed December 23, 2020. https://
Joseph Holt has been identified as the lead www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/brynn-
suspect in two murders that took place in El rainey-carol-andersen-joseph-holt-cold-
Dorado, California in the late 1970s. The case-13644208.php#photo-15181957.
cases were cleared by exception as Holt
passed away in 2014. El Dorado County District Attorney, and
KTVN News. “Timeline Photos of Suspect in
27-year-old Brynn Rainey disappeared on the South Lake Tahoe Cold Case Released.”
night of July 23, 1977 while on her way to KTVN News, February 26, 2019, last
work an overnight shift at a casino in Tahoe. modified June 10, 2019. Accessed December

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 160
23, 2020. https://www.ktvn.com/story/ had been sexually assaulted and stabbed to
40031036/el-dorado-county-da-names- death.
suspect-in-decades-old-murder-cases.
A DNA profile was obtained from semen
Fedschun, Travis. “California Cold Case from Jessop’s underpants in January of 1995.
Killings Linked by DNA to Suspect Who Was The FGG investigation was performed by
‘Never on the Radar’ of Police.” Fox News, Othram in partnership with Anthony
February 27, 2019. Accessed December 23, Redgrave – who had formerly volunteered
2020. https://www.foxnews.com/us/2-cold- with the DNA Doe Project. The confirmation
case-killings-in-california-linked-to-suspect- was made to a sample that the Centre for
through-dna-who-was-never-on-the-radar-of- Forensic Sciences had on file from Hoover’s
police. 2015 autopsy.

McGough, Michael. “Two 1970s South Lake Guy Paul Morin, a neighbour of the Jessop
Tahoe Homicides Solved by DNA family, was tried twice for the murder of
Breakthrough, El Dorado County DA Says.” Christine. He was acquitted at trial in 1986.
Sacramento Bee, February 25, 2019. The Crown appealed his acquittal, and a new
Accessed December 23, 2020. https:// trial was ordered. Morin was convicted at his
www.sacbee.com/news/local/crime/ second trial in 1992. When a DNA profile of
article226747699.html. the suspect was obtained in 1995, it excluded
Morin as being a contributor to that sample.
Peterson, Paula. “Two South Lake Tahoe This enabled Morin to successfully appeal to
Cold Cases Solved with Genetic Genealogy.” overturn his wrongful conviction, the first
South Tahoe Now, February 25, 2019. time that a Canadian was exonerated through
Accessed December 23, 2020. http:// DNA evidence. A public inquiry into the
southtahoenow.com/story/02/25/2019/two- causes of his wrongful conviction was a
south-lake-tahoe-cold-cases-solved-genetic- watershed in Canadian criminal justice, and
genealogy. produced a number of systemic changes,
including greater recognition of tunnel vision
on the part of police and prosecutors, and
Case ID 1416: Hoover, Calvin Dana fraudulent expert testimony.

Calvin Hoover was identified by the Toronto Hoover lived near the Jessops and was an
Police Department as the lead suspect in the acquaintance of the family. The Jessops had
October 3, 1984 murder of 9-year-old visited Hoover’s family just two days before
Christine Jessop. The case was cleared by Christine’s murder.
exception due to the death of Hoover, who
committed suicide in 2015. Ken, a second cousin once removed of
Hoover, is a genealogy buff who uploaded his
Jessop was abducted near her home in DNA to several genealogy sites and had built
Queensville, Ontario. Her body was found on out a large family tree. His research was
December 31, 1984, over 50 km away, in a important in solving this case. Ken states that
wooded area near Sunderland, Ontario. She

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 161
he is happy to have assisted in this suspect in a series of four murders of young
investigation. women in Cincinnati in the late 1970s.

Sources: Howell was posthumously indicted by a

grand jury in Hamilton County for the March
CBC News. “How Genetic Genealogy 24, 1978 murder of 19-year-old Cheryl
Identified the Killer in a Toronto Cold Case.” Thompson. On that evening, she disappeared
CBC News, October 15, 2020, last updated on her way to Gatsby’s Disco in the Oakley
October 16, 2020. Accessed December 23, neighbourhood of Cincinnati. Her car was
2020. https://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/ found outside the disco. Police think that she
genetic-genealogy-identifies-killer- was abducted on her way inside to meet her
jessop-1.5764107. friends. She had been a student at the
University of Cincinnati, and she planned to
Dubinsky, Zach. “Genealogy Buff Delighted be a nurse. Her body was found near the
to Find He Helped Solve Jessop Cold Case – Little Miami River on April 8, 1978. She had
But Also Learns He’s Killer’s Cousin.” CBC been sexually assaulted and she was killed by
News, December 7, 2020. Accessed strangulation and blunt force trauma to her
December 23, 2020. https://www.cbc.ca/ head.
news/christine-jessop-investigation-dna-
tracing-cousins-1.5828034. A DNA sample of the suspect was developed
from a sexual assault kit taken at her autopsy.
Ivany, Kimberly. “The Science Behind Why There is currently no information on who
Police Now Believe They Have the Right conducted the FGG investigation. Howell’s
Suspect in Christine Jessop’s Murder.” CBC body was exhumed, and his DNA was found
News, October 23, 2020, last updated October to be a match to that of the suspect.
30, 2020. Accessed December 23, 2020.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/investigates/calvin- Authorities believe that Howell is also the
hoover-family-tree-genealogy-1.5773187. lead suspect in the similar rape-murders of
three other women around the same time. The
Syed, Ronna, and Shanifa Nasser. “Toronto remains of 24-year-old Victoria Hincher was
Police Identify Killer in Cold Case of 9-Year- found on October 31, 1976 on New London
Old Christine Jessop.” CBC News, October Road in Butler County.
15, 2020, last updated October 16, 2020.
Accessed December 23, 2020. https:// The body of 18-year-old Nancy Ann
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/christine- Theobald was found on December 26, 1977
jessop-news-conference-1.5763673. on Beckett Road in Butler County. She
studied finance at the University of
Cincinnati. She was abducted walking home
Case ID 1789-1792: Howell, Ralph from work. Her frozen body was found in a
creek bed. Her hands had been bound, and
On November 17, 2022, investigators she had also been raped and strangled. The
announced that Ralph Howell was the lead suspect’s blood was found on her sweater.

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 162
17-year-old Charmaine Stolla was found on Case ID 1315-1316: Hudspeth, Clifton
March 12, 1978 near Old Colerain Park in
Hamilton County. Clifton Hudspeth was identified as the lead
suspect in the December 20, 1982 murders of
After these murders took place, Howell was 16-year-old cousins Mary Malatag and
arrested for the 1983 abduction of a fifth Jeffrey Flores Atup in Milpitas, California.
woman. He had picked her up in his car and This case was cleared by exception due to the
he then attempted to choke her with a rope death of Hudspeth.
and sexually assault her, but she managed to
escape. He had pled guilty to a lesser offence Malatag and Atup were shot coming home
and had been released when he died in a car from a late-night visit to a nearby 7-11 store.
accident in 1985. Atup had just got off work from a local movie
theater and they were walking home together.
Their bodies were found early the next
Sources: morning, about 4 miles apart, along different
intersections. Malatag had been sexually
Bentley, Quinlan. “Cold Case Closed: assaulted.
Accused Serial Killer Tied to 4 Murders, 1
Failed Abduction.” Cincinnati Enquirer, There is currently no data as to who
November 17, 2022. Last modified November performed the FGG investigation. Hudspeth
18, 2022. https://www.cincinnati.com/story/ was confirmed as the contributor to the crime
news/crime/2022/11/17/deters-dna-evidence- scene DNA through an exhumation of his
closes-cold-case-suspected-serial-killer- remains. He had a criminal history involving
charged/69657499007/. convictions for attempted murder, robbery,
and sexual assaults. At the time of the
King, Courtney, and Jared Goffinet. “UC murders, he was living in the area near where
Student’s Cold-Case Murder Tied to the bodies were found. Hudspeth died of
Suspected Serial Killer.” Fox 19 News, natural causes in October of 1999.
November 17, 2022. Accessed November 18,
2022. Sources:

Schmidt, Jessica. “Key Piece of Evidence CBS San Francisco. “DNA Match Solves
Could Eventually Lead Investigators to Killer 1982 Cold Case Slaying of Fremont Teenage
in Unsolved Murder of UC Student from Cousins.” KPIX 5 News, CBS San Francisco,
1977.” Fox 19 News, November 11, 2019. December 17, 2019. Accessed December 23,
Accessed November 18, 2022. https:// 2020. https://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/
www.fox19.com/2019/11/11/key-piece- 2019/12/17/dna-fremont-cold-case-teenage-
evidence-could-eventually-lead-investigators- cousins-murdered-clifton-hudspeth/.
killer-unsolved-murder-uc-student/.
Geha, Joseph. “Freemont Detectives Crack
1982 Double Murder Cold Case Using DNA
Testing.” Mercury News, December 17, 2019.
Accessed December 23, 2020. https://

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 163
www.mercurynews.com/2019/12/17/fremont- Sources:
detectives-crack-1982-double-murder-cold-
case-using-dna-testing/. Associated Press. “Police: DNA, Genealogy
Tests Linked Suspect to 1992 Killing in
Naylor, Maureen, and Aja Seldon. “DNA Maryland.” Baltimore Sun, February 17,
Evidence Solves 1982 Cold Case Murder of 2020. Accessed December 23, 2020. https://
Two Cousins in Fremont.” KTVU News, www.baltimoresun.com/news/crime/bs-md-
December 17, 2019. Accessed December 23, cr-tests-linked-suspect-to-1992-
2020. https://www.ktvu.com/news/dna- killing-20200217-
evidence-solves-1982-cold-case-murder-of- ncliov2gfvhbnimxbxvupzpada-story.html.
two-cousins-in-fremont.
David, Madeline. “Man Killed in Virginia
Nestel, M. L. “Murder of Teenage Cousins Beach by Maryland Police Was Wanted for
Who Were Killed While on a 7-11 Run 1992 Murder.” 13 News Now, February 13,
Solved After 37 Years, Police Say.” Oxygen, 2020, last modified February 14, 2020.
December 19, 2019. Accessed December 23, Accessed December 23, 2020. https://
2020. https://www.oxygen.com/crime-news/ www.13newsnow.com/article/news/local/
clifton-hudspeth-confirmed-as-killer-of- mycity/virginia-beach/police-identify-man-
jeffrey-atup-mary-malatag-in-1982. killed-by-maryland-police-in-virginia-beach/
291-46895592-d6e8-44d1-a779-
e30cd30b6e54.
Case ID 1338: Huitz, Hans
David, Madeline. “Wife of Virginia Beach
Hans Huitz was identified as the lead suspect Man Killed by Cold Case Officers Speaks
in the March 22, 1992 robbery and murder of Out.” 13 News Now, February 19, 2020.
57-year-old James Essel in Comus, Maryland. Accessed December 23, 2020. https://
Essel was the owner of the Sugarloaf www.13newsnow.com/article/news/crime/
Mountain Market in Comus, when his store wife-of-virginia-beach-man-killed-by-cold-
was robbed by an unknown assailant. Essel case-officers-speaks-out/291-
was stabbed 29 times. Police obtained a DNA d42738b6-512f-473a-99ee-26dca2c3a374.
profile of the suspect from a trail of blood he
left at the scene.
Case ID 1600: Hundley, Rayshawn
There is no data on who performed the FGG
investigation. Rayshawn Hundley, 47 years old, was
arrested on October 4, 2021, for a home
Police approached Huitz in his vehicle on invasion rape of a minor that took place on
February 12, 2020 with a warrant for his December 31, 1995, in Cleveland, Ohio. The
arrest on charges of first-degree murder and victim was a 16-year-old girl from Alabama
robbery. Huitz was shot and killed by police who was visiting her aunt in Cleveland for the
when he pulled a gun on Montgomery County holidays. An unknown male broke into the
PD and US Marshalls. Huitz was 51 years home while she was sleeping and sexually
old. assaulted her in her bedroom. He stole a VCR

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 164
and several cassette tapes. A SAK was taken Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office.
from the victim in the hospital “Ohio’s G.O.L.D. Unit IDs 3 More Sexual
Assault Suspects from 20 Most Wanted.”
A DNA profile from the SAK was obtained in Forensic Magazine, January 5, 2022.
2015. The suspect, known as “John Doe Accessed January 9, 2022. https://
#102” was chosen as one of 20 priority cases www.forensicmag.com/582405-Ohio-s-G-O-
for the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s L-D-Unit-IDs-3-More-Sexual-Assault-
Office’s G.O.L.D. (Genetic Operations Suspects-from-20-Most-Wanted/.
Linking DNA) Unit. The funding for this
project was provided by the U.S. Department Shaffer, Cory. “Cuyahoga County
of Justice in October of 2020. The G.O.L.D. Prosecutors’ Genealogical DNA Unit IDs
Three More Men Accused of Raping Women
The FGG investigation was conducted by in the 1990s.” Cleveland.com, December 27,
Barbara Rae-Venter of Gene By Gene. The 2021. Accessed January 9, 2022. https://
initial confirmation was made through www.cleveland.com/court-justice/2021/12/
surreptitious sampling. cuyahoga-county-prosecutors-genealogical-
dna-unit-ids-three-more-men-accused-of-
Hundley is charged with rape, kidnapping, raping-women-in-the-1990s.html.
and aggravated burglary in Cuyahoga County.
The victim of this sexual assault passed away
in August of 2021, before the identity of her Case ID 1505: Hunter, Mark Thompson
attacker could be confirmed to her.
Mark Thompson Hunter was arrested on July
Sources: 15, 2021, for the February 17, 1999 rape and
kidnapping of a 19-year-old woman in
Anderson, Chris. “3 ‘Most Wanted’ Suspects Escondido, California. A man approached the
Identified in Decades-Old Cuyahoga County teenager at a convenience store, asking for
Sexual Assault Cases.” Cleveland 19 News, directions to a nearby Super 7 Motel. He then
December 28, 2021. Accessed January 9, followed her in his vehicle, and then he
2022. https://www.cleveland19.com/ stopped and motioned to her to pull over. As
2021/12/28/3-most-wanted-suspects- she approached his vehicle, he kidnapped her,
identified-decades-old-cuyahoga-county- dragging her into his vehicle and took her to
sexual-assault-cases/. another location where he sexually assaulted
her before driving her back to her vehicle.
Belle, Cris. “Cuyahoga County Prosecutor
Identifies Three More Sexual Assault The FGG investigation is reported to have
Suspects on ’20 Most Wanted’ List.” Fox 8 proceeded with the assistance of the FBI,
News, December 28, 2021. Accessed January although there is as yet no confirmation
9, 2022. https://fox8.com/news/cuyahoga- whether it was the FBI IGU who conducted
county-prosecutor-identifies-three-more- the genealogical investigation.
sexual-assault-suspects-on-20-most-wanted-
list/.

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 165
Hunter is facing numerous charges involving
sexual assault and kidnapping in San Diego The FGG investigation was conducted by
County Superior Court. Parabon Nanolabs, who earlier performed
forensic phenotyping on the DNA profile
Sources: taken at the crime scene.

Ash, Allison, and Christina Bravo. “Retested Hurst has pled not guilty, and the case against
DNA Leads to Arrest in Escondido Kidnap, him is pending in De Kalb County Criminal
Rape Case 20+ Years Later. NBC News 7 San Court.
Diego, July 15, 2021. Accessed July 25, 2021.
https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/ Sources:
retested-dna-leads-to-arrest-in-escondido-
kidnap-rape-case-20-years-later/2656833/. CBS Chicago. “DNA Used to Create Facial
Image of Suspect in Sycamore Double-
CBSLA Staff. “Police: Mark Thompson Homicide.” CBS Chicago, August 15, 2018.
Hunter of Hemet Identified Through DNA in Accessed December 23, 2020. https://
1999 Escondido Rape of 19-Year-Old chicago.cbslocal.com/2018/08/15/sycamore-
Woman.” CBS Los Angeles, July 15, 2021. homicides-suspect/.
Accessed July 25, 2021. https://
losangeles.cbslocal.com/2021/07/15/police- Knight, Cameron. “Cincinnati Man Arrested
mark-thompson-hunter-hemet-identified- in Cold Case Beating Death of Two in
dna-1999-escondido-rape-19-year-old- Illinois.” Cincinnati Enquirer, February 25,
woman/. 2020. Accessed December 23, 2020. https://
www.cincinnati.com/story/news/crime/crime-
McAllister, Toni. “Cold Case Rape, Sodomy: and-courts/2020/02/25/johnathan-hurst-
Police Announce Hemet Man’s Arrest.” cincinnati-man-arrested-illinois-double-
Patch, July 15, 2021. Accessed July 25, 2021. homicide/4868701002/.
https://patch.com/california/murrieta/cold-
case-rape-sodomy-police-announce-hemet- Williams, Jim. “Sycamore Murder Mystery
mans-arrest. Cracked? Johnathan Hurst Accused of Killing
Patricia, Robert Wilson.” CBS Chicago,
February 25, 2020. Accessed December 23,
Case ID 1340-1341: Hurst, Jonathan 2020. https://chicago.cbslocal.com/
2020/02/25/sycamore-murder-cold-case-
Johnathan Hurst was arrested on February 24, cracked-johnathan-hurst-accused-of-killing-
2020 and charged in the August 14, 2016 patricia-robert-wilson/.
murders of 64-year-old Robert Wilson and
85-year-old Patricia Wilson in Sycamore, WKRC News. “Cincinnati Man Arrested in
Illinois. Mother and son were bludgeoned to Cold Case Double Murder in Rural Illinois.”
death in the course of a violent home invasion Local 12 News, February 25, 2020. Accessed
robbery. Their car had been stolen but was December 23, 2020. https://local12.com/
recovered several days later only a short news/local/cincinnati-man-arrested-in-cold-
distance from Hurst’s Chicago residence. case-double-murder-in-rural-illinois.

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 166
 Zak, Scott. “Man Accused of Double- Press, June 27, 2020. Accessed December 23,
Homicide in DeKalb Co. Pleads Not Guilty.” 2020. https://www.theoaklandpress.com/
WSPY News, March 13, 2020, last modified news/state/police-solve-case-of-girl-
March 17, 2020. Accessed December 23, abducted-raped-killed-in-1982/
2020. http://www.wspynews.com/news/ article_8efeb372-
local/man-accused-of-double-homicide-in- b87a-11ea-844c-4b523d9df5fd.html.
dekalb-co-pleads-not/
article_b7c28168-655e-11ea-9f32-8b9146d8a Bruner, Bethany. “Columbus Police Close
c4a.html. 1982 Homicide with Help of Podcast, Family
DNA Database.” The Columbus Dispatch,
reprinted in The Toronto Star, June 27, 2020.
Case ID 1388: Jarrell, Harold Warren Accessed December 23, 2020. https://
www.thestar.com/news/world/2020/06/27/
Harold Warren Jarrell has been identified as columbus-police-close-1982-homicide-with-
the lead suspect in the September 20, 1982 help-of-podcast-family-dna-database.html.
rape and murder of 8-year-old Kelly Ann
Prosser in Columbus, Ohio. The case has Cohen, Sam. “Killer Identified 38 Years After
been cleared by exception due to the death of Young Girl Goes Missing on Walk Home.”
Jarrell. The Denver Channel, June 26, 2020.
Accessed December 23, 2020. https://
Prosser was abducted while walking home www.thedenverchannel.com/news/national/
from her elementary school. Her body was killer-identified-38-years-after-young-girl-
found in a cornfield two days later. She had goes-missing-on-walk-home.
been raped, beaten, and strangled to death.
Taylor, Michelle. “DNA, Genetic Genealogy
The FGG investigation was conducted by Solve 1982 Murder of 8-Year-Old Girl.”
Advance DNA. The final confirmation was Forensic Magazine, July 1, 2020. Accessed
made with the assistance of a living relative December 23, 2020. https://
of Jarrell’s. www.forensicmag.com/565869-DNA-
Genetic-Genealogy-Solve-1982-Murder-of-8-
Jarrell himself passed away in 1996 at the age Year-Old-Girl/.
of 67. He had been convicted in 1977 of child
sex crimes that involved the abduction of
another 8-year-old girl. He served about 5 Case ID 1475: Jefferson, Michael Shannel
years for this offence, and was released in
early 1982, shortly before the murder of Michael Shannel Jefferson was arrested on
Prosser. Jarrell’s family cooperated in the April 9, 2021, for the November 21, 1985
investigation. home invasion robbery and murder of 51-
year-old Roger Dean in Lone Tree, Colorado.
Sources:
Dean was murdered by a masked intruder
Associated Press. “Police Solve Case of Girl who broke into his home and demanded
Abducted, Raped, Killed in 1982.” Oakland money from his bank account. Dean’s wife

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 167
heard a scuffle and several gun shots. Dean’s arrest-made-in-1985-killing-of-douglas-
body was later found at the end of the county-man.
driveway, and the suspect fled the area. The
ski mask he had worn over his face was left at Sylte, Allison. “How Investigators Used a
the scene. In 1990, Dean’s wife received Water Bottle Taken During a Flight to Make
several letters and cassette tapes telling her an Arrest in a 1985 Cold Case.” NBC 9 News.
that he was Dean’s killer and demanding April 9, 2021. Accessed April 11, 2021.
money from her. Police at the time thought https://www.9news.com/article/news/crime/
that the writer included details of the crime roger-dean-cold-case-murder-douglas-county/
that only the perpetrator was likely to know. 73-b7a71259-0fad-48e6-af92-e42f376915a9.

A DNA profile was eventually obtained from

human hair found inside the ski mask, which Case ID 1698-1699: Johnson, Morico
marks the first time that an FGG case was Tyrone
solved using hair from a suspect in a criminal
case. The FGG investigation was conducted Morico Tyrone Johnson was arrested on May
by United Data Connect. The initial 24, 2022 for a January 3, 2009 double-
confirmation with the crime scene sample homicide in Mount Union, Pennsylvania.
was made through a bottle that Jefferson had Sometime during the night of January 3, an
drunk from on an airplane and which he intruder broke into the apartment of 22-year-
handed to a flight attendant. old Christine McWhorter and her aunt, 31-
year-old Beatrice Daniels. Both women were
Jefferson has been extradited to Douglas shot in the head with a .25 caliber handgun.
County, where he will face charges of first- McWhorter’s two young children, a 4 month-
degree murder, felony murder, and old infant and a 4-year-old toddler, were in
kidnapping. He lived in the area near the time the apartment at the time of the murders and
of the murder. The statute of limitations has were unharmed.
run out on charges of extortion.
Police found droplets of blood throughout the
Sources: apartment, including on the staircase and
door. A DNA profile of an unknown male was
Nicholson, Kieran. “Man Arrested in 1985 developed. Parabon Nanolabs performed
Cold Case Shooting Death in Lone Tree.” forensic phenotyping of the suspect in 2016,
Denver Post, April 9, 2021. Accessed April and in 2018 performed the FGG investigation
11, 2021. https://www.denverpost.com/ as well.
2021/04/09/lone-tree-1985-cold-case-
homicide-arrest/. Johnson was identified by FGG as a
candidate. He was interviewed by the
Osborne, Ryan. “Arrest Made in 1985 Killing Pennsylvania State Police in December of
of Douglas County Man.” The Denver 2019, at which time he consensually provided
Channel, April 9, 2021. Accessed April 11, a DNA sample for comparison with the crime
2021. https://www.denver7.com/news/crime/ scene DNA. Police continued their
investigation, although there is no

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 168
information on why his arrest was delayed for www.wavy.com/news/crime/newport-news-
a further 2 1/2 years. man-arrested-in-13-year-old-cold-case-
murders/.
At the time of the murders, Johnson was
dating a close friend of McWhorter, and had Sullivan, Ali. “DNA Testing Leads to Arrest
come to visit her in Mount Union. The couple of Newport News Man in 2009 Double-
had argued as Johnson suspected her of Homicide Cold Case.” Daily Press, May 27,
having an affair with another man. Johnson 2022. Accessed May 28, 2022. https://
has denied going to the victims’ apartment, www.dailypress.com/news/crime/vp-nw-cold-
and the motive for the murders has not yet case-arrest-pennsylvania-20220527-
been made public. Johnson was then an jnuxszrp25fcdhw3nwvbia7lim-story.html.
employee with the New York Department of
Corrections. Wegner, Helena. “DNA Evidence Links Man
to the Killing of Two Women 13 Years Ago,
Johnson had his preliminary hearing on July PA Police Say.” Sacramento Bee, May 27,
12, 2022, where the judge deemed there was 2022. Accessed May 28, 2022. https://
enough evidence to constitute a prima facie www.sacbee.com/news/nation-world/
case. Johnson is charged with two counts of national/article261887595.html.
homicide in the Huntington County Court of
Common Pleas.
Case ID 1618: Jones, Eric Lane
Sources:
Eric Lane Jones, 56, was arrested on January
Berdar, Rebecca. “Suspect Arrested in 13- 3, 2022, for the May 28, 1985, murder of
Year-Old Cold Case.” Huntingdon Daily Jawed Ahmed in Anchorage, Alaska. Ahmed,
News, May 27, 2022. Accessed May 28, 32, picked up an unknown man at a gas
2022. https://www.huntingdondailynews.com/ station at about 12:15 am. A short time later,
news/local/suspect-arrested-in-13-year-old- Ahmed’s taxi crashed into a yard. Ahmed had
cold-case/article_9d5ffb91-6f65-575c-ba0e- been shot several times in what police
b3ddab5332fe.html. believed to be a botched robbery. The suspect
fled the scene. A blood-stained shirt sleeve
Berdar, Rebecca. “Testimony Heard in was found by a K9 team, and a blood-stained
Double Murder.” The Daily News, July 14, grey sweater was also found nearby.
2022. Accessed January 15, 2023. https://
www.huntingdondailynews.com/news/local/ A DNA profile was developed from the sleeve
testimony-heard-in-double-murder/ of the t-shirt in 2009, but there were no hits in
article_f02baa22-6625-545b-b993- CODIS. Tests of the sweater confirmed that
e65945816c51.html. the blood was that of Ahmed. The FGG
investigation was conducted by Othram.
Kennedy, Peyton, and Bill Shannon. Funding for the laboratory work was donated
“Newport News Man Arrested in 13-Year Old by Season of Justice. The initial confirmation
Cold Case Murders.” WAVY.com, May 27, was made through the surreptitious sampling
2022. Accessed May 28, 2022. https://

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 169
of a bottle and a pair of chopsticks from at a Vogen, Michael. “Anchorage Police
restaurant where Jones ate a meal. Department Leverages Othram’s Genetic
Testing Platform to Identify the 1985 Killer of
Jones was detained at his home in Boise, Jawed Ahmed.” DNASolves.com, January 24,
Idaho. He has confessed to officers that he 2022. Accessed January 29, 2022. https://
shot Ahmed. He states that Ahmed assaulted dnasolves.com/articles/
him and attempted to make sexual advances. anchorage_pd_jawed_ahmed/.
Jones was known to be living in Anchorage at
the time of the murder, and he crossed into Williams, Tess. “Idaho Man Charged in Cold-
the Yukon three days later. Photos of Jones as Case Killing of Anchorage Taxi Driver.”
a young man show a resemblance with the Anchorage Daily News, January 20, 2022.
forensic artist’s sketches of the suspect drawn Accessed January 29, 2022. https://
from witness statements taken at the time of www.adn.com/alaska-news/crime-courts/
the murder. 2022/01/20/idaho-man-charged-in-cold-case-
killing-of-anchorage-taxi-driver-after-dna-
Jones has been indicted by a Grand Jury in match/.
Anchorage for one count of first-degree
murder, and two counts of second-degree
murder. He is being held on bond and is Case ID 1363: Jones, Joseph
facing these charges in the Anchorage
Superior Court. Joseph Jones was arrested on May 14, 2020
and charged in the July 30, 2018 robbery and
Sources: murder of 52-year-old Robert Romero in
Santa Fe, New Mexico. Romero was robbed
Attorney General’s Office (Anchorage). “Eric and shot in the backyard of his home.
Jones Indicted for 1985 Anchorage Murder.”
Anchorage Police Department (Press A DNA profile was created from a pair of
Release), January 19, 2022. Accessed January sunglasses and a flashlight that were left at
29, 2022. https://www.anchoragepolice.com/ the scene, making this one of the few cases to
news/eric-jones-indicted-for-1985-anchorage- make use of touch DNA.
murder.
The FGG investigation was conducted by
Grove, Casey. “Anchorage Cold Case Took Parabon Nanolabs, who narrowed the pool of
Detectives from Bloody Clothes to Genetic suspects down to Jones, his brother, and a
Profile to Accused Killer’s Chopsticks.” first cousin. Investigators obtained search
Alaska Public Media, January 20, 2022. warrants to take DNA samples from the three
Accessed January 29, 2022. https:// men. Jones’ brother and cousin were
www.alaskapublic.org/2022/01/20/anchorage- eliminated as suspects.
cold-case-took-detectives-from-bloody-
clothes-to-genetic-profile-to-accused-killers- The case against Romero is currently pending
chopsticks/. in Santa Fe District Court.

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 170
Sources: high school in Taunton, where the woman
was exercising on the school track when she
Associated Press. “Genetic Analysis Helps was kidnapped, bound, and sexually assaulted
Police Make Arrest in Santa Fe Death.” in a nearby wood. Investigators believe that
Associated Press, May 15, 2020. Accessed Keith may be linked to two other unsolved
December 24, 2020. https://apnews.com/ rapes, and further charges may be laid.
article/
090ac7d19fd5819938d2270345c36386. There is no data on who conducted the FGG
investigation. Investigators made the initial
Martinez, Amanda. “DA Seeks to Hold Santa confirmation through the surreptitious
Fe Murder Suspect in Jail Until Trial.” Santa sampling of a vaping pipe used by Keith.
Fe New Mexican, May 20, 2020. Accessed
December 24, 2020. https:// Keith is a registered sex offender and is also
www.santafenewmexican.com/news/ charged with failing to comply with the terms
local_news/da-seeks-to-hold-santa-fe-murder- of registration. He was located in Maine
suspect-in-jail-until-trial/ living under a false name. He has convictions
article_d97f6072-9aa2-11ea- for sexual offences in the 1980s, the 1990s,
a56f-0f2472dc889f.html. and in 2000. He absconded on a 2003 trial
date in Brockton District Court in 2003 on
Martinez, Amanda. “Santa Fe Police Arrest sexual offences, and thus he managed to
Suspect in 2018 Backyard Slaying.” Santa Fe avoid providing a DNA sample.
New Mexican, May 14, 2020, last modified
May 15, 2020. Accessed December 24, 2020. Keith pled guilty in February of 2021 in
https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/ Bristol County to five counts of aggravated
local_news/santa-fe-police-arrest-suspect- rape, two counts of kidnapping and breaking
in-2018-backyard-slaying/ and entering, three counts of assault and
article_1bc6d88e-9625-11ea-9595-3f21d2e49 battery with a dangerous weapon, perjury, as
703.html. well as failing to register as a sex offender
and failure to provide DNA. He was
sentenced to 25 to 30 years. He is already
Case ID 1231-1232: Keith, Ivan serving 19 to 20 years for other, similar,
rapes.
Ivan Keith was arrested on August 2, 2019
and charged in the November 22, 1998 rape Sources:
of a 47-year-old woman in Easton,
Massachusetts, and the July 27, 1997 rape of Hanson, Melissa. “‘Nothing Short of Pure
a 36-year-old woman in Taunton, Evil;’ Ivan Keith Pleads Guilty to Rapes in
Massachusetts. Massachusetts Dating Back to the 1990s, Will
Spend Decades in Prison.” MassLive.com,
The first assault took place inside a business, February 17, 2021. Accessed December 24,
where a female janitor was kidnapped, bound, 2020. https://www.masslive.com/boston/
and sexually assaulted while taking out the 2021/02/nothing-short-of-pure-evil-ivan-
trash. The second assault occurred outside a keith-pleads-guilty-to-rapes-in-

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 171
massachusetts-dating-back-to-the-1990s-will- The initial confirmation was made through
spend-decades-in-prison.html. the surreptitious sampling of a Wawa ice tea
bottle that had been discarded by King.
WCVB News. “No Bail for Man Accused in Police then obtained a warrant for a buccal
Pair of Cold Case Rapes.” WCVB News, swab from King.
August 14, 2019. Accessed December 24,
2020. https://www.wcvb.com/article/after- King made a motion to suppress the DNA
two-decades-suspect-faces-charges-in-cold- profile obtained from the surreptitious
case-rapes-1565806621/28701583. sampling as well as the buccal swab, but this
motion was denied in January of 2021. The
Weisberg, Tim. “Cold Cases From 1990s court held that King did not evidence an
Solved as Serial Rapist Arrested.” WBSM expectation of privacy in the bottle that he
News, August 13, 2019. Accessed December discarded in a publicly accessible trash can.
24, 2020. https://wbsm.com/cold-cases- The court also held that the testing of the
from-1990s-solved-as-serial-rapist-arrested/. bottle for a DNA profile that matched that
taken from the victim did not violate a
Winokoor, Charles. “Prosecutors Say DNA protected privacy interest; DNA profiles used
Helped Crack Taunton Serial Rapist Cold for identification purposes do not violate a
Case.” The Enterprise, August 14, 2019. reasonable expectation of privacy.
Accessed December 24, 2020. https://
www.enterprisenews.com/news/20190814/ In May of 2022, King pled guilty, and is
prosecutors-say-dna-helped-crack-taunton- awaiting sentencing. The case against King is
serial-rapist-cold-case. pending in Newcastle County Superior Court.

Nine men have been arrested for sex offences

Case ID 1276: King, Jeffrey as a result of Delaware’s efforts to clear its
backlog of untested sexual assault kits.
Jeffrey King was arrested on October 1, 2019 Delaware has also changed its policies to
and charged in the August 4, 1993 rape and reduce turnaround times for testing sexual
kidnapping of a 22-year-old woman in assault kits and to improve justice outcomes
Newark, Delaware. She was assaulted while for victims of sexual assault.
walking down Barksdale Road just after 2:30
am in the morning. Sources:

The FGG investigation was conducted by Barrish, Cris. “‘Justice Served’: Delaware
Parabon Nanolabs as part of a broader Sets New Policies to Test Rape Exam Kits,
Delaware Sexual Assault Kit Initiative to Speed Up Investigations.” Philadelphia
clear the backlog of untested sexual assault Tribune, August 16, 2022. Accessed January
kits. Delaware received $2.2 million dollars 29, 2023. https://www.phillytrib.com/news/
in federal funding to clear its backlog of state_and_region/justice-served-delaware-
untested sexual assault kits, which it sets-new-policies-to-test-rape-exam-kits-
completed in September of 2020. speed-up-investigations/article_6855a68c-
e3b7-5de0-a9f2-57aef196c7a1.html.

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 172
NBC 10 Philadelphia. “DNA Testing Leads to Knapp was convicted of a similar sexual
Arrest of Suspect in 1993 Rape in Delaware, assault in 1986 and ordered to provide a DNA
Police Say.” NBC 10 Philadelphia, October sample but he failed to do so. That victim had
15, 2019. Accessed December 24, 2020. also been strangled, almost to the point of
https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/ unconsciousness. The evidence from her
delaware-dna-testing-rape-cold-case-sexual- sexual assault was destroyed, highlighting the
assault-arrest-suspect/1895370/. importance of properly managing evidence
from sexual assaults, testing sexual assault
Rubin, Andrew. “DNA-Based Investigation kits, and collecting DNA from convicted
Leads to Indictment and Arrest in 1993 sexual offenders.
Sexual Assault.” Newark Police Press,
October 15, 2019. Accessed December 24, During the course of this investigation, police
2020. https://newarkdepolicepress.com/ took DNA samples from a number of
2019/10/15/dna-based-investigation-leads-to- suspects, all of whom were cleared of
indictment-and-arrest-in-1993-sexual-assault/. involvement.

State v. King, I.D. No. 1909016237 (Del. Knapp was charged with first- and second-
Super. Ct. Jan. 21, 2021). Accessed January degree murder with a sexual motivation. He
29, 2023. https://casetext.com/case/state-v- pled not guilty, and the case against him
king-102799. proceeded in Clark County Superior Court.

However, on November 30, 2022, all charges

Case ID 1191: Knapp, Richard Eugene against Knapp were dropped. Scott Hinshaw,
Frasier’s neighbour at the time of her death,
Richard Eugene Knapp was arrested on April admitted in a deposition to having sex with
28, 2019 and charged in the July 17, 1994 her on the night she died. Knapp told
murder of 26-year-old Audrey Hoellein in detectives he had many relationships with
Vancouver, Washington. Also known as women, and frequented bars that Frasier
Audrey Frasier, Hoellein was killed the visited. Investigators discovered DNA from
course of a violent home invasion rape. She several different people at the scene,
was found deceased in her own bed, where including Hinshaw.
she had been sexually assaulted and strangled
to death. Her 5-year-old son was sleeping Clark County prosecuting attorney Tony
nearby. A DNA profile was developed from Golik states “We were no longer convinced
DNA recovered from the crime scene. beyond a reasonable doubt, based on the
evidence we have as we understand it now,
The FGG investigation was undertaken by that Mr. Knapp could be convicted … [w]e
Parabon Nanolabs. Investigators made the were ethically bound at that point to dismiss
initial confirmation through surveillance and the prosecution.” He also added that several
the surreptitious sampling of a cigarette butt witnesses significantly changed their story.
discarded by Knapp.
There is no information as to the future of the
investigation into Hoellein’s murder.

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 173
Sources: Case ID 1723: Koehl, Brian Scott

Douglass, Joe. “‘Absolutely Sick’: Evidence Brian Scott Koehl, age 51, was arrested on
Destroyed that Could’ve Led to Murder July 13, 2022, for the May 25, 1990 murder
Arrest 20 Years Ago.” KATU 2 ABC News, of 32-year-old Larry Joe Breen in San Diego,
May 3, 2019. Accessed December 24, 2020. California. Breen’s nude body was found in
https://katu.com/news/local/absolutely-sick- his home in Point Loma. He was slumped
evidence-destroyed-that-couldve-led-to- against a fence in the back yard, and had been
murder-arrest-20-years-ago. stabbed several times in the neck. It appears
that Breen was attacked in the home, and then
Kalmbacher, Colin. “He Lost His Home, His exited after being wounded. He had recently
Job, His Life’: Oregon Man Freed after been discharged from the Navy, and was
Prosecutors Drop Charges in 1994 Rape and preparing to move into the home where he
Murder Case That Relied Entirely on DNA was found.
Evidence.” Law and Crime, December 1,
2022. Accessed January 15, 2023. https:// A DNA profile of the suspect was developed.
lawandcrime.com/crime/he-lost-his-home- Investigators have stated that Koehl’s DNA
his-job-his-life-oregon-man-freed-after- was reportedly found on a counter, in the
prosecutors-drop-charges-in-1994-rape-and- shower, and on beer bottles in the house.
murder-cold-case-that-relied-entirely-on-dna- The FGG investigation was overseen by the
evidence/. San Diego District Attorney’s Cold Homicide
and Research Genealogy Effort as well as the
Prokop, Jessica. “Cold-Case Suspect in 1994 FBI.
Rape, Strangulation Death Arraigned.” The
Columbian, May 24, 2019. Accessed Koehl was arrested at his home in Knoxville,
December 24, 2020. https:// Tennessee. He was extradited to San Diego
www.columbian.com/news/2019/may/24/ on charges of homicide.
cold-case-suspect-in-1994-rape-strangulation-
death-arraigned/. On August 23, 2022, Koehl plead not guilty.
Koehl has posted bond for 500,000 and has
Ramakrishnan, Jayati. “Vancouver Police returned to his family in Knoxville. Koehl
Arrest Oregon Man in a 25-Year-Old Rape- told police he attended a party at Breen’s
Murder Case.” Oregon Live, April 30, 2019, house and left in Breen’s car. He returned the
last modified May 1, 2019. Accessed next morning to find Breen’s body. He
December 24, 2020. https:// quickly disposed of the car, and did not report
www.oregonlive.com/crime/2019/04/ Breen’s death to Navy authorities.
vancouver-police-arrest-oregon-man-in-a-25-
year-old-rape-murder-case.html. Sources:

City News Service. “Tennessee Man Arrested

in Once-Cold Murder Case of Navy Sailor in
Point Loma.” NBC News 7 San Diego, July
13, 2022. Accessed July 17, 2022. https://

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 174
www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/tennesee- Konther may be linked to another case
man-arrested-three-decades-after-killing-of- involving the sexual molestation of a 12-year-
sailor-in-point-loma/2993961/. old girl that took place on numerous
occasions around 2002 or 2003.
Putnam, Neal. “Cold Case Homicide Figure
Posts $500,000 Bond.” SDNews.com, There is currently no data on who performed
September 5, 2022. Accessed January 15, the FGG investigation. The investigation in
2023. https://sdnews.com/cold-case- this case identified two twin brothers as
homicide-figure-posts-500000-bond/. matching the crime scene DNA. They were
both initially taken into custody. Regular
Riggins, Alex. “Suspect in Cold-Case Killing policework, rather than forensic science
of Point Loma Sailor Arrested in Tennessee; distinguished them, and led to the arrest of
Authorities Credit DNA, Genealogy.” San Konther.
Diego Union Tribune, July 14, 2022.
Accessed July 17, 2022. https:// Konther has pled not guilty, and his case is
www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/public- pending in Orange County Superior Court.
safety/story/2022-07-14/suspect-in-cold-case- His jury trial began on January 25, 2023.
murder-of-point-loma-sailor-arrested-in- Konther’s attorney, Jessica Ann Sweeny,
tennessee-authorities-credit-dna-genealogy. stated that Konther’s twin Stephen is the
guilty party. She also stated that Stephen was
Simpson, Carissa. “Suspect in 32-Year-Old treated better than Kevin while growing up. A
Murder Case Arrested in Knoxville.” WVLT 8 stepdaughter of Kevin has also stated that he
News Knoxville, July 16, 2022. Accessed July molested her in 2003. Sweeny states that the
17, 2022. https://www.wvlt.tv/2022/07/16/ allegations against Kevin stem from a
suspect-1990-murder-cold-case-arrested- “disgruntled ex-girlfriend.” His trial
knoxville/. continues.

Sources:
Case ID 1150-1152: Konther, Kevin
Anderson, Paul. “Trial Begins for Former
Kevin Konther was arrested on January 11, Huntington Beach Man Accused of Rapes in
2019 and charged in three sexual assaults that 1990s.” LA Times, January 26, 2023.
took place in the Lake Forest Community in Accessed January 29, 2023. https://
Orange County, California. On October 21, www.latimes.com/socal/daily-pilot/news/
1995, a 9-year-old girl was walking to her story/2023-01-26/trial-begins-for-former-
home from a nearby convenience store when huntington-beach-man-accused-of-rapes-
she was dragged into a wooded area and in-1990s.
sexually assaulted. On June 2, 1998, a 31-
year-old woman was jogging in the area was City News Service. “Garage Repairman
kidnapped, dragged into the bushes and Linked to 1990s Cold Case Rapes Through
sexually assaulted. Genealogy DNA.” NBC 4 Los Angeles,
January 11, 2019, last modified January 12,
2019. Accessed December 24, 2020. https://

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 175
www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/garage- Case ID 1659: Krohne, Douglas Keith
repairman-linked-to-1990s-cold-case-rapes-
through-genealogy-dna/4745/. On March 9, 2022, Douglas Keith Krohne
was identified as the lead suspect in the
Contributing Editor. “Man Ordered to Stand August 25, 1995, murder of 61-year-old
Trial on Sexual Assaults of Three Victims.” Patricia Lorraine Barnes in the small town of
MyNewsLA.com, July 25, 2019. Accessed Ollala, Washington. The case has been
December 24, 2020. https://mynewsla.com/ cleared by exception due to the death of
crime/2019/07/25/man-ordered-to-stand-trial- Krohne.
on-sexual-assaults-of-three-victims/.
Barnes’ body was found in a sleeping bag in a
Do, Ann. “Rape Suspect Arrested in 1990s ditch. She was naked and had been shot twice
Cold Cases After Familial DNA Leads in the head. Barnes, originally from Seattle,
Investigators to Twin Brother.” Los Angeles was indigent and known to be staying in
Times, January 11, 2019. Accessed December various local shelters.
24, 2020. https://www.latimes.com/local/
lanow/la-me-ln-rape-arrest-20190111- DNA was collected from several items found
story.html. on Barnes’ body, including a cigarette butt.
The case was reopened in April of 2018, and
Emery, Sean. “Attorney for Man on Trial for further DNA testing was performed. There
California Cold-Case Rapes Alleges Client’s was no match to the DNA profile in CODIS.
Twin is Guilty.” Mercury News, January 26, The FGG investigation was conducted by
2023. Accessed January 29, 2023. https:// Othram. The final confirmation was made to
www.mercurynews.com/2023/01/26/attorney- a tissue sample taken at Krohne’s post-
for-man-on-trial-for-orange-county-cold-case- mortem examination.
rapes-alleges-clients-twin-is-guilty/.
Krohne died in 2016 in Nogales, Arizona, in
Ludwig, Ashley. “Lake Forest Cold Case an accidental electrocution while installing a
Sexual Assault Suspect Will Stand Trial.” TV antenna. He had five felony convictions,
Patch, July 26, 2019. Accessed December 24, including for robbery (in 1984) and
2020. https://patch.com/california/lakeforest- kidnapping (in 1994). He was ordered to
ca/lake-forest-cold-case-sexual-assault- provide a DNA sample in Pierce County, but
suspect-will-stand-trial. he did not comply. A photo of Krohne shows
a close similarity to a police sketch made of
Superior Court of California, County of the last person seen with Barnes before her
Orange. “Case Detail: Case Number death.
12CF0990.” Superior Court of California,
County of Orange. Accessed December 28, Sources:
2021. https://ocjustice.occourts.org/
Vision_PublicNS/Case.do#formAnchor. Krell, Alexis. “Western Washington Cold
Case Homicide Solved with DNA Evidence,
Forensic Genealogy.” Bellingham Herald,
March 9, 2022. Accessed March 12, 2022.

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 176
https://www.bellinghamherald.com/news/ however, and claims that he cannot remember
state/washington/article259236015.html. where he was, or what happened.

Lenthang, Marlene. “DNA from Cigarette Sources:

Butt Used to Identify Suspect in 1995 Killing
of Washington Woman.” NBC News, March City News Service. “Eastvale Man Arrested
10, 2022. Accessed March 12, 2022. https:// in Decades-Old Riverside Sexual Assault
news.yahoo.com/dna-cigarette-butt-used- Case.” Press-Enterprise, October 30, 2020.
identify-165941979.html. Accessed December 24, 2020. https://
www.pe.com/2020/10/30/eastvale-man-
Lin, Peiyu. “Detectives Believe They Have arrested-in-decades-old-riverside-sexual-
Found the Man Who Killed Patricia Lorraine assault-case/.
Barnes, 61, in 1995.” Kitsap Sun, March 9,
2022. Accessed March 12, 2022. https:// City News Service. “Ex-Con Who Abducted,
www.kitsapsun.com/story/news/2022/03/09/ Raped Riverside Teen in ’95 Gets 8 Years.”
cold-case-dna-ids-patricia-lorraine-barnes- PE, October 27, 2021. Accessed December
unsolved-murder-kitsap-county-douglas- 29, 2021. https://www.pe.com/2021/10/27/ex-
keith-krohne-id/9443480002/. con-who-abducted-raped-riverside-teen-
in-95-is-sentenced/.

Case ID 1415: Kroll, Ralph Leslie Madani, Doha. “DNA Evidence Leads to
Arrest in 25-Year Cold Case Rape in
Ralph Leslie Kroll was arrested on October 8, California-NBC News.” NBC News, reprinted
2020 and charged in an October 1995 in Geo Gen News, November 1, 2020.
kidnapping and sexual assault in Riverside, Accessed December 24, 2020. http://
California. An 18-year-old woman was geogen.org/dna-evidence-leads-to-arrest-
grabbed by a stranger while walking down in-25-year-cold-case-rape-in-california-nbc-
Indiana Avenue in Riverside. She was forced news/.
into a nearby apartment complex and sexually
assaulted. Miller, Joshua Rhett. “DNA Evidence Links
California Man to 1995 Cold-Case Rape,
There is currently no data on who performed Cops Say.” New York Post, November 2,
the FGG investigation. 2020. Accessed December 24, 2020. https://
nypost.com/2020/11/02/dna-evidence-links-
The charges indicate that Kroll is a prior sex california-man-to-1995-cold-case-rape-cops-
offender who has not complied with the terms say/.
of the registration. Kroll has pled not guilty,
and the case against him is pending in Tron, Gina. “DNA Links Man to Unsolved
Riverside County Superior Court. Rape of Teen, Who Was Attacked While
Going for a Walk in 1995, Police Say.”
Kroll pled guilty to the charges on October Oxygen, November 3, 2020. Accessed
27, 2021 and was sentenced to 8 years in December 24, 2020. https://
prison. He continues to deny the charges,

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 177
www.oxygen.com/crime-news/ralph-leslie- block from Sang at the time of her murder,
kroll-charged-with-1995-rape-of-teen. and is a former soldier at Fort Ord.

Lanoue also has a criminal record for sexual

Case ID 1720: Lanoue, Robert John offences, for which he is reported to have
spent more than 20 years in prison. He was in
On July 7, 2022, police arrested 70-year-old jail in Reno, Nevada, for a probation violation
Robert John Lanoue for the rape and murder at the time of his arrest for Sang’s murder.
of 5-year-old Anne Sang Pham on January 21,
1982 in Seaside, California. On that day, she On July 22, 2022, Lanoue was arraigned and
had wanted to walk to kindergarten by he entered a plea of not guilty.
herself. She never arrived.
Sources:
Pham’s body was found on January 23, 1982,
at Fort Old, then a U.S. army post. She had Associated Press. “Nevada Man Pleads Not
been sexually assaulted and strangled to Guilty in 1982 Killing of Child.” Fox 5 Las
death, and her body disposed of in a ditch. Vegas, July 25, 2022. Accessed January 15,
Her body was found by a local Army 2023. https://www.fox5vegas.com/
Criminal Investigation Division officer 2022/07/25/nevada-man-pleads-not-
looking for illegal marijuana grow ops. guilty-1982-killing-child/.

The case was reopened in February of 2022. Macias, Veronica. “Nevada Man Charged for
The FGG investigation was conducted by 1982 Murder of 5-Year-Old Anne Pham.”
Paragon Nanolabs, with the assistance of Dr. KION 46 News, February 3, 2022. Last
Ed Green from Astrea Forensics. The source Modified July 7, 2022. Accessed July 7,
of the sample used for FGG appears to have 2022. https://kion546.com/news/2022/02/03/
come from a rootless hair shaft. The method nevada-man-charged-for-1982-murder-of-5-
of confirmation has not been reported at the year-old-anne-pham/.
present time.
Miller, Jax. “Authorities Reopen ‘Most
Pham’s parents were refugees from the war in Disturbing Cold Case’ of 5-Year-Old Found
Vietnam, who had come to California in Dead at US Army Base.” Oxygen, February 1,
1975. Both of her parents have now passed 2022. Accessed July 7, 2022. https://
away, but she has siblings who are still alive www.oxygen.com/crime-news/anne-sang-thi-
and who were notified of the arrest. phams-1982-fort-ord-murder-case-reopened.

Lanoue was arrested in Nevada, and is Pelisek, Christine. “Solider Arrested 40 Years
currently awaiting extradition to California. After Girl, 5, Was Abducted in Her Way to
He will face charges of first degree murder, School and Later Found Dead.” People, July
kidnapping, and committing a lewd act on a 7, 2022. Accessed July 7, 2022. https://
child under the age of 14, in Monterey people.com/crime/soldier-arrested-40-years-
County Superior Court. Lanoue lived about a after-girl-5-was-abducted-on-her-way-to-
school-and-later-found-dead/.

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 178
Case ID 1826: Lapniewski Jr., Michael Investigators then engaged in surreptitious
sampling to retrieve a red coffee straw and a
On January 26, 2023, police arrested 55-year- restaurant spoon that had been used by
old Michael Lapniewski Jr. for the February Lapniewski and that he had thrown away. The
9, 1987 murder of Opal Weil in St. DNA profile taken from these items matched
Petersburg, Florida. that found at the crime scene, and excluded
the other brothers as suspects.
Weil, who was 82 years old at the time of her
murder, was not answering her telephone Lapniewski was arrested at his home in
when her family called her on the morning of Waveland, Mississippi. He lived near Weil’s
February 9. Her sister-in-law then went to home at the time of the murder in 1987. To
check on her, and found Weil deceased in her date, he has denied involvement in her
bedroom. She had blood around her mouth murder. Charges of first-degree murder are
and ligature marks on her neck. The intruder pending against him in Pinellas County
had likely worn gloves while removing a Circuit Court.
window pane and hastily searching the home
for valuables. Weil died of blunt force trauma
and strangulation. Sources:

A partial DNA profile was developed from Florida v. Michael Lapniewski Jr. Case
hairs recovered from the left shoulder of Number 87-15546. In the Circuit Court of the
Weil’s nightgown, which had been pushed up Sixth Judicial Circuit of the State of Florida
to her waist. Another clump of hairs was in and for Pinellas County. Complaint
found on her bed, near the pillow, and other Affidavit. January 26, 2023. Accessed
hairs were found on the handle of a knife February 1, 2023. https://
located in the bedroom. In December of 2020, www.documentcloud.org/documents/
a new DNA profile suitable for forensic 23596119-michael-lapniewski-jr-complaint-
genealogy was developed, but returned no affidavit?responsive=1&title=1.
hits in the CODIS database.
Highsmith, Jordan. “DNA Testing Leads to
The FGG investigation was conducted by Arrest in 1987 Pinellas County Cold Case.”
Parabon Nanolabs and the Florida MSN, February 1, 2023. Accessed February 2,
Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) in 2023. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/
partnership with the Pinellas County Sheriff’s crime/dna-testing-leads-to-arrest-in-1987-
Department, beginning in December of 2020. pinellas-county-cold-case/ar-AA170Oo1.
Luperon, Alberto. “Police Use Restaurant
The FGG investigation narrowed down the Promotion to Crack Elderly Woman’s 1987
list of suspects to three brothers, one of whom Cold Case Murder.” Law & Crime, February
was deceased. The second brother had his 2, 2023. Accessed February 2, 2023. https://
DNA entered into CODIS, and this DNA was lawandcrime.com/crime/police-use-
not a match to that found at the crime scene. restaurant-promotion-to-crack-elderly-
womans-1987-cold-case-murder/.

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 179
Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. “23-016 to Send 1983 Tulsa Cold Case to Trial.” ABC
Mississippi Man Arrested fro 1987 Pinellas News 8 Tulsa, February 12, 2020. Accessed
County Cold Case Murder.” Pinellas County December 24, 2020. https://ktul.com/news/
Sheriff’s Office, February 1, 2023. Accessed local/judge-finds-probable-cause-in-
February 2, 2023. https://pcsoweb.com/ preliminary-hearing-to-send-1983-tulsa-cold-
23-016-mississippi-man-arrested-for-1987- case-to-trial.
pinellas-county-cold-case-murder-.
State of Oklahoma v. Erlene G. Lee. State
Sabes, Adam. “Florida Deputies Arrest Motion to Dismiss Case. Case No.
Mississippi Man in 1987 Cold Case Murder.” CF-2019-4489. Filed September 20, 2019.
Fox News, February 1, 2023. Accessed Closed February 24, 2020. Accessed
February 2, 2023. https://www.foxnews.com/ December 24, 2020. https://www.oscn.net/
us/florida-deputies-arrest-mississippi- dockets/GetCaseInformation.aspx?
man-1987-cold-case-murder. db=tulsa&number=CF-2019-4489&cmid=32
94732.

Querry, K., and KFOR-TV. “Update: Two

Case ID 1261: Lee, Erlene Gayle Arrested, Charged in Connection with Nearly
40-Year-Old Cold Case Murder.” Oklahoma
See also Willie Moore. News 4, September 20, 2019, last modified
September 21, 2019. Accessed December 24,
Erlene Gayle Lee was arrested on September 2020. https://kfor.com/news/two-men-
20, 2019 and charged with first-degree charged-in-connection-with-nearly-40-year-
murder in the September 18, 1983 killing of old-cold-case-murder/.
39-year-old Anthony Baltes in Tulsa,
Oklahoma. Baltes had been tied up, strangled, Sokmensuer, Harriet. “Man and Woman
and beaten to death inside a Tulsa motel Charged in Nearly 40-Year-Old Cold-Case
room. Murder of Man in Okla. Motel Room.”
People, September 23, 2019. Accessed
There is currently no data on who performed December 24, 2020. https://people.com/
the FGG investigation. crime/two-charged-with-cold-case-1983-
killing-of-oklahoma-man-in-motel-room/.
The case against Lee was dismissed on
February 24, 2020 at the request of the state, Whaley, Sara, and Fox 23 News. “Charges
and she was released from custody. She was Dropped Against One in 1983 Murder Case.”
assisting prosecutors with the case against her Fox 23 News, September 20, 2019. Accessed
co-accused, Willie Moore, but he passed December 24, 2020. https://www.fox23.com/
away in 2020 while his trial was pending. news/two-indicted-in-1983-tulsa-cold-case-
murder/988400120/.
Sources:

Hutchins, Ethan, and KTUL Staff. “Judge

Finds Probable Cause in Preliminary Hearing

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 180
Case ID 1135: Lee, Jerry case-murder-suspect/
85-4d1a58e8-6508-4764-8bd0-4698b2b758f8
Jerry Lee was arrested on November 1, 2018
and charged in the May 25, 1997 murder of Shapiro, Emily. “How DNA, Genetic
28-Year-old Lorrie Smith in Fulton County, Genealogy Led to Arrest in 1997 Cold Case
Georgia. Killing of 28-Year-Old Georgia Woman.”
ABC News, November 2, 2018. Accessed
Smith was shot several times in the back December 24, 2020. https://abcnews.go.com/
during a home invasion robbery. Her parents US/dna-genetic-genealogy-led-arrest-1997-
found her body when they went to wake her cold-case/story?id=58921601.
for church that morning. Smith appears to
have fought back against her attacker, Thompson, Ashley. “Former Corrections
resulting in a significant amount of his blood Officer Released on Bond in Cold Case
being found at the scene. Murder.” CBS 46 News, May 8, 2019.
Accessed December 24, 2020. https://
A DNA profile of the suspect was created www.cbs46.com/news/former-corrections-
from the blood recovered from the crime officer-released-on-bond-in-cold-case-
scene. The FGG investigation was conducted murder/article_06a9ef00-71d6-11e9-b025-
by Parabon Nanolabs. ff9a5c936115.html.

Lee has been released on a $150,000 bond in

April of 2019, and is awaiting trial in Fulton Case ID 1706: Lefferts, Alan:
County.
Alan Lefferts, 71, was arrested on May 31,
Sources: 2022 for the July 2, 1996 murder of James
Branner in Tallahassee, Florida.
Aldridge, Donesha. “It Took Investigators 20
Years to Solve Her Murder. Her Alleged Branner, 44, was found deceased at the Prince
Killer Was Just Granted Bond.” 11 Alive Murat Hotel. Police state that there was
News, May 9, 2019. Accessed December 24, evidence that Branner was murdered after an
2020. https://www.11alive.com/article/news/ altercation in the motel room. The cause of
crime/it-took-investigators-20-years-to-solve- death was found to be asphyxiation.
her-murder-her-alleged-killer-was-just- Investigators collected biological evidence at
granted-bond/85-a980d62a-fb81-42c7-acc1- the time of the homicide, but have not stated
e50ec3850527. what was the source of the sample.

King, Michael. “New DNA Technology The FGG investigation was conducted as a
Leads to Indictment of Cold Case Murder partnership between Parabon Nanolabs and
Suspect.” 11 Alive News, November 17, 2018. the Florida Department of Law Enforcement
Accessed December 24, 2020. https:// (FDLE). A DNA profile suitable for genetic
www.11alive.com/article/news/crime/new- genealogy was prepared in 2020.
dna-technology-leads-to-indictment-of-cold-

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 181
Lefferts is facing charges of first-degree Hagenkord in her home in Anaheim,
murder in Tallahassee in the Leon County California.
Court.
Hagenkord had been sexually assaulted and
Sources: strangled by an intruder in her apartment
complex. Her body was found on February
Associated Press. “Florida Authorities Say 18, 1980, when neighbors became concerned
DNA Helped Solve 26-Year-Old Murder.” about her whereabouts, but she may have died
Huffington Post, June 1, 2022. Accessed June up to two days previously.
3, 2022. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/
alan-lefferts-arrest-dna- A DNA profile of the suspect was obtained
murder_n_6297c710e4b016c4eef4ec52. from material left at the crime scene, although
there is currently no information as to the
Cann, Christopher. “DNA Leads Tallahassee source of that material. The case was
Police to Arrest Man on Murder Charge in reopened in September of 2020 using a DNA
25-Year-Old Cold Case.” Tallahassee profile obtained from this evidence.
Democrat, June 1, 2022. Accessed June 3,
2022. https://www.tallahassee.com/story/ There is no information on who conducted the
news/2022/06/01/tpd-arrests-man-murder- FGG investigation, but the FBI Orange
charge-25-year-old-cold-case-tallahassee- County Violent Crime Task Force conducted
leon-county-shooting-cold-case/7469518001/. the investigation with the Orange County
Crime Lab.
Mueller, Pat. “Murder Arrest Made in 25-
Year-Old Tallahassee Cold Case.” WCTV Lepere was arrested at his home in Otero
News, June 1, 2022. Accessed June 3, 2022. County, New Mexico, and he was extradited
https://www.wctv.tv/2022/06/01/murder- to Orange County.
arrest-made-25-year-old-tallahassee-cold-
case/. On February 7, 2022, a jury found Lepere
guilty of first-degree murder. In May of 2022,
Tallahassee Police Department. “Tallahassee he was sentenced to life in prison without the
Police Make Arrest in 25-Year-Old Cold possibility of parole. Lepere admits to having
Case: Genetic Genealogy Leads to Break in consensual sex with Hagenkord, but he denies
Case.” Tallahassee Government (Press killing her. He claims she instigated the
Release), June 1, 2022. Accessed June 3, encounter because she was lonely, a story that
2022. https://www.talgov.com/publicsafety/ Deputy District Attorney deemed
News/5281.aspx. “ridiculous”.

Sources:
Case ID 1481: Lepere, Andre William
City News Service. “Man Charged with
Andre William Lepere was arrested on April Rape-Murder of Woman 41 Years Ago in
30, 2021 and charged with the February 1980 Anaheim.” NBC 4 News, April 30. Accessed
rape and murder of 79-year-old Viola May 4, 2021. https://

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 182
www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/man- beside a road the next morning. She had been
charged-with-rape-murder-of-woman-41- sexually assaulted and strangled.
years-ago-in-anaheim/2585944/.
The FGG investigation was conducted by
Emery, Sean. “Man Gets Life Sentence for Parabon Nanolabs. Lindahl’s remains were
Raping, Killing 79-Year-Old Anaheim exhumed to confirm that his DNA was
Woman More than 40 Years Ago.” Orange consistent with that recovered from the crime
County Register, May 14, 2022. Accessed scene.
January 15, 2023. https://
www.ocregister.com/2022/05/13/man-gets- Lindahl died in 1981 from a self-inflicted
life-sentence-for-raping-killing-79-year-old- wound to his thigh while stabbing another
anaheim-woman-more-than-40-years-ago/. victim to death. The victim in that case was a
high-school student named Charles Huber.
KTLA Digital Staff. “New Mexico Man
Arrested 4 Decades After 79-Year-Old Lindahl was also accused of raping a 20-year-
Anaheim Woman was Sexually Assaulted, old woman in 1979, but prosecutors declined
Killed in Her Apartment.” KTLA 5 News, to bring charges. He had also been charged in
April 30, 2021. Accessed May 4, 2021. the 1982 rape of Deborah Colliander, but
https://ktla.com/news/local-news/new- those charges were dropped when she was
mexico-man-arrested-4-decades-after-79- found murdered – two weeks before she was
year-old-anaheim-woman-was-sexually- scheduled to testify in court. Police now say
assaulted-killed-in-her-apartment/. he is the sole suspect in her death, as well.
They are investigating him for about a dozen
Stringini, Mary. “Man Charged With Murder murders and nine rapes that took place in the
of Woman Found Raped, Dead in Anaheim area at the time, but no further charges have
Apartment 41 Years Ago.” Fox 11 News, yet been laid.
April 30, 2021. Accessed May 4, 2021.
https://www.foxla.com/news/man-charged- Sources:
with-murder-of-woman-found-raped-dead-in-
anaheim-apartment-41-years-ago. Chicago Sun Times Editorial Board. “Police
Use DNA to Solve a 1976 Murder – and Now
the Public Can Help Crack More Cold
Case ID 1321: Lindahl, Bruce Cases.” Chicago Sun Times, January 14,
2020. Accessed December 24, 2020. https://
Bruce Lindahl was identified as the lead chicago.suntimes.com/2020/1/14/21065404/
suspect in the January 13, 1976 rape and bruce-lindahl-pamela-maurer-debra-
murder of 16-year-old Pamela Maurer in colliander-debora-mccall-dna-evidence-
Woodridge, Illinois. The case was cleared by dupage-states-attorney.
exception due to the death of Lindahl.
Dodge, John. “The Case of Pamela Maurer’s
Maurer had left a friend’s house and gone to a Murder Went Cold for Decades, the Genetic
nearby restaurant to buy a soft drink and was Sleuthing by Parabon Helped Crack It.” CBS
not seen again. Her body was found lying Chicago, January 15, 2020. Accessed

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 183
December 24, 2020. https:// There is no information on who conducted the
chicago.cbslocal.com/2020/01/15/pamela- FGG investigation, but the FBI is reported as
maurer-bruce-lindahl-parabon/. having assisted the Texas Rangers in this
case.
Jones, Megan. “Years of Violence: A Timeline
of Brice Lindahl in the West Suburbs.” In 2016, Linebaugh was a candidate for
Aurora Beacon News, January 23, 2020. Madison County Sheriff. The case against
Accessed December 24, 2020. https:// him is currently pending in Madison County
www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/aurora- District Court.
beacon-news/ct-abn-bruce-lindahl-timeline-
st-0123-20200123- Sources:
mcj32wsy4nfhnepmjzrv7z7gl4-story.html.
Atkins, Campbell. “Former Lawman, 2016
NBC News 5 Chicago. “Man Behind 1976 Sheriff Candidate Arrested on Sexual Assault
Murder of Chicago-Area Teen Believed to Be Charges.” Madisonville Meteor, April 8, 2020.
Serial Killer: Police.” NBC News 5 Chicago, Accessed December 24, 2020. https://
January 13, 2020. Accessed December 24, www.madisonvillemeteor.com/stories/former-
2020. https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/ lawman-2016-sheriff-candidate-arrested-on-
local/1976-murder-of-chicago-area-teen- sexual-assault-charges,32368.
solved-decades-after-her-death/2200555/.
Atkins, Campbell. “Linebaugh Arrested for
NBC News 5 Chicago. “Man Linked to 1976 Aggravated Sexual Assault.” Madisonville
Murder Now a Suspect in 12 Killings, 9 Meteor, April 2, 2020. Accessed December
Rapes.” NBC News 5 Chicago, January 17, 24, 2020. https://
2020. Accessed December 24, 2020. https:// www.madisonvillemeteor.com/stories/
www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/man- linebaugh-arrested-for-aggravated-sexual-
linked-to-1976-murder-now-a-suspect-in-12- assault,32353.
killings-9-rapes/2202963/.
Wencl, Erin. “Texas DPS: Former Madison
County Deputy Responsible for Nearly 20
Case ID 1351: Linebaugh, Ivan Wayne Year Old Sexual Assault Case.” KAGS NBC
News, March 31, 2020. Accessed December
Ivan Wayne Linebaugh was arrested on 24, 2020. https://www.kagstv.com/article/
March 30, 2020 and charged in the April 25, news/local/former-madison-county-deputy-
2000 sexual assault of a female in arrested-for-20-year-old-sexual-assault/499-
Madisonville, Texas. At the time of the c9fea722-296d-439a-986c-7a5113bb79e3?
assault, Linebaugh was a Madison County fbclid=IwAR3MjF1MVCW1Ki1k_7FteImNi
Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Detective. The woman BkrfrH26XLwYxX0hKdnpMmiug4AaJ1Hm
reported being sexually assaulted by an Vw.
officer at a traffic stop, who threatened her
with jail if she did not do as he wanted.

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 184
Case ID 1685: Long, Mark Alan: The tailgate, where Officer Garner shot at the
Cowboy Bandit vehicle, that could have been from a bullet
hole. Police were preparing to charge Long
Mark Alan Long was identified on April 15, with attempted capital murder of a police
2022, as the lead suspect in the March 3, 2003 officer and aggravated robbery when Long
attempted murder of Officer Jeff Garner in committed suicide by jumping off a cell tower
North Richland Hills, Texas. Officer Garner, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
then 29, attempted to pull over a man driving
a red Jeep Wrangler for a traffic violation Sources:
when he was shot in the leg by the driver of
the vehicle, who had just robbed a bank in Allen, Jackie. “‘Cowboy Hat Bandit’ Cold
Watauga. Garner recovered, and is currently a Case Suspect Commits Suicide.” USA
Captain with the North Richland Hills PD. Herald, April 16, 2022. Accessed April 18,
The suspect in this case, known as the 2022. https://usaherald.com/cowboy-hat-
‘Cowboy Bandit’ was believed to be linked to bandit-cold-case-suspect-commits-suicide/.
7 other bank robberies that took place in
Texas, Kansas, and Oklahoma, from 1998 to Harkay, Jessica. “‘I’m Ready to Begin My
2003. Healing,’ North Texas Officer Says After 19-
Year Cold Case Solved.” Yahoo News, April
DNA evidence was available from 3 of the 15, 2022. Accessed April 18, 2022. https://
bank robberies. One came from a bloody news.yahoo.com/m-ready-begin-healing-
brown glove left at the scene of a 1999 north-192154407.html.
robbery, one came from a shirt, and the third
from a surgical mask and pair of pantyhose Hartley, James. “Police Identify Gunman in
used at a 1998 robbery. 2003 Shooting of a North Texas Cop, but He
Won’t Go to Court.” Fort Worth Star
A DNA profile was developed in 2018. Telegram, April 15, 2022. Accessed April 18,
Parabon Nanolabs performed forensic 2022. https://www.star-telegram.com/news/
phenotyping at that time, and produced a local/crime/article260399282.html.
composite likeness of the suspect, but an
FGG investigation was not conducted at that Identifinders International. “Identifinders
time. The FGG investigation was conducted Identifies Suspect in 19-Year Old Cowboy
by Identifinders International, beginning in Hat Bandit Cold Case.” Identifinders
2019. The initial confirmation to Long was International, 2022. Accessed April 18, 2022.
made after police surveillance and https://identifinders.com/identifinders-
surreptitious sampling of items used by Long identifies-suspect-in-19-year-old-cowboy-hat-
at a restaurant. bandit-cold-case/.

Police then obtained a search warrant and

obtained a revolver from Long’s home that
was similar to that which fired the bullet at
Garner. Police also tracked down the red Jeep
Wrangler and found that it had a repair in the

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 185
Case ID 1357, 1558: Lovrien, Christopher were in a relationship. Police continue to
Charles investigate whether there are further victims.

Christopher Charles Lovrien was arrested on Sources:

May 4, 2020 and charged in the July 6, 1999
murder of 42-year-old Mark Dribin in Bernstein, Maxine. “Portland Police Make
Portland, Oregon. Driben was reported Arrest in 21-Year-Old Homicide Through
missing after failing to show up for his job at Forensic Genealogy Analysis of DNA
the Portland International Airport. Lovrien is Evidence.” The Oregonian, May 4, 2020.
thought to have been in a relationship with Accessed December 26, 2020. https://
Dribin at the time of the murder. Dribin’s www.oregonlive.com/crime/2020/05/
body has never been found. Investigators portland-police-make-arrest-in-20-year-old-
found a substantial amount of blood in homicide-through-forensic-genealogy-
Dribin’s home, which someone had attempted analysis-of-dna-evidence.html.
to clean up.
Flaccus, Gillian. “Oregon Man Charged in 2
There is no data on who conducted the FGG Killings that Took Place 2 Decades Apart.”
investigation in this case. KATU News 2, March 11, 2021. Accessed
December 29, 2021. https://katu.com/news/
Lovrien has been indicted for second-degree local/oregon-man-christopher-lovrien-
murder, and the case against him is pending charged-in-2-killings-that-took-place-2-
in Multnomah County. decades-apart.

When police were searching Lovrien’s home Keller, Aaron. “Police Say they Interviewed
on May 19, 2020, they came across the an Oregon Man in a 1999 Cold Case Murder
dismembered remains of Kenneth Griffin, a – Then He Killed Again.” Law & Crime,
homeless man who had gone missing in March 12, 2021. Accessed December 31,
February of 2020, in a shed on the property. 2021. https://lawandcrime.com/crime/police-
Griffin was last seen alive on February 1, say-they-interviewed-an-oregon-man-in-
2020 and was reported missing the next day. a-1999-cold-case-murder-then-he-killed-
Police are seeking information about a again/.
homeless encampment under the bridge on
Interstate 205 in Southest Portland. Portland Police Bureau. “PPB Cold Case
Homicide Detectives Identify Suspect in 20-
On March 10, 2021, Lovrien was charged Year-Old Homicide with Forensic Genealogy-
with second-degree murder and abuse of a Arrest Made (Photo).” Portland Oregon.gov
corpse in connection with Griffin’s murder. (Press Realease), May 4, 2020. Accessed
This was after police initially interviewed December 26, 2020. https://
Lovrien in connection with Dribin’s murder. www.portlandoregon.gov/police/news/
read.cfm?id=250743.
Investigators also confirmed that the two men
were strangers to Lovrien. Previously, there Weil, Audrey. “Portland Police Investigate the
had been a suggestion that Dribin and Lovrien Home of Recently Arrested Suspect in a

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 186
Decades-Old Murder.” Fox 12 News, May 21, child that he fathered. They have been in a
2020. Accessed December 26, 2020. https:// relationship together since 2002.
www.kptv.com/news/portland-police-
investigate-the-home-of-recently-arrested- Luttinen told officers that she was in denial
suspect-in-a-decades-old-murder/ about being pregnant, and that she concealed
article_f57d9172-9b56-11ea- her pregnancy and gave birth alone in her
b653-7fd81694e792.html. bathtub. She then drove aimlessly along the
highway and left the baby in the woods,
wrapped in a plastic garbage bag.
Case ID 1669: Luttinen, Karin S.
Luttinen was released on a $2500 cash bond
Karin S. Luttinen, 45, was charged on March on March 18, 2022. The charges against her
17, 2022, with concealing the death of a child are pending in Dodge County District Court.
in the Township of Theresa, Wisconsin. The She pled guilty on April 18 to charges of
infant’s remains were found on the side of the concealing the death of a child.
road in a wooded area outside of town on
April 29, 2009. The autopsy could not On September 16, 2022, Luttinen was
conclusively determine if the newborn died sentenced to three years of probation,
prior to, during, or after birth, and was including a 6 month jail sentence. She was
classified by the medical examiner as a fetal fined $5,000 and required to complete 60
death. Baby Theresa was named after the hours of community service, as well as
town and given a funeral by the local mental health treatment.
community.
Sources:
A DNA profile of the possible mother of
Baby Theresa was developed from swabs of Acevedo, Nicole. “‘Baby Theresa’ Cold Case
the trash bag the infant was found in, and Resolved After 13 Years, Authorities Say.”
blood on a maxi pad that was found with the NBC News, March 18, 2022. Accessed March
infant’s remains. An analysis of the DNA 20, 2022. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-
profile of Baby Theresa indicated that the news/baby-theresa-cold-case-resolved-13-
blood was likely from the mother of Baby years-authorities-say-rcna20738.
Theresa.
Arseneau, Kelli. “Mother of ‘Baby Theresa’
There is currently no information on who Found Dead in Woods Is Sentenced to 3 Years
conducted the FGG investigation. The final of Probation with 6 Months in Jail.” Yahoo
confirmation was made by testing the DNA of News, September 16, 2022. Accessed
Luttinen and the possible father of Baby February 13, 2023. https://news.yahoo.com/
Theresa, referred to in court documents as mother-baby-theresa-found-
Witness S. Both Luttinen and Witness S. dead-215505064.html.
voluntarily provided DNA samples to
investigators. Witness S. states that he was Bachara, Gabriella. “Milwaukee Woman ID’d
unaware that Luttinen was pregnant with a as Mother of ‘Baby Theresa,’ Arrested 13
Years After Newborn Found Dead in Woods.”

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 187
WDJT CBS 58, March 18, 2022. Accessed strangulation. She was cold to the touch at
March 20, 2022. https://www.cbs58.com/ that point, indicating that she may have died
news/Milwaukee-woman-identified-as- up to several hours before her parents arrived.
mother-of-Baby-Theresa-arrested-13-years-
after-abandoned-baby-found-in-woods. The FGG investigation was conducted by
Parabon. The confirmation to Mabrito’s DNA
WBAY News Staff. “Woman Charged in was made through a law enforcement sample
‘Baby Theresa’ Infant Death Case.” WBAY that the Oceanside Police Department had on
ABC News 2, March 17, 2022. Last Modified file. This DNA sample was taken at a traffic
March 18, 2022. Accessed March 20, 2022. stop when Mabrito was a suspect in an
https://www.wbay.com/2022/03/17/dodge- unrelated crime but was never processed.
county-officials-announce-update-baby- Mabrito died shortly after the sample was
theresa-case/. taken, committing suicide in 2011.

Keller, Aaron. “Wisconsin Mom Who ‘Didn’t Another disabled male who was known to
Know How to Repent’ for Leaving Dead Jodine was investigated as a suspect in the
Baby’s Body in the Woods Pleads Guilty to case. He was cleared of involvement after
Concealing Child’s Death.” Law & Crime, providing a DNA sample.
April 19, 2022. Accessed April 23, 2022.
https://lawandcrime.com/crime/wisconsin- Sources:
mom-who-didnt-know-how-to-repent-for-
leaving-dead-babys-body-in-the-woods- Figueroa, Teri. “Genealogy Helps Solve 2007
pleads-guilty-to-concealing-childs-death/. Murder Mystery of Woman Killed in
Carlsbad Apartment.” San Diego Union-
Case ID 1137: Mabrito, David Tribune, November 13, 2018. Accessed
December 26, 2020. https://
David Mabrito has been identified as the lead www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/public-
suspect in the February 14, 2007 murder of safety/sd-me-serrin-solved-20181113-
39-year-old Jodine Serrin in Carlsbad, story.html.
California. Serrin had been sexually
assaulted, and she died from blunt force Garske, Monica. “DNA Technology Identifies
trauma to her head. The case was cleared by Suspect in Woman’s Unsolved Valentine’s
exception due to the death of Mabrito. Day 2007 Killing.” NBC San Diego,
November 13, 2018, last modified November
Serrin was developmentally disabled but was 18, 2018. Accessed December 26, 2020.
able to live on her own. Her parents checked https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/
in on her often. They went to her apartment at jodine-serrin-carlsbad-cold-case-murder-
10:00 pm on Valentine’s Day and found a suspect-david-mabrito/168412/.
man in her bedroom. They waited in the
living room for him to leave. When he did Thompson, Emily. “The Unsolved Valentine
not, they went back into Serrin’s bedroom and Murder of Jodine Serrin.” Morbidology, June
found him gone. She had been sexually 16, 2018. Accessed December 26, 2020.
assaulted and beaten, and had died from

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 188
https://morbidology.com/the-unsolved- Manteuffel was a former federal prison guard.
valentine-murder-of-jodine-serrin/. He worked for about two decades for the
Federal Bureau of Prisons, retiring in 2014.
He also worked briefly as a college lecturer in
Case ID 1225-1227: Manteuffel, Mark criminal justice. He has been sentenced to 29
Jeffrey years for the Sacramento rapes, and 6 years
for the Davis rape.
Mark Jeffrey Manteuffel was arrested on July
1, 2019 for several violent rapes known as the Sources:
‘John Doe Rape Series.’ The assaults were
linked through DNA profiles obtained from Associated Press. “Serial Rapist Pleads Guilty
the victims’ sexual assault kits. The assailant to Two 1990s California Assaults.” Press
had snuck into the victims’ homes, bound and Democrat, July 3, 2020. Accessed December
beat them, and raped them repeatedly at 26, 2020. https://www.pressdemocrat.com/
knifepoint. article/news/serial-rapist-pleads-guilty-to-
two-1990s-california-assaults/.
Manteuffel pled guilty to raping two women
in Rosemont and east Sacramento in 1992 and Habegger, Becca. “Sacramento Police,
1994. He also pled guilty to raping a woman Sheriff, and County DA Announce Arrest in
in Davis, California, in 1994. She had been 1990s Cold Case.” ABC 10 News, July 1,
tasered while jogging, and then dragged off to 2019, last modified July 2, 2019. Accessed
a secluded area and sexually assaulted. She December 26, 2020. https://www.abc10.com/
was a senior college student at UC Davis. article/news/sacramento-police-sheriff-and-
county-da-announce-arrest-in-1990s-cold-
At the time these sexual assaults were case/103-a41db3f8-65de-433b-ad62-
committed, there was a statute of limitations fcd856147347.
in California on violent rapes. Therefore, in
December of 1999, as the statute of Shapiro, Emily. “Former Federal Prisons
limitations was about to run out on the Worker Mark Manteuffel Arrested in String of
earliest of these rapes, Anna Marie Schubert ‘Horrific’ 1990s Sex Attacks in Sacramento:
issued the first ‘John Doe Warrant’ in Police.” ABC News, July 2, 2019. Accessed
California. She was then the deputy District December 26, 2020. https://abcnews.go.com/
Attorney for Sacramento County and is now US/federal-prisons-worker-mark-manteuffel-
the District Attorney. He office has been a busted-string-horrific/story?id=64082340.
leader in using FGG.
Silva-Benham, Jordan. “Former Federal
The FGG investigation in this case was Prisons Worker Sentenced in Davis Sexual
conducted by Parabon Nanolabs. The initial Assault Case.” Daily Democrat, December
confirmation was made when investigators 11, 2020. Accessed December 26, 2020.
used the surreptitious sampling from items https://www.dailydemocrat.com/2020/12/11/
Manteuffel had used in a restaurant in former-federal-prisons-worker-sentenced-in-
Atlanta, Georgia. davis-sexual-assault-case/.

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 189
Smith, Darrell. “Mark Manteuffel Admits Marchand had earlier been charged with the
Guilt for 1990s Rapes After Being Caught murder of 24-year-old Nanette Vanderburg in
Years Later by DNA Technique.” Sacramento 1986. Vanderburg had also been raped and
Bee, July 2, 2020. Accessed December 26, strangled. That case was dismissed due to a
2020. https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/ lack of evidence at the time. The DNA taken
article243962882.html. at that homicide has since been compared to
Marchand, and he is determined to be the
leading suspect in that case as well.
Case ID 1507-1508: Marchand, Darren
Roy Marchand committed suicide in 1995, at the
age of 29.
On July 21, 2021, Darren Roy Marchand was
identified as the lead suspect in the June 1, DNA samples of about 30 male suspects were
1989 rape and murder of 14-year-old taken as part of the investigation into
Stephanie Anne Isaacson in Las Vegas, Isaacson’s death over the years, all of whom
Nevada. The case has been cleared by were cleared of any involvement in the crime.
exception due to the death of Marchand.
Sources:
When Isaacson did not return home from
school that day, her father began to look for Bleakley, Caroline, and David Charns. “I-
her. He discovered that she did not arrive at Team: Police Solve 1989 Cold Case Murder
school that day, and phoned police. Isaacson’s of 14-Year-Old Las Vegas Girl.” NBC 8 News
body was found s short time later in a vacant Now, July 21, 2021. Accessed July 22, 2021.
lot about 1/3 of a mile from her school – a https://www.8newsnow.com/news/local-
location that was on her usual route to school. news/metro-police-to-give-update-on-32-
She had been sexually assaulted and strangled year-old-cold-case-murder/.
to death.
DNA Solves.com. “Las Vegas Metropolitan
A DNA profile was obtained of a suspect in Police Department and Othram Partner to
1998, and again in 2007. The 2007 sample Identify 1989 Murderer of Stephanie
was developed from semen found on Isaacson.” DNASolves.com, July 21, 2021.
Isaacson’s shirt. Othram began the FGG Accessed July 22, 2021. https://
investigation in November of 2020. They dnasolves.com/articles/
needed to perform a new DNA analysis, but stephanie_isaacson_murder/.
there was only about 120 picograms – about
15 individual cells – of DNA remaining. This Ford, Alexis. “Suspect in 1989 Slaying ID’d
is, to date, the smallest sample used to Using World’s Smallest Sample of DNA
generate a forensic DNA profile, and “sets a Evidence.” Las Vegas Review-Journal, July
new lower limit on the quantity of DNA 21, 2021. Accessed July 22, 2021. https://
required to build a genealogical profile for a www.reviewjournal.com/crime/homicides/
suspect of a crime,” according to Othram. The suspect-in-1989-slaying-idd-using-worlds-
FGG investigation was reportedly funded by smallest-sample-of-dna-evidence-2404059/.
a local business owner named Justin Woo.

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 190
News 3 Staff. “LVMPD Solves 32-Year-Old A new DNA profile was obtained from the
Cold Case Involving Homicide of Teen Girl.” rootless hair shafts in 2018 by Dr. Ed Green
NBC News 3, July 21, 2021. Accessed July of Green Laboratories, who has pioneered the
22, 2021. https://news3lv.com/news/local/ technique of extracting forensic DNA profiles
lvmpd-solves-32-year-old-cold-case- from rootless hair shafts. Dr. Green has
involving-homicide-of-teen-girl. previously worked with Barbara Rae-Venter
on the identification of the Clearfield Rapist
Torres-Cortez, Ricardo. “DNA Testing case and the Bear Brook murders, although
Reveals Killer in 1989 Strangling of Las this appears to be the first time that a criminal
Vegas Schoolgirl.” Las Vegas Sun, July 21, FGG investigation has been solved through a
2021. Accessed July 22, 2021. https:// DNA profile obtained from a rootless hair
lasvegassun.com/news/2021/jul/21/dna- shaft. These are techniques that Green
testing-reveals-killer-in-1989-strangling-of-l/. developed while working with Svante Pääbo
on ancient DNA at the Max Plank Institute.

Case ID 1513: Marks, Kenneth Elwin Marks is reported to have died from cancer in
1999 at the age of 44 years.
The Newport Beach Police Department
announced on August 9, 2021 that Kenneth Sources:
Elwin Marks has been identified as the lead
suspect in the November 26, 1980 murder of Lloyd, Jonathan. “‘He No Longer Gets to
42-year-old Judith (“Judy”) Conklin Nesbitt Hold the Secret’: Killer ID’d in 1980 Cold
in Newport Beach, California. The case has Case Murder on Boat.” NBC News 4, August
been cleared by exception due to the death of 9, 2021. Accessed August 10, 2021. https://
Marks. www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/newport-
beach-cold-case-murder-nesbitt-marks-
The afternoon she was killed, Nesbitt had met police-murder/2667604/.
a potential buyer and showed him her boat,
the Felicidad IV, at the Marina Dunes. She Ludwig, Ashley. “Cold Case: Judy Nesbitt’s
was attacked by the man in the bedroom of Murder in Newport Beach Solved with
the boat, and shot after a violent struggle. The DNA.” Patch. August 9, 2021, Accessed
killer stole some items from her purse, August 10, 2021. https://patch.com/california/
including some credit cards, cash, and her newportbeach/judy-nesbitts-murder-solved-
check book. through-dna-investigation-newport-c.

The FGG investigation was conducted by Newport Indy Staff. “Killer Identified in 1980
CeCe Moore of Parabon Nanolabs. This is Newport Beach Cold Case Murder.” Newport
one of the first FGG investigations to use Beach Independent, August 9, 2021. Accessed
rootless human hairs collected at the crime August 10, 2021. https://
scene to produce a forensic-quality DNA www.newportbeachindy.com/killer-identified-
profile. A DNA profile was obtained from the in-1980-newport-beach-cold-case-murder/?
roots of the hair in 2002 and uploaded into fbclid=IwAR1IMJMFudNRj-
CODIS, but this produced no new leads.

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 191
Dcp5BkLlae93Mik2TR2pv4gzhDZplAxMfv had two other brothers, one who died in 1977,
dxxveuxGEs4. and one who had disappeared around 1970 –
Paul Leroy – and of whom he knew nothing.
Rasmussen, Emily. “DNA Identifies Officers then obtained a warrant to exhume
Suspected Killer in 1980 Newport Beach Paul’s body, and his DNA profile was
Cold Case, Police Say.” Orange County consistent with that found at the crime scene.
Register, August 9, 2021. Accessed August Martin passed away only in June of 2019.
10, 2021. https://www.ocregister.com/
2021/08/09/dna-identifies-suspected-killer- During the investigation, DNA samples were
in-1980-newport-beach-cold-case-police- taken from at least 6 suspects, including the
say/?fbclid=IwAR3nVPtRZSp_JeSNn3I0A- victim’s husband. Police and family long
ckVj9CLb_k2FDhq2wbOFxrezacKb_lZCu0n suspected her husband as he had an argument
UQ. with Jones before she left the house – even
after his DNA was tested and was not a
Townsend, Peggy. “Beating Crime by a Hair.” match. Being cleared through DNA does not
UC Santa Cruz Magazine, February 2020. always end suspicion; sometimes this can
Accessed August 10, 2021. https:// only happen when the real culprit is found.
magazine.ucsc.edu/2020/02/beating-crime-
by-a-hair/. Sources:

Byars, Mitchell. “Who Killed Betty Lee

Case ID 1374: Martin, Paul Leroy Jones? How Boulder County Officials Solved
a 50-Year-Old Murder.” Daily Camera, June
Paul Leroy Martin has been identified as the 7, 2020. Accessed December 26, 2020.
lead suspect in the March 8, 1970 rape and https://www.dailycamera.com/2020/06/07/
murder of 23-year-old Betty Lee Jones in who-killed-betty-lee-jones-how-boulder-
Denver, Colorado. The case has been cleared county-officials-solved-a-50-year-old-
by exception due to the death of Martin. murder/.

Jones was last seen flagging down and getting CBS 4 Denver. “1970 Rape and Murder of
into a car that resembled the one owned by Betty Lee Jones Solved Using Genetic
Martin at the time. Her body was found at the Genealogy.” CBS 4 Denver, May 28, 2020.
bottom of an embankment off Highway 128 Accessed December 26, 2020. https://
the next day. She had been sexually assaulted, denver.cbslocal.com/2020/05/28/1970-rape-
strangled, and shot. Her parents adopted and murder-betty-lee-jones-solved-genetic-
raised her young son and daughter. genealogy/.

The FGG investigation was performed by Osborne, Ryan. “50 Years Later, Detectives
Bode Technologies and the FBI Investigative Say They Found a Denver Woman’s Killer.”
Genealogy Unit. During the course of the ABC 7 News, The Denver Channel, May 28,
FGG investigation, DNA samples were taken 2020. Accessed December 26, 2020. https://
from a brother of Martin, which confirmed www.thedenverchannel.com/news/crime/50-
that the killer was a sibling of his. The man

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 192
years-later-detectives-say-they-found-a- officer confess to killing to girls because they
denver-womans-killer. possessed evidence of a conspiracy among
local police officers who were invoke red in
the drug trade. This witness recanted her
Case ID 1170-1171: McCraney, Coley testimony under oath, and the officer who is
accused of the murder also denied the
Coley McCraney was arrested on March 1, allegations.
2019 and charged in the August 1, 1999
deaths of 17-year-old Tracie Hawlett and 17- Sources:
year-old J.B. Beasley in Ozark, Alabama. The
teenage girls had disappeared after they left a Associated Press. “High Profile Arrest Led
party. They were found the next day in the Alabama Police to Genealogy Testing.” The
trunk of Beasley’s car. Both victims had been Grio, March 19, 2019. https://thegrio.com/
shot in the head and Beasley had also been 2019/03/19/dna-genealogy-cold-case-
sexually assaulted. homicide/.

A DNA profile was created from the sexual Gill, Lauren. “An Alabama Man Faces the
assault kit taken at Beasley’s autopsy, as well Death Penalty for Two Murders. Could the
as sperm found on her underwear and Police Be Involved?” The Appeal, October 1,
sweater. The FGG investigation was 2019. https://theappeal.org/alabama-police-
conducted by Parabon Nanolabs. At first, the death-penalty/.
investigation turned up only third cousins on
GEDmatch, but Parabon was able to submit a Gill Lauren. “In Alabama, Decades-Delayed
list of potential family surnames to police – Justice in a Double Homicide – Or a Brand
one of which was the name McCraney. Police New Injustice?” The Appeal, July 24, 2019.
then asked McCraney for a voluntary DNA https://theappeal.org/in-alabama-decades-
sample. At that time, McCraney was not a delayed-justice-in-a-double-homicide-or-a-
suspect, and was thought only to be a brand-new-injustice/.
potential relative of the suspect. His own
DNA turned out to be consistent with the Kalmbacher, Colin. “‘I Lied’: Woman Who
profile obtained from the crime scene. Spent Years Alleging Alabama Police
Coverup in 1999 Cold Case Murders Recants
McCraney has pled not guilty, and the case Her Story Under Oath.” Law & Crime,
against him is pending in Dale County, August 5, 2022. Accessed August 6, 2022.
Alabama. He is facing the death penalty. His https://lawandcrime.com/crime/i-lied-
lawyers have claimed that McCraney is alabama-woman-who-spent-years-alleging-
innocent and the victims were killed by a police-coverup-in-1999-cold-case-murders-
former police officer because they possessed recants-her-story-under-oath/.
evidence of police corruption.
Murphy, Heather. “DNA and a Coincidence
McCraney’s trial is currently set for April 17, Lead to Arrest in 1999 Double Murder in
2023. One of the defence’s key witnesses was Alabama.” New York Times, March 19, 2019.
expected to testify that she heard a police Accessed December 26, 2020. https://

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 193
www.nytimes.com/2019/03/19/us/alabama- investigation was conducted by Othram. The
dna-murder-arrest.html. FGG investigation narrowed the list of
suspects down to the three McCurley
Thornton, William. “Trial Set in 1999 Dale brothers. Glen was a person of interest during
County Cold Case Killings of 2 Teen Girls.” the initial investigation because he had owned
Al.com, September 24, 2021. Accessed the same kind of firearm that was found at the
December 28, 2021. https://www.al.com/ crime scene, but at the time there was no
news/2021/09/trial-set-in-1999-dale-county- other evidence linking him to the crimes.
cold-case-killings-of-2-teen-girls.html. Investigators used the surreptitious sampling
of trash that McCurley had discarded outside
Ussery, Peggy. “McCraney’s Trial Now Set his residence. When police interviewed him,
for April 2023 .” Dothan Eagle, November he denied involvement and voluntarily
17, 2022. Accessed January 15, 2023. https:// provided a DNA sample.
dothaneagle.com/news/local/mccraneys-trial-
now-set-for-april-2023/ Rodney McCoy, despite his injuries, was long
article_558998ac-669a-11ed-9e8c- a suspect in the crime. He spent his entire life
d37fa0d4489b.html. under a cloud of suspicion.

In 1978 in Tennessee, another man confessed

Case ID 1411-1412: McCurley, Glen to killing Walker, but police had “major
Samuel reservations” about the confession, and he
later admitted to being intoxicated on alcohol
Glen Samuel McCurley was arrested on and drugs when he made it. The charges
September 22, 2020 and charged in the against him were eventually dismissed.
February 16, 1974 rape and murder of 17-
year-old Carla Jan Walker in Fort Worth, McCurley pled guilty to charges of capital
Texas. murder on August 24, 2021 – on the third day
of his trial. He was sentenced to life in prison.
Walker was with her boyfriend, Rodney Police suspect that he may be responsible for
McCoy, in the passenger seat of his car in the several similar homicides in the Fort Worth
parking lot of a local bowling alley when she area in the early 1970s.
was abducted. McCoy was beaten very badly
in the head with a gun that was later found Sources:
dropped close to the car. Walker’s body was
found dumped in a culvert three days later. Barry, Ashleigh. “Cold Case: Who Tortured,
She had been drugged with morphine, beaten, Raped and Killed Carla Walker?” NBC Dallas
raped, and tortured for about two days before Fort Worth, January 26, 2017, last modified
she died from her injuries. She was wearing a September 22, 2020. Accessed December 26,
blue gown with white lace, as she and McCoy 2020. https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/
had just attended a Valentine’s Day dance. cold-case-who-tortured-raped-and-killed-
carla-walker/35374/.
A DNA profile of the suspect was obtained
from her clothing and her bra. The FGG

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 194
Hollandsworth, Skip. “Glen McCurley 2020. https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/
Strangled Carla Walker in 1974. Was She His fort-worth-pd-announces-arrest-in-1974-cold-
Only Victim.” Texas Monthly, August, 2022. case-murder-of-carla-walker/2448016/.
Accessed August 6, 2022. https://
www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/glen- Tron, Gina. “DNA Leads to Break, Arrest in
mccurley-carla-walker-murder/. Unsolved Murder of ‘Spitfire’ Cheerleader
Who Was Kidnapped After Valentine’s Day
Johnson, Kaley. “Glen McCurley Changes Dance.” Oxygen, September 23, 2020.
Plea to Guilty in Carla Walker Murder Trial in Accessed December 26, 2020. https://
Fort Worth.” Fort Worth Star-Telegram, www.oxygen.com/crime-news/glen-
August 24, 2021. Accessed December 29, mccurley-charged-murder-carla-walker-cold-
2021. https://www.star-telegram.com/news/ case-paul-holes.
local/crime/article253703023.html.

Johnson, Kaley. “Jury Selected for Fort Worth Case ID 1155: McFadden, Jerry Walter
Cold Case Trial in Abduction, Strangling of
17-Year-Old Girl.” Fort-Worth Star Telegram, Jerry Walter McFadden has been identified as
August 19, 2021. Accessed August 23, 2021. the lead suspect in the July 24, 1979 rape and
https://www.yahoo.com/news/jury-selected- murder of 20-year-old Anna Marie Hlavka in
fort-worth-cold-221530107.html. Portland, Oregon. The case has been cleared
by exception due to the death of McFadden.
Luperon, Alberto. “‘Finally’: 77-Year-Old
Man Arrested in 1974 Cold Case Rape, Hlavka was found dead in her apartment. She
Murder of 17-Year-Old Girl.” Law & Crime, had been sexually assaulted by an intruder
September 23, 2020. Accessed December 26, and strangled with the electrical cord from her
2020. https://lawandcrime.com/crazy/ clock radio. The case has been cleared by
finally-77-year-old-man-arrested-in-1974- exception due to the death of McFadden.
cold-case-rape-murder-of-17-year-old-girl/.
The FGG investigation was conducted by
Marfin, Catherine, and Charles Scudder. Parabon Nanolabs. The McFadden family
“DNA Match Leads Fort Worth Police to voluntarily provided their DNA to assist in
Arrest Man in 1974 Murder of 17-Year-Old the investigation and confirm McFadden’s
Girl.” Dallas Morning News, September 22, identity.
2020. Accessed December 26, 2020. https://
www.dallasnews.com/news/crime/ Investigators learned that McFadden had been
2020/09/22/fort-worth-police-make-arrest-in- visiting the area at the time. He was executed
cold-case-murder-that-has-remained- in Texas in October of 1999 for multiple
unsolved-for-46-years/. murders, and his DNA was not entered into
CODIS. He was convicted of the rape and
Roth, Brian. “Suspect Arrested in 1974 Cold murder of an 18-year-old girl, as well as the
Case Murder of Carla Walker; Was ‘Random shooting deaths of two other persons. At the
Attack’: Police.” NBC Dallas Fort Worth, time of Hlavka’s murder in 1979, he was on
September 22, 2020. Accessed December 26, parole for several prior rape convictions.

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 195
While awaiting execution, he briefly escaped Sources:
and murdered a female correctional officer.
Marusak, Joe. “A Major First for CMPD:
Sources: Genealogy Research Just Solved a Decades-
Old Rape Case.” Charlotte Observer,
Hatmaker, Taylor. “A Popular Genealogy December 19, 2019. Accessed December 26,
Website Just Helped Solve a Serial Killer 2020. https://www.charlotteobserver.com/
Cold Case in Oregon.” Tech Crunch, January news/local/crime/article238502103.html.
31, 2019. Accessed December 26, 2020.
https://techcrunch.com/2019/01/31/hlavka- WBTV News. “Genealogy Testing Links
murder-gedmatch-dna/. Suspect to 1991 Cold Case, ‘Series’ of Sex
Assaults.” WBTV News, December 18, 2019.
Portland Police Bureau. “Cold Case Accessed December 26, 2020. https://
Homicide Detail Solves 40-Year-Old Case www.wbtv.com/2019/12/18/genealogy-
(Photo).” Portland Police Bureau (Press testing-links-suspect-cold-case-series-sex-
Release), January 31, 2019. Accessed assaults/.
December 26, 2020. https://
www.portlandoregon.gov/police/news/ WSOCTV Staff. “Arrest Made 28 Years After
read.cfm?id=199719. Woman Tied Up, Sexually Assaulted.”
WSOCTV News, December 18, 2019.
Accessed December 26, 2020. https://
Case ID 1310: McNamee, Kevin www.wsoctv.com/news/local/arrest-made-28-
years-after-woman-tied-up-sexually-
Kevin McNamee was arrested on December assaulted/
12, 2019 and charged in the violent home EQMV4B6MBVC2JOVWW62ED4VVXU/.
invasion rape of a 24-year-old woman that
took place on September 20, 1991 in
Charlotte, North Carolina. Case ID 1311: McNichols, James Francis

A DNA profile was obtained from the sexual James Francis McNichols has been identified
assault kit taken from the victim at the as the lead suspect in the June 27, 1983 rape
hospital. There is no information on who and murder of 11-year-old Julie Fuller in
conducted the FGG investigation, but it was Arlington, Texas. The case has been cleared
funded by a Sexual Assault Kit Initiative by exception as McNichols passed away in
grant from the Bureau of Justice Assistance. 2004.

McNamee has a lengthy criminal history for Fuller’s family had just moved to the area and
burglaries and break-ins, but not for a home were staying in a motel while looking for a
invasion rape. Police are investigating him for home. Fuller was taking out the trash when
other assaults dating back to about the 1990s. she disappeared. The dumpster was empty,
The case against him is currently pending in and so she went around back of the motel.
Mecklenburg County Superior Court. Her body was found the next day along a

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 196
riverbank in Fort Worth. She had been raped, Case ID 1251: McQuade, Donald
and died by strangulation.
Donald McQuade was arrested on August 30,
A sexual assault kit was taken at Fuller’s 2019 and charged in the January 7, 1978 rape
autopsy, and a DNA profile of the suspect was and murder of 16-year-old Shelley Connolly
later developed. The FGG investigation was in Anchorage, Alaska.
conducted by Parabon. DNA samples from
McNichols’ living children confirmed his Connolly was last seen leaving a bar in
identity. Family members also confirmed that Anchorage. She had been sexually assaulted
he had been living in the area at the time of and beaten. She was then dragged behind a
the murder. vehicle before being dumped along the
railroad tracks near Beluga Point. She died by
Sources: blunt force trauma to her abdomen as well as
hypothermia – she had no jacket or shoes on
Barton, Thomas J. “Police: DNA Mapping when she was found.
Links Late Maquoketa Man to Killing of
Texas Girl in ’83.” Telegraph Herald, A DNA profile was developed from skin
December 18, 2019. Accessed December 26, found under Connolly’s fingernails. The FGG
2020. https://www.telegraphherald.com/news/ investigation was conducted by Parabon
tri-state/article_c0cf7072-b40d-5041-bfb1- Nanolabs. The initial confirmation was made
f748e7ce9ba3.html. by police in Gresham, Oregon who performed
surreptitious sampling of cigarette butts
Find a Grave. “James Francis McNichols.” discarded by McQuade.
Find a Grave (Memorial no. 15200497).
Accessed December 26, 2020. McQuade was living in Alaska at the time of
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/ the murder, and he matches the description of
15200497/james-francis-mcnichols. a man seen leaving the bar with Connolly the
night she died. McQuade has told police that
Ramirez, Marc. “Police Identify Suspect in he may have had sexual intercourse with the
11-Year-Old Girl’s 1983 Murder in Fort victim. He admits that he had issues with
Worth.” Dallas Morning News, December 13, alcohol at the time and may not have a good
2019. Accessed December 26, 2020. https:// memory of the events that night.
www.dallasnews.com/news/crime/
2019/12/13/police-id-suspected-killer-in-11- The case against McQuade is pending in
year-old-girls-1983-murder-in-fort-worth/. Anchorage Superior Court.

Sheridan, Peter. “How World’s First Genetic Sources:

Detective Caught British Girl’s Killer After
36 Years.” Mirror UK, June 20, 2020. Noronha, Remus. “Oregon Man Who Raped
Accessed December 26, 2020. https:// and Dragged Alaska Teen from a Moving Car
www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/worlds- in 1978 Arrested After DNA Links Him to
first-genetic-detective-caught-22224998. Her.” Meaww, April 2, 2020. https://
meaww.com/oregon-man-alaska-cold-case-

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 197
dna-evidence-1978-shelley-connolly-donald- The FGG investigation was conducted by
mcquade. Advance DNA. The genealogical
investigation was challenging, as Michael had
Ramakrishnan, Jayati. “Details About been put up for adoption by his mother. The
Gresham Suspect Emerge From 1978 Alaska method of confirmation has not been
Cold Case,” The Oregonian, September 9, disclosed, and police state that they are
2019, last modified 10 September 10, 2019. continuing to investigate.
Accessed December 26, 2020. https://
www.oregonlive.com/crime/2019/09/details- Mellus was 17 years old at the time of the
about-gresham-suspect-emerge-from-1978- murder. He lived across the street about 6
alaska-cold-case.html. doors down from Stichler, although they are
not known to have been acquainted. Mellus
State of Alaska Department of Law. “Oregon died in a car accident in 1989 while stationed
Man Indicted in 1978 Cold Case Slaying of at a U.S. Army base in North Carolina.
Anchorage Teenager.” State of Alaska
Department of Law (Press Release), October Police tested the DNA of several suspects,
4, 2019. Accessed December 26, 2020. http:// including Stichler’s husband and ex-
law.alaska.gov/press/releases/2019/DAO/ boyfriend, as well as her male friends. All
100419-McQuade.html. were excluded as suspects in the case.
Stichler’s middle daughter stated, “Toby
Oldham, who was my father, and James
Case ID 1843: Mellus, Michael Richard Vale Jr., who was my mother's
boyfriend, spent 37 years of their life being
On July 6, 2022, the Sylvania Police judged and ridiculed by everyone… My
Department announced that Michael Mellus is father, as recently as a few years ago, went to
the lead suspect in the January 2, 1985 a reunion and someone said ‘you killed your
murder of 30-year-old Patricia Stichler in wife.’ This was a very dark cloud and it’s just
Sylvania, Ohio. The case will likely be not fair.” She asked that police announce the
cleared by exception due to the death of name of the suspect, to clear her father and
Mellus. others who were suspected of committing the
crime.
Someone had broken into Stichler’s home
where she lived with her three daughters. Sources:
Stichler was divorced, and was raising her
children as a single mother. Her 11-year-old Maranette, Kalie. “‘It’s All Worth This Day
daughter found her body lying on her Today’: After 37 Years of Waiting, a Murder
bedroom floor in the early morning hours. Suspect is Named in Sylvania.” WTOL 11
Someone had attacked her as she slept in her News, July 6, 2022. Accessed July 8, 2022.
bed, stabbed her several times, and slashed https://www.wtol.com/article/news/
her throat. Many of the wounds were investigations/11-investigates/after-37-years-
defensive in nature. of-waiting-murder-suspect-of-patricia-
stichler-named/512-379f5770-
d795-4bc3-8870-3816c3a9a654.

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 198
 (Genetic Operations Linking DNA) Unit. The
Miller, Jax. “Police ID 1985 Suspect as funding for this pilot project came from a
Neighbourhood Teen Accused of Violently Department of Justice grant in October of
Murdering Mother of Three.” Oxygen, July 7, 2020. A John Doe warrant had been issued in
2022. Accessed July 8, 2022. https:// this case, in order to prevent the lapse of
www.oxygen.com/crime-news/michael- charges through the statute of limitations. The
mellus-identified-patricia-stichler-murder- initial confirmation was made through the
suspect. surreptitious sampling of plastic drinking
bottles that Mercurio had discarded.
Voetsch, Melissa. “Case File: 37 Years Later,
the Daughters of Patricia Stichler are Still The testing of this DNA sample in 2013 was a
Seeking Justice.” ABC 13 News Toledo, result of a project to clear a backlog of about
September 13, 2021. Accessed July 8, 2022. 10,000 untested SAKs in Ohio. Of those,
https://www.13abc.com/2021/09/14/case- about 8,700 investigations have been
file-37-years-later-daughters-patricia-stichler- completed, and over 800 suspects arrested.
are-still-seeking-justice/. There were about 176 cases in which CODIS
did not produce a hit to an individual already
in the CODIS database because of previous
Case ID 1502: Mercurio, Bart felony charges.

Bart Mercurio was arrested on July 9, 2021 as Mercurio is now facing charges of rape,
the lead suspect in a May 6, 1999 home- kidnapping, and aggravated burglary in
invasion rape in Cleveland, Ohio. Cuyahoga County. On July 12, 2022,
Mercurio pled not guilty during his
A 33-year-old woman was attacked by the arraignment and was released on a $50,000
assailant upon her return home from a walk in bond.
the city’s Tremont neighborhood. The
assailant was waiting for her inside her home. Sources:
She was violently sexually assaulted, losing
consciousness after receiving several blows to Cuyahoga County Office of the Prosecutor.
her head. “G.O.L.D. Unit Utilizes Genealogical Testing
to Identify Rapist in Decades-Old Case.”
A DNA profile of the suspect was obtained in Cuyahoga County, July 12, 2021. Accessed
2013 from a Sexual Assault Kit she had July 12, 2021. http://
performed at the hospital – it had not prosecutor.cuyahogacounty.us/en-US/GOLD-
previously been submitted for testing. This Unit-Genealogical-Testing-Cold-Case-Rapist-
DNA profile generated no hits in CODIS. IDed.aspx.

The FGG investigation was conducted by Fink, Jenni. “Man Arrested After DNA Links
Gene by Gene, the parent company of Him to 20-Year-Old Rape Case.” Newsweek,
FTDNA. This is one of about 20 cases that July 12, 2021. Accessed July 12, 2021.
Gene by Gene is investigating on behalf of https://www.newsweek.com/man-arrested-
Cuyahoga County, known as the G.O.L.D.

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after-dna-links-him-20-year-old-rape- He has been charged in the September 22,
case-1608997. 1993 murder of 17-year-old Melanie Bernas
and the November 8, 1992 murder of 22-year-
News 5 Cleveland. “Genealogical Testing old Angela Brasso. Both women disappeared
Helps Prosecutors Identify and Arrest Suspect while biking along the trails of the Phoenix
in 1999 Tremont Rape Case.” News 5 canals. Brosso was decapitated. Her body was
Cleveland, July 12, 2021. Accessed January found near the canal in a vacant lot, and her
15, 2023. https://www.news5cleveland.com/ head was found floating in the canal 11 days
news/local-news/cleveland-metro/ later. Bernas’ body was found floating in the
genealogical-testing-helps-prosecutors- canal. She was wearing a turquoise bathing
identify-and-arrest-suspect-in-1999-tremont- suit that did not belong to her. A male DNA
rape-case. profile was obtained from samples taken from
the women’s bodies.
Shaffer, Cory. “How Burgeoning
Genealogical DNA Science is Helping The FGG investigation was conducted by
Cuyahoga County Prosecutors Solve Colleen Fitzpatrick of Identifinders. The case
Cleveland-Area Rape and Homicide Cases was referred to Fitzpatrick by Phoenix police
One Thought Unsolvable.” Cleveland.com, detectives in October of 2014, after they had
July 10, 2021. Last Modified July 11, 2021. met at the ISHI (International Symposium for
Accessed July 12, 2021. https:// Human Identification) Conference in 2014
www.cleveland.com/court-justice/2021/07/ and discussed the possibility of using genetic
how-burgeoning-genealogical-dna-science-is- genealogy. This was the first time that FGG
helping-cuyahoga-county-prosecutors-solve- had been used to clear a criminal
cleveland-area-rape-and-homicide-cases-one- investigation in North America. Unlike
thought-unsolvable.html. previous investigations, Fitzpatrick used
existing DNA databases rather than massive
Staff Report. “Elyria Man Identified by DNA public dragnets to find relative matches. This
Testing as Rape Suspect.” Morning Journal, set a new standard for the field.
July 12, 2021. Accessed July 12, 2021.
https://www.morningjournal.com/news/crime/ Fitzpatrick used Y-STR profiles to trace the
elyria-man-identified-by-dna-testing-as-rape- male lineage of the suspect using the
suspect/article_d505b552-e356-11eb- Sorenson Y-STR database, which was later
a690-879d0710c186.html. purchased by Ancestry and taken offline.
Fitzpatrick discovered that the DNA profile
likely came from a male lineage with the
Case ID 1003-1004: Miller, Bryan Patrick surname Miller. She was able to take an initial
suspect pool of 2,000 suspects and narrow it
Bryan Patrick Miller was arrested on January down to 5 men. This information was then be
14, 2015 and charged in a series of murders in cross-referenced with any Millers living near
Phoenix, Arizona known as the Phoenix the Phoenix canals. The initial confirmation
Canal Murders. of these finding was conducted by
surreptitious sampling of Miller, who lived

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 200
very near the bike path where the women Phoenix.” ABC News 15, October 2, 2022.
disappeared. Last modified October 3, 2022. Accessed
October 5, 2022. https://www.abc15.com/
As a youth, Miller was charged with stabbing news/crime/bench-trial-for-a-man-accused-
a woman at a shopping mall. He claimed that of-killing-2-women-in-phoenix.
the victim reminded him of his mother. Miller
was acquitted in 2002 of stabbing another Associated Press. “Bid to Toss DNA
woman. He is currently being investigated for Evidence in Phoenix Canal Killings
involvement in other murders. Rejected.” Forensic Magazine, February 5,
2021. Accessed February 7, 2021. https://
Miller was originally scheduled to be tried in www.forensicmag.com/572960-Bid-to-Toss-
2016. His trial has been delayed a number of DNA-Evidence-in-Phoenix-Canal-Killings-
times. He is facing the death penalty. Reports Rejected/.
from August of 2021 indicate that Miller and
his attorneys are seeking to introduce an Associated Press. “Man Pleads Not Guilty to
insanity plea. 1990s Killings of Woman and Teen.” CBS
News, February 3, 2015. Accessed December
In January of 2022, Miller was declared fit to 26, 2020. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/
stand trial. He has asked to be excused from man-pleads-not-guilty-to-1990s-killings-of-
being tried before a jury and has asked for a woman-and-teen/.
bench trial.
Associated Press. “Man’s Trial in Killings
Miller has pled not guilty by reason of Along Canal Delayed Due to Pandemic.”
insanity. On January 9, 2023, Miller’s defense KGUN 9 News, June 21, 2020. Accessed
team introduced testimony that Miller December 26, 2020. https://www.kgun9.com/
suffered from dissociative amnesia, which is news/state/mans-trial-in-killings-along-canal-
characterized by memory gaps or memory delayed-due-to-pandemic.
loss caused by a traumatic event. His defence
also argued his autism spectrum disorder as Cassidy, Megan. “How Forensic Genealogy
another reason for justifying that Miller did Led to an Arrest in the Phoenix ‘Canal Killer’
not know what he was doing. Dr. Brand, a Case.” The Arizona Republic, reprinted in AZ
forensic psychologist who interviewed Miller, Central. November 30, 2016. Accessed
testified that Miller did not seem to be aware December 26, 2020. https://
of his symptoms, and appeared frustrated www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/
when presented with the evidence against phoenix/2016/11/30/how-forensic-genealogy-
him. She also testified that while dissociative led-arrest-phoenix-canal-killer-case-bryan-
amnesia could be related to violent behaviour, patrick-miller-dna/94565410/.
it was probably not causal.
Cassidy, Megan. “Phoenix Police: Man
Sources: Arrested in 1990s Canal Murders.” Arizona
Republic, reprinted in AZ Central, January 13,
Associated Press. “Bench Trial for a Man 2015, last modified November 19, 2015.
Accused of Killing 2 Young Women in Accessed December 26, 2020. https://

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 201
www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/ with-murdering-two-young-women-in-
phoenix/2015/01/13/phoenix-cold-case-arrest/ early-1990s/.
21732905/.
Whitney, Briana. “Psychologist Testifies
Cassidy, Megan. “Police: 3rd Victim May be Bryan Patrick Miller’s Dissociative Amnesia
Linked to Canal Murder Suspect.” Arizona Could Be Related to Canal Murders.”
Republic, reprinted in AZ Central, November Arizona’s Family, January 10, 2023. Accessed
17, 2015, last modified November 19, 2015. January 15, 2023. https://www.azfamily.com/
Accessed December 26, 2020. https:// 2023/01/10/psychologist-testifies-bryan-
www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/ patrick-millers-dissociative-amnesia-could-
phoenix/2015/11/17/police-3rdvictim-may- be-related-canal-murders/
linked-canal-murder-suspect/75641070/.

Fitzpatrick, Colleen. “Solving the Phoenix Case ID 1097: Miller, John D.

Canal Murders.” ISHI News, April 5, 2018.
Accessed December 26, 2020. https:// John D. Miller was arrested on July 15, 2018
www.ishinews.com/solving-the-phoenix- and charged in the April 1, 1988 rape and
canal-murders/. murder of 8-year-old April Tinsley in Fort
Wayne, Indiana. Tinsley had left a friend’s
Hoffer, Steven. “Phoenix Police Make Arrest house to fetch an umbrella but never returned.
in 1990s Double-Murder Cold Case.” She was last seen being dragged into an old
Huffington Post, January 14, 2015, last blue pick-up truck. Her body was found three
modified December 6, 2017. Accessed days later lying beside a rural road 20 miles
December 26, 2020. https:// outside of Fort Wayne by a jogger. She had
www.huffingtonpost.ca/entry/bryan-patrick- been sexually assaulted and asphyxiated, and
miller-arrested_n_6472408?ri18n=true. a sex toy was located near her body.

Holland, Catherine, and Phil Benson. The community was long terrorized by this
“‘Zombie Hunter’ Pleads Not Guilty in Cold crime, not least because a male claiming to be
Case Killings.” AZ Family, January 13, 2015. the killer wrote threatening messages, one of
Accessed December 26, 2020. https:// which was written on the side of a barn door.
www.azfamily.com/zombie-hunter-pleads- He also left pictures of his body and used
not-guilty-in-cold-case-killings/ condoms on young girl’s bicycles, threatening
article_3afce8aa-82b5-51bd-863f-7a6f625626 them with being the next victim.
2d.html.
A DNA profile of the suspect was produced
Luperon, Alberto. “Attorney Now Wants from semen found on April’s underwear. The
Insanity Defence for ‘Zombie Hunter’ FGG investigation was conducted by Parabon
Charged with Murdering Two Young Women Nanolabs. The suspect list was narrowed
in Early 1990s.” Law & Crime, August 1, down to Miller and his brother. The initial
2021. Accessed December 28, 2021. https:// confirmation was made by the surreptitious
lawandcrime.com/crime/attorney-now-wants- sampling of DNA taken from trash left
insanity-defense-for-zombie-hunter-charged- outside of Miller’s mobile home.

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 Miller confessed to police, and in December Edmunds, Washington. Loomis was riding
of 2018 he pled guilty to the charges. her bike on a dirt road on the way to visit her
horse at a local stable. She was abducted,
Sources: sexually assaulted, and shot in the head. It
appears that she was seated and putting her
Haag, Matthew. “Decades After Killing of clothes on when she was shot by someone
April Tinsley, 8, DNA Leads to Suspect.” standing behind her.
New York Times, July 16, 2018. Accessed
December 26, 2020. https:// A DNA profile was obtained from semen
www.nytimes.com/2018/07/16/us/april- found on one of Loomis’ boots. The FGG
tinsley-murder-john-miller.html. investigation was conducted by Parabon and
Deb Stone. Deb Stone is a forensic
Inside Edition Staff. “April Tinsley Case: genealogist who has worked previously with
Man Tied to 8-Year-Old’s 1988 Murder the Snohomish County to locate next-of-kin.
Through Genealogy Website, DNA The investigation was narrowed down to the
Technology: Cops.” Inside Edition, July 16, six Miller brothers. Terrence Miller lived a
2018. Accessed December 26, 2020. https:// short distance from the dirt road where
www.insideedition.com/april-tinsley-case- Loomis was murdered. The initial
man-tied-8-year-olds-1988-murder-through- confirmation was made by the surreptitious
genealogy-website-dna-technology-cops. sampling of a coffee cup Miller had discarded
outside a casino.
Ryckaert, Vic. “Who Killed April Tinsley?
Longtime Suspect John D. Miller Pleads A number of local men were suspects in the
Guilty to Girl’s 1988 Murder.” Indy Star, case over the years, including two men who
December 7, 2018. Accessed December 26, were collecting firewood in the area and were
2020. https://www.indystar.com/story/news/ detained as witnesses in the case. They later
crime/2018/12/07/april-tinsley-killer-john-d- provided DNA to clear their names, but this
miller-pleads-guilty-1988-indiana-murder/ did not happen until a DNA profile was
2239992002/. developed in 2008.

Snow, Kate. “Putting a Face to DNA: How Miller has been accused of sexual offences on
New Tech Gives Hope in Cold Cases.” NBC a number of occasions. He was cited once for
News, June 30, 2015. Accessed December 26, lewd conduct in 1968 for exposing himself to
2020. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us- a teenage girl. He admitted to molesting a
news/dna-mugshot-how-new-tech-gives- pre-teen girl in the mid-1970s, but documents
hope-cold-cases-n384771. about this have been lost. In March of 1990,
he was again accused of molesting two girls,
but they dropped the charges. In 1999, he was
Case ID 1186: Miller, Terrence accused of sexual abuse by a man with
developmental disabilities, but he could not
Terrence Miller was arrested on April 10, be prosecuted due to a statute of limitations.
2019 and charged in the August 23, 1972 rape
and murder of 20-year-old Jody Loomis in

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 203
Miller was freed on a cash bond while justice-for-1972-rape-and-murder-of-jody-
awaiting trial. He committed suicide on loomis.
November 9, 2020 while the jury was
deliberating. The trial judge agreed with Wippel, Teresa. “Documents Provide More
prosecutors that the family had the right to Details on Suspect in Cold Case Murder.”
hear the jury’s verdict after having waited so Edmonds News, April 11, 2019. Accessed
many decades, and then sitting through the December 26, 2020. https://
trial. The jury convicted Miller of Loomis’ myedmondsnews.com/2019/04/documents-
murder. provide-more-details-on-suspect-in-cold-
case-murder/.
Sources:

Gearty, Robert. “Washington State Man on Case ID 1314: Mills, Joseph Clinton
Trial in 1972 Cold Case Murder Kills Self –
Then Jury Finds Him Guilty.” Fox News, Joseph Clinton Mills was arrested on
November 10, 2020. Accessed December 26, December 18, 2019 and charged in the
2020. https://www.foxnews.com/us/ September 4, 1981 rape and murder of 31-
washington-state-man-trial-1972-cold-case- year-old Linda Patterson Slaten in Lakeland,
murder-kills-self-jury-finds-guilty? Florida.
fbclid=IwAR1i1wO82O01Ors45A-78ilSBQw Slaten had been murdered by an intruder who
0VTzdvYAvfppsVP7S14Z5vC5HRLd2qWU. broke into her bedroom. She was found when
her sister came to ask her to go for coffee the
Hutton, Caleb. “Bail Raised to $1M in 1972 next morning. The dress she had been
Murder Case, and Suspect Posts It.” Herald wearing the night before was pulled down and
Net, July 18, 2019. Accessed December 26, up to expose her sexual organs, and she had
2020. https://www.heraldnet.com/news/ been violently sexually assaulted. A wire coat
suspect-posts-1-million-bond-in-72-jody- hanger had been twisted around her neck.
loomis-murder-case/. Slaten had two sons, one 12 and one 15, who
were sleeping nearby when she was killed.
Hutton, Caleb. “DNA on a Boot Leads to
Arrest in 1972 Murder of Jody Loomis.” A DNA profile was obtained from the sexual
Herald Net, April 12, 2019. Accessed assault kit taken at Slaten’s autopsy. The FGG
December 26, 2020. https:// investigation was performed by Parabon
www.heraldnet.com/news/dna-strikes-again- Nanolabs and the Florida Department of Law
edmonds-man-77-arrested-in-1972-killing/. Enforcement (FDLE). The initial
confirmation was made through the
Lavoice, Olivia. “Snohomish County Family surreptitious sampling of items taken from
Still Seeking Justice for 1972 Rape and Mills’ trash.
Murder of Jody Loomis.” Q13 Fox News,
November 21, 2019. Accessed December 26, Mills was the football coach for Slaten’s
2020. https://www.q13fox.com/news/ teenage son. He had brought her son home to
snohomish-county-family-still-seeking- their apartment on the evening before she was
killed, and he met her then.

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 204
 Mills claims that the sex he had with Slaten news-conference-arrest-in-cold-case-murder-
was consensual. He stated to police that he of-linda-slaten/579832626173968/.
parked down the street and came in through
the window. She already had the wire coat Schottelkotte, Suzie. “Grand Jury Indicts
hanger wrapped around her neck, which he Lakeland Man in 1981 Cold Case Murder.”
consensually twisted until she lost The Ledger, December 19, 2019, last
consciousness. He then exited from the same modified December 20, 2019. Accessed
window as she lay unconscious in the bed. December 26, 2020. https://
www.theledger.com/news/20191219/grand-
The case against Mills proceeded in Polk jury-indicts-lakeland-man-in-1981-cold-case-
County Circuit Court. In February of 2002 he murder.
changed his plea to guilty and was sentenced
to life in prison to avoid the death penalty.
His only comment at the sentencing hearing Case ID 1099: Monnett, Spencer
was to state, “I am a good person. I’m not that
person they’re painting me out to be.” Spencer Monnett was arrested on July 28,
2018 and charged in the April 17, 2018 sexual
assault of 79-year-old Carla Brooks in St.
Sources: George, Utah. Monnett broke into Brooks’
home through a screen door, stuffed a rag into
Berkowotz, Kathy Leigh. “Lakeland Police her mouth and sexually assaulted and beat her
Make Arrest in Cold Case Murder.” The as she fought back. Brooks has been publicly
Ledger, December 18, 2019, last modified identified at her own request; she now
December 19, 2019. Accessed December 26, advocates on behalf of sexual assault
2020. https://www.theledger.com/news/ survivors and has pushed for funding to test
20191218/lakeland-police-make-arrest-in- backlogged sexual assault kits.
cold-case-murder.
A DNA profile was developed from Brooks’
City of Lakeland. “Arrest Made in 38-Year- sexual assault kit but produced no matches in
Old Cold Case.” City of Lakeland (Press law enforcement databases. The FGG
Release), December 18, 2019. Accessed investigation was undertaken by Parabon
December 26, 2020. https:// Nanolabs.
www.lakelandgov.net/news/posts/2019/
december-2019/arrest-made-in-38-year-old- Monnett confessed to the crime and he has
cold-case/. pled guilty. Brooks testified at his sentencing
hearing, at which she forgave him and urged
Lakeland Police Department. “LPD News him to turn his life around. Brooks went on to
Conference: Arrest in Cold Case Murder of spend the last years of her life advocating for
Linda Slaten.” Lakeland Police Press victims of sexual assault. She passed away on
Conference (Facebook post), December 19, October 26, 2022 in South Jordan, Utah.
2019. Accessed December 26, 2020. https://
www.facebook.com/lkldnow/videos/lpd-

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Sources: Case ID 1262: Moore, Willie

Aradillas, Elaine. “How an Elderly Sex See also: Erlene Lee, a co-accused against
Assault Survivor Became Activist for Testing whom the charges have now been dropped.
Thousands of Backlogged Rape Kits.”
People, March 25, 2019. Accessed December Willie Clyde Moore was arrested on
26, 2020. https://people.com/crime/carla- September 20, 2019 and charged with first-
brooks-sex-assault-survivor-activist-testing- degree murder in the September 18, 1983
rape-kits/ death of 39-year-old Anthony Baltes in Tulsa,
#:~:text=In%20February%2C%2032%2Dyea Oklahoma. Baltes had been tied up, strangled,
r%2D,to%20burglary%20of%20a%20dwellin and beaten to death inside a Tulsa Sandman
g Motel room. His body was found by cleaning
staff. A DNA profile of the suspect was
DeMille, David. “Arrest Made in Home obtained from a cup found under a table in his
Invasion rape of Elderly St. George Woman.” room.
The Spectrum, July 28, 2018. Accessed
December 26, 2020. https:// The proceedings against Erlene Lee were
www.thespectrum.com/story/news/ dismissed on February 24, 2020 at the request
2018/07/28/79-year-old-woman-raped- of the state, reportedly because she was
assaulted-her-st-george-home/855583002/. cooperating with authorities. Charges
proceeded against her co-accused, Willie
Dutta, Anisha. “Where is Spencer Glen Moore. He passed away while awaiting trial,
Monnett Today?” The Cinemaholic, June 30, on December 13, 2020, at the age of 62. The
2020. Accessed December 26, 2020. https:// case has now been dismissed, but Baltes’
www.thecinemaholic.com/spencer-glen- family is grateful to have learned something
monnett/. about what happened to him.

Francis, Nathan. “Carla Brooks Gives Sources:

Surprising Message at Sentencing for Rapist,
Spencer Glen Monnett: I Forgive My Clay, Nolan. “Death Ends Hope for Justice in
Attacker.” Inquisitr, June 30, 2020. Accessed 1983 Oklahoma Cold Case.” The Oklahoman,
December 26, 2020. https:// January 13, 2021. Accessed January 15, 2021.
www.inquisitr.com/6140053/carla-brooks- https://oklahoman.com/article/5680203/death-
forgive-spencer-monnett/. ends-hope-for-justice-in-1983-oklahoma-
cold-case.
Obituaries. “Carla Irene Hoyt Brooks.” St.
George News, November 3, 2022. Accessed Hutchins, Ethan, and KTUL Staff. “Judge
January 29, 2023. https:// Finds Probable Cause in Preliminary Hearing
www.stgeorgeutah.com/news/archive/ to Send 1983 Tulsa Cold Case to Trial.” ABC
2022/11/03/carla-irene-hoyt-brooks/ News 8 Tulsa, February 12, 2020. Accessed
#.Y9cPfy-97BJ. December 24, 2020. https://ktul.com/news/
local/judge-finds-probable-cause-in-

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 206
preliminary-hearing-to-send-1983-tulsa-cold- the name of her sister’s doctor as her friend,
case-to-trial. Patty, was feeling quite ill again. She called
her sister several times, perhaps waiting in
State of Oklahoma v. Erlene G. Lee. State her vehicle in between calls.
Motion to Dismiss Case. Case No.
CF-2019-4489. Filed September 20, 2019. Solecki was not seen again until her body was
Closed February 24, 2020. Accessed found a few hours later by a newspaper
December 24, 2020. https://www.oscn.net/ delivery man. He saw Solecki’s naked body
dockets/GetCaseInformation.aspx? lying near her car about ten miles up the
db=tulsa&number=CF-2019-4489&cmid=32 highway. She had numerous lacerations and
94732. abrasions, and a very severe head wound,
indicating that she may have fought back
Querry, K., and KFOR-TV. “Update: Two against her attacker. The cause of death was
Arrested, Charged in Connection with Nearly found to be strangulation. The delivery man
40-Year-Old Cold Case Murder.” Oklahoma saw her shoes near her head, but when he
News 4, September 20, 2019, last modified came back with the authorities, they had been
September 21, 2019. Accessed December 24, thrown down the embankment – suggesting
2020. https://kfor.com/news/two-men- that the killer may still have been near the car,
charged-in-connection-with-nearly-40-year- watching him, as he found Solecki’s body.
old-cold-case-murder/.
The DNA profile of a single male was
Sokmensuer, Harriet. “Man and Woman developed from semen found on Solecki’s
Charged in Nearly 40-Year-Old Cold-Case buttocks, from semen on Solecki’s sweater,
Murder of Man in Okla. Motel Room.” which was found discarded nearby, and from
People, September 23, 2019. Accessed underneath her fingernails. The FGG
December 24, 2020. https://people.com/ investigation was conducted by the San Diego
crime/two-charged-with-cold-case-1983- County Sheriff’s Department with the advice
killing-of-oklahoma-man-in-motel-room/. and assistance of Barbara Rae-Venter. Several
family members provided assistance,
including some who gave investigators access
Case ID 1657: Morgan, Charles to their own family trees and histories, and
some who provided DNA samples. Morgan’s
Charles Morgan was identified on February 2, full sister declined to provide a DNA sample,
2021, as the lead suspect in the January 11, but a half-sister did so and this assisted in the
1984, rape and murder of 29-year-old Teresa final confirmation.
Solecki in Vista, California. The case has
been cleared by exception due to the death of Morgan himself passed away in a car accident
Morgan. in May of 1984 – only a few months after
Solecki’s murder. His body was cremated.
Teresa was staying with a friend who was ill. Family members said that he was having
They had been in a local bar earlier that difficulties with drug use and may have had a
evening. Solecki left her friend’s apartment, methamphetamine addiction in the final years
around 2:00 am, to call her sister. She wanted

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 207
of his life. He had a minor criminal record for San Diego Sheriff’s Department, February 2,
burglary and drug charges. 2021. Accessed March 26, 2022. https://
sdsheriff.podbean.com/e/sheriffs-homicide-
Investigators determined that Morgan closely unit-the-cold-case-of-teresa-solecki/.
matched composite sketches made of a
hitchhiker seen in the area on the night that
Solecki was murdered. He had been seen at Case ID 1650: Morgan, Edward
the bar where Solecki and Patty were that
evening. The route to the place where he was Edward Morgan, 60, was arrested on
known to be staying at the time would have February 18, 2022, for the February 1984
taken him directly past the payphones that rape and murder of 21-year-old Mary Jane
were used by Solecki. Police think that he Thompson in Dallas, Texas.
saw her at the bar and again at the payphones,
and that he somehow lured her into her Thompson’s body was found on February 13,
vehicle and attacked her, fleeing the scene 1984, behind a warehouse. She had been
after her body was found. sexually assaulted and strangled with her own
legwarmers. Thompson had moved to Dallas
Several men were suspected of Solecki’s about 6 months before her death, and was
murder in the years before this case was working in a restaurant and a flower shop.
solved, including a former boyfriend. Several She was last seen two days before her death,
men had their DNA samples taken and taking a bus to a medical clinic, which was
compared with the crime scene DNA, and all closed when she arrived.
were excluded as suspects.
A DNA profile of the suspect was developed
Sources: in 2009 from swabs preserved from
Thompson’s autopsy. The investigation was a
Associated Press. “Family Renews Hunt for collaboration between the Dallas PD, the FBI,
Woman’s Killer: Brother, Two Sisters Offer and the SAKI Cold Case Team of the District
Reward in San Diego County Mystery.” Los Attorneys Office. There is no official
Angeles Times (Archives), January 13, 1985. confirmation as to whether the FGG
Accessed March 26, 2022. https:// investigation was performed by the FBI’s
www.latimes.com/archives/la- Investigative Genealogy Unit. There is no
xpm-1985-01-13-me-8841-story.html. information as yet on how the initial
confirmation to Morgan was made.
Jessica Bettancourt. “Teresa Solecki.” DNA
ID Podcast, Abject Entertainment, Episode Morgan is charged with capital murder. He is
30, March 21, 2022. Accessed March 26, being held on bond in Dallas County. The
2022. https://player.fm/series/dna-id/teresa- charges against him are pending in the Dallas
solecki. County District Criminal Court.

San Diego County Sheriff’s Department.

“Sheriff’s Homicide Unit: The Cold Case of
Teresa Solecki.” The Official Podcast of the

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 208
Sources: wearing a white dress with blue flowers that
her mother had made. Her mother made most
CBS DFW Staff. “Arrest Made in 38-Year- of her daughters’ clothes and was sewing that
Old Dallas Cold Case Capital Murder.” CBS day when Linda called to ask for a ride home.
21 News Dallas Fort Worth, February 19, She told Linda to walk since was a nice
2022. Accessed February 19, 2022. https:// summer day. Linda was last seen speaking
dfw.cbslocal.com/2022/02/19/arrest-made- with a man in a turquoise van, who might
in-38-year-old-dallas-cold-case-capital- have offered her a ride.
murder/.
The FGG investigation was conducted by
Connelly, Eileen A.J. “Texas Man Edward Parabon Nanolabs.
Morgan Arrested for 1984 Cold Case Dallas
Murder.” New York Post, February 19, 2022. Neal had been living in the area at the time of
Accessed February 19, 2022. https:// the murder, using the alias ‘James Albert
nypost.com/2022/02/19/edward-morgan- Layton Jr.’, a name he later changed after a
busted-for-mary-jane-thompsons-1984-dallas- criminal conviction for sexual offences. He
murder/. was accused of sexually assaulting two other
young girls in the 1990s and again in 2002.
Gordon, James. “Grieving Sister of Aspiring Neal passed away in custody awaiting trial at
Model, 21, Who was Found Behind a the age of 73.
Warehouse Strangled by Her Own Leg
Warmers in 1984 as man, 60, Connected to Sources:
the Murder by DNA Has Been Arrested.”
Daily Mail, February 18, 2022. Accessed Geanous, Jacob. “‘Serial Child Sex Predator’
February 19, 2022. https:// Dies in Police Custody Before He Faces
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10529631/ Justice.” Metro, July 26, 2020. Accessed
Dallas-man-arrested-1984-killing-aspiring- December 26, 2020. https://metro.co.uk/
model.html. 2020/07/26/serial-child-sex-predator-dies-
police-custody-before-faces-
justice-13031107/.
Case ID 1164: Neal, James
Shapiro, Emily, and Karma Allen. “DNA
James Neal has been identified as the lead Leads to Man’s Arrest 46 Years After Murder
suspect in the July 6, 1973 rape and murder of of 11-Year-Old Linda O’Keefe: ‘We Have
11-year-old Linda O’Keefe in Newport Never Forgotten Linda’.” ABC News,
Beach, California. The case has been cleared February 20, 2019. Accessed December 26,
by exception due to the death of Neal. 2020. https://abcnews.go.com/US/california-
cold-case-solved-50-years-11-year/story?
O’Keefe was abducted while walking home id=61181451.
from school and a massive search was
launched. Her body was found the next day in Sylte, Allison. “Timeline: Before 2019 Arrest
a ditch in Back Bay. She had been sexually for a Decades-Old Murder, James Neal Had a
assaulted and strangled to death. She was Different Name and a Criminal History.”

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 209
NBC 9 News, April 29, 2019. Accessed with genealogists Gretchen Stack and Holly
December 26, 2020. https://www.9news.com/ Turk. They narrowed the suspect pool to two
article/news/investigations/timeline- Nicholas brothers. Edward P. Nicholas is a
before-2019-arrest-for-a-decades-old-murder- registered sex offender whose DNA was
james-neal-had-a-different-name-and-a- eliminated as it is already in CODIS.
criminal-history/73-3622e7e2-d540-4b0c- Investigators have stated that had familial
bc61-dfbfb806e2e0. searching have been an option for them, the
case could have been solved much sooner.
Vaughan, Kevin. “Suspect in 1973 Cold-Case
Rape, Murder of 11-Year-Old California Girl The confirmation was made through the
Falls Ill, Dies While Awaiting Trial.” NBC 9 surreptitious sampling of cigarette butts
News, July 23, 2020. Accessed December 26, discarded by Nicholas outside of a Kent
2020. https://www.9news.com/article/news/ laundromat. He also resembles a composite
crime/true-crime/suspect-sick-dies-california- sketch of a suspect seen in the area.
child-rape-murder-cold-case-1973/73-
b8a11fba-1999-499a-8dbe-51535ea8b4ba. Nicholas had earlier been convicted of the
attempted rape of a young woman at knife
point in 1983. In 1993 he was convicted of
Case ID 1277: Nicholas, Patrick Leon sexually molesting his 6-year-old
stepdaughter. He is now charged with first
Patrick Leon Nicholas was arrested on degree murder while attempting to commit
October 2, 2019 and charged in the December second degree rape. His case is pending in
14, 1991 rape and murder of 16-year-old King County.
Sarah Yarborough in Kings County,
Washington. Police had taken DNA samples from multiple
suspects over the years as part of this
Yarborough was found dead at the Federal investigation.
Way High School where she had gone to
attend a drill team competition. Two 12-year- Sources:
old boys found her body in a wooded area
near the school about an hour later. Her face Combos, Lucas, and Patch Staff. “Documents
had been badly beaten, and she had been Reveal Cold Case Murder Suspect’s Other
strangled with her own nylon stockings. A Crimes.” Patch, October 4, 2019. Accessed
DNA profile was created from semen found December 26, 2020. https://patch.com/
on her clothing, which had been placed neatly washington/seattle/documents-reveal-cold-
beside her body. case-murder-suspects-other-crimes.

The FGG investigation was conducted by KING Staff. “DNA From Cigarette Butts
Colleen Fitzpatrick of Identifinders who had Leads King County Detectives to Suspect in
performed an analysis of the suspect’s Y- Nearly 30-Year-Old Cold Case.” King 5
chromosome in 2012. The investigation at News, October 3, 2019. Accessed December
that time turned up the surname of Fuller. For 26, 2020. https://www.king5.com/article/
this investigation, Fitzpatrick also worked news/local/king-county-announces-cold-case-

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 210
arrest/ her that he would harm the other two girls if
281-7935be7f-03b3-4af4-9dc3-2f0ecdeefc92. she did not do as he said.

Price, Brian, and Amy Moreno. “New Images A DNA profile was developed in 2005 from
in 1991 Cold Case Could Aid Possible semen found at a crime scene. The DNA
Leads.” King 5 News, February 23, 2018. profiling was conducted by DNA Labs
Accessed December 26, 2020. https:// International and the FGG investigation was
www.king5.com/article/news/local/new- conducted by Parabon. The confirmation was
images-in-1991-cold-case-could-aid-possible- made to a living relative.
leads/281-521282592.
Nichols died from cancer in Orlando in 1998.
State of Washington v. Patrick Leon Nicholas. He had been convicted of sexual assaults in
Information. No. 19-1-02178-7 KNT. 1958 and 1972. For the latter crime he was
Superior Court of Washington for King found incompetent to stand trial and spent a
County. E-Filed October 3, 2019. Accessed short time in a mental hospital. Shortly after
December 26, 2020. https:// being released he was charged with another
www.docdroid.net/Y68jz0B/nicholas-info- rape, but those charges were dismissed.
pdf.
Sources:
Taylor, Michelle. “2022’s DNA Hit of the
Year Program Reflects on Database Magness, Josh. “A 12-Year-Old in Florida
Loopholes.” Forensic Magazine, May 13, Was Raped in 1983. Cops Now Have a
2022. Accessed June 8, 2022. https:// Suspect, but it’s Too Late.” Miami Herald,
www.forensicmag.com/586106-2022-s-DNA- January 10, 2019. Accessed December 26,
Hit-of-the-Year-Program-Reflects-on- 2020. https://www.miamiherald.com/news/
Database-Loopholes/. state/florida/article224232165.html.

Stubbs, Nick. “‘It’s Absolute’: DNA Analysis

Case ID 1148: Nichols, William Louis Closed Hernando Cold Case.” Sun Coast
News, January 25, 2019. Accessed December
William Louis Nichols has been identified as 26, 2020. http://www.suncoastnews.com/
the lead suspect in the April 7, 1983 sexual news/dna-analysis-closed-hernando-cold-
assault of a 12-year-old girl in Hernando case/article_8a21601c-20d6-11e9-
County, Florida. The case has been cleared by b3ed-6f7edc93372d.html.
exception due to the death of Nichols.
Tatham, Chelsea. “Genetic DNA Evidence
The girl was at home with a 10-year-old Helps Investigators Solve 1983 Rape of 12-
friend and her 9-year-old sister while her Year-Old Girl.” WTSP News, January 10,
parents were out shopping. An intruder 2019. Accessed December 26, 2020. https://
knocked on the door, spoke to the girls, and www.wtsp.com/article/news/crime/genetic-
then snuck inside through the garage. He put dna-evidence-helps-investigators-solve-1983-
a knife to her 9-year-old sister’s throat. He rape-of-12-year-old-girl/
raped the 12-year-old at knife point, telling 67-8aaf63d6-4ca2-47d2-8980-bcd067af1303.

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 211
 Trombly, Justin. “Hernando Sheriff Identifies WAwMszSMvrn4YvKZAH6NOPv6153GEbf
Suspect in 1983 Child Rape Case.” Tampa ouoi5DaDxLIBYggBlhzYI9FE.
Bay Times, January 10, 2019. Accessed
December 26, 2020. https:// Boner, Jeanette. “Fremont County Man
www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/ Arrested and Charged with Felony Rape After
hernando-sheriff-identifies-suspect-in-1983- Two-Year Investigation.” Standard Journal,
child-rape-case-20190110/. August 28, 2019. Accessed December 26,
2020. https://
www.rexburgstandardjournal.com/news/
Case ID 1250: Nielson, Chet fremont-county-man-arrested-and-charged-
with-felony-rape-after-two-year-investigation/
Chet Nelson was arrested on August 22, 2019 article_a9237f45-
and charged in the August 4, 2017 sexual e9b4-5bd0-9333-3a726f4590f5.html.
assault of a 26-year-old woman in Teton,
Idaho. She was walking in Victor City Park at Grossarth, Eric. “Man Sentenced to Prison for
around 1:00 am when she was grabbed by an Violent Rape of Woman in Case Judge Calls
assailant and violently assaulted. The victim ‘One of the Worst Things I’ve Ever Seen’.”
resisted and was nearly killed. She had been East Idaho News, January 21, 2020. Accessed
strangled to the point where the blood vessels December 26, 2020. https://
in her eyes burst from a lack of oxygen. www.eastidahonews.com/2020/01/man-
sentenced-to-prison-for-rape-of-woman-in-
A DNA profile was obtained from the what-judge-calls-one-of-the-worst-things-ive-
victim’s sexual assault kit. The FGG ever-seen/.
investigation was conducted by Colleen
Fitzpatrick of Identifinders. The initial
confirmation was made through the Case ID 1375-1376: Nyquist, Daniel
surreptitious sampling of a piece of chewing
tobacco spit out by Nielson. Daniel Nyquist was arrested on June 9, 2020
and charged in the October 19, 2004 murders
Nielson pled guilty to the offence and has of 56-year-old Anna-Lena Svensson and 8-
been sentenced to 15 years in prison. year-old Mohamad Ammouri in Linköping,
Sweden. These random attacks took place
Sources: around 8:00 am in the morning in this quiet
Swedish town. Ammouri was attacked from
Boner, Jeannette. “Fitting the Pieces of the behind and stabbed while walking to school.
Puzzle.” Teton Valley News, January 29, 2020, Svensson was then stabbed to death while
last modified February 14, 2020. Accessed trying to run back to her house, likely because
December 26, 2020. https:// she had witnessed the killing.
www.tetonvalleynews.net/news/fitting-the-
pieces-of-the-puzzle/ Swedish genealogist Peter Sjölund conducted
article_3cf656e1-3f9d-5ae3- the FGG analysis, using FTDNA.
b3b7-1a9483a672b7.html?fbclid=IwAR1-

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 212
Nyqvist confessed to police shortly after his Sources:
arrest. He was tried in Linköping District
Court. He was found to have been suffering Agènce France Press Staff. “DNA Hit Brings
from a serious psychiatric disorder at the time Swedish Double Murder Suspect to Trial
of the killings and was sentenced to care in a After 16 Years.” The Local, September 16,
psychiatric hospital. 2020. Accessed December 26, 2020. https://
www.thelocal.se/20200916/dna-hit-brings-
Inspired by recent successes in the United swedish-double-murder-suspect-to-trial-
States, Sweden changed its legislation in after-16-years.
January of 2019 to permit police to use
commercial genealogy sites, like FTDNA, to Agènce France Press Staff. “Swede
search against crime scene DNA. This led to Convicted of Double Murder After DNA
the solving of this case, reported to be one of Match 16 Years Later.” The Local, October 1,
the biggest murder investigations in Sweden – 2020. Accessed December 26, 2020. https://
next only to the 1986 murder of Prime www.thelocal.se/20201001/swede-convicted-
Minister Olof Palme. During the years that of-double-murder-after-dna-match-16-years-
this case remained open, mass screens of the later.
DNA of local men who were suspected of the
crime resulted in over 6,000 men being Agènce France Press Staff. “Swede on Trial
suspects and being asked to provide their for Murder After DNA Hit on Genealogy
DNA. Over 9,000 men were interrogated by Site.” CTV News, September 15, 2020.
police. All were cleared of involvement in the Accessed December 26, 2020. https://
crime. www.ctvnews.ca/world/swede-on-trial-for-
murder-after-dna-hit-on-genealogy-
Tillmar et al. have described how this case site-1.5105356.
was used as a pilot study to examine the
feasibility of using FGG to solve a violent Beagleboy167. “Suspect Arrested in the
crime in Sweden, and to assess the ethical and Unresolved Murder of Mohammad Ammouri,
privacy aspects of the use of D2C databases. 8 and Anna-Lena Svenson, 56 that Happened
In this case, the use of FGG was successful in in the Small Town of Linköping, Sweden.”
apprehending a suspect and in securing a Reddit (Post), June 2020. Accessed December
conviction. Legal authorities determined that 26, 2020. https://www.reddit.com/r/
the social value in solving a violent crime UnresolvedMysteries/comments/gzlcel/
outweighed the privacy interests of users of suspect_arrested_in_the_unresolved_2004/.
the D2C databases, their relatives who were
not in the database, and the person of interest Linköping University. “Investigative Genetic
whose DNA was left at the crime scene. Genealogy: Solving a Double Murder
Arouses International Interest.” Sci Tech
As a result, Sweden is now developing a set Daily, June 2, 2021. Accessed June 7, 2021.
of national guidelines for the use of FGG. https://scitechdaily.com/investigative-genetic-
There are other cases in Sweden that night be genealogy-solving-a-double-murder-arouses-
appropriate for FGG, and these cases are now international-interest/.
being assessed.

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Préel, Marc. “Swede on Trial for Murder the time of the murder, she lived a few miles
After DNA Hit on Genealogy Site.” Barron’s, away from where body was found.
September 15, 2020. Accessed December 26,
2020. https://www.barrons.com/news/swede- On August 10, 2021, O’Connor pled guilty to
on-trial-for-murder-after-dna-hit-on- second-degree murder in Cumberland County
genealogy-site-01600183807. Court. She was sentenced to 12 years in
prison, with credit for time served awaiting
The Local. “How Swedish Police Tracked sentencing.
Down Double Murder Suspect After 16
Years.” The Local, June 9, 2020. Accessed Sources:
December 26, 2020. https://www.thelocal.se/
20200609/how-swedish-police-tracked-down- ABC News 11. “‘We Never Gave Up’:
double-murder-suspect-after-16-years- Sheriff’s Office Arrests Mother in 1999 Death
linkoping. of ‘Baby Michael’ in Cumberland County.”
ABC News 11, February 21, 2020. Accessed
December 29, 2020. https://abc11.com/mom-
Case ID 1339: O’Connor, Deborah arrested-as-dna-links-her-to-baby-found-
dead-in-1999/5955129/.
On February 20, 2020, police arrested
Deborah Riddle O’Connor and charged her Barnes, Greg. “Unravelling the Life of ‘Baby
with first-degree murder in the death of her Michael’s Mother.” Fayetteville Observer,
infant son. February 29, 2020. Accessed August 23,
2021. https://www.fayobserver.com/story/
The remains of Baby Michael were found on news/local/hope-mills/2020/02/29/
March 3, 1999 in Cumberland County, North unraveling-life-of-baby-michaels-mother/
Carolina. The infant was placed in a trash bag 112372502/.
and thrown out of a moving vehicle. The baby
was found by a soldier driving by Canady Boden, Jack. “‘Incredibly Sad Story’: Mother
Pond Road. An autopsy determined that Baby of ‘Baby Michael,’ Found Dead in Trash Bag,
Michael had been born alive and was killed Pleads Guilty.” Fayetteville Observer, August
by blunt force trauma. He likely died within 11, 2021. Accessed December 12, 2022.
the first 24-hours of his life. https://archive.vn/9WhY.

The DNA profile was developed from the Casey, J. “Update: DNA Trace Leads to
mother’s placenta, which was still attached to Arrest of Burke Woman in 1999 Cold Case.”
Baby Michael. The FGG investigation was The McDowell News, February 21, 2020.
conducted by Melinde Lutz Byrne of Bode Accessed December 29, 2020. https://
Technologies. mcdowellnews.com/news/update-dna-trace-
leads-to-arrest-of-burke-woman-in-1999-
O’Connor’s family states that she suffers cold-case/
from a mental illness. She admitted to article_2cfb8034-53af-55aa-9704-37acc056aa
investigators that she is the baby’s mother. At c6.html.

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Craft, Andrew. “Unraveling the Life of ‘Baby A DNA profile of the suspect was developed
Michael’s’ Mother.” Fayetteville Observer, from blood found on clothing located at the
February 29, 2020. Accessed December 29, crime scene. Investigators believe that the
2020. https://www.fayobserver.com/picture- suspect cut himself while stabbing Adams.
gallery/news/2020/02/29/unraveling-the-life- There is no information on who performed
of-8216baby-michael8217s8217-mother/ the FGG investigation, which was funded by
41875759/. Season of Justice.

Goldner, Brandon, and Associated Press. Owen, who is also known to have been
“Mother Charged in 1999 Slaying of Baby, transient, had a criminal history of violent
Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office Says.” crimes.
WCNC Charlotte, February 21, 2020, last
modified February 22, 2020. Accessed Sources:
December 29, 2020. https://www.wcnc.com/
article/news/crime/cumberland-county- Buchli, Zoë. “Missoula Cold Case Team
deputies-charge-mother-in-1999-slaying-of- Solves 30-Year-Old Murder.” Local 8 News,
baby/275-37f2d53f-b37e-4d3e-8ae9- September 24, 2022. Accessed September 27,
ce31d8147ffd. 2022. https://localnews8.com/news/
2022/09/24/missoula-cold-case-team-
solves-30-year-old-murder/.
Case ID 1761: Owen, Leonard D. (“8
Ball”) Missoula County Sheriff’s Office. “Missoula
CSO Solves 30-Year-Old Transient Murder
On September 23, 2022, the Missoula County Case.” Montana Right Now, September 23,
Sheriff’s Office Cold Case Unit announced 2022. Accessed September 27, 2022. https://
that Leonard D. (“8 Ball”) Owen was the lead www.montanarightnow.com/missoula/
suspect in the September 13, 1992 murder of missoula-cso-solves-30-year-old-transient-
William T. Adams (Cadillac Man”) in murder-case/article_68112904-3b61-11ed-
Missoula, Montana. The case has been bc1c-1ffb1b3aa43c.html.
cleared by exception due to the death of
Owen. Valley, Jill. “Missoula Cold Case Murder
Solved After 30 Years.” KPAX News 8,
Adams was found partially buried in the September 23, 2022. Last modified
Peace Tree Camp near the Interstate-90 September 24, 2022. Accessed September 27,
highway. He died from head trauma and a 2022. https://www.kpax.com/news/missoula-
stab wound to the chest. The broken knife county/missoula-cold-case-murder-solved-
was still in his chest when he was found. His after-30-years.
jacket and sweater were pulled up in a way
that suggested he had been dragged to the
location where his body was found. Adams Case ID 1352: Parker, Vernon
was known to be transient.
Vernon Parker has been identified as the lead
suspect in the January 15, 1981 rape and

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 215
murder of 17-year-old Mary London in Years.” Newsweek, April 24, 2020. Accessed
Sacramento, California. December 26, 2020. https://
www.newsweek.com/california-sacramento-
London was developmentally disabled, and police-cold-case-mary-london-dna-genetic-
she disappeared on her way to her scheduled genealogy-testing-1499951.
ride for school. Her body was found near I-5
the next day. She was nude and had been
stabbed multiple times. Case ID 1253: Perea, Donald Steven

Parker himself was killed in 1982, about one Donald Steven Perea has been identified as
year later. The case has been cleared by the lead suspect in the August 25, 1981 rape
exception. and murder of 18-year-old Jeannie Moore in
Lakewood, Colorado. The case has been
Sources: cleared by exception due to the death of
Perea.
Cremen, Alanea, Kristopher Hooks, and Chris
Thomas. “Suspect in Decades-Old Moore left her home that morning,
Sacramento Cold Case Identified as Man hitchhiking a ride to her job at a local
Killed One Year Later.” ABC 10 News, April convenience store. She was last seen getting
22, 2020, last modified April 23, 2020. into a red Ford LTD or Galaxy. A search was
Accessed December 26, 2020. https:// launched when she failed to show up for
www.abc10.com/article/news/local/ work. Her body was found five days later in
sacramento/suspect-in-decades-old-mary- Genesee Park by pic-knickers. She had been
london-cold-case-identified/103- sexually assaulted and was killed by several
f0916941-98d2-4d87-9b9a-b0a85b751189. blows to her head.

Luerpon, Alberto. “Suspect in 1981 Cold A DNA profile was developed in 2011 from
Case Met Ironic End the Year After Killing semen recovered from Moore’s clothing. The
17-Year-Old Girl: Cops.” Sacramento Bee, FGG investigation was conducted by Joan
April 24, 2020. Accessed December 26, 2020. Busse of United Data Connect. The
https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/crime/ investigation in this case took only 90 days.
article242230826.html.
Perea died at the age of 54 in May of 2012.
McGough, Michael. “DNA Links Suspect to He was released on bond for a separate
1981 Cold Case Murder of Disabled violent kidnapping and sex assault when he
Sacramento Teen.” Sacramento Bee. April 23, raped and killed Moore. One of his two living
2020. Accessed December 26, 2020. https:// daughters provided a confirmatory DNA
www.sacbee.com/news/local/crime/ sample.
article242230826.html.
United Data Connect entered into a contract
Murdock, Jason. “DNA Breakthrough with Denver Metro Crime Stoppers to
Identifies Suspect in Cold Case Murder of perform FGG on qualifying cases, of which
California Teen Unsolved for Nearly 40 this was one. Crime Stoppers funded the

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 216
DNA tests, which cost about $5,000. The The case has been cleared by exception due to
actual SNP testing was done at and unnamed the death of Peterson.
lab in Oklahoma.
Bryant was abducted from a Dairy Queen on
Sources: North Decatur Boulevard where she was
supposed to meet her boyfriend. When she
Miller, Blair. “Authorities Announce 1981 failed to return home from school later that
Jefferson Co. Cold Case Murder Solved day, her parents reported her missing. Her
Through Genetic Genealogy Testing.” The body was found three weeks later, on
Denver Channel, September 10, 2019. February 20th, in a desert area in the
Accessed December 26, 2020. https:// northwest of the city.
www.thedenverchannel.com/news/local-
news/authorities-announce-1981-jefferson- A forensic DNA profile was developed in
co-cold-case-murder-solved-through-genetic- 2008 from semen taken from Bryant’s body,
genealogy-testing. but this returned no hits to DNA databases.
An FGG investigation was performed by
Osborne, Ryan. “A Colorado Teen’s Murder Othram Inc, beginning in August of 2021.
Was Cold For 38 Years. This Cracked the Funding for the investigation was donated by
Case in Weeks.” The Denver Channel, Justin Woo and the non-profit organization
September 16, 2019. Accessed December 26, Vegas Helps. The final confirmation was
2020. https://www.thedenverchannel.com/ made to a living relative of Peterson.
news/local-news/a-colorado-teens-murder-
was-cold-for-38-years-this-cracked-the-case- Police have stated that Peterson died in
in-weeks. January of 1993. Peterson was 19 years old at
the time of the murder and had at one time
Vaughan, Kevin, and Janet Oravetz. “‘God been a student at the high school that Bryant
Took Him Before We Got the Chance’: attended, although there is currently no
Suspect Identified in 1981 Killing of 18-Year- information that she knew him. He was
Old Woman.” NBC 9 News, September 9, arrested for a sexual assault in 1980, but the
2019, last modified September 10, 2019. case was dismissed.
Accessed December 26, 2020. https://
www.9news.com/article/news/crime/suspect- Shortly after identifying Peterson, police
identified-1981-cold-case-jeannie-moore/ announced that he is also the lead suspect in
73-50e08b29-a417-456d-aeb4-e434bdfe6189. the December 31, 1983, rape and murder of
22-year-old Diana Hanson. She failed to
return home, and her body was found later
Case ID 1564, 1586: Peterson, Johnny that day near a quarry just west of the Buffalo
Blake neighbourhood of Los Vegas. Semen was
collected from her body at the autopsy. Police
On November 29, 2021, police identified compared Peterson’s DNA profile to the DNA
Johnny Blake Peterson as the lead suspect in taken from Hanson, and concluded that his
the January 26, 1979 rape and murder of 16- DN profile was consistent with that found on
year-old Kim Bryant in Las Vegas, Nevada. Hanson.

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 217
Police continue to investigate whether he may Case ID 1569: Petrecca, John Anthony Jr.
be linked to other crimes that took place in
the area. On December 1, 2021, Baltimore County
police announced that John Anthony Petrecca
Sources: Jr. was the lead suspect in the September 23,
1981, murder of 13-year-old Heather Porter in
Geiger, Dorian. “Cold Case Murder of Las Halethorpe, Maryland. The case has been
Vegas Teen Kim Bryant Solved After 42 cleared by exception due to the death of
Years.” Oxygen, November 30, 2021. Petrecca.
Accessed December 3, 2021. https://
www.oxygen.com/crime-news/johnny-blake- Porter had argued with her parents, and snuck
peterson-idd-as-probable-rapist-killer-in-kim- out of the house with a friend, Sue Yutzy.
bryants-1979-las-vegas-murder. Yutzy left Porter a few blocks from her home.
Porter was found the next morning. She had
Helsel, Phil. “DNA Helps Solve 1979 Killing been sexually assaulted and strangled to
of Las Vegas Teenager.” NBC News, death. She had skin under her fingernails,
November 29, 2021. Accessed December 3, likely from fighting against her attacker. Her
2021. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us- body was dumped in a wooded area in
news/dna-helps-solve-1979-killing-las-vegas- Towson.
teenager-rcna7024.
The FGG investigation was undertaken by
Phenix, Duncan. “1983 Cold Case Murder Bode Technologies, with further investigation
Committed by Same Person as 1979 Killing, by the FBI. The final confirmation was made
Police Say.” CBS 8 News Now Los Vegas, through the exhumation of Petrecca’s remains
December 6, 2021. Accessed December 7, on March 11, 2021. A DNA sample was taken
2021. https://www.8newsnow.com/news/ and compared with the crime scene DNA.
local-news/1983-cold-case-murder- Authorities confirmed Petrecca as the lead
committed-by-same-person-as-1979-killing/? suspect on November 12, 2021.
fbclid=IwAR0Ivz0k3qagQSotRubSESZMmh
LRNXm6e- Petrecca died in the year 2000. Authorities
ZiMgbEfurE4_E_koKDqzv2OXQ. report that he resided in Halethorpe at the
time of the murder, very close to where Porter
Vogen, Michael. “Las Vegas Metropolitan was last seen. They also state that he was
Police Department and Othram Partner to arrested for sex offences in the 1960s and
Identify 1979 Murderer of Kim Bryant.” 1970s, although little else is known about his
DNASolves.com, November 29, 2021. criminal record at the present time. Police are
Accessed December 3, 2021. https:// investigating whether Petrecca is linked to
dnasolves.com/articles/kim_bryant_murder/. any other crimes in the area.

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 218
Sources: Case ID 1173-1174: Peyton, Gregory
Michael
Associated Press. “Baltimore County
Detectives Solve 1981 Killing of Teen Girl.” Gregory Michael Peyton has been identified
AP News, December 2, 2021. Accessed as the lead suspect in the June 3, 1981
December 8, 2021. https://apnews.com/ murders of 44-year-old Thomas Green and
article/baltimore- 53-year-old Alice Green in Livermore,
forensics-13299bedf84d3d4832fb2f60b49a7b California. The case has been cleared by
b9. exception due to the death of Peyton.

Davis, Phil. “Murder of Teenage Girl Found The Greens were murdered in the bedroom of
Dead in Towson 40 Years Ago is Solved, their home in a violent home invasion
Baltimore County Police Say.” Baltimore robbery. Thomas had been bound with twine
Sun, December 1, 2021. Accessed December and killed by a single gunshot. Alice had been
8, 2021. https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/ stabbed multiple times and subject to blunt
crime/bs-md-co-cr-cold-case-homicide- force trauma.
porter-20211202-
dlg7nhzfnng6lbzahlwbppgmje-story.html. The FGG investigation was conducted by
Barbara Rae-Venter of Gene By Gene, the
Hellgren, Mike. “A Baltimore County Woman parent company of FTDNA. The
Pushed to Find Her Childhood Friend’s Killer confirmation was made through Peyton’s
for 40 Years; How New DNA Evidence biological daughter who provided a sample of
Finally Cracked the Case.” CBS News her DNA.
Baltimore, December 2, 2021. Accessed
December 8, 2021. https:// Three years after these killings, in October of
baltimore.cbslocal.com/2021/12/02/a- 1984, Payton killed his wife and committed
baltimore-county-woman-pushed-to-find-her- suicide in Oklahoma, bringing his tally of
childhood-friends-killer-for-40-years-how- murders to three. Peyton was the brother of
new-dna-evidence-finally-cracked-the-case/. the Greens’ son-in law.

Zumer, Bryna. “Baltimore County Police Sources:

Solve 40-Year-Old Murder of 13-Year-Old
Halethorpe Girl.” Fox News Baltimore, Gene By Gene. “A Busy Month for Gene By
December 1, 2021. Accessed December 8, Gene, Dr. Barbara Rae-Venter, and Law
2021. https://foxbaltimore.com/news/local/ Enforcement.” PR Newswire (Press Release),
baltimore-county-police-solve-40-year-old- November 21, 2019. Accessed December 26,
murder-of-13-year-old-halethorpe-girl. 2020. https://apnews.com/press-release/pr-
prnewswire/
87801e92bb698e450c9c39d4ff33ed1b.

Johnson, Autumn, and Patch Staff. “DNA

Cracks Infamous Cold Case Murders:
Peninsula Man ID’d in Case.” Patch, March

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 219
11, 2019. Accessed December 26, 2020. After the murders, Phillips became caught in
https://patch.com/california/pacifica/dna- a snowstorm, and had to be rescued from the
cracks-infamous-cold-case-murders- mountain by emergency responders. That
peninsula-man-idd-case. event was not connected with the double
homicide until after Phillips’ arrest.
Livermore Police Department. “Homicide
Investigation Closed.” Next Door (Press Phillips was convicted in Park County on
Release), March 8, 2019. Accessed December September 15, 2022 of first-degree murder
26, 2020. https://nextdoor.com/agency-post/ and kidnapping in the deaths of both women.
ca/livermore/livermore-police-department/ On November 7, 2022, he was sentenced to
homicide-investigation-closed-104699056/. two life sentences, to be served consecutively.

Sources:
Case ID 1465-1466: Phillips, Alan Lee
Jablow, Matt. “Sheriff on United Flight Spots
Alan Lee Phillips was arrested on February SOS on Guanella Pass in 1982, Decades Later
24, 2021 for the January 6, 1982 murders of the Rescued Man’s Charged in a Double
21-year-old Annette Schnee and 29-year-old Murder.” NBC News 9, May 23, 2021, last
Barbara Oberholtzer in Park County, modified May 24, 2021. Accessed June 7,
Colorado. 2021. https://www.9news.com/article/news/
investigations/double-murder-mountain-
The two women were last seen hitchhiking rescue-connection/73-6a464873-84da-4c1f-
near a resort town in Rock Mountain when a64e-41cbc2f98282.
they disappeared on February 6, 2021.
Oberholtzer’s body was found in a snowdrift McRae. “Park County Sheriff Announces
the next day by her friends and family. She Arrest of Alan Lee Phillips in 39-Year-Old
had been shot twice in the back, likely while Cold Case Murders of Bobbie Jo Oberholtzer
running away from her attacker. Schnee was and Annette Schnee.” CBS 4 News Denver,
not found until 6 months later. Her body had March 3, 2021. Accessed March 4, 2021.
been dumped near a creek in rural Park https://denver.cbslocal.com/2021/03/03/alan-
County. She had been shot as well. lee-phillips-bobbie-jo-oberholtzer-annette-
schnee-park-county-arrest-murder-
Investigators have not confirmed the source breckenridge/.
of the DNA sample used in the investigation,
or whether the homicides involved sexual Naham, Matt. “Colorado Man Rescued from
violence. The FGG investigation was Snowy Mountains on the Night Two
conducted by United Data Connect. Phillips Hitchhiking Women Were Killed Has Now
was under surveillance at the time of his Been Convicted of Their Murders.” Law &
arrest, but there is no data on whether police Crime, September 16, 2022. Accessed
confirmed his identify through surreptitious September 25, 2022. https://
sampling. lawandcrime.com/crime/alan-lee-phillips-
convicted-of-murdering-annette-schnee-
bobbi-jo-oberholtzer/.

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 220
Naham, Matt. “Colorado Man Sentenced to Tucker was walking alone to an evening class
Die in Prison for Murdering Two Women at the Mt. Hood Community College. She
Hitchhiking Home on Snowy Night in 1982.” was last seen by witnesses on Northeast Kane
Law & Crime, November 8, 2022. Accessed Drive. She was standing in the road, trying to
November 9, 2022. https://lawandcrime.com/ flag down passing motorists. Witnesses said
crime/colorado-man-sentenced-to-die-in- she was frantic and had blood and mud on her
prison-for-murdering-two-women- face. Several cars nearly hit Tucker. No one
hitchhiking-home-on-snowy-night-in-1982/. stopped to help her. One witness saw Tucker
being led back into the woods by a man. Her
Nicholson, Kieran. “‘Journey for Justice Has body was found the next morning by a Mt.
a Much Clearer Path’ Following Suspect’s Hood student. She had been sexually
Capture in 1982 Cold Case Murders Near assaulted and bludgeoned to death.
Breckenridge.” Denver Post, March 3, 2021.
Accessed March 4, 2021. https:// The FGG investigation was conducted by
www.denverpost.com/2021/03/03/ Parabon Nanolabs. There is no information as
breckenridge-cold-case-murders-arrest/. yet on the method of confirmation.

Nieberg, Patty. “70-Year-Old Colorado Man Plympton had been charged in connection
Arrested in 1982 Murder Case.” Associated with an attempted sexual assault in 1997. He
Press, March 3, 2021. Accessed March 4, was accused of kidnapping a woman and
2021. https://apnews.com/article/arrests- driving her to a secluded place and attempting
colorado- to sexually assault her, but the charges were
c19200b16695b82d77e47033b71409b1. dropped after a grand jury determined there
was not enough evidence. He was previously
Rogan, Adam. “Arrest Made in Murder of convicted of kidnapping in 1985 and served a
Racine Woman in the Rocky Mountains in 30-month sentence. His trial is currently
1982.” Journal Times, March 3, 2021. pending in Multnomah County Court.
Accessed March 4, 2021. https://
journaltimes.com/news/local/crime-and- Sources:
courts/arrest-made-in-murder-of-a-racine-
woman-in-the-rocky-mountains-in-1982/ Eadens, Savannah. “‘She Will Always be 19’”
article_51a11575-5ad5-5740-9f69-5438ff67d Arrest in 1980 Cold Case Murder Brings
891.html. Some Relief, More Grief to Family of
Barbara Tucker.” Oregon Live, June 10, 2021.
Last Modified June 11, 2021. Accessed June
Case ID 1490: Plympton, Robert 13, 2021. https://www.oregonlive.com/crime/
2021/06/she-will-always-be-19-arrest-
Robert Plympton was arrested on June 8, in-1980-cold-case-murder-brings-some-relief-
2021 for the January 15, 1980 murder of 19- more-grief-to-family-of-barbara-tucker.html.
year-old Barbara Mae Tucker in Gresham,
Oregon. Keizur, Christopher. “Solving Barbara
Tucker’s Murder.” The Outlook, June 11,
2021. Accessed June 13, 2021. https://

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 221
pamplinmedia.com/go/42-news/ Funding was provided through the Bureau of
511694-409102-solving-barbara-tuckers- Justice Assistance SAKI Funding - a fund
murder. established to assist in DNA testing of sexual
assault kits.
Mann, David. “Gresham Police Arrest
Troutdale Man in 1980 Cold Case Murder.” Pratt lived close to Hall at the time of the
KGW8 NBC News, June 8, 2021. Last murders, although he was never a suspect in
modified June 9, 2021. https://www.kgw.com/ the investigation. He is reported to have had a
article/news/crime/gresham-police-use-dna- criminal record, but only for misdemeanours,
to-link-troutdale-man-to-teens-murder-four- and so a DNA sample would never have been
decades-ago/ taken.
283-1d97677e-1313-499c-9e26-126a5272816
2?fbclid=IwAR1HigGa40mm8cev-xpoe- Pratt is now facing two charges of murder in
hJpq8174Pf6ciWiSedQ1yr3Gz1ossrl04ZVc0. Mecklenburg Superior Court.

Shapiro, Emily. “Arrest Made in City’s Oldest Sources:

Cold Case Murder Thanks to Genetic
Genealogy: Police.” ABC News, June 9, 2021. City of Charlotte. “Case Update: Cold Case
Accessed June 13, 2021. https:// Homicide Arrest.” City of Charlotte (Press
abcnews.go.com/US/arrest-made-citys-oldest- Release), February 9, 2023. Accessed
cold-case-murder-genetic/story?id=78170321. February 11, 2023. https://charlottenc.gov/
newsroom/releases/Pages/Case-Update-Cold-
Case-Homicide-Arrest.aspx#.
Case ID 1839-1840: Pratt, James Thomas
Coin, Julia, and Kallie Fox. “Arrest Made in
On February 1, 2023, police arrested James Cold Case Murder of Single Mother, Young
Thomas Pratt, 60, and charged him with the Son in Charlotte 40 Years Ago.” The
March 14, 1984 murders of Sarah Mobley Charlotte Observer, February 10, 2023.
Hall, 27, and her 10-year-old son, Derrick Accessed February 11, 2023. https://
Mobley, in Charlotte-Mecklenburg, North www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/
Carolina. crime/article272323438.html.

Hall was a single mother who worked with Kandel, Jason. “Arrest Made Nearly 4
special needs children. Her son Derrick is Decades After Young Mother and Son Found
also described as having special needs. The Beaten and Strangled in North Carolina
two were found deceased in their home in Apartment.” Law & Crime, February 10,
Hidden Valley. They died by strangulation. 2023. Accessed February 11, 2023. https://
lawandcrime.com/high-profile/arrest-made-
The FGG investigation was conducted by nearly-4-decades-after-young-mother-and-
Parabon Nanolabs in partnership with the son-found-beaten-and-strangled-in-north-
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department. carolina-apartment/.
Innovative Forensic Investigations is also
credited with their role in the investigation.

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 222
Case ID 1795: Premo, Jeffrey Paul Killer on a. Chat Line.” Law & Crime,
November 30, 2022. Accessed November 30,
52-year-old Jeffrey Paul Premo was arrested 2022. https://lawandcrime.com/crime/
on November 28, 2022 for the March 21, washington-police-identify-suspect-in-1998-
1998 murder of 19-year-old Jennifer cold-case-axe-murder-of-teen-who-allegedly-
Brinkman in Marysville, Washington. Her met-her-killer-on-a-chat-line/.
father found her dead in her bedroom when
he returned from a short holiday to California. Land, Olivia. “Suspect Revealed in 1998
She had been killed with an axe blow to her Murder of Washington Teen Jennifer
neck. There is no confirmation as to whether Brinkman.” New York Post, November 30,
she was sexually assaulted. 2022. Accessed November 30, 2022. https://
nypost.com/2022/11/30/dna-testing-reveals-
A DNA sample of the suspect was found on suspect-in-jennifer-brinkman-cold-case/.
the axe, although the biological source of the
sample has not been disclosed. The FGG
investigation was conducted by Parabon Case ID 1736: Ramirez, Gary
Nanolabs in partnership with the Marysville
Police Department, beginning in 2020. Gary Ramirez, 75, was arrested on August 2,
2022, for the September 3, 1982 murder of
Premo is currently being held on a. $250,000 15-year-old Karen Stitt in Sunnyvale,
bond. He is facing a charge of first-degree California.
murder in Snohomish County Superior Court.
Stitt was with her 17-year-old boyfriend,
Investigators believe that Brinkman met David Woods, that evening. He left her at
Premo on a telephone chat line. He had about midnight near the bus stop where she
written her a letter shortly before her murder was killed, as he was afraid of being home
which indicated that he knew her. Police state late.
that they interviewed him at the time of the
murder, but that there was not sufficient Her body was found by a truck driver the
evidence to charge him with an offence. following morning behind a cinderblock
retaining wall near the bus stop. She was
Sources: naked, and had been stabbed 59 times. She
had been sexually assaulted, and her hands
Forensic Magazine. “DNA Leads to Original were bound behind her back with her own
Suspect, Arrest in 1998 Murder.” Forensic shirt. Disturbed leaves and soil at her feet
Magazine, November 30, 2022. Accessed show that she lay moving on the ground
November 30, 2022. https:// where her killer left her for some time before
www.forensicmag.com/592398-Genealogy- she died.
Leads-to-Original-Suspect-in-1998-Murder/.
A DNA profile of the suspect was developed
Kalmbacher, Colin. “Washington Police in 2000 from semen taken from Stitt’s body,
Identify Suspect in 1998 Cold Case Axe blood found on her jacket, and a drop of
Murder of Teen Who Allegedly Met Her blood on a cinderblock at the crime scene.

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 223
There is currently no information on who 2022. Accessed August 12, 2022. https://
conducted the FGG investigation. The suspect lawandcrime.com/crime/hawaii-man-charged-
list was narrowed down to four brothers, of in-1982-cold-case-kidnapping-rape-and-
which Ramirez was one. Investigators murder-of-15-year-old-california-girl-
identified him as the leading suspect when his stabbed-59-times/.
DNA was matched to that voluntarily
provided by his grandchild. Prodis Sulek, Julia. “She Was Stabbed 59
Times 40 Years Ago. Now, a DNA Match Has
Ramirez was born in Fresno and lived in the Led Sunnyvale Police to Maui to Bring Back
San Francisco Bay Area at the time of the Her Suspected Killer.” Mercury News, August
murder. Ramirez has waived extradition, and 9, 2022. Accessed August 12, 2022. https://
will be transported from Maui to face charges www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/she-was-
of kidnapping, rape, and first-degree murder stabbed-59-times-40-years-ago-now-a-dna-
in Santa Clara County Superior Court. He has match-has-led-sunnyvale-police-to-maui-to-
no prior criminal record. bring-back-her-suspected-killer/ar-AA10tvov.

Stitt’s boyfriend was long a suspect in her

murder. He was only cleared after a DNA Case ID 1212-1218, 1220: Rasmussen,
profile of the suspect was obtained. Terry Peder

See also:
Sources:
Confidential (Dawn Beaudin/Lisa Jensen)
Associated Press. “Blood Left on Victim’s Honeychurch, Marlyse Elizabeth
Jacket Leads to Arrest in 1982 Murder of McWaters, Sarah
Teen.” Forensic Magazine, August 10, 2022. Rasmussen, Jane Doe
Accessed August 12, 2022. https:// Vaughn, Marie
www.forensicmag.com/589011-Blood-Left-
on-Victim-s-Jacket-Leads-to-Arrest-in-1982- This case is part of a series of murders known
Murder-of-Teen/. as the Bear Brook Murders, or the Allenstown
Murders. One of the most remarkable cold
Dremann, Sue. “Man Charged in 1982 Cold- cases in U.S. history, the successful resolution
Case Murder of Palo Alto Teen.” Palo Alto of the Bear Brook murders by Barbara Rae-
Online, August 9, 2022. Last Modified Venter led detectives to pursue FGG in the
August 10, 2022. Accessed August 12, 2022. search for the Golden State Killer.
https://www.paloaltoonline.com/news/
2022/08/09/man-charged-in-1982-cold-case- In the course of this investigation, Terry Peder
murder-of-palo-alto-teen. Rasmussen was identified as the lead suspect
in the murder of an adult woman and three
Kalmbacher, Colin. “Hawaii Man Charged in girls in Allenstown, New Hampshire, as well
1982 Cold Case Kidnapping, Rape and as the kidnapping and sexual molestation of a
Murder of 15-Year-Old California Girl Found 5-year-old girl in San Bernardino, California.
Stabbed 59 Times.” Law & Crime, August 10, The case was cleared by exception as

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 224
Rasmussen died in prison in California in DNA testing showed that Rasmussen was not
2010 for a different murder. the father of Lisa Jensen, but he was the
father of the toddler whose body was found in
The body of Marlyse Elizabeth Honeychurch second barrel at Bear Brook. Rasmussen was
was found on November 11, 1985, when a 55- then identified as the lead suspect in the
gallon steel drum containing human remains murder of the four Bear Brook victims, and
was found in Bear Brook State Park near the case was cleared by exception.
Allenstown, New Hampshire. The remains
were of an adult woman and a young girl In 1978, at the time of the Bear Brook
about 8-10 years old. Honeychurch is thought murders, Rasmussen worked in Allenstown as
to have been about 26 or 27 years old when an electrician and handyman near the
she died. They had been killed by blunt force property where the barrels were found. In
trauma to the head. around 1981, another young mother named
Denise Beaudin and her 6-month-old
On May 9, 2000 a second steel drum was daughter disappeared from New Hampshire in
found only about 100 yards from the first. It very similar circumstances. Beaudin’s
contained the remains of two more young boyfriend at the time was Terry Rasmussen.
girls. The younger girl was 1-3 years old and The little girl was Lisa Jensen. They all
the older was about 2-4 years old. It is moved to California together, but when
thought that the four Bear Brook victims were Rasmussen was next seen in California he
killed sometime between 1978 and 1981. was in the company of only Lisa. Denise was
not seen again after leaving New Hampshire
The FGG investigation was conducted by with Rasmussen, and her body has never been
Barbara Rae-Venter, a Search Angel, who found.
volunteered at the non-profit organization
DNAAdoption.com where she assisted Rasmussen and Lisa lived in a trailer park in
adopted individuals to identify their birth Scotts Valley, California in 1986. He then
families. Rae-Venter has a PhD in abandoned Lisa, who was then about 5 years
biochemistry, and she worked for many years old, with another family he met there.
as a patent attorney in the biotech industry. ‘Gordon Jensen’ was not seen again. Lisa
She is a leader in using genetic genealogy to Jensen was now a living Jane Doe, with no
identify living does. idea of when or where she was born, her
parentage, or her name.
At first, Rae-Venter was not looking to
identify the Bear Brook victims. She was Lisa Jensen was a grown woman of 32 years
attempting to identify ‘Lisa Jensen’, a grown old and a mother herself when the detectives
woman who had been abducted and working on her case approached Rae-Venter
abandoned by an unknown male when she to identify her birth family. The lead detective
was about 5 years old. Lisa thought she was working on Lisa’s abduction was Detective
the biological daughter of a man named Peter Headley of the San Bernardino County
Gordon Jensen. Jensen was a pseudonym for Sheriff’s Office. Rae-Venter and a team of
a man whose real identity was discovered by volunteers used genetic genealogy to identify
Rae-Venter to be Terry Peder Rasmussen. Lisa’s birth family and try to find out where

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 225
she came from and what had happened to her Marlyse Honeychurch was last seen on
mother. Thanksgiving Day in 1978, when she got into
an argument with her family, and left with
In 2016, Rae-Venter identified Lisa as Dawn Terry Rasmussen, who was her boyfriend at
Beaudin of New Hampshire. Lisa and her the time. She was not seen alive again.
mother, Denise Beaudin, disappeared around Honeychurch and the three girls were likely
Thanksgiving of 1981 with her boyfriend, killed sometime between 1978 and 1981,
Terry Rasmussen. Family members identified before Denise Beaudin and her daughter Lisa
her boyfriend at the time as ‘Bob Evans’, Jensen went missing in similar circumstances.
which was the name that Rasmussen was
using when he was living in New Hampshire. Jane Doe Rasmussen, the toddler found in the
second barrel, is the biological daughter of
Rae-Venter wanted to test the remains of the Terry Rasmussen. The FGG investigation into
Bear Brook victims because she suspected her identity continues, as her mother is
that the woman in the barrel was Denise currently unknown. She has a mixed ancestry,
Beaudin, Lisa’s mother. Up until that time, it with some African American, Native
had not been possible to obtain a DNA profile American, and possibly Asian heritage. Rae-
from the Bear Brook victims. In 2016, Rae- Venter is constructing her family tree and
Venter contacted Dr. Ed Green, a researcher believes the girl’s mother may be from near
in paleo-genomics, of the University of Pearl River County, Mississippi, and possibly
California at Santa-Cruz as he had developed descended from Thomas ‘Deadhorse’
a new technique to extract autosomal DNA Mitchell (b. 1836) or William Livings (b.
from rootless hair. 1826).

This new technique was successful in Rasmussen died of lung cancer and
obtaining DNA profiles of the Bear Brook emphysema at the High Desert Prison in
victims, and the investigation was finally able Susanville, California in 2010. He had been
to progress. They discovered that the woman convicted under yet another false name,
was not Denise Beaudin, but the middle girl ‘Larry Vanner’, for the 2002 murder of his
was Rasmussen’s biological daughter. She common-law spouse, chemist Eunsoon Jun.
was not related to the other two little girls, He has been nicknamed the ‘Chameleon
who were found to be the daughters of the Killer’ for the way in which he is able to
adult woman. move, change his identity, and begin a new
life with a new family. When DNA testing
Rae-Venter then used FGG to identify the showed that he was not the biological father
woman found at Bear Brook as Marlyse of Lisa Jensen, he denied knowing or
Elizabeth Honeychurch (b. 1954). The other remembering the little girl at all.
body found in the barrel with her is her eldest
daughter, Marie Vaughan (b. 1971). The In 2018, journalist Jason Moon and New
infant girl found in the second barrel is Hampshire Public Radio produced a podcast
Honeychurch’s youngest daughter, Sarah called “Bear Brook,” that tells this story very
McWaters (b. 1977). thoroughly. It can be found at https://
www.bearbrookpodcast.com/.

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 226
Sources: Moon, Jason. “Three Bear Brook Murder
Victims Identified; Citizen Sleuth, Genetic
Duckler, Ray. “Officials Identify 3 of 4 Genealogy Provide Key Clues.” New
Victims Discovered in Barrels Near Bear Hampshire Public Radio, June 5, 2019.
Brook State Park.” Concord Monitor, June 6, Accessed December 26, 2020. https://
2019. Accessed December 26, 2020. https:// www.nhpr.org/post/three-bear-brook-murder-
www.concordmonitor.com/After-more-than- victims-identified-citizen-sleuth-genetic-
three-decades-Bear-Brook-victims- genealogy-provide-key-clues?
named-26083251. utm_medium=social&utm_term=nprnews&ut
m_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=np
Effron, Lauren, Boaz Halaban, and Marc r&fbclid=IwAR0d-ZPVnecFP90-
Dorian. “How a Jane Doe Child Case teWfZznBM5TlYL9drWk6lQB5QMEIKuL9
Uncovered a Serial Killer, Identified Victims scEnGrOlorc#stream/0.
and Changed the Use of DNA Forensics.”
ABC News, March 19, 2020. Accessed Murphy, Shelley. “‘Missing Half Sister’: How
December 26, 2020. https://abcnews.go.com/ a Search for a Relative Helped Identify N.H.’s
US/jane-doe-child-case-uncovered-serial- Bear Brook Victims.” Boston Globe, June 6,
killer-identified/story?id=69648434. 2019. Accessed December 26, 2020. https://
www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2019/06/06/
Halaban, Boaz, Marc Dorian, and Enjoli missing-half-sister-how-search-for-relative-
Francis. “Timeline of Serial Killer Terry helped-identify-bear-brook-victims/
Rasmussen’s Terror in New Hampshire, xiMWdamAZqaWRaCDJWJqxJ/story.html.
California.” ABC News, March 18, 2020.
Accessed December 26, 2020. https:// Yang, Allie, and Boaz Halaban. “Serial Killer
abcnews.go.com/US/timeline-serial-killer- Terry Rasmussen’s Victims, Known and
terry-rasmussens-terror-hampshire-california/ Unknown.” ABC News, March 17, 2020.
story?id=69505755. Accessed December 26, 2020. https://
abcnews.go.com/US/terry-rasmussens-
Help ID Me. “Bear Brook Case Update.” victims-unknown/story?id=69585534.
Facebook (Post), January 21, 2021. Accessed
January 21, 2021. https://www.facebook.com/
698376120190298/posts/ Case ID 1426-1427, 1448: Ray, Lance
4130579286969947/?d=n. David

Liptak, Andrew. “How a Podcast Helped Lance David Ray was arrested on October 8,
Solve a Grisly Cold Case.” The Verge, June 9, 2020 and charged in a series of rapes of
2019. Accessed December 26, 2020. https:// young boys. On July 2, 2000, a 14-year-old
www.theverge.com/2019/6/9/18656929/bear- boy was kidnapped at gunpoint and sexually
book-podcast-murders-dna-databases- assaulted in Peoria, Arizona. On August 23,
marlyse-elizabeth-honeychurch-marie-vaugh- 2000, a 17-year-old boy waiting at a bus stop
sarah-mcwaters. was forced into a car at gunpoint and taken to
a secluded location and sexually assaulted.

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 227
In December of 2020, he was also charged December 30, 2020. Accessed January 1,
with the rape and murder of 18-year-old 2021. https://www.wthr.com/article/news/
Dalmer Hussen in Phoenix, Arizona. Hussen crime/fbi-cold-case-homicide-suspect-
was attacked sometime on September 24, arrested-in-bloomington-possibly-connected-
2000 while walking home from a friend’s to-other-cases/531-a8243b79-
house. He struggled against his attacker and e920-4016-9313-8483f0576d13.
was shot and killed. His body was found at
9:00 am on September 25 in a vacant lot. He
was the eldest of 7 brothers. Case ID 1347: Rees, Daniel

The three cases were linked to the same Daniel Rees was arrested on March 11, 2020
perpetrator through DNA testing in 2003. and charged in the March 30, 1991 rape and
There is no confirmation on who conducted murder of 23-year-old Rachael Johnson in
the FGG analysis, but reports state that the Akron, Ohio.
FBI was involved in the investigation.
Johnson had been sexually assaulted, stabbed,
The case against Ray is pending in Maricopa and her body was set on fire. Police think she
County. may have had a flat tire while driving home
from a friend’s house and been attacked while
Sources: at the roadside or by someone who stopped to
assist her.
Olmos, Dorri. “DNA Connects St. Louis Man
to Cold Cases in Arizona, More Victims The FGG investigation was conducted by
Possible.” WFMY News 2 ABC, December 29, Cheryl Hester at Advance DNA. The initial
2020. Accessed January 1, 2021. https:// confirmation was made through police
www.wfmynews2.com/article/news/crime/ surveillance followed by the surreptitious
cold-case-arrest-phoenix-st-louis-man/63- sampling of items discarded by Rees.
f68fb2d9-f628-4d19-868a-7391d8827990.
For a long time, Rees lived across the street
Rice, Rachel. “St. Louis Man Arrested in from the family, and played a role as a family
Arizona Cold Case Death, Sexual Assaults.” friend in the lives of Johnson’s young
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, December 30, 2020. daughter and her family. He is now facing
Accessed January 1, 2021. https:// charges of aggravated murder, and the case
www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and- against him is pending in Summit County.
courts/st-louis-man-arrested-in-arizona-cold-
case-death-sexual-assaults/ Sources:
article_ed7a278f-0e44-5548-
a935-4e9d1238d5f5.html. Geiger, Dorian. “Daughter Shocked to Find
the Suspect in Her Mom’s 1991 Cold Case
WTHR.com Staff. “FBI: Cold Case Homicide Murder Was Someone Who ‘Had the Nerve to
Suspect Arrested in Bloomington Possibly be a Part of Our Lives’.” Oxygen, March 17,
Connected to Other Cases.” WTHR 13 NBC 2020. Accessed December 26, 2020. https://
News, December 29, 2020, last modified www.oxygen.com/crime-news/daniel-rees-

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 228
arrested-in-1991-cold-case-killing-of-rachael- voluntarily provided a DNA sample to
johnson. investigators to confirm her father’s identity.
She also noted that he had been abusive
Goist, Robin. “Akron Police Arrest man towards his female partners, one of whom had
Accused in 1991 Cold Case Murder.” a protection order against him.
Cleveland.com, 12 March 2020. Accessed
December 26, 2020. https:// Renegar died of natural causes in 2002 at the
www.cleveland.com/crime/2020/03/akron- age of 44. At the time of the murder, he lived
police-arrest-man-accused-in-1991-cold-case- very near where Felkins’s body was found.
murder.html. He had been convicted of a sexual assault in
July of 1994, for which he served a 10-month
Pelisek, Christine. “Ohio Mom Was Raped, sentence. He died of natural causes in 2002 in
Beaten and Set on Fire in 1991 – Now a Man Salt Lake City.
is Charged with Her Murder.” People, March
16, 2020. Accessed December 26, 2020. Over the years, numerous suspects were
https://people.com/crime/ohio-mom-was- brought in for questioning, or had their DNA
raped-beaten-and-set-on-fire-in-1991-now-a- compared to the crime scene.
man-is-charged-with-her-murder/.
Sources:

Case ID 1130: Renegar, Edward Keith Clement, Katie, and Matthew Mershon.
“Evidence Resubmitted in 1990 Murder of
Edward Keith Renegar has been identified as Pam Felkins, Person of Interest Image
the lead suspect in the February 2, 1990 rape Created.” KATV News and ABC 7 News,
and murder of 32-year-old Pamela Felkins in March 5, 2018. Accessed December 27, 2020.
Greenbriar, Arkansas. The case has been https://katv.com/news/local/evidence-
cleared by exception due to the death of resubmitted-in-1990-murder-of-pam-felkins.
Renegar.
Jones, Janine. “Murder Mystery – Primary
Felkins was working the night shift at a video Suspect: Solving the Pamela Felkins Murder.”
store, and she may have been kidnapped as About You Magazine, February 21, 2019.
she finished her shift. Felkins’ husband came Accessed December 27, 2020. https://
to the store to pick her up just before closing www.aymag.com/murder-mystery-pamela-
time at 9:00 pm, but she was already gone. felkins/.
Her body was found the next day dumped at a
trash site off Clinton Mountain Road. She had THV 11 Digital News. “Primary Murder
been cut and beaten and she died from a blow Suspect Named in 28-Year-Old Cold Case
to the head. Thanks to DNA.” THV11 Digital News,
October 29, 2018. Accessed December 27,
A DNA profile was obtained from the sexual 2020. https://www.thv11.com/article/news/
assault kit taken at Felkins’ autopsy. The FGG crime/primary-murder-suspect-named-in-28-
investigation was conducted by Parabon year-old-cold-case-thanks-to-dna-evidence/
Nanolabs. In this case, Renegar’s daughter 91-609238775.

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 229
Case ID 1673: Rice, Herbert Rice had a minor criminal record, including a
conviction for a misdemeanor theft for which
Herbert Rice was identified on March 29, he served a short jail sentence, but had not
2022, as the lead suspect in the March 22, been convicted of any offence which would
1980, rape and murder of 20-year-old Eve have resulted in his DNA sample being placed
Wilkowitz in Bay Shore, New York. The case in a law enforcement database.
has been cleared by exception due to the
death of Rice. Sources:

Wilkowitz had just begun a new job at the Associated Press. “Cold Case Solved: DNA
MacMillan publishing house in Manhattan. Match Helps Police Identify Attacker Who
She had taken the last train home that night Killed Eve Wilkowitz in 1980.” ABC 7 News,
and was killed while walking home from the March 31, 2022. Accessed March 31, 2022.
station. Her body was found in a yard near https://abc7chicago.com/cold-case-solved-
her apartment three days later. She had been eve-wilkowitz-herbert-rice-long-island/
sexually assaulted and strangled to death. 11696226/.

A DNA profile of the suspect was developed Murphy, Mary. “Sister of Strangled LI
from a sexual assault kit. Rice’s son Woman Sees Killer’s Face – Four Decades
voluntarily provided a DNA sample to police, Later.” PIX 11 News, March 30, 2022, last
which showed that he was the natural son of updated March 31, 2022. Accessed March 31,
the person whose DNA was recovered from 2022. https://pix11.com/news/local-news/
the crime scene. Police have stated that they long-island/sister-of-strangled-li-woman-
attempted to obtain the son’s DNA sees-killers-face-four-decades-later/.
surreptitiously and asked for his consent
when this was not possible. Rice passed away Schuppe, John. “She Waited 42 Years to
from cancer in 1991. His body was exhumed Learn Who Killed Her Sister. The Answer
on March 10, 2022, and his DNA profile Didn’t Ease Her Pain.” NBC News, March 29,
matched that collected from the crime scene. 2022. Accessed March 31, 2022. https://
www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/eve-
At the time of the murder, Rice had been wilkowitz-murder-dna-rcna21839.
asked by his wife to leave their family home.
He was staying with his mother, who lived
about four houses away from the yard where Case ID 1665: Robertson, Warren
Wilkowitz’s body was found.
On March 15, 2022, the San Diego County
Wilkowitz’s sister, Irene was a staunch Sheriff’s Department announced that Warren
advocate for her sister’s case over the years. Robertson is the lead suspect in the May 2,
Irene’s son, Evan, learned about FGG after 1988 murder of 29-year-old Diane Lynn Dahn
reading about its use to identify Joseph James in Santee, California. The case has been
DeAngelo as the Golden State Killer, and he cleared by exception due to the death of
advocated for its use in the investigation into Robertson.
his aunt’s murder.

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 230
A co-worker came to Dahn’s apartment that San Diego County Sheriff’s Department.
afternoon when she failed to show up for her “Genetic Genealogy IDs Suspect in 1988
job at the San Diego Transit Corporation. Her Neighbor Killing.” Forensic Magazine,
2-year-old son, Mark Beyer, was found March 18, 2022. Accessed March 18, 2022.
wandering around the apartment complex. https://www.forensicmag.com/584349-
She had been bludgeoned and stabbed to Genetic-Genealogy-IDs-Suspect-in-1988-
death in her bedroom. Neighbor-Killing/.

A partial DNA profile was developed in 2000 San Diego County Sheriff’s Department.
from tissue collected from under Dahn’s “Media Advisory: Cold Case Solved.” San
fingernails. The profile was not of a high Diego County Sheriff’s Department (Press
enough quality to be submitted to CODIS. In Release), March 15, 2022. Accessed March
June of 2010 a new DNA profile was 18, 2022. https://www.sdsheriff.gov/Home/
developed from a human hair found in Dahn’s Components/News/News/1019/?
hand at the time of her death. That profile was utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdeliver
entered into CODIS but received no hits. The y&fbclid=IwAR2gYxdVGEpZQTa_DR9FUv
FGG investigation was reportedly conducted QOOWnxBkyu5xH1StKUAsM_MYIdXPfmr
by the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office 2imJZg.
Cold Case Team. As many as 9 family trees
composed of nearly 1300 individuals were
constructed in order to identify Robertson. Case ID 1772: Robison, Jerry Dewayne
The final confirmation was made to living
relatives. Jerry Dewayne Robison was identified on
October 17, 2022 as the lead suspect in the
Robertson lived in the same apartment March 21, 1994 rape and murder of 72-year-
complex as Dahn at the time of their old Claire (Kay) Holman in Borrego Springs,
homicide, and it is not known whether they California. The case has been cleared by
knew each other. He and his family moved to exception due to the death of Robison.
Lakeside, California shortly after Dahn’s
murder, and later to Indiana. He died in a Holman’s body was found by a friend who
house fire in November of 1999 at the age of had come to deliver her mail. An autopsy
39. determined that she had been sexually
assaulted, and that she died from a ligature
Sources: strangulation. The home was ransacked, but
there was no evidence of forcible entry,
Ebrahimji, Alisha. “Her Murder Stumped leading investigators to believe that Holman
Investigators for 34 Years. Now, DNA may have known her killer.
Evidence Points to a Neighbor as Her Killer,
Police Say.” CNN, March 18, 2022. Accessed A DNA profile of the suspect was first created
March 18, 2022. https://www.cnn.com/ in 2003, but there were no hits in CODIS. A
2022/03/18/us/san-diego-cold-case-solved/ new DNA profile was obtained from a strand
index.html. of hair in March of 2021. There is currently
no information on who performed the FGG

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 231
investigation, but reports indicate that much of David Paul were found on January 2, 1988,
of the genealogical work was done by the San underneath a tree in a parking lot in Meriden,
Diego County Sheriff’s Office. Connecticut. Roche had left the infant there
on December 28, 1987. She had phoned the
Robison passed away from cancer in 2007 at South Meriden Fire Department and told
the age of 65. He was living and working as a them that they would find ‘something’ in the
plumber in Borrego Springs at the time of the parking lot. Firefighters went to the parking
murder. Investigators believe that he may lot that day but did not find anything. The
occasionally have worked for Holman. infant had been wrapped in a blanket, and he
died of exposure and hypothermia. The
Sources: Meriden Police Department named him David
Paul. They hold a ceremony each year to
Hernandez, David. “Jerry Dewayne Robison honour his memory.
was Identified as the Suspect in the Killing of
72-Year-Old Claire “Kay” Holman.” San The FGG investigation was undertaken by
Diego Union-Tribune, October 17, 2022. Colleen Fitzpatrick of Identifinders. The
Accessed October 21, 2022. https:// sample source was reported to be Roche’s
www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/public- blood, which was found on the blanket in
safety/story/2022-10-17/almost-three- which the infant was wrapped. She had begun
decades-after-borrego-spring-killing-genetic- some work on the case in 2011, and identified
genealogy-leads-to-suspect. a possible last name, but did not receive a
breakthrough until 2019 when autosomal
Ireland, Elizabeth. “Cold Case Closed: DNA testing revealed second/third cousin
Family Tree Helps Solve 1994 Borrego matches in GEDmatch and FTDNA.
Springs Murder.” Times of San Diego, Fitzpatrick has stated that this was an early
October 17, 2022. Accessed October 21, test case to assess the potential for autosomal
2022. https://timesofsandiego.com/crime/ SNP testing and genealogy to identify an
2022/10/17/cold-case-closed-family-tree- unknown individual using DNA.
helps-solve-1994-borrego-springs-murder/.
Police identified the infant’s mother as Karen
San Diego County Sheriff’s Department. Kuzmak Roche, who was 25 years old when
“Cold Case Solved - Borrego Springs.” San David Paul was born. She admitted to police
Diego County Sheriff’s Department (Press that she delivered the baby herself, and then
Release), October 17, 2022. Accessed abandoned him at the foot of a tree. Zymaris
October 21, 2022. https://www.sdsheriff.gov/ reports that, “Ms. Roche indicated she had
Home/Components/News/News/1565/. been waiting 32 years for the day in which
police would be knocking on the door
regarding this incident," said Chief Jeffrey
Case ID 1546: Roche, Karen Kuzmak Cossette, Meriden Police Department.”

Karen Kuzmak Roche was identified on Manslaughter charges have a statute of

January 14, 2020, as the lead suspect in the limitations in Connecticut of 20 years, and so
infanticide of a newborn infant. The remains police do not think that charges will be laid in

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 232
this case. Safe Haven laws in Connecticut The crimes were committed against ‘CSI:
were introduced in the year 2000. Miami’ actress Eva LaRue and her then minor
daughter, Kaya McKenna Callahan.
Sources: Beginning in March of 2007, Rogers sent
about 3 dozen letters to LaRue and, beginning
Altimari, Dave, and Steven Goode. “Meriden in 2015, to her daughter who was then 13
Police Identify Mother of Newborn Left to years old. The threats continued for 12 years.
Freeze to Death 32 Years Ago.” Hartford In the letters, he threatened to torture, kill,
Courant, January 14, 2020. Accessed and sexually assault LaRue and to sexually
November 13, 2021. https:// assault and impregnate her daughter. He also
www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-news- phoned the girl’s school claiming to be her
meriden-dead-babies-mother-20200114- father and that he was waiting outside to pick
nptop2nyiffgrnrezbcntt3x2e-story.html. her up. He called himself ‘Freddie Krueger’
in some of the letters.
NBC Connecticut. “How DNA Helped
Meriden Police Solve a 32-Year-Old Cold The FGG investigation was conducted by the
Case.” NBC Connecticut, January 14, 2020. FBI, beginning in 2019. They used a DNA
Accessed November 13, 2021. https:// profile developed from saliva on the letters
www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/ Rogers sent to LaRue. The final confirmation
meriden-police-to-provide-update-on-32- was made by surreptitious sampling from a
year-old-investigation-into-death-of-infant/ straw that Rogers had discarded at an Arby’s
2209179/. restaurant in Heath, Ohio.

Zymaris, Eva, and Rob Polansky. “Mother This is the first time that FGG has been used
Identified in Meriden’s 32-Year-Old ‘David to clear a case involving federal criminal
Paul’ Case.” WFSB Eyewitness News 3, charges in the United States.
January 14, 2020. Accessed November 13,
2021. https://www.wfsb.com/news/mother- The case was also notable because the
identified-in-meridens-32-year-old-david- investigators appear to have violated the
paul-case/article_0d85c176-36c2-11ea- Terms of Service of the genealogical
b757-2f2a2d8c3235.html. databases that they used in the course of the
investigation, which permitted law
enforcement access only for decedents as well
Rogers, James David: as crimes of homicide, aggravated and sexual
assault, but not threatened homicide and
James David Rogers, 58, was sentenced on sexual assault. Under the Terms of Service,
September 8, 2022 in Los Angeles County for permission was not extended to cases where
two counts of mailing threatening there was a threat to public safety.
communications, one count of uttering threats
by interstate communication, and two counts Several genetic genealogists criticized the
of stalking. He was arrested in November 8, investigation as being unethical for violating
2019, and he pled guilty in April of 2022. the Terms of Service, and possibly
compromising the trust that the public has

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 233
placed in law enforcement when giving their 2022. https://www.oxygen.com/crime-news/
permission to access their information. james-david-rogers-sentenced-eva-larue-
Margaret Press of the Board of Certification daughter-stalking.
for Investigative Genetic Genealogy issued a
statement that the FBI’s violation of the
Terms of Service was unethical and might Case ID 1729: Rojas, David
compromise the future of genetic genealogy.
53-Year-old David Rojas was arrested in
Rogers was sentenced to 40 months in a Dallas on July 22, 2022 for the January 19,
federal correctional facility. 1989 murder of 78-year-old Mary Hague
Kelly in Dallas, Texas.
Sources: Kelly was found dead in her home in Oak
Cliff by a relative who had come to check on
Casarez, Jean, and Brandon Griggs. “This her. She was naked from the waist down and
‘CSI: Miami’ Actress Was Threatened by a her body had been shoved underneath a bed.
Stalker for 12 Years. The FBI Caught Him She was found to have died by strangulation.
After He Left His DNA on a Fast-Food The intruder had taken some of her
Straw.” CNN, September 9, 2022. Accessed belongings and her vehicle.
September 13, 2022. https://www.cnn.com/
2022/09/09/entertainment/eva-larue-stalker- A DNA profile of the suspect was obtained
sentenced/index.html. when the case was reopened in 2004, but
there were no hits in CODIS. The FGG
Edwards, Jonathan. “A TV Actress Got investigation was conducted by Othram,
Menacing Letters for Years. Her Stalker is beginning in November of 2021. The initial
Going to Prison.” Washington Post, confirmation was made through surreptitious
September 12, 2022. Accessed September 13, sampling of beer cans discarded by his half-
2022. https://www.washingtonpost.com/ brother. The funding for the investigation was
nation/2022/09/12/eva-larue-csi-actress- provided by Season of Justice.
stalker/.
Rojas is facing a charge of capital murder in
Press, Margaret. “Board of Certification for the death of Kelly in Dallas County Criminal
Investigative Genetic Genealogy.” Facebook Court. His half-brother lived next door to
(Post), September 12, 2022. Accessed Kelly at the time of her death.
September 13, 2022. https://
www.facebook.com/BCIGGorg/posts/ Sources:
pfbid0uH89fawi8Mk47G6NYVPm2EzorUxo
fG9wUoW4h7qQjvnNC1fic7BSHViPSUqbv Choi, Hojun. “Arrest Made in Murder Case
mCyl. from More than 3 Decades Ago.” Dallas
Morning News, July 24, 2022. Accessed July
Sederstrom, Jill. “Fake ‘Freddie Krueger’ 30, 2022. https://www.dallasnews.com/news/
Sentenced for Stalking Actress Eva LaRue, 2022/07/24/arrest-made-in-murder-case-
Her Daughter for 12 Years.” Oxygen, from-more-than-3-decades-ago/.
September 9, 2022. Accessed September 13,

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 234
Miller, Jax. “DNA Identifies Suspect in to protect tourism revenues in this popular
Elderly Texas Woman’s 1989 Strangulation Jersey Shore destination.
Murder.” Oxygen, July 29, 2022. Accessed
July 30, 2022. https://www.oxygen.com/ A DNA profile was obtained from semen
crime-news/david-rojas-charged-capital- found in Negersmith’s body, as well as under
murder-mary-hague-kelly. her fingernails. The FGG investigation was
conducted by Parabon Nanolabs. There is no
Pagones, Stephanie. “David Rojas Arrested in information as yet on how the final
1989 Cold Case Strangulation Murder in confirmation was made.
Texas.” New York Post, July 26, 2022.
Accessed July 30, 2022. https://nypost.com/ As of April, 2022, Rosado is charged with
2022/07/26/david-rojas-arrested-in-1989- second-degree sexual assault, which carries a
cold-case-strangulation-murder-in-texas/. potential penalty of 5-10 years. He is not
charged with a homicide-related offence, but
Vogen, Michael. “ .” DNASolves, July 28, authorities state that further charges are
2022. Accessed July 30, 2022. https:// possible. Investigators reinterviewed a male
dnasolves.com/articles/mary-hague-kelly/. witness who was with Negersmith shortly
before she died. He was trying to assist her
back to her motel, as she was extremely
Case ID 1679: Rosado, Jerry intoxicated. He left her near where her body
was found the next day. Her blood alcohol at
Jerry Rosado, 62, was arrested on April 8, her autopsy was 0.285. The witness stated
2022, for the May 27, 1990, rape and murder that she was clearly too intoxicated to consent
of 20-year-old Susan Negersmith in to sexual activity.
Wildwood, New Jersey.
Authorities have stated that multiple men had
Negersmith’s almost-nude body was disposed their DNA taken and compared with the
of in a dumpster behind a local restaurant. crime-scene profile over the years, but that all
Negersmith had travelled to Wildwood from were eliminated as suspects.
her home in Carmel, New York, to spend the
Memorial Day holiday there with friends. Sources:

For the first three years of the investigation, Barlow, Bill. “DNA Used to Break a 30-Year
Negersmith’s death was ruled an accident. Stalemate in Wildwood Cold Case.” Press of
This was only changed when her initial Atlantic City, April 18, 2022. Accessed April
autopsy report was examined by forensic 23, 2022. https://pressofatlanticcity.com/
pathologist Dr. Michael Baden, who news/local/dna-used-to-break-a-30-year-
determined that she suffered significant stalemate-in-wildwood-cold-case/
physical trauma that led to her death. article_e5f394c2-
Negersmith’s family stated that they had to bc42-11ec-8b5b-5762cd449a3b.html.
advocate for three years to have the cause of
death changed. They state that the city wanted Charlesworth, Michelle. “Search for Answers
in 25-Year-Old Cold Case of Rape and

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 235
Murder in Wildwood.” ABC 6 News, June 10, coat and gloves when she was found. The
2015. Accessed April 12, 2022. https:// principal of the school found her when he
6abc.com/cold-case-murder-rape-susan- went to her home, worried and looking for her
negersmith/776332/. because she did not show up for work. She
had prepared Christmas presents for her
Longo, Brian, and 6abc Digital Staff. “Arrest coworkers and students which she was to
Made in Connection with 32-Year-Old Rape, bring that morning.
Homicide Case in Wildwood.” ABC News 7,
April 8, 2022. Accessed April 12, 2022. The FGG investigation was undertaken by
https://abc7ny.com/susan-negersmith-murder- Parabon. Rowe, a local DJ known as DJ
rape-cold-case-wildwood-new-jersey-jerry- Freez, was reported in an online magazine
rosado-arrest/11728204/. talking about his heritage and his love for
Sederstrom, Jill. “Man Arrested for 1990 Puerto Rican food. It was known through
Sexual Assault of 20-Year-Old Tourist Found forensic phenotyping that the suspect likely
Dead Near Dumpster.” Oxygen, April 11, had a parent who was of Puerto Rican
2022. Accessed April 12, 2022. https:// ancestry. The initial confirmation was made
www.oxygen.com/crime-news/jerry-rosado- through police surveillance and the
charged-sexual-assault-susan-negersmith- surreptitious sampling of a water bottle and a
wildwood. piece of chewing gum that Rowe had
discarded in his trash.
Walsh, Jim. “After DNA Link, Detectives
Needed More for Arrest in Wildwood Cold Rowe states that he had found God and faith
Case.” Courier Post, April 12, 2022. in recent years, and that this led him to pled
Accessed April 15, 2022. https:// guilty to the charges. He delivered an apology
www.courierpostonline.com/story/news/ to Christy’s family in court for what he had
2022/04/12/wildwood-cold-case-susan- done. As part of the plea agreement, the death
negersmith-jerry-rosado-millville/ penalty was taken off the table and he was
7277394001/. sentenced to life without parole. The Mirack
family was included in discussions leading to
the plea agreement.
Case ID 1096: Rowe, Raymand Charles
In August of 2021, Rowe sought a post-
Raymand Charles Rowe was arrested on June conviction relief hearing. He is seeking to
25, 2018 and charged in the December 21, withdraw his guilty plea and have a trail. He
1992 rape and murder of 25-year-old Christy states that he visited Mirack that morning,
Mirack in East Lampeter Township, and they had consensual sex, but that she was
Pennsylvania. alive when he left her.

Mirack was a Grade 6 teacher. She was just On April 21, 2022, Judge Dennis Reinaker of
leaving her home for work that morning when Lancaster County denied Rowe’s motion to
she was attacked violently in her home. She overturn his conviction, holding that Rowe’s
was raped, her jaw was broken, and she died claim that Mirack had consensual sex with
from strangulation. She was still wearing her him, and that another unknown individual

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 236
killed her within a ten-minute window, was lancasteronline.com/news/local/judge-denies-
not believable. The judge also denied testing dj-freez-rowes-bid-for-dna-testing-in-mirack-
of other items in her home for DNA. Judge murder-update/article_ddd874b6-bb33-11ec-
Reinaker stated, “This court is unable to a38a-a7969fb980f2.html.
fathom that someone else entered the home
between the hours of 7 a.m. and between the Nephin, Dan. “Raymond Rowe Wants to
timeframe of 7:10 a.m.-7:20 a.m, found the Withdraw Guilty Plea, Get Trial in Christy
victim without her clothes on, covered in Mirack Rape, Murder at Court Hearing
semen, and murdered her without leaving any Thursday.” Lancaster Online, September 1,
additional DNA on her body.” Rowe is 2021. Accessed December 28, 2021. https://
expected to appeal the decision. lancasteronline.com/news/local/raymond-
rowe-wants-to-withdraw-guilty-plea-get-trial-
Sources: in-christy-mirack-rape-murder-at/
article_8ccf4690-0b51-11ec-b2f9-
Dorian, Marc, Emily Whipp, Caila Klaiss, c3d42a1b0913.html.
and Lauren Effron. “How DNA, Genetic
Genealogy Led to a Wedding DJ Facing Scolforo, Mark. “Popular DJ Convicted in
Criminal Homicide Charges in 1992 Cold Schoolteacher’s Decades-Old Killing Thanks
Case.” ABC News, October 4, 2018. Accessed to Genealogy Database, Gum.” ABC 7
December 27, 2020. https://abcnews.go.com/ Chicago, January 9, 2019. Accessed
beta-story-container/US/dna-genetic- December 27, 2020. https://abc7chicago.com/
genealogy-led-wedding-dj-facing-criminal/ genealogy-database-gum-help-convict-dj-
story?id=58253768. in-92-killing/5039697/.

Farmer, Brit McCandless. “Using Genetic Shapiro, Emily. “DJ Admits to Cold Case
Genealogy to Convict Raymond Charles Murder After Being Linked Through Novel
Rowe.” CBS News, January 9, 2019. DNA Technique, Apologizes to Victim’s
Accessed December 27, 2020. https:// Family in Court.” ABC News, January 8,
www.cbsnews.com/news/dj-freez-pleads- 2019. Accessed December 27, 2020. https://
guilty-using-genetic-genealogy-to-convict- abcnews.go.com/US/dj-admits-cold-case-
raymond-charles-rowe-60-minutes/. murder-linked-dna-technique/story?
id=60234009.
Kroft, Steve. “Inside the Genetic Genealogy
Being Used to Solve Crimes.” CBS News,
October 21, 2018. Accessed December 27, Case ID 1560: Salguero-Olivares, Miguel
2020. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ Enrique
genetic-genealogy-tracing-family-trees-to-
catch-killers-60-minutes/. Miguel Enrique Salguero-Olivares, 28, was
arrested on September 16, 2021, for the
Nephin, Dan. “Judge Denies ‘DJ Freeze’ September 7, 2012, rape and murder of 19-
Rowe’s Bid for DNA Testing in Mirack year-old Faith Hedgepeth in Chapel Hill,
Murder [Update].” Lancaster Online, April North Carolina.
21, 2022. Accessed April 23, 2022. https://

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Hedgepeth was found dead in her apartment Salguero-Olivares, who moved to North
near the University of North Carolina at Carolina from Guatemala, is facing charges of
Chapel Hill where she was a student. Her first-degree murder in Durham County
roommate, Karena Rosario, discovered her Superior Court.
body when she returned home at about 11 in
the morning. She phoned 911, telling the Hedgepeth, a member of the Halawi Saponi
operator that there was “blood everywhere.” tribe of North Carolina, was to have been the
Hedgepeth had been sexually assaulted and first person in her family to graduate from
beaten to death in her bedroom. She was university. She had hoped to become a
partially clothed. The killer wrote a note on a pediatrician.
wrapper from a nearby restaurant that stated,
“I’m not stupid bitch, jealous.” This led an Police have reported that over the years in
FBI profile to surmise that the killer may which the investigation was active, they
have known Hedgepeth. tested the DNA of 229 males who were
suspects in the case, all of whom were
A DNA profile of the suspect was obtained eliminated.
from semen collected at the crime scene and a
sexual assault kit, as well as the pen used to Sources:
write the note. A palmprint and two
fingerprints were also found on an empty rum ABC News. “Timeline: What Happened the
bottle that police suspect was used to beat Night Faith Hedgepeth Was Killed.” ABC
Hedgepeth to death. A forensic phenotype of News 11, September 16, 2021. Accessed
the suspect was performed in 2016 by January 25, 2022. https://abc11.com/faith-
Parabon Nanolabs, which produced a facial hedgepeth-murder-timeline-2012-miguel-
reconstruction of the suspect, and determined olivares-what-happened-to/11025498/.
that he was likely of Latino and/or Indigenous
ancestry. Bridges, Virginia. “Warrants Outline
Evidence Linking Man to 2012 Killing of
In January of 2022, the seal on the search UNC Student Faith Hedgepeth.” Charlotte
warrants used to obtain the suspect’s DNA Observer, January 21, 2022. Accessed
was not renewed. The warrants had sought January 25, 2022. https://
body samples from the suspect for DNA www.charlotteobserver.com/news/state/north-
testing, as well as fingerprints and palm carolina/article257547083.html.
prints. It was then made public that police had
used FGG to identity Salguero-Olivares as a Perchick, Michael. “Family, Tribal Members
suspect. There is no information at this time React to Arrest in Faith Hedgepeth Murder
as to who conducted the FGG investigation. Investigation.” ABC News 11, September 17,
The initial confirmation was made through a 2021. Accessed January 25, 2022. https://
sample taken surreptitiously from Salguero- abc11.com/faith-hedgepeth-unc-hawani-
Olivares at a traffic stop where he was found saponi-tribe-indigenous-women/11027779/.
intoxicated with open liquor in his vehicle.
Rodríguez, Gloria. “Faith Hedgepeth’s Dad
Watches as Accused Killer Appears in Court.”

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 238
ABC News 11, September 17, 2021. Accessed Baer pled guilty on September 28, 2021, in
January 25, 2022. https://abc11.com/faith- Duval County Circuit Court. He was given a
hedgepeth-miguel-update-salguero-olivares- sentence of life in prison.
chapel-hill-police/11026849/.
Schafer pled guilty in Duval County Circuit
Court on December 18, 2021. On March 25,
Case ID 1391: Schafer, Melissa Jo 2022, Schafer was sentenced to 30 years for
being an accomplice to murder. She is to
See also: William Baer serve her time in Florida State Prison.

Melissa Jo Schafer was arrested on July 1, Many people whose cases Baer worked on
2020 for the 1999 home invasion robbery and during his time with the Jacksonville County
murder of 39-year-old Saad Kawaf in Sheriff’s Office, from 1979 to 2002, will now
Jacksonville, Florida. Her co-accused, be filing post-conviction appeals.
William Baer, had worked at the Jacksonville Sources:
Sherriff’s Office as a Detective for 27 years
before retiring. At the time of the murder, First Coast News Staff. “Warrant: Retired
Baer was engaged in surveillance against JSO Homicide Detective, Ex-Wife Fatally
Kawaf as part of an ongoing drug Stabbed Convenience Store Owner Over
investigation. Baer learned that and knew that Money.” First Coast News. July 9, 2020.
Kawaf had yet to make a weekly bank deposit Accessed December 11, 2020. https://
of $30,000, and so likely had this sum in cash www.firstcoastnews.com/article/news/crime/
in his home. warrant-says-retired-jso-homicide-detective-
ex-wife-mutilated-convenience-store-owner-
On May 17, 1999, two suspects, a male and a over-money/77-e61c0084-6729-4650-82ef-
female, entered Kawaf’s home to steal the f54c63bac19a.
$30,000 in cash. Kawaf was tied up in the
garage and stabbed to death. Kawaf’s wife Harris, Jenese, and Steve Patrick. “Ex-Wife
heard the commotion in the garage, and when of JSO Detective Pleads Guilty in 1999
she went in, she was grabbed and tied up by Murder.” JAX News 4. December 18, 2020.
the female suspect. Ms. Kawaf bit the female Accessed December 29, 2021. https://
suspect and obtained some of her DNA this www.news4jax.com/news/local/2020/12/18/
way. She then told the female suspect that the ex-wife-of-retired-jso-detective-pleads-guilty-
cash was hidden in a kitchen cabinet. The to-murder-in-cold-case-killing/.
female is believed to be Melissa Jo Schafer,
who was then Baer’s wife. Harrison, Haley. “Interview Released of
Retired JSO Detective Accused of Murder.”
The FGG investigation was conducted by the First Coast News. August 26, 2020, last
Florida Department of Law Enforcement modified August 27, 2020. Accessed
(FDLE), under the direction of Lori December 11, 2020. https://
Napolitano. www.firstcoastnews.com/article/news/crime/
interview-with-retired-jso-detective-accused-

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 239
of-murder-released/77-0f7b9d12- https://people.com/crime/fla-store-owner-
a57c-43af-901d-8fbf5243a921. killed-robbery-detective-arrested/.

Kless, Troy. “Attorney: Retired JSO

Detective’s Arrest in 1999 Cold Case May Case ID 1598-1599: Scott, Leo Bradley
Lead to Review of Other Cases He
Investigated.” First Coast News. July 3, 2020. Leo Bradley Scott III, 60 years old, was
Accessed December 11, 2020. https:// arrested on July 20, 2021, for two sexual
www.firstcoastnews.com/article/news/crime/ assaults that took place in Cleveland, Ohio, in
attorney-jso-detectives-arrest-may-lead-to- the 1990s.
review-of-other-cases-he-investigated/77-
b99838e6-b572-423c-871a-ed5a9375e7fd. The first assault took place on October 14,
1994, on Euclid Avenue, when a 22-year-old
Micolucci, Vic. “Retired Jacksonville woman was dragged off the street, choked,
Detective Pleads Guilty in 1999 Murder of threatened with death, and sexually assaulted.
Businessman, Gets Life in Prison.” JAX News A SAK was collected from the victim at the
4, September 28, 2021. Accessed December hospital.
29, 2021. https://www.news4jax.com/news/
local/2021/09/28/retired-jacksonville- The second assault took place on April 18,
detective-pleads-guilty-in-1999-murder/. 1998, when a 26-year-old woman was
attacked after leaving a nightclub. After she
Smalls, C. Isaiah II. “The Murder Took More declined a ride from her attacker, he pulled
Than Two Decades to Solve. A Retired her into the vehicle and sexually assaulted
Detective Was Behind it, Cops Say.” Miami her. A SAK was also collected from this
Herald, July 30, 2020. Accessed December victim at the hospital.
11, 2020. https://www.miamiherald.com/
news/state/florida/article244606062.html. Neither of these assault kits were tested until
2013, when the Sexual Assault Kit Task Force
Scanlan, Dan. “Ex-Wife of Former received funding to clear the backlog of
Jacksonville Cop Gets 30 Years for Role in untested SAKs. The kits were linked together,
1999 Murder of Store Owner Saad Kawaf.” but there were no hits in the CODIS database.
Florida Times-Union, March 25, 2022. The suspect, known as “John Doe #64” was
Accessed January 16, 2023. https:// chosen as one of 20 priority cases for the
www.jacksonville.com/story/news/courts/ Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office’s
2022/03/25/melissa-jo-schafer-sentenced-30- G.O.L.D. (Genetic Operations Linking DNA)
years-1999-jacksonville-florida-murder/ Unit. The funding for this project was
7143114001/. provided by the U.S. Department of Justice in
October of 2020. The G.O.L.D.
Sokmensuer, Harriet. “Fla. Store Owner Was
Killed 21 Years Ago in Robbery – and Former The FGG investigation was conducted by
Detective Arrested in Cold Case.” People, Barbara Rae-Venter of Gene By Gene. The
July 6, 2020. Accessed December 11, 2020. initial confirmation was made through
surreptitious sampling.

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 240
 Scott is charged with three counts of rape and www.cleveland.com/court-justice/2023/01/
two counts of kidnapping in Cuyahoga cleveland-man-tied-to-decades-old-rapes-
County. Scott pled guilty to rape and sexual through-genealogical-dna-database-pleads-
battery on Monday January 30, 2023, on the guilty.html.
day his trial was to begin. In return,
prosecutors dropped a charge of rape and Shaffer, Cory. “Cuyahoga County
kidnapping. He is to be sentenced on March Prosecutors’ Genealogical DNA Unit IDs
3, 2023. Three More Men Accused of Raping Women
in the 1990s.” Cleveland.com, December 27,
Sources: 2021. Accessed January 9, 2022. https://
www.cleveland.com/court-justice/2021/12/
Anderson, Chris. “3 ‘Most Wanted’ Suspects cuyahoga-county-prosecutors-genealogical-
Identified in Decades-Old Cuyahoga County dna-unit-ids-three-more-men-accused-of-
Sexual Assault Cases.” Cleveland 19 News, raping-women-in-the-1990s.html.
December 28, 2021. Accessed January 9,
2022. https://www.cleveland19.com/
2021/12/28/3-most-wanted-suspects- Case ID 1446: Severt, Ricky
identified-decades-old-cuyahoga-county-
sexual-assault-cases/. Ricky Severt has been identified as the lead
suspect in the November 8, 1999 rape and
Belle, Cris. “Cuyahoga County Prosecutor murder of 23-year-old Jennifer Watkins in
Identifies Three More Sexual Assault Colorado Springs, Colorado. The case has
Suspects on ’20 Most Wanted’ List.” Fox 8 been cleared by exception due to the death of
News, December 28, 2021. Accessed January Severt.
9, 2022. https://fox8.com/news/cuyahoga-
county-prosecutor-identifies-three-more- Watkins disappeared during her shift at
sexual-assault-suspects-on-20-most-wanted- Memorial Hospital where she worked as a
list/. food service aid. She was found in a secluded
stairwell in an area of the hospital that was
Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office. under construction. She had been sexually
“Ohio’s G.O.L.D. Unit IDs 3 More Sexual assaulted and beaten, and her body had been
Assault Suspects from 20 Most Wanted.” wrapped in plastic and bound with duct tape.
Forensic Magazine, January 5, 2022. She died from blunt force trauma to the head.
Accessed January 9, 2022. https://
www.forensicmag.com/582405-Ohio-s-G-O- A DNA profile was developed from semen
L-D-Unit-IDs-3-More-Sexual-Assault- found on her clothing. The FGG investigation
Suspects-from-20-Most-Wanted/. was conducted by Parabon.

Shaffer, Cory. “Cleveland Man Tied to Severt was also an employee at Memorial
Decades-Old Rapes Through Genealogical Hospital at the time of Watkins’ killing. He
DNA Database Pleads Guilty.” worked in the maintenance department.
Cleveland.com, January 31, 2023. Accessed Severt was killed in a traffic accident in
February 3, 2023. https:// November of 2001. Confirmation of his

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 241
identity was made with living relatives who Parabon Nanolabs. “Parabon® Continues
assisted in the investigation. Cold Case Crime-Solving Spree in 2020:
Killer’s Identification Closes Strong Year.”
Many hospital employees were questioned as Parabon Nanolabs (Press Release), January
suspects in connection with Watkins’ murder. 12, 2020. Accessed January 14, 2020. https://
DNA samples were also taken from several parabon-nanolabs.com/news-events/2021/01/
suspects, including her husband. parabon-continues-cold-case-crime-solving-
spree-in-2020.html?
Sources: fbclid=IwAR1KrPdNDxyCwa82ARy1xZLV9
elo_Um4cyLhzFs7a64asjBksHDpaC-ecm8.
Keith, Tony. “Police Announce They Solved
the 1999 Cold Case Murder of Jennifer
Watkins in Colorado Springs at Memorial Case ID 1430-1433: Sharpe, Michael
Hospital.” KKTV 11 News, December 9, 2020.
Accessed December 27, 2020. https:// Michael Sharpe was arrested on November
www.kktv.com/2020/12/09/police-announce- 17, 2020 and charged with a series of sexual
they-solved-the-1999-cold-case-murder-of- assaults in Connecticut that took place in June
jennifer-watkins-in-colorado-springs-at- and July of 1984. There were four female
memorial-hospital/? victims, ranging in age from 24 to 30. These
fbclid=IwAR0Q2vbrtJKjMwpTmQJaotsErCtf were violent home invasion rapes in which
6iyIoJwSlkBDt-_YL-7rjJhwdJHs_sU. the women were sexually assaulted by an
intruder at gun point. Sharpe is currently
McRae, Jennifer. “Colorado Springs charged with offences relating to kidnapping
Detectives Solve 1999 Cold Case Murder of with a firearm, as the statute of limitations on
Jennifer Watkins.” CBS 4 News Denver, the sexual assault charges ran out in about
December 9, 2020. Accessed December 27, 1989.
2020. https://denver.cbslocal.com/
2020/12/09/jennifer-watkins-ricky-severt- This case was funded by the Sexual Assault
colorado-springs-cold-case-solved-1999- Kit Initiative. The initial confirmation was
murder/. made through police surveillance followed by
the surreptitious sampling of items Sharpe
O’Dell, Isaac. “DNA ‘Hit’ Leads to Suspect discarded in the trash outside his home.
in 21-Year-Old Unsolved Murder at Colorado Police then obtained a warrant to take his
Springs Hospital, Officials Say.” The Gazette, DNA sample.
December 9, 2020, last modified December
12, 2020. Accessed December 27, 2020. Sharpe is now 69 years old. He was initially
https://gazette.com/news/dna-hit-leads-to- released on a promise to appear in Hartford
suspect-in-21-year-old-unsolved-murder-at- Superior Court, but was later detained on a
colorado-springs-hospital/ $2.5 million bond. He had been the CEO of a
article_2a7f9906-3a6c-11eb-8267- local charter school but was removed when it
b371442c71ba.html. was brought to light that he had lied about
having a doctorate degree as well as a
criminal record for forgery and

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 242
embezzlement. His late mother had founded Knox, Matthew P. “Police Solve 1984 Sex
the Hartford Charter School in 1997 to reduce Assault Cases Using Forensic Genealogy,
the achievement gap for minority students. Arrest Ex-CEO of Charter School
Organization.” Journal Inquirer, November
Sharpe was convicted by a jury on November 18, 2020. Accessed December 27, 2020.
2, 2022, on eight kidnapping charges after a https://www.journalinquirer.com/towns/
five-day trial. He could not be convicted of windsor/police-solve-1984-sex-assault-cases-
sexually assaulting his victims, as the statute using-forensic-genealogy-arrest-ex-ceo-of-
of limitations had run out. On January 9, charter-school/
2023, Sharpe was sentenced to 72 years in article_e3134bae-29b2-11eb-9b32-
prison for four counts of kidnapping. f7906add8970.html.

Sources: Rondinone, Nicholas. “Investigators Use

Forensic Genealogy to Charge Disgraced
Associated Press. “Connecticut Man Former Jumoke Charter Group CEO with
Convicted in Sex Assaults of 4 Women in Sexual Assaults Dating Back to 1984.”
‘80s.” NBC News 10, November 2, 2022. Hartford Courant, November 17, 2020.
Accessed November 5, 2022. https:// Accessed December 27, 2020. https://
www.whec.com/national-world/connecticut- www.courant.com/breaking-news/hc-
man-convicted-in-sex-assaults-of-4-women- br-1980s-rapes-arrest-jumoke-group-ceo-
in-80s/. cold-case-20201117-
utyrrjh3wzcdrkl6mccddp2fra-story.html.
Caron, Matt. “Michael Sharpe, Former
School Leader, Sentenced to 72 Years in Tepfer, Daniel. “Former Charter School
Kidnapping Case.” Fox 61, January 9, 2023. Director Charged with Kidnapping Woman.”
Accessed January 16, 2023. https:// CTPost, November 17, 2020. Accessed
www.fox61.com/article/news/local/hartford- December 27, 2020. https://www.ctpost.com/
county/hartford/michael-sharpe-sentenced- local/article/Former-charter-school-director-
to-72-years-in-kidnapping-case/ charged-with-15734309.php.
520-77cdfe1b-
dd14-4556-946e-4eb465d02571.
Case ID 1527-1528: Shroy, Ronald Albert
Hardaway, Liz, and Christine Dempsey. “At
Former CT School Exec’s Trial, Women Say Ronald Albert Shroy has been identified as
Man Who Raped them Stole Money, Food the lead suspect in a double homicide that
and Called for Ride.” The Hour, October 26, took place on June 9, 1977 in Eugene,
2022. Last Modified October 28, 2022. Oregon. The case has been cleared by
Accessed October 31, 2022. https:// exception due to the death of Shroy.
www.thehour.com/news/article/Michael-
Sharpe-charter-school-kidnapping- 16-year-old Liliana Gay Adank and 17-year-
Hartford-17535267.php. old Eric Shawn Goldstrand were shot to death
at the picnic grounds at Fall Creek where they

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 243
had gone swimming. Adank had been eugene-murder-case-from-1977-solved-
sexually assaulted. suspect-committed-suicide.

DNA as well as fingerprints were recovered Templeman, Matt. “Special Report: Killing of
from the crime scene. No hits were found in Eugene Teens Solved 44 Years Later.”
the fingerprint database at the time. The DNA KEZI.com, September 23, 2021. Accessed
was reprocessed in July of 2020 to obtain a September 26, 2021. https://www.kezi.com/
profile suitable for genealogical searching. content/news/Special-Report-Killing-of-
Eugene-teens-solved-44-years-
The FGG investigation was conducted by later-575381971.html.
Parabon Nanolabs. The FGG search narrowed
down the list of possible suspects to three
brothers, one of whom was eliminated Case ID 1447: Siebke, Angela
through DNA testing from a discarded
cigarette butt. The other two brothers were Angela Siebke, 47, was arrested on December
living in Mesa. There is no information on 17, 2020 for the death of her newborn
how the final confirmation was made. daughter in Moline, Illinois. The remains of
Baby April, a newborn female, were found on
Shroy had lived in Eugene at the time of the April 11, 1992 by a man walking his dog
murders. He left Eugene Oregon in the 1980s, alongside the Mississippi River when he saw
and had been living in Mesa, Arizona since a trash bag floating in the river. He opened
2008. He committed suicide on February 24, the bag and found the infant’s body inside.
2021. He was in a physical fight with his
brother, who was injured, and he killed The FGG investigation was conducted by
himself shortly before police arrived. Parabon Nanolabs. CeCe Moore and her team
of genealogists completed Baby April’s
Sources: family tree all the way back to 1784.

ABC15.com Staff. “Mesa Man Identified as On December 15, 2014 a ‘DNA Doe Warrant’
Alleged Killer in 44-Year-Old Cold Case was issued by the Rock Island County DA for
from Oregon.” ABC 15 News Arizona, the female contributor using DNA of the
September 24, 2021. Accessed September 26, mother retrieved from the crime scene. On
2021. https://www.abc15.com/news/region- December 17, 2020, Angela Renee Siebke,
southeast-valley/mesa/mesa-man-identified- was arrested and charged with first degree
as-alleged-killer-in-44-year-old-cold-case- murder and the desecration of human
from-oregon. remains. She was 19 years-old when Baby
April was born.
News Staff. “Sheriff: North Eugene Murder
Case From 1977 Solved; Suspect Killed Siebke pled guilty on November 23, 2021, in
Himself.” KMTR News 16 Eugene, September Rock Island County Circuit Court to a lesser
23, 2021. Accessed September 26, 2021. charge of child endangerment resulting in
https://nbc16.com/news/local/sheriff-north- death. On February 15, 2022, she was
sentenced in Rock Island County Circuit

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 244
Court to two-years of time served, and was Loewy, Tom. “Moline Police Charge Ohio
released from custody. Woman in 1992 Death of Baby April.” The
Gazette. December 17, 2020. Accessed
Sources: December 29, 2020. https://
www.thegazette.com/subject/news/public-
Associated Press. “Ohio Woman Charged safety/moline-police-charge-ohio-woman-
with Murder in 1992 Death of Infant Found in in-1992-death-of-baby-april-20201217.
Trash Bag Floating Along Mississippi River.”
CBS Pittsburgh, and KDKA 2 News, Nextstar Media Wire. “Woman Sentenced to
December 18, 2020. Accessed December 29, 28 Years After Death of ‘Baby Girl April’ in
2020. https://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/ Illinois.” WGN 9 News. December 18, 2020.
2020/12/18/ohio-woman-charged-in-1992- Accessed December 29, 2020. https://
infant-death-in-illinois/. wgntv.com/news/woman-sentenced-to-28-
years-after-death-of-baby-girl-april-in-
Flores, Andrea. “Police Share More Details illinois/.
on Arrest, Personal Life of Suspect in ‘Baby
April’ Cold Case.” KCTV 5 News, December
19, 2020. Accessed December 29, 2020. Case ID 1721: Simcak, Stephen
https://www.kctv5.com/police-share-more-
details-on-arrest-personal-life-of-suspect-in- Stephen Joseph Simcak was identified as the
baby-april-cold-case/ lead suspect in the January 11, 1980 murder
article_dfd56ca7-427f-5ba0-90d7-8ba9127e1 of 25-year-old Nadine Cohen Madger in
adf.html. Willoughby, Ohio. The case has been cleared
by exception due to the death of Simcak.
Lambe, Jerry. “Ohio Mom Credited With
Time Served Months After Admitting She Madger had been brutally stabbed 44 times by
Caused the Death of ‘Baby April’ Decades an intruder while her 8-month-old son Daniel
Ago.” Law & Crime, February 16, 2022. sat in a nearby playpen. The crime took place
Accessed December 12, 2022. https:// between 1 and 3 pm that afternoon. Her
lawandcrime.com/crime/ohio-mom-credited- husband, Mark Madger, found her when he
with-time-served-months-after-admitting-she- came home from work at about 5:00 pm. The
caused-the-death-of-baby-april-decades-ago/. knife used to kill her came from her own
kitchen.
Lambe, Jerry. “Woman Pleads Guilty in
Infamous 1992 Case of ‘Baby April,’ Whose A DNA profile of the suspect was developed
Remains Were Found Floating in a Garbage from the shirt that Madger was wearing when
Bag in the Mississippi River.” Law & Crime, she was killed. The killer likely cut himself
November 23, 2021. Accessed December 29, while stabbing Madger and some of his blood
2021. https://lawandcrime.com/crime/woman- dripped not her shirt. The FGG investigation
pleads-guilty-in-infamous-1992-case-of- was performed by Parabon Nanolabs.
baby-april-whose-remains-were-found- Parabon also performed forensic phenotyping
floating-in-a-garbage-bag-in-the-mississippi- to determine what the killer would have
river/.

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 245
looked like, both now and at the time of the Cleveland Jewish News, July 14, 2022.
murder. Accessed July 15, 2022. https://
www.clevelandjewishnews.com/news/
The genealogical research was particularly local_news/willoughby-police-solve-1980-
difficult in this case. Only distant relatives murder-of-cleveland-heights-hs-grad/
could be located on FTDNA and GEDmatch, article_e2ecf844-03a6-11ed-9c00-1bc1bb97e
and the family tree had to be traced back to 139.html.
the 1800s. The initial confirmation was made
to Simcak’s grandson, who was deceased in
2015, and had a DNA sample taken at his Case ID 1550-1552: Simien, J.D. Wallace:
autopsy. The final confirmation was then The ‘Cloverleaf Rapist’
made to one of Simcak’s living children.
J.D. Wallace Simien was arrested on
At the time of the murder, a canary yellow November 4, 2021 and charged with a series
Dodge Dart was seen near Madger’s of three rapes that took place in Sacramento,
apartment complex, which was the same car California a decade ago. The first victim,
that Simcak drove. Simcak was also found to known as J. Doe, was assaulted on September
have missed work on January 11th, as police 19, 2013. The second victim, known as T.
discovered from looking at his employment Doe, was assaulted on December 10, 2013.
records at Lincoln Electric. The third victim, H. Doe, was assaulted at
knife-point on January 8, 2014. All three
Simcak died of natural causes in 2018. He has rapes took place near cloverleaf-shaped
no criminal record. Police do not know what freeway intersections as so became known as
was the motive of the murder. the ‘Cloverleaf Rapist.’

Sources: There is currently no information as to who

performed the FGG investigation, or how the
Belle, Cris. “Willoughby Police Solve 42- final confirmation to Simien was made.
Year-Old Cold Case Using Blood Samples on
Victim’s Shirt, Family Tree.” Fox 8 News, Simien is described as being married and a
July 13, 2022. Accessed July 15, 2022. father of three. He is facing 11 felony charges
https://fox8.com/news/willoughby-police-to- related to sexual assault, rape, kidnapping,
speak-on-42-year-old-cold-case/. robbery, and using a deadly weapon in
Sacramento Superior Court.
Carloss, Tracy. “Willoughby Police Solve
Cold Case with New DNA Technology.” ABC Sources:
News 5 Cleveland, July 13, 2022. Accessed
July 15, 2022. https:// Ahumada, Rosalio. “Sacramento County Man
www.news5cleveland.com/news/local-news/ Accused in ‘Cloverleaf Rapist’ Case Makes
willoughby-police-solve-cold-case-with-new- First Court Appearance.” Sacramento Bee,
dna-technology. November 8, 2021. Accessed November 19,
Raspe, Becky. “Willoughby Police Solve 2021. https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/
1980 Murder of Cleveland Heights HS Grad.” crime/article255657941.html.

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 246
 Associated Press. “genetic Genealogy IDs The FGG investigation was conducted by
‘Cloverleaf Rapist’ Suspect.” Forensic Paragon Nanolabs. Genetic genealogist CeCe
Magazine, November 15, 2021. Accessed Moore could only find distant relatives to the
November 19, 2021. https:// suspect. She narrowed down the search to a
www.forensicmag.com/580950-Genetic- group of about 2,300 persons who had
Genealogy-IDs-Cloverleaf-Rapist-Suspect/. immigrated from the southern Italian town of
Gasperina to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.
Farberov, Snejana. “Sacramento Cops Arrest She found a local club that had membership
‘Cloverleaf Rapist,’ 40, who ‘Committed cards of Italian residents, and she used this
String of Violent Sexual Assaults Between information, along with immigration records
2013 and 2014’ by Using Same DNA from Ellis Island and draft registration cards
Genealogy Techniques that Unmasked the from both World Wars, to identify Sinopoli.
Golden State Killer.” Daily Mail, November
8, 2021. Accessed November 19, 2021. The initial confirmation was made in
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ February of 2022 through the surreptitious
article-10178741/Sacramento-cops-use-DNA- sampling of a coffee cup that Sinopoli had
arrest-Cloverleaf-Rapist-40-committed- discarded at the La Colombe café in the
string-sexual-assaults.html. Philadelphia International Airport on his way
to board a flight to Amsterdam. True Allele
used their DNA mixture interpretation
Case ID 1725: Sinopoli, David Vincent software to resolve the two person mixture on
the coffee cup.
David Vincent Sinopli, 68, was arrested on
July 17, 2022 for the December 5, 1975 rape Sinopoli lived in the same apartment complex
and murder of 19-year-old Lindy Sue as Biechler and her husband at the time of her
Biechler in Manor Township, Pennsylvania. murder. He is facing charges of homicide in
Lancaster County. Before his arrest, this was
Biechler was stabbed to death in her home by the oldest cold case in Lancaster County.
an intruder with a knife from her own kitchen.
She was stabbed numerous times in her back,
chest, and neck, and had several defensive Sources:
wounds. When she was found, the knife was
sticking out of her neck, and had been Nephin, Dan, and Jade Campos. “Here’s How
wrapped with one of her tea towels. This Police Closed in on David V. Sinopoli as a
obscured any prints the suspect may have left. Suspect in a 46-Year-Old Cold Case.”
Lancaster Online, July 19, 2022. Accessed
A DNA sample of the suspect was collected July 20, 2022. https://lancasteronline.com/
from semen found on Biechler’s underwear. news/local/heres-how-police-closed-in-on-
Two blood drops were later found on her david-v-sinopoli-as-a-suspect-in-a-46/
pantyhose which were consistent with the article_82a3a8b2-07a6-11ed-
DNA profile developed from the semen. The b9eb-23979a9dc3ff.html.
profile was uploaded to CODIS, but there
were no hits.

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Shapiro, Emily. “Suspect Arrested in 1975 she was strangled. She was the single mother
Murder After Genetic Genealogist Turns to of two young children.
New Approach.” ABC News, July 19, 2022.
Accessed July 20, 2022. https:// Scott’s sister, Rosalie Sanz, contacted law
abcnews.go.com/US/suspect-arrested-1975- enforcement and asked them if they could use
murder-genetic-genealogist-turns-approach/ FGG to reopen Scott’s case. Reports indicate
story?id=87061566. that the FGG investigation may have been
conducted by the FBI’s Investigative
Stelloh, Tim. “A 1975 Slaying Was Solves Genealogy Unit. The initial confirmation was
After Authorities Got the Alleged Killer’s made through police surveillance and the
DNA from an Airport Coffee Cup.” NBC surreptitious sampling of a bloody bandage
News, July 18, 2022. Accessed July 20, 2022. Sipos had discarded in his trash.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/
1975-philadelphia-slaying-was-solved- At the time of Scott’s murder, Sipos was
authorities-got-alleged-killers-d-rcna38835. serving with the U.S. Navy and was stationed
nearby. The sexual assault charges against
Taylor, Michelle. “DNA from Coffee Cup him have been dropped due to the statute of
Confirms Genetic Genealogy Suspect in 1975 limitations.
Murder of Teen.” Forensic Magazine, July
20, 2022. Accessed July 20, 2022. https:// Sipos was tried in San Diego Superior Court.
www.forensicmag.com/588288-DNA-from- Several witnesses were available to testify, 52
Coffee-Cup-Confirms-Genetic-Genealogy- years after the crime, including two of the
Suspect-in-1975-Murder-of-Teen/. original officers who investigated the case.
The jury convicted Sipos of first-degree
Davis, Wynne. “A Discarded Coffee Cup May murder on March 24, 2022, after less than a
Have Just Helped Crack this Decades-Old day of deliberations. On April 22, 2022, Sipos
Murder Case.” NPR, July 20, 2022. Accessed was sentenced to 7 years to life in prison.
July 20, 2022. https://www.npr.org/
2022/07/20/1112475373/coffee-cup-dna- Sources:
murder-case.
Figueroa, Teri. “Authorities Accuse John
Sipos of Pennsylvania Strangling Mary Scott
Case ID 1424: Sipos, John in her North Park Apartment. San Diego
Union-Tribune, December 22, 2020. https://
John Sipos was arrested on October 24, 2020 www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/courts/
and charged with the November 20, 1969 story/2020-12-22/not-guilty-plea-from-75-
rape and murder of 24-year-old Mary ‘Lucky’ year-old-accused-in-1969-murder-of-san-
Scott in San Diego, California. diego-woman.

Scott’s naked body was discovered at about Harris, Chris. “Calif. Mom, 24, Was Raped
8:30 in the evening after she failed to show up and Strangled in 1969, and a Man Was Just
for her job as a go-go dancer. Scott had been Arrested Using Preserved DNA.” People,
sexually assaulted, her jaw was broken, and October 29, 2020. Accessed December 27,

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 248
2020. https://people.com/crime/cold-case- news/police/mc-nws-john-sipos-san-diego-
mary-lucky-scott-rape-murder/. cold-case-prosecutor-20201223-
nb2llmvbz5hknel5vjj6634ooi-story.html.
Jeffries, Ginger. “Cold Cases with Ginger
Jeffries: Daughter of Mary Scott Speaks Out
About Her Mother’s Killer.” KUSI News, Case ID 1362: Smith, Aryan Vito
March 22, 2022. Accessed March 26, 2022.
https://www.kusi.com/cold-cases-with-ginger- Aryan Vito Smith was arrested on May 11,
jeffries-daughter-of-mary-scott-speaks-out- 2020 and charged in the February 5, 2018
about-her-mothers-killer/. murder of 22-year-old Treeanna Nichols in
Westminster, California.
Kalmbacher, Colin. “Mary Was the Kindest
and Gentlest of Us’: Former Navy Sailor Nichols was staying at the Quality Inn in
Sentenced to 7 Years to Life in Prison over Westminster when she was killed in her room.
Brutal 1969 Cold Case Murder of Dancer.” At around 3:00 pm, video surveillance
Law & Crime, April 25, 2022. Accessed footage shows a man in a hoodie walking up
January 16, 2023. https://lawandcrime.com/ the stairs, and then leaving soon after. He was
crime/mary-was-the-kindest-and-gentlest-of- seen vaping a substance.
us-former-navy-sailor-sentenced-to-7-years-
to-life-in-prison-over-brutal-1969-cold-case- Nichols’s body was found a short time later
murder-of-dancer/. during a welfare check. She had been stabbed
multiple times.
Miller, Jax. “Former Navy Sailor Found
Guilty for 1969 Murder of California The FGG investigation was conducted by
Dancer.” Oxygen, March 25, 2022. Accessed Parabon Nanolabs. The case received an
March 26, 2022. https://www.oxygen.com/ important break in April of 2020, when a
crime-news/john-sipos-found-guilty-of- distant relative of Smith uploaded their DNA
murdering-dancer-mary-scott. to GEDmatch. A search warrant was issued to
obtain Smith’s DNA.
Miller, Joshua Rhett. “Forensic Genealogy
Leads to Arrest in 1969 Rape, Murder of Go- Smith is charged with murder with the use of
Go Dancer.” New York Post, October 28, a deadly weapon. The case against him is
2020. Accessed December 27, 2020. https:// pending in Orange County Superior Court.
nypost.com/2020/10/28/forensic-genealogy-
leads-to-arrest-in-1969-murder-rape-of- Sources:
dancer/.
Fausto, Alma. “Man Charged in 2018 Death
Schroeder, Laurie Mason. “Police Picked of Pasadena Woman Who Was Found Stabbed
Through North Whitehall Man’s Trash to Get in Westminster Motel.” Orange County
DNA Evidence they Say Links Him to 1969 Register, May 11, 2020. Accessed December
San Diego Cold Case Murder.” The Morning 27, 2020. https://www.ocregister.com/
Call, December 23, 2020. Accessed 2020/05/11/man-charged-in-2018-death-of-
December 27, 2020. https://www.mcall.com/

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 249
pasadena-woman-who-was-found-stabbed-in- had been killed by a blow to the right side of
westminster-motel/. her head.

Peralta, Jessica. “Westminster Police Smith is reported to have passed away in

Department Releases Suspect Photos and 2013 at the age of 94. He was reported to
Video in Connection with Feb. 5 Hotel have been an acquaintance of Farley and had
Homicide, Seeks Information.” Behind the visited the diner where she worked. He was
Badge, March 15, 2018. Accessed December long a suspect in the case, but there was no
27, 2020. https://behindthebadge.com/wpd- physical evidence tying him to the crime.
releases-suspect-photos-video-connection-
feb-5-hotel-homicide-seeks-information- Farley’s mother is now 86 years old, and she
public/? was notified that her daughter’s killer has
fbclid=IwAR1PX28tO2kcw1FBF7WER2AA been identified. Her father passed away in
- 2009. She was the oldest of seven siblings.
zNK4qU9tG7GMRzChJPkTH3pjAVvfuTJ7Z
g#:~:text=The%20officers%20found%20Nic Sources:
hols%20dead,was%20murdered%20February
%205%2C%202018. Associated Press. “Authorities Use DNA to
Solve 1971 Murder of 17-Year-Old in Cedar
Zint, Bradley. “Westminster Police Make Rapids.” Des Moines Register, October 8,
Arrest in 2018 Murder Case Thanks to First- 2021. Accessed October 8, 2021. https://
Ever Use of DNA Company.” Behind the www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/
Badge, November 11, 2020. Accessed crime-and-courts/2021/10/08/1971-murder-
December 27, 2020. https:// brubaker-maureen-farley-cedar-rapids-iowa-
behindthebadge.com/westminster-police- cold-case-murder-solved-dna-george-smith/
make-arrest-in-2018-murder-case-thanks-to- 6048815001/.
first-ever-use-of-dna-company/.
Crane, Emily. “Iowa Teen’s Killer Identified
50 Years After Her Body Was Found.” New
Case ID 1533: Smith, George M. York Post, October 6, 2021. Accessed October
8, 2021. https://nypost.com/2021/10/06/iowa-
George M. Smith was identified on teens-killer-identified-50-years-after-her-
September 24, 2021 as the lead suspect in the body-was-found/.
September 24, 1971 rape and murder of 17-
year-old Maureen Brubaker Farley in Cedar Ewing, Jody. “Maureen Brubaker Farley.”
Rapids, Iowa – 50 years to the day. The case Iowa Cold Cases (Blog), Last modified
has been cleared by exception due to the February 20, 2019. Accessed October 8,
death of Smith. 2021. https://iowacoldcases.org/case-
summaries/maureen-farley/.
Farley’s partially nude body was found by
two boys, aged 14 and 15, in an abandoned Lambe, Jerry. “Police Solve Cold Case of
car in a wooded ravine several days after she Murdered Iowa Teen Exactly 50 Years to the
failed to show up for her job at a diner. She Day Her Body Was Discovered.” Law &

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 250
Crime, October 6, 2021. Accessed October 8, court, the United States District Court for the
2021. https://lawandcrime.com/crime/police- Eastern District of Oklahoma. The State of
solve-cold-case-of-murdered-iowa-teen- Oklahoma had passed a law extending the
exactly-50-years-to-the-day-her-body-was- statute of limitations from its usual 5 years in
discovered/. cases where new DNA evidence becomes
available. However, under federal law, the
statute of limitations had expired. A federal
Case ID 1378-1382: Smith, Leroy Jamol judge dismissed the charges against Smith,
and he was released from custody in August
Leroy Jamol Smith was arrested on June 9, of 2020.
2020 and charged in connection with a series
of sexual assaults against five victims that Prosecutors refiled the charges, claiming that
took place in Muskogee County, Oklahoma Smith was not a member of a recognized tribe
between 1993 and 1995. at the time of the offences, and so was not
covered by the McGirt ruling. He could
The FGG investigation was conducted by therefore be tried in Muskogee County Court
Parabon Nanolabs. The initial confirmation (one of his victims was also a member of a
was made with a sample of Smith’s DNA that federally-recognized tribe, and so the charges
was on file with the Tulsa Police Department in her case were excluded from this motion).
as a result of a warrant in an unrelated case in The Special District Court ruled in Smith’s
2005. This case involved a double homicide favour in April of 2021. In May of 2021,
in which Smith was acquitted, and so his prosecutors stated that they had come to the
DNA was never processed and uploaded to end of the line, and they would not file any
CODIS. further pleadings. The case against Smith was
dismissed.
The statute of limitations has expired on these
sexual assaults, an outcome that was Ray Carter reported that officials with local
influenced by the recent decision by the U.S. tribal governments did not respond to queries
Supreme Court in McGirt v. Oklahoma, 591 as to whether Smith was a tribal member, or
U.S. 2020. That case determined that the the ramifications of the McGirt decision on
location in which these crimes took place falls law enforcement in Oklahoma. Rebecca
in the territorial boundaries of the Five Nagle claims that only a small number of
Civilized Tribes, including the Muscogee offenders will be able to access federal relief.
Nation, as granted by a treaty in the 1830s.
This means that this area is an American It is currently not known how the McGirt
Indian Reservation for the purposes of the decision will affect ongoing attempts to
criminal law, and therefore the state lacks the address the issue of missing and murdered
authority to try a defendant if the defendant or indigenous women in the area.
the victim is Native American or a descendent
of one of the tribes. Sources:

Smith’s case was therefore moved from the 5 News Web Staff. “‘This Was a Case That
Muskogee County District Court to federal Gripped Muskogee With Fear,’ Serial Rapist

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From the 90s Arrested.” 5 News Online, June year-old-rape-cases/article_dbf49be2-
10, 2020. Accessed December 27, 2020. ab37-11ea-8a12-135d59142f04.html.
https://www.5newsonline.com/article/news/
crime/muskogee-oklahoma-serial-rapist- Ridenour, Elizabeth. “Man Charged with Five
arrested/527-be51c3de-23b5-46e3-bd79- Rapes Freed from Jail.” Muskogee Phoenix,
fffe840542f6. August 27, 2020. Accessed December 27,
2020. https://www.muskogeephoenix.com/
Burk, Jared. “Accused Muskogee Serial news/man-charged-with-five-rapes-freed-
Rapist from 1990s Captured Thanks to from-jail/article_3e426f11-7995-53ed-b848-
DNA.” KSWO ABC 7 News, June 10, 2020. e8d3d0ede24b.html.
Accessed December 27, 2020. https://
www.kswo.com/2020/06/10/accused- Rowland, Ronn. “Judge Rules in Favor of
muskogee-serial-rapist-s-captured-thanks- Defense in Smith Rape Case.” Muskogee
dna/. Phoenix, April 12, 2021. Accessed January
30, 2023. https://
Carter, Ray. “Officials Offer Few Solutions as www.muskogeephoenix.com/news/judge-
Alleged Rapist is Freed.” Oklahoma Council rules-in-favor-of-defense-in-smith-rape-case/
of Public Affairs, September 2, 2020. article_dc37fa4e-9c05-11eb-93d7-1b55e4c59
Accessed December 27, 2020. https:// 697.html.
www.ocpathink.org/post/marcuss-story-sober-
living-through-community. U.S. v. Leroy Jemol Smith. Order, Case No.
CR-20-057-RAW. In the United States
Mugavero, Amelia. “Judge Denies State New District Court for the Eastern District of
Prosecution of Accused Serial Rapist.” News Oklahoma, August 27, 2020.
on Six, May 10, 2021. Accessed January 30,
2023. https://www.newson6.com/story/ U.S. v. Leroy Jemol Smith. Order, Case No.
6099c001e3aa350baf90a94b/judge-denies- CR-20-057-RAW. In the United States
state-new-prosecution-of-accused-serial- District Court for the Eastern District of
rapist-. Oklahoma, August 31, 2020. Accessed
December 27, 2020. https://casetext.com/
Nagle, Rebecca. “Oklahoma’s Suspect case/united-states-v-smith-362476.
Argument in Front of the Supreme Court.”
The Atlantic, May 8, 2020. Accessed 23
January 2021. https://www.theatlantic.com/ Case ID 1730-1731: Smith, Reuben J.
ideas/archive/2020/05/oklahomas-suspect-
argument-front-supreme-court/611284/. Ruben J. Smith was identified as the lead
suspect in the rape and murders of two
Oxendine, Chelsea. “Law Enforcement women in Orange County, California. The
Officials Announce Arrest in 25+ Year Old case has been cleared by exception due to the
Rape Cases.” Muskogee Phoenix, June 10, death of Smith.
2020. Accessed December 27, 2020. https://
www.muskogeephoenix.com/news/law- 23-year-old Shannon Rose Lloyd was killed
enforcement-officials-announce-arrest-in-25- in her bedroom in her apartment in Garden

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 252
Grove on May 21, 1987. She had been 25, 2022. Accessed July 29, 2022. https://
sexually assaulted and strangled to death. The orangecountyda.org/press/two-orange-county-
body of Renee Cuevas, 27, was found along cold-case-murders-solved-through-multi-
the Lambert Road outside of the now-closed agency-effort-using-investigative-genetic-
El Toro Marine Base in Orange County on genealogy/.
February 19, 1989.
Salahieh, Nouran. “A Suspect in the 1980s
The cases were linked together in 2003, when Killings of 2 California Women is Identified
DNA profiles were developed from crime After DNA Match.” CNN, July 26, 2022.
scene DNA. The FGG investigation was Accessed July 29, 2022. https://
conducted by the Orange County District www.cnn.com/2022/07/26/us/california-cold-
Attorney’s Investigative Genetic Genealogy case-murders-solved/index.html.
unit, beginning in 2021. There is currently no
information on how the final confirmation
was made. Case ID 1836-1837: Snowden, Eddie
George Jr.
Smith moved away from the Orange County
area to Las Vegas, where he died by suicide in The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police
1999. He was 39 years old. He had been Department announced on February 6, 2023
charged in 1998 with the rape and attempted that Eddie George Snowden Jr. was identified
murder of a third woman, who managed to as the lead suspect in two rape-murders in the
escape. She said, “The evil in him. I know if I early 1990s in Las Vegas, Nevada. The cases
didn’t fight, I was going to die… It was have been cleared by exception due to the
horrible. The things that he did, the things he death of Snowden.
said. He told me he was going to kill me.”
A man out walking his dog found the body of
Sources: Lori Ann Perera, 31, on December 11, 1992
behind a Montgomery Ward store in a desert
Cuniff, Meghann. “‘Justice Does Not Have an area. She was nude, and had ligature marks
Expiration Date’: Las Vegas Man Who Killed on her wrists and ankles. It appeared that she
Himself in 1999 Linked to 2 Cold Case had been bound and had duct tape placed over
Murders in California.” Law & Crime, July her mouth. The autopsy found that she had
25, 2022. Accessed July 29, 2022. https:// died from manual strangulation and blunt
lawandcrime.com/crime/justice-does-not- force trauma.
have-an-expiration-date-las-vegas-man-who-
killed-himself-in-1999-linked-to-2-cold-case- The body of Pearl Wilson Ingram, 35, was
murders-in-california/. found on January 11, 1994 in similar
circumstances. She was found by an
Orange County District Attorney. “Two employee of a garbage disposal company in a
Orange County Cold Case Murders Solved dumpster behind Von’s Grocery Store. She
Through Multi-Agency Effort Using was nude from the waist down, and the
Investigative Genetic Genealogy.” Orange autopsy found that she had been beaten, that
County District Attorney (Press Release), July several of her teeth had been knocked out,

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 253
and she had died from manual strangulation. members — keep hope alive,” said the sister.
She had been covered in debris to delay the “Keep God first. You, too, can have closure.”
discovery of her remains.
Sources:
The cases were reopened in March of 2007.
Sperm was found on a rectal swab taken from Cruz, Martha. “Las Vegas Police Identify
Perera at her autopsy. This profile was entered Suspect Involved in 2 Cold Case
into CODIS, but produced no hits. In July of Investigations from 1990.” ABC 3 News,
2012, a DNA profile was obtained from a February 6, 2023. Accessed February 7, 2023.
sexual assault kit taken from Ingram’s body https://news3lv.com/news/local/las-vegas-
during her autopsy. The source of the DNA police-provide-information-in-2-cold-case-
was a skin swab. There were no hits in investigations-from-1990-lvmpd-
CODIS, but investigators were able to learn montgomery-ward-retail-store-
that the same suspect was linked to both vons-1992-1992-december-janaury.
murders.
Miller, Jax. “Las Vegas Cold Case Officials
The FGG investigation was conducted by Announce Suspect in Women’s 1990s
Othram in partnership with the Las Vegas Murders.” Oxygen, February 7, 2023.
Metropolitan Police Department, beginning in Accessed February 7, 2023. https://
June of 2022. Funding for the FGG www.oxygen.com/crime-news/lvmpd-eddie-
investigation was provided by a local non- george-snowden-jr-1990s-las-vegas-murder-
profit organization, the Vegas Justice League. suspect.
The final confirmation was made to living
family members of Snowden. Vogen, Michael. “Las Vegas Metropolitan
Police Department and Othram Partner to
Snowden was born in January of 1937. He Identify a 1990s Serial Murderer.”
lived in Las Vegan, close to where both DNASolves.com, February 6, 2023. Accessed
victims’ remains were found, at the time of February 7, 2023. https://dnasolves.com/
the murders. He died in Las Vegas in articles/lvmpd-perera-ingram/.
February of 2017.

He lived in a number of cities in California Case ID 1413-1414: Snyder, Mort Jr.

during his life, and authorities there have
been notified so that they can investigate Mort Snyder Jr. has been identified as the lead
whether Snowden is linked to similar suspect in two sexual assaults that took place
murders. He lived in Fresno, California, from in 1996 in Layton, Utah and in 1986 in
about 1956 to 1979 where he has a criminal Okaloosa Island, Florida. The two cases were
record, although the offences are not linked through DNA profiles obtained from
specified. the victims’ sexual assault kits, but there were
no hits to a suspect in law enforcement
Ingram’s younger sister, Teresa Board, stated, databases.
““I’d like to say, if there are any other family

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 254
There is currently no information on who stabbed and bludgeoned to death with a
performed the FGG investigation. The case hammer resembling those used in fantasy
was cleared by exception, as Snyder passed gaming.
away in southern Carolina in 2015. He had
lived in both areas at the time of the assaults. A DNA profile of the suspect was developed
from samples found on the trash barrel where
Sources: Fay’s body was found, the hammer used in
the murder, and a sample obtained from under
Best, Chris. “DNA Cracks 30-Year-Old Fay’s fingernails.
Okaloosa County Sex Assault.” WKRG News
5, October 2, 2020. Accessed December 27, The FGG investigation was conducted by
2020. https://www.wkrg.com/northwest- Colleen Fitzpatrick of Identifinders. Ancestry
florida/dna-cracks-30-year-old-okaloosa- analysis showed that the suspect had some
county-sex-assault/. Mediterranean or Middle Eastern ancestry,
and his Y-STR analysis showed that he was
Boster, Matt. “Okaloosa County: Cold Case likely descended from a line of Portuguese
Sexual Battery From 1986 Resolution.” men. Fitzpatrick solved the case by finding a
Rickey Stoke News, October 2, 2020. second cousin once-removed who had
Accessed December 27, 2020. https:// uploaded their DNA to FTDNA. Police then
www.rickeystokesnews.com/article.php/ obtained a search warrant for Soares’ DNA,
okaloosa-county-cold-case-sexual-battery- and they took a cheek swab that was
from-1986-resolution-176493. consistent with the DNA profile obtained
from the crime scene.
Forensic Magazine. “Genetic Genealogy
Helps Solve 1986 Sexual Battery.” Forensic On January 6, 2023, Soares pled not guilty
Magazine, October 9, 2020. Accessed due to reason of insanity at his trial in Rhode
December 27, 2020. https:// Island Superior Court.. A psychiatrist
www.forensicmag.com/569071-Genetic- testifying for the defense testified that Soares
Genealogy-Helps-Solve-1986-Sexual- had schizophrenia and therefore not
Battery/. criminally responsible for the murder. A
psychiatrist testifying for the prosecution
agreed with this evaluation.
Case ID 1156: Soares, Michael
According to Dr. Christopher Matkovik,
Michael Soares was arrested on February 5, Soares understood the ramifications of his
2019 and charged with first degree murder in actions, but did not see Fay as human at the
the May 16, 2013 killing of 66-year-old John time of killing. He agrees that Soares fits the
Fay in Warwick, Rhode Island. legal standard for not guilty due to reason of
insanity, but also shared his concerns on the
Fay had been jogging on a walking trail in possibility of Soares murdering again. During
Warwick City Park when he was ambushed his time at the Adult Correctional Institutions
and beaten. His body was found the next day in Cranston, Matkovic states that Soares had
stuffed into a trash barrel. He had been dreams of murdering his parents. Matkovik

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 255
advised that Soares be supervised in a secure
forensic psychiatric facility, possibly for the Reynolds, Mark. “Prosecution, Defense
rest of his life. Agree: Soares Not Criminally Responsible for
Park Killing.” The Providence Journal,
Soares was found guilty of first-degree January 7, 2023. Accessed January 16, 2023.
murder after a bench trial on January 27, https://www.providencejournal.com/story/
2023. The defence states that it intends to news/courts/2023/01/07/judge-to-decide-
appeal the verdict. park-killing-case-and-culpability-of-michael-
soares/69785612007/.
Sources:

Amaral, Brian. “How Genealogical Sleuthing Case ID : Speelman, Christopher

Led to Suspect in Warwick Jogger’s Death.”
Providence Journal, February 7, 2019. Christopher Speelman was arrested on July
Accessed December 27, 2020. https:// 27, 2021 for the August 13, 1987 rape and
www.providencejournal.com/news/20190207/ murder of 85-year-old Edna Laughman in
how-genealogical-sleuthing-led-to-suspect-in- Oxford Township, Pennsylvania.
warwicks-joggers-death.
Laughman was killed by an intruder who
Boston 25 News Staff. “Distant Cousin’s Use forced her to swallow pills, and then sexually
of DNA Test Kit Leads Police to Murder assaulted and strangled her while she was
Suspect.” Boston 25 News, February 7, 2019. unconscious.
Accessed December 27, 2020. https://
www.boston25news.com/news/distant- Forensic scientists attempted to obtain a
cousin-s-use-of-dna-test-kit-leads-police-to- profile from a sexual assault kit taken at
murder-suspect/916060031/. Laughman’s autopsy in 1993, but the results
were not conclusive. A DNA profile was
Bouras, Joanna. “Michael Soares Found finally obtained in 2003 from the samples –
Guilty of Murder in Killing of Jack Fay in which had inexplicably been lost. They were
Warwick City Park.” WJAR News 10, January located in the possession of a former Penn
27, 2023. Accessed January 30, 2023. https:// State professor who was then living in
turnto10.com/news/local/decision-expected- Germany. The FGG investigation was
in-murder-trial-of-michael-soares-murder-of- conducted by Parabon Nanolabs. A warrant
jack-fay-warwick-city-park-2013- was obtained by police to take a DNA sample
jan-27-2023. from Speelman for confirmation. There is no
information on whether surreptitious
Reynolds, Mark. “Pawtucket Man Charged sampling was used.
with Murder in 2013 Slaying of Warwick
Jogger.” Providence Journal, February 5, Speelman was convicted of burglary in 1991,
2019. Accessed December 27, 2020. https:// and there is currently no information that he
www.providencejournal.com/news/20190205/ has a more recent criminal record.
pawtucket-man-charged-with-murder-
in-2013-slaying-of-warwick-jogger.

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 256
Barry Laughman, a neighbour and relative of https://www.fox43.com/article/news/crime/
Laughman, was wrongfully convicted of this cold-case-homicide-adams-county-
offence on December 16, 1988. He served gettysburg-new-oxford/
about 16 years in prison before being released 521-2c40546b-6868-4ed2-82a3-56f4b9e8021
in 2003. On August 26, 2004, he was finally e.
exonerated by the DNA profile obtained in
2003 when his Y-STR profile showed him to Innocence Project. “Barry Laughman.”
be excluded as a contributor to the crime Innocence Project (Cases), 2021. Accessed
scene sample. Barry Laughman is reported to July 27, 2021. https://innocenceproject.org/
have had an IQ of about 70, and to have been cases/barry-laughman/.
functioning at the level of a 10-year-old. This,
combined with improper police interrogation Weinstock, Ed. “DNA Connects Man to 33-
techniques, is thought to have contributed to Year-Old Homicide, Pennsylvania State
his false confession and wrongful conviction. Police Say.” WGAL NBC News 8, July 27,
2021. Accessed July 27, 2021. https://
Serology evidence introduced at the trial is www.wgal.com/article/dna-connects-man-
also thought to have been faulty. Both blood to-33-year-old-pennsylvania-homicide/
types A (Barry’s) and B (Edna’s) were found 37144933.
at the crime scene. The Innocence Project
states that, “The police chemist testified
correctly at trial that the victim’s profile could Case ID 1278-1282: Stane, Nickey
have masked Laughman’s profile. The analyst
testified incorrectly, however, that bacterial Nickey Stane was arrested on October 3,
degradation could have changed type A blood 2019 and charged in the August 22, 1996 rape
to type B or vice versa.” This was a common and murder of 22-year-old Debbie Dorian in
problem in the field of serology at the time, Visalia, California.
and it has led to several wrongful convictions.
Dorian had been bound and gagged with duct
Sources: tape, and sexually assaulted by an intruder.
Her father found her body inside her home
Abad, Dylan, Seth Kaplan, and Lauren Rude. when he went to look for her. She had likely
“Pennsylvania State Police Makes Arrest in been dead for up to two days. Dorian had
34-Year-Old Cold Case; Suspect Confessed to been studying economics at Fresno State
Actions in Murder.” ABC News 27, July 27, University.
2021. Accessed July 27, 2021. https://
www.abc27.com/news/local/pennsylvania- A DNA profile of the suspect was obtained
state-police-to-hold-press-conference- from the sexual assault kit performed at
following-arrest-linked-to-cold-case/. Dorian’s autopsy, and this was linked to a
sexual assault in Visalia in 1999. The FGG
Griffaton, Grace, and Cale Ahearn. “New investigation was conducted by Parabon.
Oxford Man Arrested, Admits to 1987
Homicide in Adams County.” Fox News 43. Stane is also charged in a series of sexual
July 27, 2021. Accessed July 27, 2021. assaults in Tulare County, California that took

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 257
place between 1999 and 2002. The assailant Dorian Murder.” Fox 26 News, October 4,
in those attacks raped women at gunpoint, 2019. Accessed December 27, 2020. https://
usually women walking alone at night. ‘John kmph.com/news/local/fresno-police-to-
Doe Warrants’ had been filed to stop the release-information-related-to-debbie-dorian-
statute of limitations from running. Stane is murder-case.
also charged with using a device to record
women in a washroom without their KFSN. “Debbie Dorian Murder Suspect
knowledge. Hoping for Separate Trial on Tulare County
Sex Crimes.” ABC 30 News, May 23, 2022.
Stane has previously been charged with Accessed January 30, 2023. https://
several misdemeanor sexual assault charges abc30.com/nickey-stane-trial/11886592/.
in the 1980s, but these took place before the Rodriguez, Rich. “52 Year Old Visalia Man is
routine collection of DNA. Arrested for Sexual Assault Cases Dating
Back 20 Years.” Fox 26 News, October 3,
The charges against Stane are pending 2019. Accessed December 27, 2020. https://
together in Frenso County Superior Court. kmph.com/news/local/52-year-old-visalia-
Prosecutors have yet to announce whether man-is-arrested-for-sexual-assault-cases-
they will seek the death penalty. dating-back-20-years.

In July of 2021, the defence motioned to have Rodriguez, Robert. “Alleged Serial Sexual
the murder charge separated from the other Predator Enters Plea in ’96 Rape, Killing of
rape cases, claiming that it would prejudice Fresno State Student.” Fresno Bee, February
his trial. The defence motion was denied, and 27, 2020. Accessed December 27, 2020.
the defendant appealed to the 5th Appellate https://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/crime/
District Court of Appeal in December of article240697541.html.
2022.
Rose, Sontaya. “Accused Murderer, Sexual
Sources: Predator Nickey Stane Appears in Court,
Denied Bail.” ABC 30, February 6, 2020.
California v. Nickey Duane Stane. Second Accessed December 27, 2020. https://
Amended Felony Complaint. Court No. abc30.com/nick-stane-nickey-nicky-visalia-
VCF223788. Tulare County Superior Court cold-case/5909651/.
District, Tulare County Superior Court
Division. Superior Court of California, County of
Fresno. “Case Information: F20900679, The
Johnson, Brian. “Accused Sexual Predator People of the State of California vs. Nickey
Nickey Stane Who Terrorized Visalia Women Duane Stane.” Superior Court of California,
20 Years Ago Appears in Court.” ABC News County of Fresno. Accessed January 30,
30, October 4, 2019. Accessed December 27, 2023. https://
2020. https://abc30.com/5593118/. publicportal.fresno.courts.ca.gov/
FRESNOPORTAL/Home/WorkspaceMode?
Fox 26 News. “Fresno Police name Nickey p=0.
Stane of Visalia Primary Suspect in Debbie

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YourCentralValley.com Staff. “Visalia Man and the surreptitious sampling of beer cans
Accused of Killing Fresno State Student in that Stough discarded in his trash.
1996 Pleads Not Guilty,”
YourCentralValley.com, February 28, 2020. Stough has been charged with first degree
Accessed December 27, 2020. https:// murder and robbery with a deadly weapon,
www.yourcentralvalley.com/news/crime/ and he is being held in custody in Orange
visalia-man-accused-of-killing-fresno-state- County. Although Stough did not know the
student-in-1996-pleads-not-guilty/. victim, he once worked at the convenience
store where Paquette was killed. He also lived
in the area at around the time of the murder.
Case ID 1544: Stough, Kenneth, Jr.
Sources:
54-year-old Kenneth Robert Stough Jr. was
arrested on November 2, 2021, for the Byrnes, Joe. “In a First for Orange County
February 3, 1996 murder of 31-year-old Sheriff, Genetic Genealogy Leads to Murder
Terence Paquette in Orlando, Florida. Arrest.” MMFE 90.7 News, November 4,
2021. Accessed November 7, 2021. https://
Paquette was working as a clerk at a www.wmfe.org/in-a-first-for-orange-county-
Lil’Champ convenience store in Orlando, sheriff-genetic-genealogy-leads-to-murder-
where he had arrived to open the store in the arrest/192165
early morning hours, just before 6:00 am. A
few hours later, he was found dead in the Johnson, Constance. “Tossed Beer Cans Led
bathroom after having been brutally stabbed to Arrest of Suspect in Brutal 1996 Cold Case
73 times. His throat was slit by an unknown Murder, Florida Police Say.” Oxygen,
intruder who stole the store’s cash deposits – November 4, 2021. Accessed November 7,
in the amount of about $1,000. Paquette had 2021. https://www.oxygen.com/crime-news/
moved to the area only a few years earlier, robert-stough-jr-arrested-for-murder-after-
often worked 60-hours weeks, and was dna-collected-from-cans.
reportedly a quiet and reserved person.
Mina, John. “Sheriff Mina Update on 1996
A DNA profile was obtained in 2003 from Cold Case Murder.” Facebook (Post),
blood found on a freezer door, but there were November 4, 2021. Accessed November 7,
no hits to profiles in law enforcement 2021. https://www.facebook.com/
databases. The case was reopened in 2019 by SheriffJohnMina/videos/1446274869078781/.
a new cold case unit, and investigators with
the Orange County Sheriff’s Office were able Vogen, Michael. “Florida Department of Law
to obtain a new DNA profile for FGG Enforcement and Orange County Sheriff’s
analysis. office Leverage Othram’s Genetic Testing
Platform to Identify a 1996 Murder Suspect.”
The FGG investigation was undertaken by the DNASolves.com, November 4, 2021.
FDLE. The suspects were narrowed down to Accessed November 7, 2021. https://
Stough Jr. and his two brothers. Police made dnasolves.com/articles/
the initial confirmation through surveillance fdle_orange_county_terrence_paquette/.

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 259
 WESH Orlando. “Discarded Beer Can Helps samples through a warrant for Sutherland’s
Solve Orange County Cold Case Murder.” DNA profile.
MSN News, November 4, 2021. Accessed
November 7, 2021. https://www.msn.com/en- Toronto police have stated that Sutherland
us/news/crime/discarded-beer-can-helps- had no prior criminal record, and had never
solve-orange-county-cold-case-murder/ar- been connected with the investigation into the
AAQi9eG. murders. He was living in Toronto at the time
of the murders. He is currently facing two
charges of first-degree murder in Ontario
Case ID 1793-1794: Sutherland, Joseph Superior Court.
George
Police state that over 5,000 men were
Joseph George Sutherland, 61, was arrested suspects in the homicides before Sutherland’s
on November 25, 2022 by the Ontario arrest. Police continue to investigate
Provisional Police in Moosonee, Ontario for Sutherland for similar crimes committed in
the home invasion rapes and murders of two Ontario outside of Toronto.
women in central Toronto in 1983.
Sources:
45-year-old Susan Tice was murdered on
August 17, 1983. Her home had been CBC News. “Man Arrested and Charged in
ransacked by an unknown intruder, and she Grisly 1983 Killings of 2 Women in Toronto,
was sexually assaulted and stabbed to death in Police Say.” CBC News, November 28, 2022.
her bedroom. She was a social worker and Accessed November 30, 2022. https://
mother our four who had recently moved to www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/tice-
Toronto from Calgary. gilmour-cold-case-murders-arrest-1.6666333.

22-year-old Erin Gilmour was murdered on Hunter, Brad. “Toronto Cops Name Suspect
December 20, 1983 in her apartment in in Brutal 1983 Susan Tice-Erin Gilmour
Toronto’s Yorkville neighbourhood. She had Murders.” Toronto Sun, November 28, 2022.
also been sexually assaulted and stabbed to Accessed November 30, 2022. https://
death. torontosun.com/news/crime/breaking-cops-
make-arrest-in-1983-erin-gilmour-susan-tice-
A DNA profile of the suspect was obtained in murders.
2011 from DNA found at the crime scenes. At
that time, the two crimes were linked to the Toronto Police Service. “TPS Announces
same suspect in the victim’s index of Arrest in Cold Case Homicides #28/1983,
Canada’s National DNA Database. Susan Nice, 45, & #48/1983, Erin Gilmour.”
You Tube (Press Conference), November 28,
The FGG investigation was conducted by 2022. Accessed November 30, 2022. https://
Othram in partnership with the Toronto Police www.youtube.com/watch?v=46_9Vih2FyM.
Service, who performed the genealogical
portion of the investigation. The final Vogen, Michael. “Toronto Police Service
confirmation was made to the crime scene Uses Othram’s Genetic Testing Platform to

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 260
Solve the 1983 Murders of Susan Tice and they had consensual sex was the foundation
Erin Gilmour.” DNASolves.com, November of his defence.
28, 2022. Accessed November 30, 2022.
https://dnasolves.com/articles/tice-and- The use of genetic genealogy in the
gilmour-toronto/. investigation is not being considered in
Talbot’s appeal. He states he is not guilty
because he had consensual sex with the
Case ID 1091-1092: Talbot, William Earl II victim and someone else is responsible for
their murders. One of his attorneys suggested
William Earl Talbott II was arrested on May that her own fluids being mixed in with
18, 2018 and charged with the November 18, Talbott’s indicated arousal, and thus
1987 murders of 20-year-old Jay Cook consensual sexual activity. Talbot himself did
and18-year-old Tanya Van Cuylenborg in not take the stand and testify in his defence.
Snohomish County, Washington. Jurors at the trial stated that this weighed
against his innocence.
The young couple had left home in Saanich,
BC to pick up furnace parts for Jay’s father’s Talbot’s family have since spoken to the press
business in Seattle. They never returned. and indicated that he was abusive towards
Tanya’s body was found down an them from a young age. One sister alleged
embankment in rural Skagit County near that he had kicked her with boots on, and
Monroe. She had been sexually assaulted, her another states that he broke her tailbone
bra was still pushed up, and she had been because she had turned down the volume on
killed by a gunshot to the back of her head. her radio. He is also accused of assaulting his
Cook was later found in another rural area disabled father and threatening to run him
almost 100 km away from where Tanya was over with a car. They also allege that he
found. He had been beaten and strangled with sexually assaulted one of his sisters when she
twine and two red dog collars. was 11 years old. Talbot has previously been
convicted of indecent exposure.
A DNA profile was obtained from touch DNA
on zip ties used in the killings, as well as Talbot’s conviction was overturned on
semen found on Tanya’s clothing and genital December 6, 2021, by the Washington state
area. The FGG investigation was conducted Court of Appeals due to actual bias on the
by CeCe Moore of Parabon Nanolabs. The part of one of the jurors. It was found that the
initial confirmation was made through police juror had admitted upon being questioned to
surveillance followed by the surreptitious being biased in cases involving violence
sampling of a coffee cup discarded by Talbot. against women, due to her own experiences
and the strong emotions it generated. The
Talbot was convicted after a jury trial, making court did not rule in any matters relating to
him the first person identified with FGG to be the use of DNA or FGG in this case.
so convicted. His attorneys did not challenge
the FGG evidence. Talbot admitted that it was Snohomish County prosecutors appealed the
his semen on Tanya, and his assertion that ruling to Washington State Supreme Court,
and on December 22, 2022, the charges were

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 261
reinstated. The case is expected to return to Everett Herald, December 6, 2021. Accessed
the Court of Appeals to address other legal December 7, 2021. https://
questions raised by Talbot. Talbot’s attorneys www.heraldnet.com/news/juror-bias-cold-
also argue missteps taken at trial regarding case-murder-defendants-conviction-reversed/.
“insufficient evidence” and the “inadequacy
of the police investigation.” Talbot continues Johnson, Gene. “U.S. Man Accused in Cold
to maintain his innocence. Case Deaths of Canadian Couple Facing
Trial.” CTV News, June 12, 2019. Accessed
Sources: December 27, 2020. https://www.ctvnews.ca/
world/u-s-man-accused-in-cold-case-deaths-
Associated Press. “U.S. Court Reinstates of-canadian-couple-facing-trial-1.4463514.
Guilty Verdicts in 1987 Killings of Vancouver
Island Couple.” CTV News, December 24, Larsen, Karin. “Seattle Man Arrested in
2022. Accessed January 16, 2023. https:// Connection With 1987 Slayings of B.C. High
vancouverisland.ctvnews.ca/u-s-court- School Sweethearts.” CBC News, May 18,
reinstates-guilty-verdicts-in-1987-killings-of- 2018, last modified May 19, 2020. Accessed
vancouver-island-couple-1.6208022. December 27, 2020. https://www.cbc.ca/
news/canada/british-columbia/seattle-man-
Aradillas, Elaine. “How a Woman’s Interest arrested-in-connection-with-1987-slayings-
in Her Family’s DNA Led to a Shocking of-b-c-high-school-sweethearts-1.4669139.
Arrest in a Cold Case Double Murder.”
People, October 7, 2020. Accessed December Raftery, Isolde, and Patricia Murphy. “Talbott
27, 2020. https://people.com/crime/chelsea- Defence Doubles Down on Rape Versus
rustad-cousin-killer-dna-helps-solve-case/. Consensual Sex Angle in Appeal.” National
Public Radio and KUOW News, July 12,
Associated Press. “Lab Report Shows More 2019. Accessed December 27, 2020. https://
DNA Linking Man to Killings of Saanich www.kuow.org/stories/talbott-defense-
Couple.” CTV News Vancouver Island, July doubles-down-on-rape-versus-consensual-
22, 2019. Accessed December 27, 2020. sex-angle-in-appeal.
https://vancouverisland.ctvnews.ca/lab-
report-shows-more-dna-linking-man-to- Syed, Ronna. “Man Appealing Genetic
killings-of-saanich-couple-1.4518474. Genealogy Murder Conviction was a Violent
Child, His Family Told Police.” CBC News,
Associated Press. “Washington Jurors Hear September 21, 2019. Accessed December 27,
About Final Days of Young B.C. Couple 2020. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/
Killed in 1987.” CBC News, June 14, 2019. william-talbott-ii-family-police-
Accessed December 27, 2020. https:// interviews-1.5286050.
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/
washington-jurors-hear-final-days-young-bc-
couple-killed-1987-1.5176304. Case ID 1354: Taylor, James Raymond

Hutton, Caleb. “Cold-Case Murder James Raymond Taylor has been identified as
Conviction Reversed Due to Juror’s Bias.” the lead suspect in the August 18, 1963 rape

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 262
and murder of 16-year-old Margaret Beck in CBS 4 Denver. “Genetic Genealogy Helps
Douglas County, Colorado. Solve 1963 Colorado Murder of Peggy
Beck.” CBS 4 Denver, April 23, 2020.
Beck was a Girl Scout on a camping trip with Accessed December 27, 2020. https://
her troop at the Flying G Ranch near Deckers, denver.cbslocal.com/2020/04/23/james-
Colorado in the Pike National Forest. Beck’s raymond-taylor-genetic-genealogy-
tentmate found her when she came back from solve-1963-murder-margaret-peggy-beck/.
spending a night in the infirmary. Beck had
been sexually assaulted and strangled to
death. Case ID 1309: Tellez, Martin Isaac

A DNA profile of the suspect was created in Martin Isaac Tellez was arrested on December
2007, but there were no hits in CODIS. A new 10, 2019 and charged in the February 15,
profile was obtained in June of 2019 and sent 2002 murder of 58-year-old Subir Chatterjee
for FGG. The FGG investigation was in Oak Ridge, Texas.
conducted by United Data Connect.
Chatterjee was a partial owner and employee
Taylor has not yet been located. He is at the Coastal Gas Station where he was
presumed to be deceased, although a warrant robbed and murdered. About $160,000 in
has been issued for his arrest. He was last cash that Chatterjee had on site as part of his
seen in Las Vegas in 1976. If he is still alive, cheque-cashing business was stolen in the
he will be about 82 years old as of 2021. It is robbery. He was shot in the head and neck at
known that he lived in the area at the time of close range. A male had been seen with him
the murder, working in a TV repair shop in inside his glass enclosure, leading police to
Edgewater. think that Chatterjee knew his killer. He had
been shot twice in the head and neck at close
Sources: range.

Bonvillian, Crystal. “DNA Cold Case: A DNA profile was created from blood found
Colorado Police Seek Suspect Identified in at the crime scene. The FGG investigation
1963 Killing of Girl Scout.” Fox 13 News, was conducted by Parabon Nanolabs. The
June 23, 2020. Accessed December 27, 2020. initial confirmation was made by police
https://www.fox13memphis.com/news/ surveillance followed by the surreptitious
trending/dna-cold-case-colorado-police-seek- sampling of Tellez’ DNA from a coffee cup, a
suspect-identified-1963-killing-girl-scout/ fork, and a piece of toast.
7Q5OBV5PINCHBMFFIK5AZRDN5U/.
Tellez was released on a $500,000 in March
Burke, Caroline. “Who is James Raymond of 2020. In about April of 2021, he removed
Taylor (World’s Oldest Successful Cold Case his GPS monitor and fled to Mexico. He
is Solved)?” Wiki Fox News, April 27, 2020. surrendered to U.S. Marshalls and Texas
Accessed December 27, 2020. https:// Rangers in Brownsville Texas on April 18,
wikifoxnews.com/james-raymond-taylor- 2021.
wiki-bio/.

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On June 28, 2022, Tellez pled guilty to the moco/news/article/DNA-testing-leads-to-20-
murder of Chatterjee and was sentenced to 60 year-old-cold-case-murder-17274640.php.
years in prison by the Montgomery County
District Court. He will be eligible for parole Lopardi, Michael. “Man Who Fled to Mexico
after 30 years of his sentence is served. Arrested in Connection to 2002 Murder.”
Click 2 Houston, April 22, 2021. Last
Sources: modified April 23, 2021. Accessed December
18, 2021. https://www.click2houston.com/
Dominguez, Catherine. “Tomball Man news/local/2021/04/23/man-who-fleed-to-
Indicted on Capital Murder for 2002 Cold mexico-arrested-in-connection-to-2002-
Case.” Courier of Montgomery County, murder/.
February 19, 2020. Accessed December 27,
2020. https://www.yourconroenews.com/
neighborhood/moco/news/article/Tomball- Case ID 1787-1788: Thies, Frank
man-indicted-on-capital-murder-
for-2002-15065642.php. Frank Thies, now 66, was arraigned on
November 17, 2022 for sexual assaulting an
Dominguez, Catherine. “DNA, Social Media 11-year-old and a 13-year-old girl on April
Lead to Arrest in 2002 Murder of Oak Ridge 12, 1987 in Exeter, Rhode Island. The girls
North Gas Station Owner.” Chron, December were playing tennis when Thies approached
11, 2019. Accessed December 27, 2020. them. He then forced them at knifepoint into
https://www.chron.com/neighborhood/moco/ the woods, where he sexually assaulted them.
news/article/DNA-social-media-lead-to-
arrest-in-2002-murder-14899701.php. A DNA sample had been obtained from
semen found on one of the victim’s clothing.
Engle, Scott. “After 17-Years of Hard Work The case was reopened in 2019 by the Special
Oak Ridge North Police Finally Arrest Victims Unit of the Rhode Island State Police.
Killer.” Montgomery County Police Reporter, The FGG investigation was conducted by
December 11, 2019. Accessed December 27, Identifinders. The initial confirmation was
2020. https:// made by the Indiana State Police through the
montgomerycountypolicereporter.com/ surreptitious sampling of a beer bottle, soda
after-17-years-of-hard-work-oak-ridge-north- can, and food wrappers that Thies had
police-finally-arrest-killer/? discarded.
fbclid=IwAR08XRMR2P1qtgF7BDCFvD_Y
Gbgro9C9S7Gj-- Thies, who served in the U.S. Marines and the
rlMpC4ofQkZyrtTdM3YTE. Navy, was found to have reported for duty at
the Naval Justice Academy in Newport the
Gonzalez, Jose R. “DNA Testing Leads to 20- day before the sexual assaults. Thies is facing
Year-Old Cold Case Murder Conviction in a charge of first-degree sexual assault and two
Montgomery County.” The Courier, June 29, charges of first-degree child molestation in
2022. Accessed January 16, 2023. https:// Washington County Superior Court. He had
www.yourconroenews.com/neighborhood/ pled not guilty and is being held without bail.
Police are investigating whether Thies is

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connected to any other sexual assaults in was match to a similar homicide that took
places where he has lived over the years. place on March 30, 1993 in Desert Center,
California. The body of Sherri Herrera was
Sources: found along the Interstate-10 Highway in the
desert between Palm Springs and Arizona.
Associated Press. “Indiana Man Arrested for She, too, was sexually assaulted and had been
1987 Sex Assault of 2 Girls in Rhode Island.” strangled to death with a belt. Both women
WTHR 13 News, November 17, 2022. were engaged in sex work at the time they
Accessed November 18, 2022. https:// were murdered.
www.wthr.com/article/news/crime/terre-
haute-man-arrested-1987-sex-assault-girls-in- DNA taken at the scene of Herrera’s murder
rhode-island/531-48bf0ba1-69d9-452b- had been uploaded to CODIS in 2002, and a
a5c5-52ba02453d20. SNP profile suitable for FGG was developed
Doiron, Sarah. “Suspect in 1987 Sex Assault in September of 2020. There is no
Case Pleads Not Guilty.” WPRI News 12, information on who performed the FGG
November 17, 2022. Accessed November 18, investigation. The final confirmation was
2022. https://www.wpri.com/news/local- made after a warrant was issued to take a
news/south-county/suspect-in-1987-sex- DNA sample from Thomas for comparison.
assault-case-pleads-not-guilty/.
Thomas is a retired long-haul truck driver
Perry, Jack. “Indiana Man Arrested in 35- from Waco, Texas. He is currently being held
Year-Old ‘Cold Case’ Sex Assault of Two on $2 million bail in Titus County, Texas.
Girls in Exeter.” The Providence Journal,
November 17, 2022. Accessed November 18, On June 13, 2022, Thomas was also charged
2022. https://www.providencejournal.com/ in the murder of Herrera, with a special
story/news/2022/11/17/ri-cold-case-sexual- circumstance of committing a murder during
assault-girls-indiana-man-arrested-charged/ a rape. He will first be prosecuted in Texas,
69656206007/. and will then be extradited to California.

Sources:
Case ID 1703-1704: Thomas, Douglas
McMillan, Rob. “How Riverside County
Douglas Thomas, 67, was arrested on May Investigators Played a Role in Possibly
25, 2022 for the April 1992 murder of Shenda Solving Decades-Old Murder Case.” ABC
Denise Hayes in Mount Pleasant, Texas. News 7, June 1, 2022. Accessed June 3, 2022.
https://abc7.com/sherri-herrera-murder-case-
Hayes’ body was found near a rest area on the california-desert-woman-killed-
Interstate-30 outside of Mount Pleasant. She i-10/11916441/.
had been sexually assaulted and strangled
with a device made of wire and cord. Riverside District Attorney. “In Last Two
Months, Man Charged with Cold Case
A DNA sample from a SAK taken at Hayes’ Murders in Texas and California.” Forensic
autopsy was uploaded to CODIS in 2004. It Magazine, June 13, 2022. Accessed June 17,

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 265
2022. https://www.forensicmag.com/587178-
In-Last-Two-Months-Man-Charged-with- Thomas had gone to prison in 2010, but his
Cold-Case-Murders-in-Texas-and-California/. DNA was not entered into the system because
of a processing error.
Witherspoon, Tommy. “DNA Database Links
Retired Waco Man to Murders of Sex Sources:
Workers in Texas and California Dating Back
30 Years.” ABC News 7, May 26, 2022. ABC 7 Staff. “DNA Leads to Arrest in 1998
Accessed June 3, 2022. https://www.kltv.com/ Armed Sexual Assault Case in Venice.” My
2022/05/26/dna-database-links-retired-waco- Sun Coast, December 16, 2019, last modified
man-murders-sex-workers-texas-california- December 17, 2019. Accessed December 27,
dating-back-30-years/. 2020. https://www.mysuncoast.com/
2019/12/16/dna-leads-arrest-armed-sexual-
assault-case-venice/.
Case ID 1312-1313: Thomas, Robert Brian
King, McKenna. “Genealogy DNA Helps
Robert Brian Thomas was arrested on Arrest Man for Two Florida Rape Cases
December 16, 2019 and charged with two Dating Back 21 Years.” ABC Action News,
sexual assaults that took place in Florida in December 16, 2019, last modified December
1998. 17, 2019. Accessed December 27, 2020.
https://www.abcactionnews.com/news/region-
A woman in her 20s was walking along pinellas/genealogy-dna-helps-arrest-man-for-
Indian Rocks Beach when she was threatened two-florida-rape-cases-dating-back-21-years.
and raped at knifepoint. Several months
earlier there was a violent home invasion rape Varn, Katherine. “Genealogy Database Leads
in Venice. Both women were raped at to Arrest in 1998 Rapes, Pinellas Sheriff
knifepoint and made to wash themselves after Says.” Tampa Bay Times, December 16, 2019.
the rapes. Thomas is suspected in other rapes Accessed December 27, 2020. https://
that took place in the area, but there was no www.tampabay.com/news/crime/2019/12/17/
DNA recovered from those assaults. genealogy-database-leads-to-arrest-in-1998-
Fingerprints of the suspect were also rapes-pinellas-sheriff-says/.
collected from the Venice crime scene.

The FGG investigation was conducted by the Case ID 1435-1438: Thomson, Michael F.
Florida Department of Law Enforcement
(FDLE). They found a match on GEDmatch Michael F. Thomson was arrested on
to a fourth cousin. The initial confirmation December 1, 2020 and charged with a series
was made through police surveillance of of sexual assaults that took place in 1991 in
Thomas, who was then living in Michigan, Arlington, Virginia. These attacks were part
followed by the surreptitious sampling of of a larger series of rapes and attempted rapes
cigarette butts he discarded. Thomas had perpetrated against females walking alone
lived near the rapes at the time they were from the East Falls Church Metro Station,
committed.

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 266
who were abducted and threatened them with 1991, Sentenced to Life in Prison.” Fox 5
a firearm. News DC, February 16, 2022. Accessed
February 19, 2022. https://www.fox5dc.com/
On January 17, 1991 at about 6:00 pm in the news/virginia-man-who-raped-a-teenager-
evening a woman left the Metro Station and and-a-young-mother-in-1991-sentenced-to-
was kidnapped by a man with a firearm. He life-in-prison.
forced her into a grassy area between two
homes and sexually assaulted her. The next O’Connell, Michael. “Cold Case Arrest: VA
assault took place on February 13, 1992 at Man Charged in 1991 Rapes, Abductions.”
about 7:40 pm when another woman leaving Patch, December 2, 2020. Accessed
the Metro was attacked in a similar fashion. December 27, 2020. https://patch.com/
On March 6, 1991 at about 10:00 pm, the virginia/arlington-va/cold-case-arrest-va-
assailant put a gun to the head of a woman man-charged-1991-rapes-abductions-0.
and forced her to remove her clothing. He
then asked her if she wanted him to leave. Pascale, Jordan. “Arlington Police Arrest Man
When she said yes, he fled without assaulting Suspected in Series of 30-Year-Old Rape
her. Cases.” DCist, December 2, 2020. Accessed
On December 2, 1991, another woman was December 27, 2020. https://dcist.com/story/
attacked at about 7:08 pm in the evening. 20/12/02/arlington-police-arrest-cold-case-
When she screamed, the man fled, dropping rape-falls-church-metro/.
his baseball cap. DNA was recovered from
the cap and matched to the other two cases.
Case ID 1684: Trent, Cecil H
The FGG investigation was conducted by
Parabon Nanolabs. On April 14, 2022, the Honolulu Police
Department announced that Cecil H. Trent
On Friday February 11, Thomson pled guilty was identified as the lead suspect in the 1994
and in Arlington County Circuit Court and murder of 37-year-old Lisa Fracassi in
was sentenced to life in prison plus 56 years. Honolulu, Hawaii. The case has been cleared
by exception due to the death of Trent.
Sources:
Fracassi was found strangled to death in her
ARLnow.com Staff. “Just In: Man Arrested own apartment on November 3, 1994. She
for 30-Year-Old Rape Cold Cases.” worked as an exotic dancer but had wanted to
ARLnow.com, December 2, 2020. Accessed become a nurse and was trying to save money
December 27, 2020. https://www.arlnow.com/ to go to school.
2020/12/02/just-in-man-arrested-for-30-year-
old-rape-cold-cases/? The FGG investigation was conducted by
fbclid=IwAR3lxN3QHZbIRSyIzLniMuqFQz CeCe Moore of Parabon Naolabs, beginning
ywQRobiCSMnErf4o4aukXlfpJfnt_oyoY. in 2020. The final confirmation was made by
comparing fingerprints taken at the crime
Fox 5 DC Digital Team. “Virginia Man, Who scene to those taken of Trent after his death. It
Raped a Teenager and a Young Mother in has not been reported as of yet if a DNA

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 267
sample taken at his autopsy was also used in July 16, 1981 rape and murder of 20-year-old
the final confirmation. Investigators state that Selena Keough in San Bernardino County,
the DNA evidence in this case was well- California. Keough had been sexually
preserved as the HPD had begun using an assaulted, bound, and strangled. She died of
updated method of storing evidence in the asphyxia from having tissues stuffed down
year before Fracassi’s murder. her throat. Her body had been left under some
bushes in Montclair.
Trent died of heart failure in Honolulu in
2013. Duggan had also been sexually assaulted. Her
body was found in the trunk of her car off the
Sources: 5 Freeway in Burbank. A DNA profile was
developed from material left on her body in
Hawaii News Now Staff. “Advances in DNA 2006. This was uploaded into law
Research help HPD Link Suspect to 1994 enforcement databases. It provided no hit to a
Murder in Waikiki.” Hawaii News Now, April suspect but did match an earlier DNA profile
14, 2022. Accessed April 15, 2022. https:// developed from the murder of Selena
www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2022/04/15/ Keough.
through-dna-tests-police-link-suspect-1994-
murder-waikiki/. There is no information on who conducted the
FGG investigation. The initial confirmation
Kalmbacher, Colin. “Hawaii Police Solve was made through police surveillance
Cold 1994 Case Murder of Exotic Dancer followed by the surreptitious sampling of
Strangled to Death in Her Own Apartment.” items that Van Vaultz had discarded in his
Law & Crime, April 15, 2022. Accessed April trash.
15, 2022. https://lawandcrime.com/crime/
hawaii-police-solve-cold-1994-case-murder- Van Vaultz previously pled no contest to
of-exotic-dancer-strangled-to-death-in-her- raping a choking a 22-year-old woman in
own-apartment/. 1984. In 1988 he was acquitted of the sexual
assault and murder of Janna Rowe who was
Ladao, Mark. “Primary Suspect Identified in killed on Christmas in 1986. He also has a
1994 Waikiki Murder Case Through DNA, misdemeanor criminal record for spousal
Fingerprint Analysis.” Yahoo News, April 15, assault in 2005 and again in 2007. He is
2022. Accessed April 15, 2022. https:// suspected of further offences, but no new
news.yahoo.com/primary-suspect- charges have yet been laid.
identified-1994-waikiki-160800447.html.
The case against Van Vaultz proceeded in the
Los Angeles County Superior Court. Van
Case ID 1300-1301: Van Vaultz, Horace Jr. Vaultz was convicted by a jury on two counts
of first-degree murder on August 19, 2022.
Horace Van Vaultz Jr. was arrested on This was the first conviction in LA County
November 15, 2019 and charged in the June using FGG.
9, 1986 rape and murder of 22-year-old Mary
Duggan in Burbank, California as well as the

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 268
Van Vaultz’s defence was that he had Angeles, March 5, 2020. Accessed December
consensual sex with the victims, but that both 28, 2020. https://www.nbclosangeles.com/
women were shortly thereafter murdered by a news/local/mystery-photos-found-at-accused-
different person. All three victims had been serial-killers-home-horace-van-vaultz/
restrained and then strangled in ways that 2323819/.
were very similar.
Morley, Veronica. “Bakersfield Man to Stand
Van Vaultz was sentenced on September 19, Trial for 1980s Killings in LA County’s First
2022, by the Ventura County Superior Court Genetic Genealogy Case.” ABC News 23
to two terms of life in prison, to be served Bakersfield, April 7, 2021. Last modified
consecutively and without the possibility of April 8, 2021. Accessed December 28, 2021.
parole. https://www.turnto23.com/news/crime/
bakersfield-man-to-stand-trial-for-1980-
Sources: killings-in-la-countys-first-genetic-
genealogy-case.
City News Service. “DNA Links Man to Cold
Case Murders of 2 Women.” NBC Los Queally, James. “L.A. Prosecutors Use
Angeles, November 15, 2019. Accessed Genealogy Search to Make Arrest in 1980s
December 28, 2020. https:// Killings of Two Women.” Los Angeles Times,
www.nbclosangeles.com/news/national- November 15, 2019. Accessed December 28,
international/dna-links-man-to-old-murders/ 2020. https://www.latimes.com/california/
2193472/. story/2019-11-15/cold-case-murders-
genealogy-search.
Gilman, Greg. “Bakersfield Man Gets Two
Life Sentences for 1980s Serial Killings.” Los
Angeles Magazine, September 20, 2022. Case ID 1178-1179: Vannieuwenhoven,
Accessed October 5, 2022. https:// Raymand Lawrence
www.lamag.com/citythinkblog/bakersfield-
man-get-two-life-sentences-for-1980s-serial- Raymand Lawrence Vannieuwenhoven was
killings/. arrested on March 14, 2019 and charged in
the July 9, 1976 murders of 24-year-old Ellen
Kalmbacher, Colin. “Self-Described Matheys and 25-year-old David Shuldes in
‘Swinger’ Convicted of Two Cold Case Rapes Silver Cliff, Wisconsin. They had been shot to
and Murders Decades After Being Acquitted death shortly after arriving at their camp site
of Killing a Third Woman.” Law & Crime, in McClintock Park. After setting up their
August 19, 2022. Accessed August 25, 2022. camp they appear to have gone for a walk.
https://lawandcrime.com/crime/self- Schuldes was found by park employees
described-swinger-convicted-of-two-cold- outside of the camp toilet. It appears he had
case-rapes-and-murders-decades-after-being- been shot while waiting for Matheys to use
acquitted-of-killing-a-third-woman/. the restroom. The suspect then forced or
chased Matheys to a location in the nearby
Leonard, Eric. “Mystery Photos Found at woods where she was raped and shot. She had
Accused Serial Killer’s Home.” NBC Los been putting her clothes back on when she

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 269
was shot in her chest and abdomen by an verdict. On August 26, 2021 he was sentenced
assailant standing in front of her. Her body to two consecutive life sentences.
was found the next morning in the bushes.
They had both been shot with a .30 caliber Vannieuwenhoven passed away at the age of
rifle. 85 in the Oshkosh Correctional Institution in
June of 2022. His attorneys are continuing
A DNA profile was obtained from semen with their appeal. They are challenging the
collected from Matheys’ body and from the police’s collection of his DNA on an envelope
shorts she was wearing. The FGG without his consent, arguing that the right to
investigation was conducted by Parabon privacy in the information contained in one’s
Nanolabs. The initial confirmation was made DNA should outweigh the interest that society
through police surveillance followed by the has in solving serious crimes. The case is now
surreptitious sampling of an envelope that before the Wisconsin Court of Appeals.
Vannieuwenhoven had licked.
Sources:
Vannieuwenhoven has prior convictions for
two sex offences. He had attacked two Associated Press. “Judge Sentences 84-Year-
teenaged girls in November of 1957, but they Old Man in 1976 Double Homicide.” ABC
escaped. He served 6 months in prison. News, 26 August 2021. Accessed September
4, 2021. https://abcnews.go.com/US/
In September of 2020, Vannieuwenhoven wireStory/judge-sentences-84-year-
suffered a stroke and underwent a man-1976-double-homicide-79668134.
competency evaluation. He suffered this
stroke after passing a previous competency Bonvillian, Crystan. “DNA, Genealogy Leads
evaluation. In January of 2020, he was being to Arrest of Wisconsin 82-Year-Old in 1976
held at his attorney’s request in the Mendota Rape, Double Homicide.” Dayton Daily
Mental Health Institute, rather than in a News, June 5, 2019. Accessed December 28,
correctional facility. On November 4, 2020, 2020. https://www.daytondailynews.com/
he was again found competent to stand trial news/national/dna-genealogy-leads-arrest-
and the trial was scheduled for July of 2021. wisconsin-year-old-1976-rape-double-
The sexual assaults charges have been homicide/HyNXkm87UvJLdOIr7xWAPP/.
dismissed due to the statute of limitations,
which would have expired after 6 years. Clark, Alex. “Vannieuwenhoven Ruled
Incompetent to Stand Trial.” TV6, July 1,
Vannieuwenhoven was convicted by a 2019. Accessed December 28, 2020. https://
Marinette County jury on July 27, 2021 of www.uppermichiganssource.com/content/
two counts of first-degree murder. The news/Vannieuwenhoven-pleads-not-guilty-
defence had not disputed that the semen to-1976-double-homicide-512069581.html.
found on Mathey’s shorts was
Vannieuwenhoven’s, but that the state could Daily Press. “Cold Case Conviction Still
not prove when, where, and why that semen Under Appeal.” Daily Press, September 25,
was deposited there. The jury deliberated for 2022. https://www.dailypress.net/news/local-
about two hours before coming to their

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news/2022/09/cold-case-conviction-still- news/local/oconto-county/2020/09/21/
under-appeal/. elderly-man-charged-decades-old-double-
homicide-suffers-stroke/5853919002/.
Kerhin, Brian. “Appeals Continue for Dead
Man Convicted of 1976 Marinette County Tempus, Kent. “Sex Assault Charge
Double Murder.” Fox 11 News, December 19, Dismissed in Cold Case as Attorneys Wrangle
2022. Accessed February 3, 2023. https:// Over DNA Evidence.” Green Bay Press
fox11online.com/news/crime/appeals- Gazette, May 21, 2019, last modified May 23,
continue-dead-man-raymand- 2019. Accessed December 28, 2020. https://
vannieuwenhoven-convicted-1976-marinette- www.greenbaypressgazette.com/story/news/
county-double-murder-ellen-mathysdavid- local/oconto-county/2019/05/21/marinette-
schuldes-mcclintock-park-cold-case-licked- sex-assault-dismissed-attorneys-wrangle-
envelope-oshkosh-correctional-institution- over-dna-evidence/3751254002/.
fourth-amendment-dna.
TV6 News Team. “Vannieuwenhoven Found
Kitkowski, Dan. “Judge Rules Doctor Can Competent to Stand Trial for 1976 Double
Testify by Zoom.” ehextra.com, September Homicide.” NBC TV6 News, November 6,
25, 2020. Accessed December 28, 2020. 2020. Accessed December 28, 2020. https://
https://www.ehextra.com/news/judge-rules- www.uppermichiganssource.com/2020/11/06/
doctor-can-testify-by-zoom/article_3fc8c6f2- vannieuwenhoven-found-competent-to-stand-
ffa2-11ea-9fc4-277594739676.html. trial-for-1976-double-homicide/.

State of Wisconsin v. Raymand L.

Vannieuwenhoven. Criminal Complaint Case ID 1495: Vaughn, Jared
Issued by District Attorney. DA Case No.:
2019MR000196. State of Wisconsin Circuit Jared Vaughn was arrested in mid-June, 2021
Court Marinette County. 21 March 2019. for the January 27, 2007 rape of a University
of Tampa student in Tampa, Florida. The
Tempus, Kent. “The Elderly Lakewood Man suspect walked the student back to her dorm
Charged with the 1976 Murders of a Green room after the Gasparilla Pirate Festival, and
Bay Couple Has Been Found Guilty.” Green then proceeded to sexually assault her in the
Bay Press Gazette, July 27, 2021. Accessed shower. He fled when the woman’s roommate
July 30, 2021. https:// returned home. A DNA sample of the suspect
www.greenbaypressgazette.com/story/news/ was collected from the victim’s sexual assault
local/oconto-county/2021/07/27/raymand- kit.
vannieuwenhoven-lakewood-convicted-1976-
murders/5389156001/. The FGG investigation was undertaken in
2020 by the Florida Department of Law
Tempus, Kent. “Elderly Man Charged in Enforcement (FDLE). The investigation was
Decades-Old Double Homicide Suffers continuing when, in March of 2021, Vaughn
Stroke.” Green Bay Press Gazette, September himself uploaded his DNA to one of the
21, 2020. Accessed December 28, 2020. databases being used by the FDLE – either
https://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/story/ GEDmatch or FTDNA. Officers then

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obtained a warrant to take Vaughn’s DNA, Case ID 1302-1303: Vien, Gregory Paul
which was found to be a match to the DNA
profile collected from the victim’s SAK. Gregory Paul Vien was arrested on November
18, 2019 and charged with two sexual
Vaughn is now facing charges of sexual assaults in Livermore and Union City,
battery in Hillsborough County, Florida. California that took place on September 15,
1997, and May 6, 1997 respectively.
Sources:
On May 6, 1997 a male suspect grabbed a
ABC 7 Staff. “DNA Helps Solve 2007 Sexual woman walking to a Union City BART transit
Battery Case in Tampa.” ABC 7 News, June station. She was dragged into a secluded area
23, 2021. Accessed July 1, 2021. https:// at knife point. Her clothes were cut off her
www.mysuncoast.com/2021/06/23/dna-helps- and she was sexually assaulted. A DNA
solve-2007-sexual-battery-case-tampa/. profile was obtained from semen found on her
clothing. In September of that year, a woman
Cascio, Josh, and Fox 13 News Staff. was sexually assaulted while walking near
“Genealogy Database Leads Tampa Police to Livermore High School. A DNA profile was
2007 Gasparilla Rape Suspect.” Fox 13 News, obtained from semen found at the scene.
June 22, 2021. Accessed July 1, 2021. https:// Vriend is a suspect in several similar sexual
www.fox13news.com/news/tampa-police- assaults that took place in Livermore at
arrest-suspect-in-2007-sexual-battery-case. around that time.

Ntim, Zac. “14 Years After a Sexual Assault The FGG investigation was performed by
in Tampa, a Man Has Been Charged With Barbara Rae-Venter of Gene By Gene. The
Rape Because He Entered His Own DNA Into initial confirmation was made by police
a Genealogy Database.” Insider, June 27, surveillance followed by the surreptitious
2021. https://www.insider.com/tampa-bay- sampling of a spoon that Vien had used at
police-use-genealogy-testing-database-solve- Baskin Robbins.
rape-case-2021-6.
Vien was released from custody for medical
Robitzki, Dan. “Man Charged With Rape reasons. This decision drew a good deal of
After Uploading His DNA to Ancestry Site.” criticism in the community. After his release,
Futurism, June 28, 2021. Accessed July 1, he attempted suicide with a nail gun. He
2021. https://futurism.com/neoscope/man- succumbed to his injuries on Friday
charged-rape-uploading-dna-ancestry. November 21, 2020. His victims were
testifying at his preliminary hearing at the
Santora, Sara. “Man Charged in 14-Year-Old time of his death.
Case After Submitting DNA to Genealogy
Database.” Newsweek, June 28, 2021. Sources:
Accessed July 1, 2021. https://
www.newsweek.com/man-charged-14-year- Bay City News Service, and Jeremy Walsh.
old-cold-case-after-submitting-dna- “Prosecutors Announce Charges in Livermore
genealogy-database-1604827. Cold-Case Rape; Defendant Had Ties to San

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Ramon.” Danville SanRamon, November 19, Case ID 1718: Villegas, Ramiro
2019. Accessed December 28, 2020. https://
www.danvillesanramon.com/news/ On June 30, 2022, the Tulare County Sheriff’s
2019/11/19/prosecutors-announce-charges-in- Office announced that they had identified
livermore-cold-case-rape-defendant-had-ties- Ramiro Villegas as the lead suspect in the
to-san-ramon. March 3, 1994 rape and murder of 10-year-
old Angelica Ramirez in Visalia, California.
Gene By Gene. “A Busy Month for Gene By The case has been cleared by exception due to
Gene, Dr. Barbara Rae-Venter, and Law the death of Villegas.
Enforcement.” PR Newswire (Press Release),
November 21, 2019. Accessed December 28, Ramirez was at a swap meet with her family,
2020. https://apnews.com/press-release/pr- helping at their vegetable booth, when she left
prnewswire/ to use the restroom. She did not return. A
87801e92bb698e450c9c39d4ff33ed1b. search was begun immediately. Her body was
found by a farm hand two days later in a
KPIX 5 Staff. “Update: Livermore Cold Case canal in Pixley. She had been raped and
Rape Suspect Gregory Vien Dies from strangled.
Injuries Sustained in Nail Gun Suicide
Attempt.” KPIX 5 CBS News San Francisco A DNA profile of the suspect was obtained
Bay Area, November 21, 2020. Accessed from semen collected from Ramirez’ body.
December 28, 2020. https:// The FGG investigation was conducted by the
sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2020/11/21/ FBI Forensic Genealogy Unit (FGU),
update-livermore-cold-case-rape-suspect- beginning in June of 2021. The investigation
gregory-vien-dies-from-injuries-sustained-in- was narrowed down to a cohort of five
nail-gun-suicide-attempt/. brothers, four of whom were living in
Southern California. These four had their
Ruggiero, Angela. “Attorney of Released Sex DNA sampled, and were ruled out as suspect.
Assault Suspect Calls Livermore Mayor’s
Letter an ‘Attack’ on Judge.” Mercury News, The fifth brother is Ramiro Villegas. He had
May 7, 2020, last modified May 8, 2020. been charged with fighting in 1991, but
Accessed December 28, 2020. https:// received probation with no jail time, and later
www.mercurynews.com/2020/05/07/attorney- spent two years in prison, from about
of-released-sex-assault-suspect-calls- 2002-2004, in El Dorado County for
livermore-mayors-letter-an-attack/. transporting drugs. He is also said to have
molested two children in the 1980s, but these
Shapiro, Emily. “DNA on Baskin-Robbins crimes were not reported to law enforcement.
Spoon Links Man to Sex Assaults from 22 Villegas was returned to Mexico after he was
Years Ago.” ABC News, November 19, 2019. released from prison, where he died in 2014.
Accessed December 28, 2020. https://
abcnews.go.com/US/dna-baskin-robbins- A DNA sample was not collected from
spoon-links-man-sex-assaults/story? Villegas after his 2002 conviction, as
id=67138429. California did not collect DNA from persons
convicted of all felonies, including non-

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violent felonies, until the passing of www.sacbee.com/news/california/
Proposition 69 in November of 2004. A 2010 article263110693.html.
study by the California AG found that the
majority (61%) of DNA samples that matched Ulloa, Jazmine, “Lawmakers Try to Fix Side
to a cold case was collected for a non-violent Effect of Reducing Drug and Theft Crimes:
felony, like drug offences and property Not Enough DNA Samples for Cold Cases.”
crimes. This expansion of DNA collection to Los Angeles Times, December 22, 2016.
all felonies remains controversial in Accessed July 4, 2022. https://
California. www.latimes.com/politics/la-pol-ca-dna-
collection-evidence-california-
Sources: legislation-20161222-story.html.

Connor, Tracy. “It Took 28 Years, but Cops

Solved this 10-Year-Old’s Rape and Murder.” Case ID 1770-1771: Wagner, Tony Lee
Daily Beast, June 30, 2022. Last Modified
July 1, 2022. Accessed July 4, 2022. https:// Tony Lee Wagner, 61, was arrested on
www.thedailybeast.com/ramiro-villegas- October 15, 2022 for an August 14, 1992 rape
raped-and-murdered-angelica-ramirez-in- and assault of two women in the Henning
visalia-in-1994-tulare-cops-say. State Park, in Taney County, Missouri.

Navarro, Elisa, and ABC30.com Staff. On that date, two female visitors were hiking
“Tulare County Sheriff’s Office Identifies in the state park when they were approached
Suspect in 1994 Angelica Ramirez by a man looking for a lost wallet. They saw
Kidnapping, Murder.” ABC30.com, July 1, the same man a short time later, and he began
2022. Accessed July 4, 2022. https:// to assault the two women with a rock. One of
abc30.com/tulare-county-sheriffs-office- the victims pretended to be dead. The second
update-cold-case-angelica-ramirez/ woman, who was unconscious, was taken by
12006754/. the suspect to another location where she was
sexually assaulted. The first woman managed
Romero, Sheyanne N. “A Face to the Killer: to escape, and flag down a passing motorist.
Tulare County Detectives Close Decades-Old The second woman remained in a coma for
Angelica Ramirez Cold Case.” Visalia Times several months before beginning her
Delta, June 30, 2022. Accessed July 4, 2022. recovery.
https://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/story/
news/2022/06/30/tulare-county-angelica- A sexual assault kit taken from the second
ramirez-murder-case-closed-arrest/ woman was not tested until 2008, when a
7782956001/. DNA profile of the suspect was finally
obtained. Her kit was part of the backlog of
Segura, Daniella. “Decades Later, Accused untested sexual assault kits that has led to an
Killer Identified in Death of 10-year-Old Girl, under-clearance of cases involving sexual
CA Cops Say.” Sacramento Bee, July 1, 2022. assault.
Accessed July 4, 2022. https://

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The FGG investigation was conducted by Case ID 1112-1120: Waller, Roy Charles:
Parabon Nanolabs in partnership with the NorCal Rapist
Missouri State Highway Patrol. The Fort
Scott, Kansas Police Department, where Roy Charles Waller was arrested on
Wagner is now living, took a styrofoam cup, a September 20, 2018 and charged in a series of
lid, and a straw from Wagner’s trash to make sexual assaults that took place in Northern
the initial confirmation. California over a 15-year period, from 1991
to 2006. The suspect was known as the
Wagner was extradited from Fort Scott, NorCal Rapist. This series consisted of
Kansas to face charges of forcible rape, several extremely violent home invasion
kidnapping, and two counts of assault in rapes in which the victims were bound,
Taney County Circuit Court. brutally raped multiple times, and threatened
with deadly weapons.
Sources:
There is no information on who conducted the
Kalmbacher, Colin. “Kansas Man Arrested in FGG investigation. DNA profiles were
Brutal 1992 Cold Case Assault, Kidnapping, obtained through evidence left at the crime
and Rape Involving Two Women Hiking in scenes. In one case, the suspect’s blood was
the Ozarks.” Law & Crime, October 15, 2022. collected because the victim had stabbed him
Accessed October 21, 2022. https:// with a pair of scissors. The initial
lawandcrime.com/crime/kansas-man-arrested- confirmation was made through police
in-brutal-1992-cold-case-assault-kidnapping- surveillance followed by the surreptitious
and-rape-involving-two-women-hiking-in- sampling from items Waller had discarded in
the-ozarks/. the trash outside his home. John Doe warrants
had been filed in 2006 to stop the statute of
Ruch, Amber. “Charges Filed in 30-Year-Old limitations from running.
Mo. Cold Case.” KFVS News 12, October 14,
2022. Accessed October 21, 2022. https:// Waller was charged with 46 counts, including
www.kfvs12.com/2022/10/14/charges- 21 counts of rape against 9 different victims,
filed-30-year-old-mo-cold-case/. as well as kidnapping, burglary, and other
related charges. The trial began on October
Wert, Jason. “Arrest Made in 1992 Taney 19, 2020.
County Cold Case.” Branson Tri Lakes News,
October 18, 2022. Accessed October 21, Waller took the stand in his defence and
2022. https://www.bransontrilakesnews.com/ testified that he could not explain how his
news/article_f6d3cdc0-4f0e-11ed-9750- DNA ended up at the crime scenes. The jury
bf58ca27e7eb.html. deliberated for only 2 ½ hours before finding
Waller guilty. After the trial, his attorney told
Murray, “‘It didn't matter what I did,’ … ‘It
was a DNA case. We could not overcome the
fact that his DNA was at nearly all the crime
scenes.’”

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There is no data on the ethnicity of his Accessed December 28, 2020. https://
victims, but he is reported to have targeted www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/norcal-
young Asian females. Waller has been rapist-suspect-found-guilty-all-46-charges-
sentenced to 897 years. attacks-dating-n1248170.

Sources: Luery, Mike. “Suspect in NorCal Rapist Case

Faces 46 Charges.” KCRA 3 NBC News, Last
Associated Press. “New Charges Add More Modified January 2, 2020. Accessed
Victims of Alleged ‘NorCal Rapist’.” ABC 10 December 28, 2020. https://www.kcra.com/
News, March 7, 2019. Accessed December amp/article/suspect-in-norcal-rapist-case-
28, 2020. https://www.abc10.com/article/ faces-46-charges/30384854.
news/crime/new-charges-add-more-victims- Murray, Kelly. “‘NorCal’ Rapist Roy Waller
of-alleged-norcal-rapist/103-6040a9cd- Sentences to 897 Years.” CNN, December 18,
deea-4ec8-a36f-c42f2b1c842f. 2020. Accessed December 28, 2020. https://
www.cnn.com/2020/12/18/us/norcal-rapist-
California v. Roy Charles Waller. Amended roy-waller-sentenced-trnd/index.html?
Felony Complaint. No. 18FE018342. fbclid=IwAR0cQfcoebvtCnHijIqtyUbwvCN
Superior Court of California, County of DF9c2IQQFwWsqBKCc-
Sacramento. Accessed December 28, 2020. vuJxnCYUvunmBc.
https://htv-prod-media.s3.amazonaws.com/
files/waller-complaint-1578025307.pdf. Solomon, Samantha. “‘I Pray to God that
He’s Convicted’: Trial Begins for Alleged
Collman, Ashley. “Suspected Serial ‘NorCal ‘NorCal Rapist’ Roy Charles Waller.” ABC 10
Rapist’ Arrested in California Thanks to a News, October 19, 2020. Accessed December
DNA Match on a Genealogy Website – Just 28, 2020. https://www.abc10.com/article/
Like the Golden State Killer.” Business news/local/sacramento/norcal-rapist-trial-
Insider, September 24, 2018. Accessed begins/103-929a6667-64e6-4f54-8c0d-
December 28, 2020. https:// c44dd4916d5c.
www.businessinsider.com/norcal-rapist-
arrested-suspect-roy-waller-dna-
match-2018-9. Case ID 1470: Warren, Christine Marie

Gonzalez, Vicki. “DNA Evidence Focus of Christine Marie Warren was charged on
‘NorCal Rapist’ Trial on Second Day.” KCRA March 15, 2021 with the murder of her
3 News, October 20, 2020. Accessed newborn son on November 18, 1997 in the
December 28, 2020. https://www.kcra.com/ rest room of a gas station in Seattle,
article/dna-evidence-focus-of-norcal-rapist- Washington.
trial-on-second-day/34431505.
Video footage shows a woman going into the
Kitagaki, Paul Jr. “‘NorCal Rapist’ Suspect rest room at about 11:20 pm that evening and
Found Guilty on All 46 Charges from Attacks exiting about 14 minutes later. A witness
Dating Back to 1991.” Associated Press Pool, claims to have heard a baby cry in the rest
and NBC News, November 18, 2020. room. The baby was found about two days

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 276
later in the rest room trash can by an March 16, 2021. Accessed March 16, 2021.
employee who was emptying the garbage. An https://lawandcrime.com/crime/mother-
autopsy determined that the baby was born charged-with-murder-tells-detectives-what-
alive and died by homicide shortly thereafter. happened-when-she-dumped-her-newborn-
He was nicknamed Baby Boy Doe, and he baby-into-a-gas-station-trash-can-in-1997/.
was buried in Calvary Cemetery through
community donations. Komo News Staff. “Woman Charged with
1997 Death of Newborn Baby at Seattle Gas
A DNA profile of the baby’s mother was Station.” KOMO News, March 16, 2021.
developed in January 2018 from placental Accessed March 16, 2021. https://
blood collected at the autopsy. The FGG www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/woman-
investigation was conducted by Barbara Rae charged-with-1997-death-of-newborn-baby-
Venter of DNA Solutions. The initial at-seattle-gas-station/ar-BB1eEf7B.
confirmation was made surreptitiously in
November of 2020, when police sent her a Washington v. Christine Marie Warren.
fictional survey, and obtained a DNA sample Information. No. 21-1-00297-1 SEA.
from the envelope. Superior Court of Washington, King County.
March 15, 2021. https://lawandcrime.com/
Warren has admitted to police that she crime/mother-charged-with-murder-tells-
abandoned the boy in the trash can, and that detectives-what-happened-when-she-dumped-
she was not aware whether he was alive when her-newborn-baby-into-a-gas-station-trash-
she left. She is charged with second-degree can-in-1997/.
murder and abandonment of a dependent
person and has been released on bail. The
case against her is pending in King County. Case ID 1290-1299: Warrick, Giles Daniel:
Potomac River Rapist
Sources:
Giles Daniel Warrick was arrested on
Green Sara Jean. “Seattle Woman Arrested 23 November 13, 2019 and charged in the
Years After Her Infant Son was Found Dead August 1, 1998 rape and murder of 29-year-
in a Lake City Trash Can.” Seattle Times, old Christine Mirzan in Washington, D.C., as
March 11, 2021. Accessed March 16, 2021. well as a series of sexual assaults in
https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/ Washington, D.C. and Montgomery County,
crime/seattle-woman-arrested-23-years-after- Maryland in the 1990s. The suspect in these
her-infant-son-was-found-dead-in-a-lake-city- crimes was known as the Potomac River
trash-can/? Rapist.
fbclid=IwAR17Y5leW38Ur0xZLbyMtOiz0C
iYgLD4s37HdMMpltXfsgPegXY_ZasPx9M. Mirzan was an intern at the National
Academy of Sciences who had recently
Keller, Aaron. “Mother Charged with Murder moved to the area. She was walking home
Tells Detectives What Happened When She from a barbeque to the student housing at
Dumped Her Newborn Baby Into a Gas Georgetown University on the night she died.
Station Trash Can in 1997.” Law & Crime,

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She had been sexually assaulted and
bludgeoned to death with a heavy rock. FBI. “Potomac River Rapist Cold Case.” FBI
News, December 15, 2011. Accessed
Seven of the nine rapes were linked by DNA December 28, 2020. https://www.fbi.gov/
profiles obtained from crime scene samples. news/stories/seeking-potomac-river-rapist/
The FGG investigation was conducted by potomac-river-rapist-cold-case.
Parabon Nanolabs in cooperation with
Montgomery County Police Department Grunberger, Alessia. “Accused Potomac
officer Steven ‘Smugs’ Smugeresky. River Rapist Write ‘Goodbye’ Letter:
Report.” Patch, March 2, 2020. Accessed
The case against Warrick was pending in D.C. December 28, 2020. https://patch.com/
Superior Court. He pled not guilty to the maryland/bethesda-chevychase/accused-
charges, and his trial was scheduled to begin potomac-river-rapist-wrote-goodbye-letter-
on November 29, 2022. However, on the report.
morning of November 20, 2022, Warrick was
found dead in his cell from an apparent Shapiro, Emily, and Amanda Maile.
hanging. The case has now been closed. “Suspected Potomac River Rapist, Who
‘Terrorized’ Women in ‘90s, Caught with
Sources: Genetic Genealogy.” ABC News, November
15, 2019. Accessed December 28, 2020.
Dickerson, Brad. “Police: Suspected https://abcnews.go.com/US/suspected-
‘Potomac River Rapist’ Lived in Conway potomac-river-rapist-terrorized-women-90s-
Area for at Least a Year.” WECT NBC 6 caught/story?id=67039369.
News, November 14, 2019, last modified
December 6, 2019. Accessed December 28, Sorace, Stephen. “Accused ‘Potomac River
2020. https://www.wect.com/2019/11/15/ Rapist’ Found Dead in Jail While Awaiting
police-suspected-potomac-river-rapist-lived- Trial for Murder Police Say.” Yahoo News,
conway-area-least-year/. November 20, 2022. Accessed November 30,
2022. https://news.yahoo.com/accused-
Domen, John. “Accused ‘Potomac River potomac-river-rapist-found-140628838.html?
Rapist’ Pleads Not Guilty; Trial Set for Next guccounter=1.
Year.” WTOP News, September 27, 2021.
Accessed December 28, 2021. https:// Swalec, Anrea, and NBC Washington Staff.
wtop.com/local/2021/09/accused-potomac- “Suspected Potomac River Rapist, Who
river-rapist-due-in-court-today/. Terrorized DC Area in the ‘90s, Arrested.”
NBC Washington, November 14, 2019, last
Domen, John. “Case Closed: How Police Use modified November 15, 2019. Accessed
DNA Evidence to Work Backward, then December 28, 2020. https://
Forward.” WTOP News, October 2, 2019. www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/
Accessed December 28, 2020. https:// potomac-river-rapist-who-terrorized-dc-
wtop.com/local/2019/10/case-closed-how- maryland-in-90s-arrested/2141622/.
police-use-dna-evidence-to-work-backward-
then-forward/.

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Case ID 1090: Washburn, Robert Dwane Sources:

Robert Dwayne Washburn was arrested on Dateline. “Evil Was Watching.” NBC News,
May 11, 2018 and charged in the August 4, April 8, 2019. Accessed December 28, 2020.
1986 rape and murder of 13-year-old Jennifer https://www.nbcnews.com/dateline/video/
Bastian in Tacoma, Washington. full-episode-evil-was-
watching-63622725899.
Bastian was riding her bike in Point Defiance
Park to train for an upcoming bike tour. She King 5 News. “Suspect Charged in Tacoma
was last seen at around 6:00 pm. Her body Teen’s 1986 Murder.” King 5 News, May 11,
was not found until three weeks later in a 2018. Accessed December 28, 2020. https://
wooded area in the park. She had been www.king5.com/article/news/crime/suspect-
sexually assaulted and strangled. charged-in-tacoma-teens-1986-murder/
281-551292906.
A DNA profile was developed from semen
found in the crotch area of Bastian’s bathing Pierce County Prosecutor’s Office. “Man
suit. The FGG analysis was conducted by Charged With 1986 Murder of Jennifer
Colleen Fitzpatrick of Identifinders. Bastian.” Auburn Examiner (Press Release),
May 14, 2018. Accessed December 28, 2020.
Fitzpatrick analyzed the Y-STR profile and its https://auburnexaminer.com/man-charged-
male lineage and provided investigators with with-1986-murder-of-jennifer-bastian/.
the name Washburn. Detectives then placed
Washburn on a list for collecting of DNA Mikkelsen, Drew. “Man Gets 27 Years for
from high-priority suspects. Washburn was Cold Case Murder of Tacoma Girl Jennifer
contacted. He voluntarily provided a check Bastian.” King 5 News, January 25, 2019.
swab to police. He lived very close to the area Accessed December 28, 2020. https://
at the time of Bastian’s murder. www.king5.com/article/news/crime/man-
gets-27-years-for-cold-case-murder-of-
This case was long thought to be connected to tacoma-girl-jennifer-bastian/
the nearby and very similar murder of 281-042b9f84-091e-434a-8b5a-5a4f7b6c427
Michella Welch, see above, until DNA 3.
profiling showed there to be two different
perpetrators. Washburn’s name was in the
police files because he had called in a tip in Case ID 1783: Weber, Douglas Larry
the earlier murder – which happened just
months before. Douglas Larry Weber, 58, was arrested on
October 31, 2022 for the January 7, 1996 rape
Washburn pled guilty and was sentenced to of an 18-year-old woman in Midland County,
27 years in prison. Michigan.

Before this case was cleared, investigators The young woman’s car had broken down
collected from about 160 male suspects. when she was on Stark Road, near Beamish,
when a young man stopped to help her and

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give her a ride home. Instead, he drove her to Midland County Prosecuting Attorney.
a remote field where he sexually assaulted “DNA, Genealogy Point to Suspect in 1996
her. He let her go from the vehicle when Cold Case Rape.” Forensic Magazine,
emergency vehicles approached, and she November 4, 2022. Accessed November 5,
managed to run home where she told her 2022. https://www.forensicmag.com/591709-
mother she had been raped. She was taken to DNA-Genealogy-Point-to-Suspect-in-1996-
a local hospital, where she had a sexual Cold-Case-Rape/.
assault kit taken. The kit was not tested until
2016, when Michigan received funding to Nims, Tereasa. “Suspect Arrested in Rape
clear the SAK backlog in that state. from 26 Years Ago.” Midland Daily News,
November 2, 2022. Accessed November 5,
Sorenson Forensics produced a DNA profile 2022. https://www.ourmidland.com/news/
of a suspect in January of 2018, which was police_and_courts/article/Suspect-arrested-
uploaded in CODIS but received no hits. The in-26-year-old-rape-17553439.php.
FGG investigation was conducted by Parabon
Nanolabs, along with forensic phenotyping.
Police obtained a search warrant to obtain Case ID 1348: Wells, Daniel Leonard
DNA from Weber when he was interviewed
by police in July of 2022. His DNA profile Daniel Leonard Wells has been identified as
was confirmed to be included in that taken the lead suspect in the January 1, 1985
from the victim’s SAK in 1996. murder of 23-year-old Tonya Ethridge
McKinley in Pensacola, Florida.
Weber has been remanded into custody,
where he is facing charges of first-degree McKinley was found just before dawn in an
criminal sexual conduct during a kidnapping empty lot on New Year’s Day, by a family
in the 75th District Court. He has pending who was taking their dog to the vet. She was
criminal charges for assault, battery, trespass, last seen leaving a local bar at around 1:30 am
larceny, and failing to appear. that morning. She was partially nude and had
been raped and strangled.
Had the victim not reported the offence and
had a sexual assault kit taken right away, the A DNA profile was produced from semen, as
prosecution of the suspect would have been well as head and pubic hair, collected from
barred by the statute of limitations. the crime scene. The FGG investigation was
conducted by Parabon and the FDLE. The
Sources: initial confirmation was made through police
surveillance followed by the surreptitious
Brown, Emily. “1996 Sexual Assault Cold sampling of DNA from cigarette butts
Case Solved Using DNA Analysis.” WNEM discarded by Wells.
News 5, November 3, 2022. Accessed
November 5, 2022. https://www.wnem.com/ Wells was arrested on March 18, 2020 on
2022/11/03/1996-sexual-assault-cold-case- charges of first-degree murder and first-
solved-using-dna-analysis/. degree sexual battery. He was found dead in
his jail cell from suicide on April 3, 2020. He

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had hanged himself just before his first court Case ID 1159: Westrom, Jerry
hearing, on April 8.
Jerry Westrom was arrested on February 11,
Sources: 2019 and charged in the June 13, 1993
murder of 35-year-old Jeanne Ann Childs in
Adame, Tony. “Pensacola Police Make Arrest Minneapolis, Minnesota.
in 35-Year-Old Cold Case Using Familial
DNA.” Pensacola News Journal, March 19, Childs was found stabbed to death in her
2020. Accessed December 28, 2020. https:// apartment. She had been stabbed multiple
www.pnj.com/story/news/2020/03/19/ times in the abdomen, with several wounds
pensacola-police-make-arrest-35-year-old- being inflicted post-mortem. She was
cold-case-murder/2869854001/. especially vulnerable as she had been
working as a prostitute out of her apartment at
Associated Press. “Florida Man Linked by the time she was killed.
DNA to 1985 Murder Found Dead in Cell.”
Associated Press, April 3, 2020. Accessed A DNA profile of the suspect was obtained
December 28, 2020. https://apnews.com/ from semen located on Child’s comforter as
article/790f7df126233fce7794c41b0ee1ed59. well as from a blue towel and a blood spot on
the sink in the washroom, where the suspect
Associated Press. “Police Use DNA, had washed up afterwards. The killer had left
Genealogy to Arrest Suspect in 1985 the water running in her high-rise apartment,
Slaying.” ABC News, March 19, 2020. and it had begun seeping into the apartment
Accessed December 28, 2020. https:// below.
abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/police-dna-
genealogy-arrest-suspect-1985- The FGG investigation was conducted by
slaying-69687044. Barbara Rae-Venter. The initial confirmation
was made through police surveillance
Hall, Louise. “Man Arrested Over 1985 followed by the surreptitious sampling of a
Murder After Police DNA Test Discarded napkin Wells had used and thrown away
Cigarette Decades Later.” Independent, while attending a hockey game.
March 20, 2020. Accessed December 28,
2020. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/ Wells turned himself in and was released on
world/americas/daniel-wells-tonya-mckinley- bail. He has a prior criminal record for
murder-cold-case-dna-florida-pensacola- impaired driving and solicitation. He was
a9415591.html. charged with second degree murder, and the
sex assault charges were dropped.
Li, David K. “Florida Man Arrested in 35-
Year-Old Cold Case Murder Thanks to DNA Wells was convicted by a jury on August 25,
on Cigarette.” NBC News, March 19, 2020. 2022 of first-degree premeditated murder and
Accessed December 28, 2020. https:// second-degree intentional murder. On
www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/florida- September 9, 2022, he was sentenced to life
man-arrested-35-year-old-cold-case-murder- in prison without the possibility of parole for
thanks-n1164051. 30 years.

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Sources: march-in-westrom-alleged-murder-case/
article_76d0f414-3da2-11ec-b555-
CBS Minnesota. “Jerry Westrom Indicted on ff12d5f210f9.html.
First-Degree Murder Charge in Jeanne
Child’s 1993 Death.” CBS Minnesota, June Mayerle, Jennifer. “Jerry Westrom Found
30, 2020. Accessed December 28, 2020. Guilty of Murder in Cold Case Killing of
https://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2020/06/30/ Jeanie Ann Childs.” CBS News, August 25,
jerry-westrom-indicted-on-first-degree- 2022. Accessed August 26, 2022. https://
murder-charge-in-jeanne-childs-1993-death/. www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/jerry-
westrom-guilty-verdict/.
CBS Minnesota. “Metro Hockey Dad
Charged With 1993 Murder of Jeanne Ann Mayerle, Jennifer. “Jerry Westrom’s Murder
Childs.” CBS Minnesota, February 14, 2019. Trial Date Set for April, Accused of Killing
Accessed December 28, 2020. https:// Jeanie Ann Childs in 1993.” CBS 4
minnesota.cbslocal.com/2019/02/14/metro- Minnesota, July 24, 2020. Accessed
hockey-dad-charged-with-1993-murder-of- December 28, 2020. https://
jeanne-ann-childs/. minnesota.cbslocal.com/2020/07/24/jerry-
westroms-murder-trial-date-set-for-april-
Gafni, Matthias. “A Year After Golden State accused-of-killing-jeanie-ann-childs-in-1993/.
Killer Arrest, Genealogy Pro Keeps Solving
Crimes.” San Francisco Chronicle, April 19, State of Minnesota v. Jerry Arnold Westrom.
2019. Accessed December 28, 2020. https:// Statement of Probable Cause. Court File No.
www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/A-year- 27-CR-19-3844. County of Hennepin District
after-Golden-State-Killer- Court, 4th Judicial District. February 14, 2019.
arrest-13779124.php. Accessed December 28, 2020. https://
www.hennepinattorney.org/-/media/Attorney/
Kalmbacher, Colin. “‘Honey, Justice Has NEWS/2019/Westrom-Jerry-murcplt.pdf?
Been Served’: Hockey Dad Convicted of la=en&hash=894960D7733B2A80C452611C
Stabbing Woman 65 Times in Horrific Cold 2E543B5EFC9AADFF.
Case Murder is Sentenced to Prison.” Law &
Crime, September 9, 2022. Accessed Truesdale, Jeff. “Man Whose DNA Was
September 13, 2022. https:// Found on Napkin Discarded at Hockey Game
lawandcrime.com/crime/honey-justice-has- is Charged in 1993 High-Rise Murder.”
been-served-hockey-dad-convicted-of- People, February 19, 2019. Accessed
stabbing-woman-65-times-in-horrific-cold- December 28, 2020. https://people.com/
case-murder-is-sentenced-to-prison/. crime/dna-found-discarded-napkin-hockey-
game-charged-1993-high-rise-murder/.
Kytonen, Rachel. “Jury Trial Set for March in
Westrom Alleged Murder Case.” County
News Review, November 4, 2021. Accessed
December 28, 2021. https://
www.hometownsource.com/
county_news_review/free/jury-trial-set-for-

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Case ID 1487: Whelpley, Barry Lee attorney during police station questioning. It
is not known what was said during the private
Barry Lee Whelpley was arrested on June 2, conversation, however Whelpley’s defense
2021 for the July 7, 1972 rape and murder of attorney states, “It’s significant to the defense.
15-year-old Julie Ann Hanson in Naperville, And it’s a significant loss to the prosecution.”
Illinois.
Sources:
Hanson disappeared after borrowing her
brother’s bicycle and riding off to watch a Associated Press. “Judge Tosses Out
baseball game. She never returned home. Her Statements Minnesota Man Made in 1972
body was found the next day in a nearby Murder in Illinois.” KARE News, May 26,
cornfield off 87th Street and Modaff Road. 2022. Accessed January 16, 2023. https://
She had been sexually assaulted and was www.kare11.com/article/news/crime/judge-
killed after being stabbed about 3 dozen tosses-statements-minnesota-man-barry-
times. Whelpley had been living very near whelpley-made-in-1972-murder-in-ilinois/89-
Julie Hanson at the time of the murder. cad276e8-9b11-40b2-9c3a-b26634aaa3c1.

While DNA had been recovered from Haavik, Emily. “Minnesota Man Charged
Hanson’s body, it was highly degraded – the With 1972 Murder of Illinois Teen.” KARE
sample was reportedly of low quality, and NBC News 11, June 4, 2021. Accessed June 7,
there was only 360 picograms of DNA. The 2021. https://www.kare11.com/article/news/
FGG investigation was performed by Colleen crime/minnesota-man-charged-1972-murder-
Fitzpatrick of Identifinders International. illinois-teen/89-bde2473d-df21-445d-ad4d-
Fitzpatrick has stated that this case is pushing a8e7e7a1dfc4.
the bounds of the technology, and is likely
one of the most difficult cases to be solved to Identifinders International. “1972 ‘Beyond
date, based on DNA quality and quantity. Hope’ Homicide Solved in 2 Hours.”
Forensic Magazine, June 7, 2021. Accessed
Whelpley has been charged with three counts June 8, 2021. https://www.forensicmag.com/
of first degree murder in Will County District 576574-1972-Beyond-Hope-Homicide-
Court. He is being held on $10 million bond Solved-in-2-Hours/.
in Will County jail.
NBC 5 Chicago. “Man Arrested in 1972
During a police visit to Whelpley’s house for Murder of 15-Year-Old Naperville Girl.”
questioning, police took off their body MSN, June 5, 2021. Accessed June 8, 2021.
cameras and placed them on the table, https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/man-
allowing them to have footage of a private arrested-in-1972-murder-of-15-year-old-
conversation between Whelpley and his wife. naperville-girl/ar-AAKI49b.
On May 25, 2022, Will County Judge David
Carlson granted two defense motions, Shapiro, Emily. “Arrest Made in 1972 Killing
allowing the conversation to be inadmissible of 15-Year-Old Illinois Girl Thanks to
in court, as well as statements made by Genetic Genealogy.” ABC News, June 4,
Whelpley after a second request for an 2021. Accessed June 8, 2021. https://

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abcnews.go.com/US/arrest-made-1972- Nanolabs. The final confirmation was made
killing-15-year-illinois-girl/story? to living family members of Whitson.
id=78087327. Investigators have stated that the FGG
investigation cost about $8,000 and was
Tye, Chris. “Attorneys for Suspect Barry Lee funded by the Klamath County Sheriff’s
Whelpley Want Evidence Tossed in Case of Office.
1972 Murder of Julie Ann Hanson.” CBS
NewsChicago, May 4, 2022. Accessed Investigators have learned that Whitson lived
January 16, 2023. https://www.cbsnews.com/ near Klamath Falls at the time of the murders
chicago/news/suspect-barry-lee-whelpley- and was very familiar with the area where the
evidence-tossed-case-1972-murder-julie-ann- bodies were found, having gone camping
hanson/. there often. Whitson died in Texas in 1996.
He had no criminal record.

Case ID 1623-1624: Whitson, Ray Mason At the time of the murders, officers suspected
Jr. an unnamed man who had given the couple a
ride near Grants Pass. He has since passed
Ray Mason Whitson Jr. was identified on away.
January 6, 2022, as the lead suspect in a
double homicide that took place in a rural With the closure of the case, several personal
area of Klamath County, Oregon. The case effects found with Frayer, including a pair of
has been cleared by exception due to the earrings and some letters and postcards she
death of Whitson. had written, can now be returned to her
family.
The skeletal remains of two youths were
found on November 17, 1978, near the Lake Sources:
of the Woods, by an individual cutting
firewood. The bodies were identified as 19- Gailey, Brian. “43-Year-Old Klamath County
year-old Kirk Leonard Wiseman and 17-year- Cold Case Solved.” Klamath Falls News,
old Cynthia Lynn Frayer. The remains of a January 6, 2022. Accessed January 8, 2022.
small dog were found with Kirk. The https://www.klamathfallsnews.org/news/43-
teenagers were originally from California, year-old-klamath-county-cold-case-solved.
and it is thought that they were hitchhiking in
the area, perhaps on their way to Crater Lake. Parfitt, Jamie. “DNA Helps Klamath County
Frayer had been sexually assaulted, and then Investigators Identify Suspect in Unsolved
the couple were shot several times in the head 1978 Double Murder.” KRDV ABC News 12,
with a .22 calibre firearm. January 6, 2022. Accessed January 8, 2022.
https://www.kdrv.com/content/news/DNA-
In 2019, investigators developed a DNA helps-Klamath-County-investigators-identify-
profile of an unknown male from biological suspect-in-unsolved-1978-double-
material found on Frayer’s clothing. There murder-576020731.html.
were no hits in CODIS. The FGG
investigation was performed by Parabon

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 284
 Seiss, Joe. “Case of Teen Hitchhikers Shot in phenotyping and genetic genealogy as part of
Head Lay Fallow for 43 Years; Noe, Oregon an investigation.
Police Say they Know the Killer.” The
Oregonian, January 8, 2022. Accessed The FGG investigation was undertaken by
January 8, 2022. https://www.oregonlive.com/ Parabon Nanolabs. The initial confirmation
pacific-northwest-news/2022/01/case-of-teen- was made through police surveillance
hitchhikers-shot-in-head-lay-fallow-for-43- followed by the surreptitious sampling of a
years-now-oregon-police-say-they-know-the- cup Whyte had used at a fast food restaurant.
killer.html. White had also been stationed at Fort Carson
at the time of the killing, as an Army signal
operations manager.
Case ID 1222: Whyte, Michael
Whyte was convicted after a jury trial. He
Michael Whyte was arrested on June 13, 2019 was sentenced to life in prison without parole
and charged in the March 17, 1987 murder of on June 25, 2021.
20-year-old Darlene Krashoc in Colorado
Springs, Colorado. Sources:

Krashoc was an army specialist stationed at Associated Press. “Michael Whyte Arrested
Fort Carson. She had left a local bar in ’87 Cold Case Slaying of Soldier in
sometime around 1:00 am. Her body was Colorado.” CNS News Denver, June 14, 2019.
found later that morning beside a dumpster in Accessed December 28, 2020. https://
an alley by two soldiers on patrol. Krashoc denver.cbslocal.com/2019/06/14/michael-
had been raped and strangled and she was whyte-thornton-fort-carson-darlene-krashoc/.
tortured for some time before she died. She
may have been thrown from a moving Associated Press, and Daily Mail. “DNA
vehicle, and her body then moved behind the Evidence Leads to the Arrest of a Colorado
dumpster. Man, 58, For the Murder of a Fort Carson
Soldier 32 Years Ago After Police Trailed
A DNA profile of the suspect was obtained Him and Used a Sample from a Soft Drink
from semen found in her genital area, saliva Cup He Had Left Behind.” Daily Mail, June
on some nearby cigarettes, and an unspecified 15, 2019, last modified June 16, 2019.
sample from her neck. In 2016, a more Accessed December 28, 2020. https://
complete profile was obtained from semen www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7146409/
found on her clothing. Investigators were DNA-evidence-leads-arrest-man-1987-
assisted by the U.S. Army Criminal killing-soldier-beaten-raped-strangled.html.
Investigation Division (CID) and the U.S.
Army Criminal Investigation Laboratory. Benzel, Lance. “‘Homicide Hunter Star Joe
Forensic phenotyping was performed in kenda Testifies at Colorado Springs Murder
December of 2016 with the Assistance of Trial.” Gazette, June 16, 2021. Last modified
Parabon Nanolabs. This is reportedly the first June 25, 2021. Accessed December 31, 2021.
time that the U.S. Army CID used forensic https://gazette.com/news/courts/homicide-
hunter-star-joe-kenda-testifies-at-colorado-

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springs-murder-trial/article_48517eb2- has been released on bond while awaiting
ceb5-11eb-b88b-730f9e02851f.html. trial. His trial date is set for February 5, 2021.

McKinley, Carol. “DNA Testing Leads to This case caused some controversy when it
Break in Decades-Old Colorado Murder was learned that Williams was charged with a
Case. But Privacy Questions Are Being burglary-related offence. Some had wanted
Raised.” Colorado Sun, July 29, 2019. GEDmatch to be used only for crimes
Accessed December 28, 2020. https:// involving homicide and sexual assault. It is
coloradosun.com/2019/07/29/colorado-cold- not known why Williams was not charged
case-michael-whyte-darlene-krashoc/. with a sex offence in these cases.

Weyland, Rona. “1987 Army CID Cold Case Williams has a previous criminal record for
Solved, Suspect Convicted.” Defence Visual criminal harassment against women and
Information Distribution Service, July 13, making harassing phone calls of a sexual
2021. Accessed July 17, 2021. https:// nature. He may suffer from a mental illness,
www.dvidshub.net/news/400779/1987-army- and it is desirable that he should receive
cid-cold-case-solved-suspect-convicted? proper intervention before his offending
fbclid=IwAR2dme6KJHMWzIsmJnKpwA6S progresses further.
HH2UcQ9JZk89l6b5tZuPwz8liukSXjmyuvI.
On August 24, 2022, Williams was convicted
of burglary of a habitation with attempted
Case ID 1139-1142: Williams, Christopher sexual assault and was sentenced to life in
Quinn prison. During a trial the jury heard cell
phone or DNA evidence showing seven
Christopher Quinn Williams was arrested on additional burglaries where sexual offences
December 12, 2018 and charged with several were attempted.
home invasion sex assaults in College
Station, Texas that date back to October of Sources:
2015. The suspect would break into women’s
homes and masturbate over them while they Brazos County. “Case Information: 19-01069-
were sleeping in their bedrooms, sometimes CRF-272, State of Texas vs. Christopher
fondling them. He would leave if they woke Quinn Williams.” Brazos County Judicial
up. Records Search. Accessed 28 December
2020. https://justiceweb.brazoscountytx.gov/
A DNA profile of the suspect was obtained BrazosPortal/Home/WorkspaceMode?p=0.
through biological material he had left at the
scenes. The FGG investigation was conducted Fiedler, Rebecca. “College Station Police:
by Parabon Nanolabs. Montgomery Man Entered Sleeping Women’s
Apartments.” The Eagle, December 12, 2018.
Williams is charged with four counts of Accessed December 28, 2020. https://
burglary of a habitation. He is not being theeagle.com/news/local/college-station-
charged with any sexual offences. Williams police-montgomery-man-entered-sleeping-

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womens-apartments/article_5e12e63d- Medical Center to be treated for fractures to
f390-50db-bd8a-7602809c5d1a.html. her face, skull, and jaw that she received from
being brutally beaten by her attacker. She
Oliver, Bill. “Brazos County District Court required 4 metal plates in her skull.
Jury Convicts Then Issues a Life Sentence for
Burglary and Attempted Sexual Assault.” A DNA profile of the perpetrator was
WTAW News, August 29, 2022. Accessed obtained from semen, and a DNA Doe
January 16, 2023. https://wtaw.com/brazos- warrant was issued for his arrest on March 29,
county-district-court-jury-convicts-then- 2000 in order to prevent the statute of
issues-a-life-sentence-for-burglary-and- limitation from barring the charges after 5
attempted-sexual-assault/. years – one of the only such warrants issued
in the Eastern United States.
Public Police Records. “Bryan Arrest Records The FGG investigation was performed by
for Inmate Christopher Quinn Williams.” Parabon Nanolabs, who also performed a
Public Police Records, March 18, 2019. forensic phenotyping analysis. They located a
Accessed December 28, 2020. https:// close relative of the perpetrator, Wanda K.
www.publicpolicerecord.com/texas/bryan- Williams, who was identified as the mother of
jail/WILLIAMS_CHRISTOPHER/302996. the perpetrator. Wanda had three sons, Scott,
Mark, and Rishell. Police then attempted to
Wiley, Kenny. “Brazos County Grand Jury surreptitiously sample William’s DNA at a
Indicts 45 on Felony Charges.” The Eagle, high school football banquet. Since he did not
March 10, 2019. Accessed December 28, eat or drink, police sampled his son’s DNA
2020. https://theeagle.com/news/brazos- instead, and determined that he was the son of
county-grand-jury-indicts-45-on-felony- the suspect. Police then tested spit tobacco
charges/ items that Williams had discarded in his trash.
article_d538084c-42ed-11e9-889e-2726ba948
2a2.html. The charges against Williams are proceeding
in the Center County Court of Common
Pleas. He was released on December 14,
Case ID 1532: Williams, Scott 2021, after the court reduced his bond from
$500,000 USD to $100,000 UDS.
49-Year-old Scott R. Williams was arrested
on October 5, 2021, for the May 13, 1995 On January 12, 2023, a pre-trial hearing was
rape, robbery and aggravated assault of a 22- held, with conflicting testimony from both
year-old Penn State Student in State College, sides regarding the DNA evidence. The
Pennsylvania. defense is also attempting to have the
affidavit dismissed, due to the questions
The victim was found in the middle of the surrounding the DNA evidence.
street, covered in blood and naked from the
waist down. She had been hit from behind Sources:
while walking home and was dragged into a
flower bed where she was raped and brutally Court of Common Pleas of Center County
beaten. She was air-lifted to Geisinger Pennsylvania. In re Arrest and Search

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 287
Warrants for State College Police Incident reedsville-man-arrested-in-connection-
#3295-06697. October 5, 2021. Accessed with-1995-rape-aggravated-assault-of-penn-
October 8, 2021. https://lawandcrime.com/ state-student/article_875ccd28-2626-11ec-
crime/pennsylvania-man-arrested-after- b47e-472b9ec70d36.html?
genetic-testing-of-his-mother-and-son- fbclid=IwAR0K68G3Vsk7hCZ4varMbS7Cs
allegedly-ties-him-to-horrific-1995-rape- CgDJMB9Tlz82C_6FIdRfTioQ5iV39PZalg.
case/.

Fox 8 News. “Williams Rape Case Update.” Case ID 1781: Wilson, James Frederick
Fox 8 News, January 13, 2023. Accessed
January 17, 2023. https://www.fox8tv.com/ James Frederick Wilson, 59, was arrested on
newspost/williams-rape-case-update-2/. October 27, 2022 for the March 24, 1984 rape
Luperon, Alberto. “Pennsylvania Man and attempted murder of a woman in
Arrested After Genetic Testing of His Mother Columbia, Missouri.
and Son Allegedly Ties him to Horrific 1995
Rape Case.” Law & Crime, October 6, 2021. The woman had been walking to work in
Accessed October 8, 2021. https:// around the 4000 block of Wellington Avenue
lawandcrime.com/crime/pennsylvania-man- and Providence Road when she was abducted
arrested-after-genetic-testing-of-his-mother- at knifepoint into the suspect’s car. He then
and-son-allegedly-ties-him-to-horrific-1995- drove the victim to a dead-end where he
rape-case/. sexually assaulted and stabbed her, cutting
her throat. He then left her for dead in a
Palotto, Bret. “Man Accused of Raping Penn nearby creek, but she survived.
State Student in 1995 Released from Jail
After Posting Bail.” Centre Daily Times, A DNA profile of the suspect was developed
December 14, 2021. Accessed December 29, from a sexual assault kit taken from the
2021. https://www.centredaily.com/news/ woman at the hospital. There was no STR
local/crime/article256597036.html. match in CODIS.

Sokmensuer, Harriet. “26 Years After a Penn The FGG investigation was conducted by
State Student was Brutally Raped and Beaten, Othram in partnership with the Columbia
Authorities Arrest a Suspect.” People, Police Department, beginning in February of
October 7, 2021. Accessed October 8, 2021. 2021. The initial confirmation was made
https://people.com/crime/26-years-after-penn- through surreptitious sampling.
state-student-was-brutally-raped-beaten-
authorities-arrest-suspect/. Wilson is facing charges of forcible rape and
first-degree assault with a deadly weapon in
Swift, Megan. “Reedsville Man Arrested in Boone County. He was detained in the Iredell
Connection with 1995 Rape, Aggravated County jail in North Carolina while awaiting
Assault of Penn State Student.” Daily extradition.
Collegian, October 5, 2021. Accessed
October 8, 2021. https:// Police have established a tip line where the
www.collegian.psu.edu/news/campus/ public can provide information on whether

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 288
Wilson committed similar crimes against
further victims in the area. Vogen, Michael. “Columbia PD Partners with
Othram to Identify the Suspect in a 1984
On January 13, 2023, Wilson pled not guilty Rape and Attempted Murder of a Young
to forcible rape with a weapon and first- Woman.” DNASolves.com, October 28, 2022.
degree assault with a deadly weapon. A status Accessed October 31, 2022. https://
hearing is scheduled for March 13, 2023. He dnasolves.com/articles/columbia-james-
is currently being held at Boone County Jail frederick-wilson/.
without bond.

Sources: Case ID 1355: Wilson, Philip Lee

Brierton, James. “Mooresville Man Arrested Philip Lee Wilson was arrested on April 23,
for 38-Year-Old Cold Case Rape and 2020 and charged in the April 24, 1980
Attempted Murder Case.” WCNC News murder of 20-year-old Robin Gisela Brooks
Charlotte, October 28, 2022. Accessed in Sacramento, California.
October 31, 2022. https://www.wcnc.com/
article/news/crime/missouri-rape-attempted- Brooks had left her job at a Rosemont donut
murder-cold-case-north-carolina-arrest/ shop late that night and walked home alone.
275-663e26d8- When she did not show up for her shift the
d3bf-4f36-823a-806f888db26b. next day, a friend checked on her and found
her dead in her bedroom. Brooks had been
Southey, Stephanie. “Advanced DNA sexually assaulted and stabbed to death.
Technology Used to Identify Suspect in 1984 Police suspect she may have been stalked by
Rape, Attempted Murder Case.” KOMU 8 the suspect before her death.
News, October 27, 2022. Last modified
October 28, 2022. Accessed October 31, A DNA profile was obtained from semen
2022. https://www.komu.com/news/ from a sexual assault kit, as well as blood left
midmissourinews/advanced-dna-technology- at the crime scene where the killer had cut
used-to-identify-suspect-in-1984-rape- himself while stabbing Brooks. There is
attempted-murder-case/ currently no information on who performed
article_f968a270-5627-11ed-975b- the FGG investigation.
dba5d48e47ea.html.
Wilson was convicted by a jury on March 10,
Southey, Stephanie. “VIDEO: Suspect in 2022. The jury had been deadlocked the day
1984 Rape and Attempted Murder Case earlier. Wilson’s defence attorney had argued
Pleads Not Guilty.” KOMU 8 News, January that Wilson had consensual sex with Brooks
13, 2023. Accessed January 17, 2023. https:// on the night she died, and that his blood was
www.komu.com/news/midmissourinews/ found at the crime scene because he had a
suspect-in-1984-rape-and-attempted-murder- workplace injury. The defence put Norbert
case-pleads-not-guilty/ Holston forward as an alternative suspect.
article_7ceef296-937e-11ed-987a- Holston was the boyfriend of Brook’s sister,
b342146b9815.html.

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 289
Maria Arrick, who stated that Holston was 2020. Accessed December 28, 2020. https://
with her on the night that Brooks was killed. www.sacbee.com/news/local/crime/
article242271476.html.
On April 22, 2022, Wilson was sentenced to
life in prison without the possibility of parole. Tieu, Van. “Sister of Victim in 40-Year-Old
Cold Case Hopes ‘Very Controversial’
Sources: Genealogy Testing Stays After Suspect’s
Arrest.” ABC 10 News, April 27, 2020.
Makaula, Walter. “How a Sacramento County Accessed December 28, 2020. https://
Investigator Solved a 40-Year-Old Cold www.abc10.com/article/news/local/
Case.” KCRA 3 News, April 25, 2020. sacramento/sister-of-cold-case-hopes-dna-
Accessed December 28, 2020. https:// tech-stays-after-suspects-arrest/103-
www.kcra.com/article/how-sacramento- fc294259-ae8b-43fc-b7cd-af3a73843410.
county-investigator-solved-40-year-old-cold-
case/32275016#. Tron, Gina. “Lawyer for Accused Rapist,
Murderer Says Client’s Innocent: ‘He Had
CBS 13 News. “Suspect in Rosemont Numerous Female Friends.’” Oxygen, March
Woman’s Killing Arrested 40 Years Later.” 4, 2022. Accessed March 13, 2022. https://
CBS Sacramento, April 24, 2020. Accessed www.oxygen.com/crime-news/phillip-lee-
December 28, 2020. https:// wilsons-lawyer-says-he-didnt-kill-robin-
sacramento.cbslocal.com/2020/04/24/robin- brooks.
brooks-cold-case-murder-arrest-sacramento-
rosemont/. Walike, Lauren. “Phillip Lee Wilson
Sentenced to Life without Parole in 40-Year-
Geiger, Dorian. “‘He’s an Evil Monster’: Old Rape, Murder of Robin Brooks in
Suspect Arrested Decades After 20-Year-Old Sacramento County.” KXTV News, April 22,
Slain Around the Corner from the Donut 2022. Accessed January 17, 2023. https://
Shop Where She Worked.” Oxygen, April 29, www.abc10.com/article/news/local/
2020. Accessed December 28, 2020. https:// sacramento/sacramento-phillip-lee-wilson-
www.oxygen.com/crime-news/phillip-wilson- robin-brooks/103-6093a514-8888-4885-a9ef-
arrested-in-cold-case-killing-of-robin-brooks. dbbf00a8a7bc.

Stanton, Sam. “Jury Reaches Verdict at

Phillip Lee Wilson Trial, Four Decades After Case ID 1671, 1748: Wise, Henry Frederick
Robin Brooks’ Slaying.” Sacramento Bee,
March 10, 2022. Accessed March 13, 2022. See also: Stacy Lyn Chahorski
https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/
article259244415.html. Henry Frederick Wise was identified on
September 6, 2022, as the lead suspect in the
Sullivan, Molly. “Sacramento Sheriff, DA murder of Stacy Lyn Chahorski, whose body
Announce Arrest in 40-Year-Old Cold Case was found on December 16, 1988 near Rising
Killing of Rosemont Woman.” Sacramento Fawn in Dade County, Georgia. The case has
Bee, April 24, 2020, last modified April 27,

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 290
been cleared by exception due to the death of identify-man-accused-of-killing-michigan-
Wise. woman-nearly-34-years-ago/.

Chahorski herself was not identified until Vogen, Michael. “GBI, FBI, and Date County
March 24, 2022. The identification of Sheriff’s Investigators Team With Othram to
Chahorsky was also accomplished by FGG. Identify the 1988 Murderer of Stacy Lyn
Both investigations were conducted by Chahorski.” DNASolves.com, September 6,
Othram in partnership with the Georgia 2022. Accessed September 6, 2022. https://
Bureau of Investigation and the FBI. The dnasolves.com/articles/stacy-lyn-chahorski-
final confirmation was made to living killer/.
relatives of Wise. The funding was provided
by Audiochuck.
Case ID 1838: Wood, Russell Grant
Henry (Hoss) Wise was a truck driver and a
race car stunt driver. He regularly drove On February 7, 2023, the Lexington Police
through the area where Chahorski’s body was Department announced that Russell Grant
found. Wood was the lead suspect in the May 30,
1987 rape and murder of Mary Mathis Davis
Wise was killed in 1999 in a crash at the in Lexington, North Carolina. The case has
Myrtle Beach Speedway in South Carolina. been cleared by exception due to the death of
Wise had a criminal history, including for Wood.
theft, assault, and obstruction, but these
offences took place before mandatory DNA Davis’ remains were found behind a Winn-
collection for felony arrests was instituted. Dixie on May 31, 1987 - the day after she
disappeared. She was last seen at her job at
Sources: Lanier’s Ace Hardware Store. She left for a
break, and never returned. The autopsy found
11Alive Staff. “FBI Identifies Killer in 1988 that she had been sexually assaulted and that
North Georgia Cold Case Murder.” 11Alive she died by strangulation.
News, September 6, 2022. Accessed
September 6, 2022. https://www.11alive.com/ The FGG investigation was conducted by
article/news/crime/gbi-cold-case-dade- Othram in partnership with the Lexington
county/85-6a19e943-3766-4149- Police Department and the North Carolina
aa5f-6fddb8053e3f. State Bureau of Investigation, beginning in
2022.
Clarke, Kayla. “Georgia Investigators Use Wood, who was from Lexington, died in 2013
DNA to Identify Man Accused of Killing at the age of 58. It was reported that Wood
Michigan Woman Nearly 34 Years Ago.” and Davis may have known each other, but
Click on Detroit, September 6, 2022. further information about the nature of their
Accessed September 6, 2022. https:// relationship has not been made available.
www.clickondetroit.com/news/local/
2022/09/06/georgia-investigators-use-dna-to-

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 291
Sources: She is thought to have died by strangulation
with a nylon stocking. Authorities stated that
DeBone, Maria, Carrie Hodgin, and Veronica there were no signs of a sexual assault.
Leasure. “Suspect Identified in 1987 Cold
Case Murder of Lexington Woman.” WX11 A DNA profile of the suspect was developed
NBC News 2, February 7, 2023. Accessed in 2009. There is no information on who
February 8, 2023. https://www.wxii12.com/ performed the FGG investigation. It has been
article/north-carolina-cold-case-murder-mary- reported that the case was investigated by the
mathis-davis/42789080. San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office, and
the FBI’s Riverside Office.
Myers, Sharon. “Lexington Police Solve 36
Year Old Murder Case Through DNA Wortman was interviewed at the time but
Evidence.” The Dispatch, February 7, 2023. denied knowing Brooks or going to her
Accessed February 8, 2023. https://www.the- apartment and authorities had no evidence
dispatch.com/story/news/2023/02/07/ against him.
lexington-police-solve-36-year-old-murder-
case-through-dna-evidence-mary-davis-cold- Wortman died in prison in 1995. He was
nc-sbi/69882835007/. serving a 22-year sentence for an unrelated
sexual assault that took place in 1991 in San
Vogen, Michael. “NC State Bureau of Bernardino County. He also had a rape
Investigation and Lexington PD Team with conviction from 1978 in Sonoma County, and
Othram to Identify the 1987 Rapist and a conviction for false imprisonment in San
Murderer of Mary Mathis Davis.” Bernardino County.
DNASolves.com, February 7, 2023. Accessed
February 8, 2023. https://dnasolves.com/ Sources:
articles/nc-state-bureau-lexington-mary-
mathis-davis/. Associated Press. “Convicted Rapist Who
Died in Prison ID’d as Suspect in Cold Case
Killing of Apple Valley Woman.” KTLA 5
Case ID 1631: Wortman, Robert Eugene News, January 24, 2022. Accessed January
29, 2022. https://ktla.com/news/local-news/
Robert Eugene Wortman was identified on convicted-rapist-who-died-in-prison-idd-as-
January 24, 2022, as the lead suspect in the suspect-in-cold-case-killing-of-apple-valley-
July, 1985 homicide of 63-year-old Helen woman/.
Margaret Brooks in Apple Valley, California.
The case has been cleared by exception due to De La Cruz, Rene Ray. “DNA Helps Identify
the death of Wortman. Violent Rapist as Suspect in Decades-Old
Brooks’ body was discovered in her home in Murder of Apple Valley Woman.”
the Apple Valley Garden Apartments on July Victoriaville Daily Press, January 25, 2022.
5 during a wellness check after friends and Accessed January 29, 2022. https://
co-workers had not been able to contact her www.vvdailypress.com/story/news/
for several days. She is thought to have been 2022/01/25/dna-helps-solve-decades-old-
killed sometime between July 3 and July 5.

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 292
murder-popular-apple-valley-woman/ garage were also matched to fingerprints
9206377002/. taken in 1971 when Wypych was arrested for
larceny.
Victor Valley News Group. “Man Dies in
Prison Before Being Named Suspect in Apple One man, who had worked as a clown at
Valley Cold Case Murder.” Victor Valley Seattle Center and was seen with Galvin
News Group, January 24, 2022. Accessed shortly before her death, was long a suspect.
January 29, 2022. https://www.vvng.com/ Police obtained a search warrant to test his
man-dies-in-prison-before-being-named- DNA in 2016, at which point he was finally
suspect-in-apple-valley-cold-case-murder/. cleared of suspicion in her murder.

Sources:
Case ID 1193: Wypych, Frank Edward
Find a Grave. “Frank Edward Wypych.” Find
Frank Edward Wypych has been identified as a Grave Memorial (No. 145262996).
the lead suspect in the July 10, 1967 murder Accessed December 28, 2020. https://
of 20-year-old Susan Galvin in Seattle, www.findagrave.com/memorial/145262996/
Washington. The case has been cleared by frank-edward-wypych.
exception due to the death of Wypych.
Johnson, Gene. “DNA, Family Tree Help
Galvin had worked for the Seattle police Solve 52-Year-Old Seattle Murder Case.”
department as a records clerk. A search was Associated Press, May 7, 2019. Accessed
initiated she failed to show up for her December 28, 2020. https://apnews.com/
overnight shift on July 10. Her body was article/a2f91cad86a9492cbcd1abb6b800ce8b.
found three days later in an elevator by a
parking attendant at the Seattle Center. Galvin Schlosser, Kurt. “52 Years After Seattle
had been sexually assaulted and strangled. Woman was Killed, Police Use Family DNA
and Latest Science to Identify the Killer.”
A DNA profile of the suspect was obtained Geek Wire, May 7, 2019. Accessed December
from semen found on Galvin’s underwear. 28, 2020. https://www.geekwire.com/
The FGG investigation was conducted by 2019/52-years-seattle-woman-killed-police-
Parabon Nanolabs. Ancestry analysis use-family-dna-latest-science-identify-killer/.
performed by Parabon showed that the
suspect was about 16% Native American. Sederstrom, Jill. “Police Identify Killer of 20-
This assisted in the genealogical analysis. Year-Old Seattle Woman, 52 Years After Her
Murder.” Oxygen, May 9, 2019. Accessed
Wypych passed away on April 7, 1987 at the December 28, 2020. https://
age of 46 from diabetes complications. www.oxygen.com/crime-time/seattle-woman-
Investigators applied to exhume his remains, susan-galvin-killer-frank-wypych-identified-
and his DNA profile was found to be after-52-years.
consistent with the DNA sample taken from
Galvin’s body. Fingerprints that had been
collected from the elevator in the parking

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 293
Case ID 1399-1400: Young, Gary Robert www.forensicmag.com/567269-Serial-Rape-
Cases-From-1991-1992-Solved-by-
Gary Robert Young was arrested on August 5, Identifinders/.
2020 and charged with two cold case rapes in
Chandler, Arizona. On November 8, 1991, a
26-year-old woman was kidnapped and raped Case ID 1461: Zamora, Jaime
at gunpoint. In 1992, a 15-year-old girl was
kidnapped, driven to a nearby home, and On September 18, 2001, an unknown male
sexually assaulted there. kidnapped and raped a 7-year-old girl who
was walking to school with her 8-year-old
A DNA profile of the suspect was obtained brother in Greeley, Colorado. The case has
from the victims’ sexual assault kits. This been cleared by exception due to the death of
linked the cases together in CODIS, but there Zamora.
was no hit to a potential perpetrator.
Zamora forced the girl into his vehicle, and
The FGG investigation was conducted by took her to a secluded area where he sexually
Colleen Fitzpatrick of Identifinders. Initial assaulted her. She escaped and sought
confirmation was made through police assistance at the nearby Air National Guard
surveillance followed by surreptitious station at a nearby airport.
sampling. The investigation was funded by
the Bureau of Justice Assistance’s Sexual The FGG investigation was conducted by
Assault Kit Initiative. Parabon, which had performed forensic
phenotyping of the suspect’s DNA in
Young is being held in custody while the case February of 2020. When this produced no
against him is pending in Maricopa County leads, Parabon then performed a genealogical
Superior Court. analysis, leading then to identify Jaime
Zamora as a potential suspect.
Sources:
Zamora passed away in 2014 in Wellington,
Daily Independent Staff. “Chandler Police Colorado. The final confirmation was made
Arrest Sex Assault Suspect in 1991 Cold with tissue samples kept on file after his
Case.” Daily Independent, August 6, 2020. autopsy. Zamora, then 26-years-old, had been
Accessed December 28, 2020. https:// living in Greeley and working at a local
yourvalley.net/stories/chandler-police-arrest- sandwich shop at the time of the assault.
sex-assault-suspect-in-1991-cold-
case,178002? Sources:
fbclid=IwAR20Chum7r0YuySRyii_aYRBNie
-gGH6cU2DFt88Xhb1I-fCqgcoYf7in-4. Laxen, Jacob. “2001 Greeley Kidnapping
Cold Case Solved.” Townsquare NOCO,
Forensic Magazine. “Serial Rape Cases from February 10, 2021. Accessed February 12,
1991, 1992, Solved by Identifinders.” 2021. https://townsquarenoco.com/2001-
Forensic Magazine, August 17, 2020. greeley-kidnapping-cold-case-solved/.
Accessed December 28, 2020. https://

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 294
Reid, Trevor. “Greeley Police Solve 2001 Zamora pled guilty to charges of rape and
Child Kidnapping, Sex Assault After DNA choking the second victim, and rape of the
Research Leads to a Match.” Greeley Tribune, first victim on November 9, 2021, in the court
February 10, 2021. Accessed February 12, of Queen’s Bench in Calgary. He received a
2021. https://www.greeleytribune.com/ sentence of 5 years and three months. He has
2021/02/10/greeley-police-solve-2001-child- no prior criminal record.
kidnapping-sex-assault-after-dna-research-
leads-to-a-match/. Sources:

Web Staff. “Greeley Cold Case Solved with CBC News. “Calgary Police Lay Charges in
Snapshot DNA Tech.” Fox 31 News 2 Denver, Cold Case Sex Assaults from 1981.” CBC
February 9, 2021. Accessed February 12, News, February 16, 2021. Accessed
2021. https://kdvr.com/news/local/greeley- November 13, 2021. https://www.cbc.ca/
cold-case-solved-with-snapshot-dna-tech/. news/canada/calgary/cold-case-sexual-
assaults-1981-zamora-patrick-foothills-sex-
crimes-charges-1.5915713.
Case ID 1548-1549: Zamora, Patrick
Convergence Investigative Genealogy.
Sixty-four-year-old Patrick Zamora was “Featured Cases.” Convergence Investigative
charged on February 11, 2021, in two sexual Genetic Genealogy (Website), November 8,
assaults that took place in Calgary, Alberta. 2021. Accessed November 13, 2021. http://
Both assaults took place on the campus of the convergencegenealogy.com/cases/.
Foothills Medical Centre in the early morning
hours. Gilligan, Melissa, and Kaylen Small. “DNA
Leads to Charges in 1981 Sexual Assaults
The first occurred on June 16, 1981, when a Reported at Foothills Hospital Campus.”
21-year-old nursing student was returning to Global News, February 16, 2021. Last
her residence at the hospital when she was Modified February 17, 2021. Accessed
attacked and sexually assaulted. November 13, 2021. https://globalnews.ca/
news/7643576/calgary-foothills-medical-
The second took place on July 1, 1981, when centre-rapes-patrick-zamora-charged/.
a lab technician was leaving work. Both
women were attacked in the hospital parking Grant, Meghan. “‘I forgive You’: 40 Years
lot, dragged into nearby bushes, and violently After Rape, Victim Makes Peace with
sexually assaulted. Attacker as He Pleads Guilty.” CBC News,
The FGG investigation was conducted by November 9, 2021. Accessed November 13,
Convergence Investigative Genealogy using 2021. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/
DNA collected from the victim’s sexual calgary/patrick-zamora-historic-rape-guilty-
assault kits (SAKs). The initial confirmation plea-sentence-1.6242845.
was made through police surveillance of
Zamora, followed by the surreptitious
sampling of a cigarette butt he had tossed
from the window of his vehicle.

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 295
Case ID 1361: Zastawnik, James died after picking her up in his car when she
was walking down Walker Road. He took her
James Zastawnik was arrested on May 6, to his home so that she could use the
2020 and charged in the December 20, 1987 telephone. He claims he dropped her back on
murder of 17-year-old Barbara ‘Barbie’ Warner Road.
Blatnik in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio.
Zastawnik was released on a $35,000 bond
Blatnik was last seen when she was dropped while awaiting trial on charges of murder and
off by a friend at about midnight. Her nude aggravated murder in Summit County.
body was found the next morning in a Zastawnik, 69, died from cancer in August of
wooded area along the roadside. She had been 2021. He was receiving hospice services and
raped and strangled. passed away surrounded by relatives while
awaiting trial – which was scheduled to begin
A DNA profile of the suspect was obtained in October of 2021 after having been delayed.
from a tissue sample taken from underneath Warsmith reports that, “His family is
Blatnik’s fingernails. Since it was a mixture mourning his passing,” said Erik Jones, who
of Blatnik’s DNA and the man she had represented Zastawnik with attorney Andrea
scratched, the mixture first needed to be Whitaker.
resolved. Her older sister, Donna Zanath,
provided her DNA to assist with this. Sources:

The FGG investigation was conducted by Carey, Tyler, Rachel Polansky, and Phil
Colleen Fitzpatrick of Identifinders. Project Trexler. “Cleveland Man Arrested for 1987
Porchlight raised the money to fund the FGG Rape and Murder of Garfield Heights’
investigation. Fitzpatrick studied the suspect’s Barbara Blatnik.” WKYC News, May 6, 2020.
Y-DNA as well as his autosomal DNA, Accessed December 28, 2020. https://
learning that he was of Eastern European www.wkyc.com/article/news/crime/cold-
biogeographical ancestry. Police obtained a cases/cleveland-man-arrested-for-1987-rape-
warrant to take a DNA sample from murder-of-garfield-heights-teen/
Zastawnik, and confirmed it was consistent 95-7617cde1-f88d-4cb9-87cc-5859dbbfe426.
with the crime scene DNA profile.
Staff Writer. “Regional News Briefs, July 11,
Zastawnik had worked at a factory near where 2020: Man Charged in 1987 Slaying of Teen
Blatnik was last seen. He has a prior criminal is Out on $35,000 Bond.” Akron Beacon
record for exposing himself to two women in Journal, July 10, 2020. Accessed December
Akron in July of 1984. In police interviews, 28, 2020. https://www.beaconjournal.com/
Zastawnik initially denied knowing Blatnik. story/news/local/2020/07/10/regional-news-
Trexler reports that recordings indicate that briefs-july-11-2020-man-charged-in-1987-
when confronted by the DNA evidence, slaying-of-teen-is-out-on-35000-bond/
Zastawnik then displayed a “vivid 113388298/
recollection” of his encounter with Blatnik.
He claimed that he had “spontaneous and Trexler, Phil. “3News Investigates: Exclusive
consensual” sex with the teen on the night she Audio Reveals Suspect Admitting Sexual

C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 296
Encounter with Barbara Blatnik on Night of
Her Murder.” WKYC 3News, November 2,
2021. Accessed December 29, 2021. https://
www.wkyc.com/article/news/crime/audio-
reveals-suspect-admitting-sexual-encounter-
with-barbara-blatnik-on-night-of-her-murder/
95-934c9195-e6fa-4b4d-8cc3-0060dcbaf675.

Tron, Gina. “DNA Leads to Arrest in 1987

Strangulation of Teen Who Was Preparing to
be Maid of Honor in Sister’s Wedding.”
Oxygen, May 8, 2020. Accessed December
28, 2020. https://www.oxygen.com/crime-
news/james-zastawnik-arrested-for-
strangling-of-teen-barbara-blatnik.

Warsmith, Stephanie. “Man Accused in 1987

Murder of Teen in Cuyahoga Falls Dies of
Cancer Two Months Before Trial.” Akron
Beacon Journal, August 26, 2021. Accessed
December 29, 2021. https://
www.beaconjournal.com/story/news/
2021/08/26/cleveland-man-accused-1987-
murder-teen-dies-before-his-trial/
5586877001/.

Warsmith, Stephanie. “New DNA

Technology, Genealogy Research Leads to
Arrest in Teen’s 1987 Killing.” Akron Beacon
Journal, May 16, 2020. Accessed December
28, 2020. https://www.beaconjournal.com/
news/20200516/new-dna-technology-
genealogy-research-leads-to-arrest-in-
teenrsquos-1987-killing.

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Disaster Victim Investigations

The following is an annotated bibliography of all

Disaster Victim Investigations that were solved through
Forensic Genetic Genealogy (FGG).
Attempts were made to include sources that are made
freely available to the public whenever possible.
Information has been con rmed through at least two to
three different sources, whenever possible.

D I S A S T E R V I C T I M I N V E S T I G AT I O N S
fi
 Disaster Victim
Johnson, Lizzie. “A Name Lost in Flames.”
San Francisco Chronicle, November 8, 2019.
Accessed December 28, 2020. https://
Investigations www.sfchronicle.com/california-wildfires/
article/Mystery-in-Paradise-Did-the-last-
unidentified-14812373.php.

Case ID 1146: Christopher Maltby: Kasler, Dale. “How DNA Tech Used in
Paradise Camp Fire Victim 1 Golden State Killer Case Could Help ID Last
Two Camp Fire Victims.” Sacramento Bee,
The two Paradise Camp Fire victims went June 19, 2019, last modified June 20, 2019.
missing on November 8, 2018 in Paradise, Accessed December 28, 2020. https://
California. The Paradise Camp Fire was one www.sacbee.com/news/california/fires/
of California’s deadliest fires, with 85 known article231519768.html.
victims.

For many disaster victims, DNA samples are Case ID 1145: Confidential: Paradise
taken from family members of the missing so Camp Fire Victim #53
that they can be matched with remains.
Oftentimes, then, FGG will not be necessary The two Paradise Camp Fire victims went
to make identifications. For the two missing on November 8, 2018 in Paradise,
unidentified Camp Fire victims in Paradise, California. The Paradise Camp Fire was one
there were no identifying characteristics or of California’s deadliest fires, with 85 known
family whose DNA they can be matched to, victims.
as was the case for the other 83 victims.
Margaret Press of DNA Doe then offered to For many disaster victims, DNA samples are
help identify them using FGG. The taken from family members of the missing so
investigation was conducted jointly by the that they can be matched with remains.
DNA Doe Project and the Sacramento County Oftentimes, then, FGG would not be
Coroner’s Office. necessary to make identifications. For the two
unidentified Camp Fire victims in Paradise,
He was identified as 69-year-old Christopher there were no identifying characteristics or
Maltby. family whose DNA they can be matched to,
as was the case for the other 83 victims.
Sources: Margaret Press of DNA Doe then offered to
help identify them using FGG. The
DNA Doe Project. “Camp Fire Victims investigation was conducted jointly by the
2018.” DNA Doe Project, November 8, 2020. DNA Doe Project and the Sacramento County
Accessed December 28, 2020. https:// Coroner’s Office.
dnadoeproject.org/case/camp-fire-
victims-2018/. Victim #53 was the last victim of the Paradise
Camp Fire to be identified. He was found at
the home of Ellen Walker who lived in a

D I S A S T E R V I C T I M I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 298
senior mobile home park. Walker was an
elderly woman with fibromyalgia and limited
mobility. She had been trapped and died in
the fire. When DNA analysis was done, it was
found that there was an unknown person
beside her, perhaps he had died trying to
assist Walker.

The man’s identity is being kept confidential

at the request of his family.

Sources:

DNA Doe Project. “Camp Fire Victims

2018.” DNA Doe Project, November 8, 2020.
Accessed December 28, 2020. https://
dnadoeproject.org/case/camp-fire-
victims-2018/.

Johnson, Lizzie. “A Name Lost in Flames.”

San Francisco Chronicle, November 8, 2019.
Accessed December 28, 2020. https://
www.sfchronicle.com/california-wildfires/
article/Mystery-in-Paradise-Did-the-last-
unidentified-14812373.php.

Kasler, Dale. “How DNA Tech Used in

Golden State Killer Case Could Help ID Last
Two Camp Fire Victims.” Sacramento Bee,
June 19, 2019, last modified June 20, 2019.
Accessed December 28, 2020. https://
www.sacbee.com/news/california/fires/
article231519768.html.

D I S A S T E R V I C T I M I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 299
Human Remains Investigations

The following is an annotated bibliography of all Human

Remains Investigations that were solved through
Forensic Genetic Genealogy (FGG).
Attempts were made to include sources that are made
freely available to the public whenever possible.
Information has been con rmed through at least two to
three different sources, whenever possible.

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S
fi
Human Remains
ticket dated January 5, 1976. There are now 5
remaining victims to be identified.

Investigations Alexander was originally from South

Carolina. It is not known how he met John
Wayne Gacy. Gacy was executed in 1994
after having been convicted of the murder of
Case ID 1541: Alexander, Francis Wayne: 33 young men and boys.
Gacy Victim #5
Sources:
The skeletal remains of Francis Wayne
Alexander were found on December 26, Associated Press. “Investigators Get Tips
1978, in the crawl space of a home in After 40th Anniversary of Gacy Arrest.” WGN
Norwood Park, Illinois, just outside of News 9 Chicago. January 17, 2019. Accessed
Chicago. The home belonged to serial killer October 28, 2019. https://wgntv.com/news/
John Wayne Gacy. Alexander’s remains were investigators-get-tips-after-40th-anniversary-
located along with those of 25 other victims of-gacy-arrest/.
of Gacy, mainly teenagers and young men.
Gacy would kidnap, sexually assault, torture, DNA Doe Project. “Gacy Victim Five.” DNA
and then kill his victims. Investigators believe Doe Project. October 27, 2021. Accessed
that Alexander was murdered sometime October 28, 2021. https://dnadoeproject.org/
between early 1976 and March 15, 1977. case/gacy-victim-five/.
Alexander was one of 8 Gacy victims who
could not be identified, and an investigation National Public Radio. “Another Victim of
into their identity was reopened in 2011. Serial Killer John Wayne Gacy’s Has Been
Identified Using DNA.” National Public
DNA was extracted from Alexander’s molar Radio. October 25, 2021. Accessed October
by Astrea Forensics in Santa Cruz. The FGG 27, 2021. https://www.npr.org/
investigation was conducted by the DNA Doe 2021/10/25/1049100466/dna-victim-serial-
Project. The final confirmation of Alexander’s killer-john-wayne-gacy?sf250685521=1.
identity was made to his mother and half-
brother. Taylor, Michelle. “DNA Doe Project Helps
ID John Wayne Gacy.” Forensic Magazine.
Alexander’s identification follows the October 27, 2021. Accessed October 28,
identifications of two other of Gacy’s victims 2021. https://www.forensicmag.com/580471-
– James Haakenson and William Bundy. They DNA-Doe-Project-Helps-ID-John-Wayne-
were identified using DNA matches to Gacy-Victim/.
relatives who answered police’s call to submit
their DNA if they had a loved one go missing
in Chicago in the late 1970s, the time when
Gacy was most active. One of the last traces
police have found of Alexander is a traffic

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 300
Case ID 1183: Alkebu-Lan, Hassan: Case ID 1814: Alston, Katherine Ann:
Virginia John Doe Bedford, New Hampshire Jane Doe 1971

The body of 39-year-old Hassan Alkebu-Lan The remains of Katherine (“Kathy”) Ann
was found by a boater on March 13, 2016 Alston were found on October 6, 1971 in
along the banks of the James River in Bedford, New Hampshire. She was found in
Chesterfield, Virginia. The FGG investigation the woods, near the Route 101 by-pass, now
was conducted by Parabon Nanolabs. an onramp to Kilton Road. She is thought to
have lain there for about one to three months
Criminal activity is not suspected in Alkebu- before being found. Investigators determined
Lan’s death. He suffered from mental illness that she was the victim of a homicide, but the
and was being cared for by his family. His cause of death has not been determined.
mother was going out to get him some
identification when he disappeared. They did In 1993 and in 2006, a clay facial
not know what became of him for three years. reconstruction was performed. In 2020, an
updated digital facial reconstruction was
Sources: produced.

Fultz, Matthew. “Family of Missing Man The FGG investigation was conducted by the
Found in James River 3 Years Ago: ‘People DNA Doe Project, in partnership with the
Really Loved Him’.” WTVR 6 News New Hampshire State Police, beginning in
Richmond. March 31, 2019. Accessed February of 2020. The investigation was
December 29, 2020. https://www.wtvr.com/ funded through donations, in the amount of
2019/03/31/alkebu-lan-family-grateful-after- $3,500. The final confirmation was made to
body-of-hassan-alkebu-lan-found. Alston’s living family members.

Johnson, Carter. “Crews Pull Two Bodies This case was solved using a match to one of
from James River Over the Weekend.” WTVR Alston’s siblings that only appeared after
6 News Richmond. March 13, 2016. Accessed GEDmatch changed its terms and conditions
December 29, 2020. https://www.wtvr.com/ in January of 2021 to opt-in all kits to relative
2016/03/13/body-found-in-james-river- matching for human remains investigations.
behind-chesterfield-plant/. Between May of 2019 and January of 2021,
GEDmatch opted all users out of law
NBC 12 Newsroom. “DNA Testing Helps ID enforcement matching in all cases, and asked
Man Found Near James River in 2016.” NBC them specifically to opt in.
12 News. March 29, 2019. Accessed
December 29, 2020. https://www.nbc12.com/ Alston was born in Chelsea, Massachusetts.
2019/03/29/dna-testing-helps-id-man-found- She lived in Boston for most of her life. She
near-james-river/. had attended Boston University before
marrying, and then divorcing, a fellow
student. Alston was supposed to meet her
parents and younger siblings at the airport to
say goodbye, as they were moving to Texas.

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 301
Alston never showed up, and her family never The skull was turned over to the Bucks
spoke to her again. She was not reported County Coroner’s Office in October of 2019
missing. and an entry made in NamUs, but no new
leads were obtained. The FGG investigation
Police continue to investigate Alston’s was conducted by Othram in partnership with
murder. the Bucks County Detectives, the Bucks
County Coroner’s Office and the Bucks
Sources: County District Attorney’s Office, beginning
in September of 2022. The FGG investigation
DNA Doe Project. “Bedford NH Jane Doe was funded by Audiochuck. The final
1971.” DNA Doe Project, May 11, 2020. Last confirmation was made to Alt’s daughter, who
Modified January 9, 2023. Accessed January was 11 years old at the time her father
9, 2023. https://dnadoeproject.org/case/ disappeared.
bedford-nh-jane-doe-1971/.
Alt was last seen by his parents on Christmas
McCormack, Kathy. Woman Found Dead in Eve of 1984 in Trenton, NJ, and was reported
New Hampshire More than 50 Years Ago missing in early 1985. At the tine, it was
ID’d, Leads Sought.” CBS News Boston, suspected that Alt and his girlfriend, Laurie
January 9, 2023. Accessed January 9, 2023. Suydam, were homicide victims. Her body
https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/ had been located in the Delaware River in
katherine-ann-alston-found-dead-new- April 1985 in Trenton. Police in Trenton
hampshire-1971-leads-sought/. continue to investigate both homicides.

St. Pierre, Ariana. “Body of Woman Found in Sources:

New Hampshire in 1971 Identified, Killer
Sought.” WGME 13 News, January 9, 2023. 6abc Digital Staff. “Human Skull Found on
Accessed January 9, 2023. https://wgme.com/ Banks of Delaware River in Bucks County in
news/local/body-of-woman-found-in-new- 1986 Identified.” 6 ABC News, January 30,
hampshire-in-1971-identified-killer-sought- 2023. Accessed February 1, 2023. https://
katherine-ann-alston-kathy-bedford-boston- 6abc.com/bucks-county-skull-1986-found-
massachusetts-murder-homicide. delaware-river-human-identified/12750891/.

Czachor, Emily Mae. “Skull Found in 1986

Case ID 1823: Alt, Richard Thomas Near Delaware River Identified as Suspected
New Jersey Homicide Victim.” CBS News,
The skull of 31-year-old Richard Thomas Alt January 31, 2023. Accessed February 1, 2023.
was found in June of 1986 in Morrisville, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/skull-
Pennsylvania. A fisherman from nearby found-1986-identified-richard-thomas-alt-
Buckingham Township found the skull on the suspected-murder-new-jersey/.
banks of the Delaware River, near the
Morrisville Boat launch. Morrisville is at the Vogen, Michael. “Bucks County District
bottom of the Delaware River falls, just Attorney’s Office Teams With Othram to
across the river from Trenton, NJ. Identify 1986 John Doe.” DNASolves.com,

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 302
January 30, 2023. Accessed February 1, 2023. Ames, who was born on August 23, 1898,
https://dnasolves.com/articles/bucks-county- moved to Arlington in the early 1950s. He
richard-alt/. operated a small dairy farm, and also worked
at a paper will and as a woodworker and
winemaker. He was last seen by his family in
Case ID 1786: Ames, Othaniel Philip: I-5 early 1980, when he told them that he would
Stilly John Doe be travelling to visit family in Oregon and
California.
The remains of 82-year-old Othaniel Philip
Ames were found on July 23, 1980 in Sources:
Arlington, Washington. A local fisherman
found his remains along the Stillaguamish Ackerberg, Romy C., and Clint Edwards.
River. His body had lain in the water for “Your DNA Could Help Solve Local John
several months, and his cause of death could Doe Cases, Even if You Don’t Know of
not be determined: he had no obvious signs of Anyone Missing.” FOX 13 News Seattle,
trauma, and he did not drown. It was August 8, 2022. Accessed November 11,
determined that he was elderly, and that he 2022. https://www.q13fox.com/news/how-
had heart disease. your-dna-could-help-solve-local-john-doe-
cases.
His remains were exhumed in 2017 for
further attempts at identification. A DNA Fox 13 News Staff. “Snohomish County
profile was obtained, and entered into Identifies ‘Stilly Doe’ 40 Years Later Through
NamUs. In 2018, the University of North DNA as Man Born in 1898.” FOX 13 News
Texas Health Sciences Centre obtained a Seattle, November 9, 2022. Accessed
DNA sample from his femur that was entered November 11, 2022.
into CODIS in March of 2019. The
Snohomish County Medical Examiner’s Vogen, Michael. “Snohomish County
Office states that it no longer buries Sheriff’s & Medical Examiner’s Office Teams
unidentified decedents, although this was a with Othram to Identify Stilly John Doe.”
common practice at the time. DNASolves.com, November 10, 2022.
Accessed November 11, 2022. https://
The FGG investigation was conducted by dnasolves.com/articles/stilly-john-doe/.
Othram in partnership with the Snohomish
County Sheriff’s Office and the Snohomish
County Medical Examiner’s Office, Case ID 1590: Archer, Stephen Patrick:
beginning in 2021. The investigation was Rohnert Park John Doe 2015
crowdfunded through DNASolves. Deb Stone
conducted the genealogical investigation, The body of 48-year-old Stephen Patrick
which was challenging in this case since there Archer was found on January 2, 2015, along
were only 5th to 7th cousin matches in the an access road in Rohnert Park, California.
databases. Stone was able to identify a set of He possessed a mountain bike with a child
great-great-great-grandparents. carrier containing a set of hand-written
journals containing his work in mathematics,

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 303
physics, and science. Authorities do not Case ID 1543: Armantrout, Daniel Paul:
believe foul play was involved in his death. Bibb County John Doe
He is thought to have been a transient at the
time of his death. The body of 15-year-old Daniel (‘Danny’)
Paul Armantrout was found on March 27,
Efforts to identify Archer through were 1961 in the Cahaba River, south of Wilton,
unsuccessful, despite his DNA profile being Alabama. He was hitchhiking and had been
uploaded into CODIS, his fingerprints and picked up just a short time before by a driver
dental records, and forensic anthropological named James White. White struck a guardrail
analysis. and lost control of the vehicle on Riverbend
Road, which plunged into the river. White
The FGG investigation was conducted by the survived, but the boy did not. He had no ID,
DNA Doe Project. The final confirmation was and the driver did not know his name, or
made to Archer’s biological mother. many details about him, as they had only been
in the car together a short time. He told the
Archer lived in the Seattle area and had driver that his parents had separated, and he
worked briefly for Boeing. He has been had left home and was looking for work. The
returned to his family. community paid for him to be buried at the
Centreville Memorial Cemetery.
Sources:
His body was exhumed on June 9, 2016 with
DNA Doe Project. “Rohnert Park John Doe funding from NCMEC and bone samples
2015.” DNA Doe Project. June 3, 2021. Last were taken, but no DNA could be extracted.
Modified December 10, 2021. Accessed In November of 2020, Colleen Fitzpatrick of
December 11, 2021. https:// Identifinders was engaged to perform the
dnadoeproject.org/case/rohnert-park-john- FGG investigation. She located the 2016
doe-2015/. autopsy samples at the University of North
Texas and sent the bone samples to Astria
Dowd, Katie. “Bay Area John Doe Found Forensics where they were able to obtain a
Dead with Physics Journals Finally DNA profile. The FGG investigation was
Identified.” SFGate. December 9, 2021. funded by Gray Hughes Investigates. This is
Accessed December 11, 2021. https:// reportedly the oldest NCMEC case to be
www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Bay-Area- solved through FGG.
John-Doe-found-dead-with-
physics-16688779.php. Danny Armantrout was born on December 28,
1945 in Miami. He has an older brother, who
Unidentified Wiki. “Stephen Archer.” is now 77 years old and living in Florida. He
Wikia.org. n.d. Accessed December 11, 2021. was serving in the army at the time
https://unidentified-awareness.fandom.com/ Armantrout went missing. There is a third
wiki/Stephen_Archer. brother who also went missing. The brothers
were living with their mother and stepfather,
and their home life was reportedly unhappy.

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 304
The community has also paid for his name to February 11, 1974. Investigators estimate he
now be added to his headstone. died about four months earlier of blunt force
trauma when he fell or jumped from the
Sources: plateau above. For almost 5 decades, he was
known only as the Park County John Doe.
Forensic Magazine. “ID of 1961 John Doe is
Oldest NCMEC Case Ever Solved by Genetic His remains were exhumed in 2011 for
Genealogy.” Forensic Magazine (Republished modern forensic anthropological analysis, and
courtesy of Identifinders International). a DNA profile was obtained. The FGG
November 1, 2021. Accessed November 6, investigation was conducted by the DNA Doe
2021. https://www.forensicmag.com/580607- Project in cooperation with the Park County
ID-of-1961-John-Doe-is-Oldest-NCMEC- Coroner’s Office. The case was solved after
Case-Ever-Solved-by-Genetic-Genealogy/ nearly 800 hours of research by volunteers.
The initial confirmation was made through
Identifinders International. “Unidentified the testing of a first cousin.
Teen UP13483.” Identifinders International.
n.d. Accessed November 6, 2021. https:// Armbrust was an aeronautical engineer who
identifinders.com/bibb-county-hitchhiker- led a metaphysical church in San Diego.
john-doe/. Diagnosed with a terminal illness, he may
have made a suicide pact with his wife,
Reynolds, Kelvin. “Hitchhiker Killed in Bibb Renee, whose body has never been found.
County Crash Identified 60 Years Later.” Before they disappeared, the couple had sent
WBRC News 6. November 1, 2021. Accessed a letter to members of their church asking
November 6, 2021. https://www.wbrc.com/ them to care for their dog and collect several
2021/11/02/hitchhiker-killed-bibb-county- personal items. Armbrust’s death is thought to
crash-identified-60-years-later/. have been a suicide.

Robinson, Carol. “Teen Hitchhiker Killed in Sources:

1961 Alabama Crash Identified After 60
Years: ‘It’s Really a Shocker.’” AL.com. DNA Doe Project. “DNA Doe Project Given
November 1, 2021. Last Modified November Name to 1974 John Doe.” Forensic
2, 2021. Accessed November 26, 2021. Magazine. October 21, 2020. Accessed
https://www.al.com/news/2021/11/teen- December 29, 2020. https://
hitchhiker-killed-in-1961-alabama-crash- www.forensicmag.com/569406-DNA-Doe-
identified-after-60-years-its-really-a- Project-Gives-Name-to-1974-John-Doe/.
shocker.html.
DNA Doe Project. “Park Co John Doe 1974.”
DNA Doe Project. January 6, 2020. Accessed
Case ID 1420: Armbrust, Anthony John: December 29, 2020. https://
dnadoeproject.org/case/park-co-john-
The body of 44-year-old Anthony John doe-1974/.
Armbrust III was found by hikers in a
mountainous region near Grant, Colorado on Padilla, Anica. “Cold Case Solved: Anthony

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 305
John Armbrust III Identified as Man Found Sources:
Dead in 1974, Wife Still Missing.” CBS 4
Denver. October 20, 2020. Accessed Porchlight Project. “72 Bones Connected to
December 29, 2020. https:// 1881 Death May be Oldest Genetic
denver.cbslocal.com/2020/10/20/anthony- Genealogy Case to Date.” Forensic
john-armbrust-suicide-pact-renee-colorado- Magazine. October 23, 2020. Accessed
cold-case-dead-1974-wife-still-missing/. December 29, 2020. https://
www.forensicmag.com/569485-72-Bones-
Connected-to-1881-Death-May-be-Oldest-
Case ID 1419: Armstrong, Hallie Genetic-Genealogy-Case-to-Date/.

The remains of 18-year-old Hallie Armstrong Renner, James. “72 Bones Found in New
were found in an old barn in New London, London Barn Connect to Schoolteacher Who
Ohio sometime in the fall of 2016. About 72 Died in 1881 – May Be Oldest Genetic
human bones of unknown origin were found Genealogy Case to Date.” Porchlight Project.
in the dilapidated barn when the property was October 19, 2020. Accessed December 29,
sold. Since the age of the remains were 2020. https://porchlightonline.org/72-bones-
unknown, an investigation was commenced found-in-new-london-barn-connect-to-
by the New London Police Department. They schoolteacher-who-died-in-1881-may-be-
suspected a homicide, as some of the bones – oldest-genetic-genealogy-case-to-date/.
including the skull, sacrum, and pelvis –
appeared to have been cut with a power saw. WKYC Staff. “Bones Found in New London
Linked to School Teacher Who Died in
The FGG investigation was conducted by 1881.” WKYC News. October 19, 2020.
Melinde Lutz Byrne, the lead investigative Accessed December 29, 2020. https://
genealogist at Bode Technology. Funding for www.wkyc.com/article/news/crime/cold-
the investigation was provided by the cases/new-london-bones-school-
Porchlight Project, which assists with funding teacher-1881/95-303661af-
for further investigations in cases of missing b94a-40b0-96d4-1b43fe39a481.
persons and homicide victims.

The remains were identified as those of Case ID 1459: Asher, Freeman, Jr.
Armstrong, a young, unmarried teacher who
died of unknown causes in 1881. She is The skeletal remains of Freeman Asher Jr.
reported to be buried in a grave at Sugar were found near the bottom of Multnomah
Grove Cemetery in Wilmington. It is not Falls, Oregon by two hikers. Some of his
known whose remains, if any, are buried in personal effects were found nearby, including
that grave. Armstrong’s father had been the clothing, a baseball cap, and eyeglasses.
superintendent of an infirmary, and one of the
former owners of the barn was a chiropractor. A DNA profile of the remains was obtained in
This has led to the speculation that her 2010 and uploaded to CODIS, but there were
remains were being used as medical no matches to known missing persons. In
specimens. 2013, a composite sketch was made of what

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 306
Asher might have looked like with his exposure in about the first 24 hours of his life.
baseball cap. He was found wrapped in blankets with his
placenta still attached.
The FGG investigation was performed by
Parabon Nanolabs. The investigation was On September 3, 2009, Baby Andrew was
funded by a grant from the National Institute disinterred for forensic analysis and DNA
of Justice. The final confirmation was made testing at the North Texas University Science
to Asher’s sister, now living in California. Center. The FGG investigation was conducted
by Parabon Nanolabs. The identification was
His cause of death is still undetermined. His made when a third cousin once removed to
remains have been returned to his family. Baby Andrew uploaded their DNA to
GEDmatch.
Sources:
In January of 2019, the possible parents of
KATU Staff. “Human Remains Identified Baby Andrew were identified as Theresa
After 42 Years as Portland Man.” KATU News Rose Bentaas and Dirk Bentaas. The initial
2 ABC. February 3, 2021. Accessed February confirmation was made through police
7, 2021. https://katu.com/news/local/human- surveillance followed by the surreptitious
remains-identified-after-42-years-as-portland- sampling of items from their trash, including
man. a Sam Adams beer bottle and several cigarette
butts.
Oregon State Police. “Parabon, Oregon State
Police ID Remains After 40 Years.” Reprinted On March 8, 2019, Theresa Bentaas was
in Forensic Magazine (Press Release). arrested and charged with first-degree murder,
February 5, 2021. Accessed February 7, 2021. second-degree murder and manslaughter. She
https://www.forensicmag.com/572958- was 19 years-old at the time of Baby
Parabon-Oregon-State-Police-ID-Remains- Andrew’s birth. The father is not thought to
After-40-Years/. have known about the baby. She admitted to
the killing when questioned by police, and her
Unidentified Wiki. “Freeman Asher Jr.” case is currently pending in Minnehaha
Wikia.org. n.d. Accessed February 7, 2021. County Circuit Court.
https://unidentified.wikia.org/wiki/
Freeman_Asher_Jr. The FGG evidence has not been challenged
directly in this case, but the surreptitious
sampling of discarded items has been
Case ID 1175: Baby Andrew challenged by Bentaas’ attorneys who filed a
motion to suppress the evidence. Judge Susan
The remains of an infant male were found in a Sabers ruled that the evidence was admissible
ditch on February 28, 1981 in Sioux Falls, because Bentaas had voluntarily discarded the
North Dakota. He was named Baby Andrew items in her trash, and no longer had any
by members of the local community, who also expectation of privacy in them. She ruled that
paid for his funeral. Baby Andrew had been the Fourth Amendment does not prohibit
born alive and died of suffocation and DNA testing on discarded items, and that

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 307
precedent generally upholds using discarded Ferguson, Danielle. “Baby Andrew: Theresa
items to test for DNA for identification Bentaas Appears in Court, Trial Date Set.”
purposes. Argus Leader. March 18, 2019. Accessed
December 29, 2020. https://
On October 8, 2021, Bentaas entered an www.argusleader.com/story/news/crime/
Alford plea to a charge of first-degree 2019/03/18/baby-andrew-theresa-bentaas-
manslaughter in exchange for the dropping of appears-court-trial-date-set/3200922002/.
the first degree murder charges. On December
2, 2021, she was sentenced to 10 years in Ferguson, Danielle. “Bentaas Case: Judge
prison, with 9 years of her sentence Says DNA Evidence from Trash Pull Can be
suspended. Used in Murder Trial.” Argus Leader. March
17, 2020. Accessed December 29, 2020.
Bentaas was paroled in March of 2022 after https://www.argusleader.com/story/news/
serving two months in prison. She will serve crime/2020/03/17/theresa-bentaas-judge-
the remainder of her sentence in the issues-decision-dna-evidence-trash-pull-can-
community. used-court/5062205002/.

Sources: Groves, Stephen. “South Dakota Woman

Sentenced in 1981 Death of Infant Son.” ABC
Associated Press. “South Dakota Woman News. December 3, 2021. Accessed
Convicted in Her Baby’s 1981 Death.” ABC December 7, 2021. https://abcnews.go.com/
News. October 8, 2021. Accessed October 8, US/wireStory/correction-infant-death-
2021. https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/ sentencing-story-81545678.
south-dakota-woman-convicted-babys-1981-
death-80479162. Huber, Makenzie. “‘We Needed to Get
Justice’: DNA’s Controversial Role in
Associated Press. “South Dakota Woman Solving Baby Andrew Case.” Argus Leader.
Granted Parole After Serving Two Months in March 20, 2019. Accessed December 29,
Prison for 1981 Death of Her Infant Son.” 2020. https://www.argusleader.com/story/
CBS News, March 18, 2022. Accessed March news/crime/2019/03/20/baby-andrew-cold-
19, 2022. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ case-dna-theresa-bentaas-police-sioux-falls/
theresa-bentaas-parole-1981-death-baby- 3105077002/.
south-dakota/.
Raposa, Megan. “Timeline: How Police Spent
Ferguson, Danielle. “Attorneys for Woman 38 Years Trying to Solve Baby Andrew’s
Charged in Baby Andrew Case Request Trial Murder.” Argus Leader. March 8, 2019.
Delay Due to Covid-19.” Argus Leader. Accessed December 29, 2020. https://
November 4, 2020. Accessed December 29, www.argusleader.com/story/news/crime/
2020. https://www.argusleader.com/story/ 2019/03/08/baby-andrew-timeline-theresa-
news/crime/2020/11/04/theresa-bentaas-trial- bentaas-sioux-falls-cold-case-murder/
could-delayed-1981-baby-andrew-case/ 3105376002/.
6160981002/.

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 308
Case ID 1328-1331: Baby Does of Toledo Jacob Cisneros pled not guilty. He was
released on bond to avoid the case being
The remains of Baby Boy Doe were found on dismissed for failure to be tried within the
May 11, 2017. He had been wrapped in required 90-day window. On February 16,
blankets and placed in the passenger side of 2022, he pled no contest to two counts of
an abandoned vehicle. He was about 2 complicity in involuntary manslaughter and
months old when he died. His remains could was sentenced to 11 years in custody. At his
not be buried by the community, because he sentencing hearing he stated that, “I
could not be identified, and his family was understand why people wouldn’t understand
unknown. things, but I am proud of who I am and the
father that I've been to my three amazing
The FGG investigation was conducted by children.”
Cheryl Hester from Advance DNA. They
identified Jacob and Jenna Cisneros of Three older children were living with Jacob
Toledo, Ohio as being the birth parents of and Jenna Cisneros at the time of their arrest,
Baby Boy Doe. They were arrested on and they have now been placed in the care of
February 3, 2020. family members

After speaking to the Cisneroses, police Sources:

located a second vehicle which they towed to
the police impound lot. Inside that vehicle ABC News 13. “Private DNA Company
they found the partially mummified remains Assists in Identifying Suspects in Death of
of a second infant – a baby girl. She had been Infant in 2017.” ABC News 13. February 3,
wrapped in a blanket and placed underneath 2020. Accessed December 29, 2020.
the dashboard. There is no official Accessed December 29, 2020. https://
announcement on how old Baby Girl Doe was www.13abc.com/content/news/Couple-
when she died. arrested-in-2017-death-of-abandoned-
baby-567534271.html.
There were no birth records for either infant,
neither of whom had been born in a hospital. Associated Press. “Mom Gets 25-Year Term
Autopsies revealed that both infants had been for Leaving Her 2 Dead Babies in Cars.” AP
born alive, but no cause of death could be News. September 10, 2020. Accessed
determined. Jenna Cisneros had informed December 29, 2020. https://apnews.com/
acquaintances that she had a baby girl born in article/obstruction-of-justice-trials-ohio-
a hospital on October 22, 2018, and that the toledo-434dbe63a181d5d878c8d6d2b10f0670
baby had died of heart complications a few
weeks later. Bayron, Carla. “Toledo Father Charged in
Death of Two Infants Released from Jail
Cisneros, now 34 years-old, pled no contest to While He Awaits Trial.” WTOL 11 News. July
two counts of involuntary manslaughter, child 31, 2020, last modified August 1, 2020.
endangerment and tampering with evidence Accessed December 29, 2020. https://
and obstruction of justice. She has been www.wtol.com/article/news/toledo-father-
sentenced to 25 years. charged-in-death-of-two-infants-released-

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from-jail-while-he-awaits-trial/512-7a157ea9- WTOL Newsroom. “Toledo Baby Doe Case –
ada0-4bb9-8fc5-01593578ca6c. Mother Gets 25 Years in Prison for Deaths of
2 Babies Found in 2 Separate Cars.” WTOL
Hegarty, Shaun. “Clues from Genealogy News 11. June 2, 2020, last modified
Database Lead to Parents’ Arrest in Child’s September 9, 2020. Accessed December 29,
Death.” ABC 13 News. February 4, 2020. 2020. https://www.wtol.com/article/news/
Accessed December 29, 2020. https:// crime/toledo-mom-pleads-no-contest-
www.13abc.com/content/news/Clues-from- childrens-car-deaths/512-
geneology-database-lead-to-parents-arrest-in- e183e2a4-1d83-42f0-ab50-1e85edc5aaeb.
childs-death-567564921.html.

Hegarty, Shaun. “I-Team Investigation: The Case ID 1695: Baby Boy Cory: Babes in
Unsolved Mystery of Baby Doe.” ABC News the Water
13. February 5, 2018. Accessed December 29,
2020. https://www.13abc.com/content/news/I- See also: Baby Girl Jamie
Team-Investigation-The-Unsolved-Mystery-
of-Baby-Doe-472823983.html. The remains of Baby Boy Cory were found
on December 7, 2003, on the beach of Lake
Marshall, Micaela. “Police Find Second Dead Pepin in Frontenac, Goodhue County,
Baby in Abandoned Vehicle Registered to Minnesota. The remains of a little girl had
Cisneros Family.” ABC 13 News. February been found four years earlier, on November 4,
11, 2020. Accessed December 29, 2020. 1999, at the Lower Boat Harbour of the
https://www.13abc.com/content/news/ Mississippi River near Red Wing, Minnesota.
Second-dead-baby-found-in-an-abandoned- She had been found wrapped in a towel in the
vehicle-registered--567768841.html. Mississippi River by two local high school
students. The infants were found to share the
Schneider, Jeremy. “Cisneros Pleads No same mother.
Contest to Charges Related to Abandoned
Babies.” ABC News 13. August 18, 2020. The infants were named Jamie and Cory by
Accessed December 29, 2020. https:// Jeanne Madtson, who had lost her own baby.
www.13abc.com/2020/08/18/cisneros-pleads- Jeanne buried the infants next to her daughter,
no-contest-to-charges-related-to-abandoned- Ann Marie. She also buried a third infant
babies/. found in the water in 2007, whom she named
Abby, and who is not related to the other two.
WTOL Newsroom. “Jacob Cisneros
Sentenced to 11 Years in Prison, says He’s The FGG investigation was conducted by
‘Proud’ of the Man He Is.” WTOL News 11, Parabon Nanolabs, beginning in 2020. The
February 16, 2022. Accessed November 17, final confirmation was made through a
2022. https://www.wtol.com/article/news/ warrant to obtain DNA from Jennifer Lynn
crime/jacob-cisneros-sentenced-to-11-years- Matter, who has been found to be the mother
in-prison/512-7d37888b-ba03-4fd4- of the two babies.
b3bb-39d6c030f7eb.

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Matter has been charged with two counts of developments-in-2-goodhue-county-baby-
second-degree murder in connection with the death-investigations/.
death of Baby Boy Cory. She is not yet
charged in the death of Baby Girl Jamie, but Raguse, Lou. “Minnesota Unsolved: The
police have stated that further charges may be Mystery of the Babies in the Water.” KARE
laid. NBC News 11, April 28, 2022. Accessed May
14, 2022. https://www.kare11.com/article/
Matter has stated that she gave birth to Baby news/local/kare11-extras/minnesota-
Girl Jamie in a bathroom when she was unsolved-the-mystery-of-the-babies-in-the-
dropping her other two children off at their water/89-6752111f-3622-4848-bbdd-
school and daycare. She told police that later e68cf8728746.
that night she drove to a local park and put
the baby in the water. She gave birth to Baby Stolle, Matthew. “Goodhue County Sheriff,
Boy Cory at a public beach, and left the child BCA Arrest Woman in Cold Cases for Babies
on the beach as she had warrants for her Found Dead in Mississippi River Waters.”
arrest. She stated that the infant was alive Post Bulletin, May 9, 2022. Accessed May
when she left him. 14, 2022. https://www.postbulletin.com/news/
local/goodhue-county-sheriff-bca-arrest-
Matter has two children born before these woman-in-cold-cases-for-babies-found-dead-
incidents, and one child born after. in-mississippi-river-waters.

Matter pled guilty to second-degree murder in Thiede, Dana, and Lou Raguse. “‘I Need
Goodhue County Court on January 25, 2023. Forgiveness’:Mother Charged in Red Wing
Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for April Baby Murder Says in First Court Hearing.”
28, 2023. KARE NBC News 11, May 10, 2022, last
modified May 11, 2022. Accessed May 14,
Sources: 2022. https://www.kare11.com/article/news/
crime/bail-set-at-15-million-for-jennifer-
Griswold, David, and KARE 11 Staff. matter-in-babies-in-the-water-case/
“Mother Admits to Leaving Newborn Near 89-1e69d60b-bcde-4dfb-a63c-5103580ce037.
Mississippi River in 2003.” KARE 11 News,
January 25, 2023. Accessed January 25, 2023.
https://www.kare11.com/article/news/crime/ Case ID 1185: Baby Boy Doe:
mother-pleads-guilty-to-second-degree-
murder-after-admitting-to-leaving-newborn- See also: Julie Valentine
by-mississippi-river-in-2003/89-
d864ce61-89a9-4232-aacf-d65174d7d96e. The remains of Baby Boy Doe were found on
April 15, 1989 in a patch of woods in
KSTP. “Woman Arrested, Charged After Greenville County, South Carolina. He was
Baby Found in Mississippi River in 2003.” found by a group of young girls playing in the
KSTP Eyewitness News, May 9, 2022. woods. He had been wrapped in bedding and
Accessed May 15, 2022. https://kstp.com/ placed in a garbage bag which was then
kstp-news/top-news/significant- thrown from a moving vehicle. He appears to

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have been born alive a few days to a week Sources:
before, but examiners could not discern the
cause of death. Baby Boy Doe is the older Cavallaro, Gabe. “Charges Against Julie
brother of Julie Valentine, discussed below, Valentine’s Mother are Now Amended to
who became a symbol for abused children Murder.” Greenville News. April 26, 2019.
and child-abuse prevention. Accessed December 29, 2020. https://
www.greenvilleonline.com/story/news/crime/
The FGG investigation was conducted by 2019/04/26/julie-valentine-mother-brook-
Parabon Nanolabs. Police identified Brook graham-charges-upgraded-murder-greenville-
Graham as the mother of Baby Boy Doe. She sc-police/3586810002/.
is charged with homicide by child abuse and
the desecration of human remains. She would Colins, Jeffrey. “Chief: Family DNA Leads
have been about 23 years-old at the time of Police to Mother Who Abandoned Baby.”
Baby Boy Doe’s birth. ABC News. April 4, 2019. Accessed
December 29, 2020. https://abcnews.go.com/
Police first located the father of Baby Boy US/wireStory/chief-family-dna-leads-police-
Doe. They determined that he is also the mother-abandoned-baby-62168787.
father of Julie Valentine. He told investigators
that Graham attempted to kill her first-born Collins, Jeffrey. “Police: South Carolina Mom
child by putting it in the toilet, but he found Abandoned 2nd Baby 30 Years Ago.” ABC
the baby and obtained medical care. He is not News 4. May 17, 2019. Accessed December
being charged in connection with the two 29, 2020. https://abcnews4.com/news/crime-
deaths. Graham has two living children who news/police-south-carolina-mom-
are now grown. abandoned-2nd-baby-30-years-
ago-05-17-2019.
Graham has a lengthy criminal record for
fraud. She was released on bond while Cox, Robert, and Asia Wilson. “Brooke
awaiting trial in Pitt County Superior Court. Graham Pleads Guilty in ‘Julie Valentine’
On May 12, 2022, she entered an Alford plea Death.” WSPA News 7, May 12, 2022. Last
to two charges of unlawful neglect of a child modified May 13, 2022. Accessed November
and one charge of desecration of human 18, 2022. https://www.wspa.com/news/local-
remains in connection with Julie Valentine. news/brook-graham-pleads-guilty-in-julie-
The offence of desecration had not yet been valentine-death/.
passed at the time of Baby Boy Doe’s birth.
The medical examiner stated that it was not Kalsi, Dal, and Matthew Ablon. “Brook
possible for an autopsy to confirm that the Graham, the Woman Charged in Deaths of 2
two infants were born alive and died Babies Found in Greenville in 1989 and 1990,
thereafter, due to the decomposition of the Released on Bond.” Fox News Carolina. May
remains. Graham is awaiting a pre-sentence 23, 2019. Accessed December 29, 2020.
report for sentencing. https://www.foxcarolina.com/investigations/
brook-graham-the-woman-charged-in-deaths-
of-2-babies-found-in-greenville-in-1989/

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article_f2818e20-7d6a-11e9-875d-87a60cacc News 7. May 31, 2019. Accessed December
eec.html. 29, 2020. https://www.wspa.com/news/new-
details-in-brook-graham-case-revealed-in-
Mayo, Nikie. “Julie Valentine Cold Case: court-police-say/.
Who is Brook Graham, New Suspect in 1990
Infant Death Investigation.” Greenville News.
April 4, 2019, last modified April 5, 2019. Case ID 1344: Baby Boy Horry
Accessed December 29, 2020. https://
www.greenvilleonline.com/story/news/local/ Baby Boy Horry’s body was found in a ditch
south-carolina/2019/04/04/brook-graham- by utility workers on December 4, 2008 in
julie-valentine-cold-case-arrest-greenville-sc- Horry County, South Carolina. He had been
infant-death/3362644002/. wrapped in a blanket and placed in a tote bag.
An autopsy determined that the baby had
Philips, Jennifer. “Greenville Police Chief on been born alive. He was given the name
How Genealogical DNA Technology Helped ‘Baby Boy Horry’ to commemorate that he
Solve Julie Valentine Case.” Fox News was found in the Horry County Woods.
Carolina. April 5, 2019. Accessed December
29, 2020. https://www.foxcarolina.com/news/ The FGG investigation was conducted by
greenville-police-chief-on-how-genealogical- Parabon Nanolabs. The FGG investigation
dna-technology-helped-solve-julie-valentine- was commenced after police sought another
case/article_b40fb3cc-57f1-11e9-93ce- women, Alyssa Dayvault, in connection with
a3674ba475ec.html. the baby’s death; she had been charged in the
deaths of two different infants, but DNA
Walters, Haley. “‘Julie Valentine’ Mother testing proved that she was not Baby Boy
Charged in Case of Another Infant Death Horry’s mother.
After Greenville News Inquiry.” Greenville
News. May 16, 2019. Accessed December 29, Police arrested Jennifer Sahr on March 5,
2020. https://www.greenvilleonline.com/ 2020 and charged her with homicide by child
story/news/2019/05/16/julie-valentine-infant- abuse and desecration of human remains.
death-brook-graham-greenville-sc-cold-case/ Sahr would have been about 20 years-old at
3698338002/. the time of Baby Boy Horry’s birth. She was
then a student at the nearby Coastal Carolina
Walters, Haley. “SLED Uses DNA to Confirm University. Police first located the father of
Woman Charged in Death of Julie Valentine is the baby, who stated that he did not know he
her Mother.” Greenville News. April 10, 2019. had a son. Sahr is now married with two
Accessed December 29, 2020. https:// children.
www.greenvilleonline.com/story/news/
2019/04/10/sled-confirms-woman-charged- Sahr pled guilty on September 15, 2022 in
death-julie-valentine-her-mother/ Horry County Circuit County Court to a
3424998002/. lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter. She
is awaiting sentencing, which ranges from 2
WSPA Staff. “New Details in Brook Graham to 30 years.
Case Revealed in Court, Police Say.” WSPA

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Sources:
WSOCTV.com News Staff. “Woman Charged
Altmann-Devilbiss, Alexx, and Anjali Patel. in Cold Case More Than Decade After Baby
“No Bond Set for Mom Accused of Found Dead Along SC Highway.”
Abandoning ‘Baby Boy Horry’.” ABC 15 WSOCTV.com News. March 5, 2020.
News. March 4, 2020. Accessed December Accessed December 29, 2020. https://
29, 2020. https://wpde.com/news/local/ www.wsoctv.com/news/local/woman-
jennifer-sahr-alleged-mom-of-baby-boy- charged-cold-case-more-than-decade-after-
horry. baby-found-dead-along-sc-highway/
XJ6EDSAZ2RBU7FWKIGZZQL367I/.
Caines, Richard. “Florida Mother of ‘Baby
Boy Horry’ Pleads Guilty to Lesser Charge
Weeks Before Trial.” Post & Courier, Case ID 1713: Baby Doe Hugo
September 16, 2022. Accessed December 12,
2022. https://www.postandcourier.com/ The remains of Baby Doe Hugo were found
myrtle-beach/florida-mother-of-baby-boy- on December 8, 1993 on a private property in
horry-pleads-guilty-to-lesser-charge-weeks- rural Choctaw County, Oklahoma. The
before-trial/article_8bc3acf8-350a-11ed- homeowner had seen what she thought was a
af3c-7b2045839e8b.html. doll in her yard, and went to investigate. The
medical examiner determined that the baby
Lang, Alex. “Memorial held for Baby Who had been born alive, and had died from
Died After Being Abandoned in SC.” U.S. having his throat slashed. He was named
News & World Report. December 14, 2020. Baby Boy Hugo by the local community, who
Accessed December 29, 2020. https:// raised money for him to have a proper burial.
www.usnews.com/news/best-states/south- The FGG investigation was conducted by
carolina/articles/2020-12-14/memorial-held- Parabon Nanolabs, beginning in October of
for-baby-who-died-after-being-abandoned-in- 2020.
sc.
Police arrested the boy’s mother, Meaonia
Thomas, Elizabeth. “Judge Denies Bond for Michelle Allen, 53, on June 24, 2022 for first
Woman Accused of Abandoning Newborn in degree murder. She turned herself in on a
Woods to Die in 2008.” ABC 6 News. March warrant and was denied bond. Allen was
6, 2020. Accessed December 29, 2020. interviewed by police 9 days after the murder
https://abc6onyourside.com/news/nation- as she had been staying at the house at the
world/judge-denies-bond-for-woman- time with her boyfriend and daughter. She
accused-of-abandoning-baby-boy-in-woods- told police then that she had no knowledge of
to-die-in-2008. a pregnant woman being at the house.

Thomas, Elizabeth. “Tests Confirm Dayvault In her first interview with police after being
is Not Mother of Baby Horry.” ABC 15 News. identified as he boys mother, she admitted
May 17, 2019. Accessed December 29, 2020. that she was the baby’s mother and stated that
https://wpde.com/news/local/tests-confirm- the baby was stillborn. She also provided a
dayvault-is-not-mother-of-baby-horry. consent DNA sample. After being confronted

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with the autopsy evidence, she admitted by a man who was house hunting in the area.
slashing the baby’s throat. At the time of the Inside, he found the remains of a full-term
murder, she worked as a caregiver at a day female infant. An autopsy showed that she
care. had been born alive, but a cause of death
could not be determined.
Allen is facing charges for first-degree
murder in Choctaw County District Court. The forensic work in this case was performed
Innovative Forensic DNA.
Sources:
On March 26, 2020, police arrested 19-year-
Bonvillian, Crystal. “DNA Cold Case: Ex- old Caroline Riley Propes and charged her
Daycare Worker Charged With Slitting with second-degree murder. She was about 18
Newborn Son’s Throat 30 Years Ago.” KIRO years old at the time that Baby Doe was born.
7 News, June 27, 2022. https:// Georgia then had safe haven laws that allow
www.kiro7.com/news/trending/dna-cold- newborn children to be handed in to hospitals,
case-ex-daycare-worker-charged-with- police, and fire departments.
slitting-newborn-sons-throat-30-years-ago/
KSDTRBUABNGQPER474GIYSUUYE/. Propes pled guilty in Troup County Superior
Court on December 10, 2021, to second-
Miller, Jax. “Former Oklahoma Daycare degree murder and child cruelty. She was
Worker Charged with Murder of Sone, a 1993 sentenced to 23 years in prison, followed by 7
Baby Doe.” Oxygen, June 27, 2022. Accessed years of probation.
July 3, 2022. https://www.oxygen.com/crime-
news/meaonia-allen-charged-1993-murder- Sources:
son-baby-doe.
Braverman, Jason. “A Year Later, Teen
Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation. Charged After Baby Found Dead in Cooler on
“Genealogy IDs Mom Who Cut Newborn’s Side of Road.” 11 Alive News. March 27,
Throat in 1993.” Forensic Magazine, June 27, 2020. Accessed December 29, 2020. https://
2022. Accessed July 3, 2022. https:// www.11alive.com/article/news/crime/
www.forensicmag.com/587665-Genealogy- caroline-propes-arrested-in-murder-of-
IDs-Mom-Who-Cut-Newborn-s-Throat- newborn-baby-troup-county-sheriff/
in-1993/. 85-590a9475-5d92-448a-a58c-e49cf47911ba.

Henke, Joe. “Woman Pleads Guilty to

Case ID 1350: Baby Doe of Troup County Murdering Her Newborn in 2019 by Leaving
Child in a Cooler on the Side of a Georgia
The remains of Baby Doe were found on Road.” 11 Alive News. December 10, 2021.
January 6, 2019 in a small cooler decorated Accessed December 29, 2021. https://
with watermelons in Troup County, Georgia. www.11alive.com/article/news/crime/
The cooler may have been thrown from a caroline-riley-propes-guilty-plea-troup-
moving vehicle, and had been lying beside county-newborn-murder/85-3c66b066-
the road for several days before it was opened d705-404c-a561-f2290871aa2f.

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 Jones, Alex, and Julie Anne Waldock. with two counts each of first-degree murder
“Update: Deceased GA Newborn Found in a and desecration of human remains. She would
Cooler Found to be Full-Term Child.” ABC 9 have been 24 years-old at the time the twins
News, and WTVM News. January 7, 2019, last were born. The initial confirmation was made
modified June 17, 2019. Accessed December through police surveillance followed by the
29, 2020. https://www.wtvm.com/2019/01/07/ surreptitious sampling of a cigarette butt
deceased-newborn-found-cooler-troup- discarded by Briley.
county-road/.
She has admitted her involvement in the death
Jones, Alex. “Mother of Ga. Baby Found and disposal of the infants. Her case is
Dead in Cooler Identified 14 Moths Later.” pending in the Cook County Circuit Court in
WBTV 3 News. March 27, 2020, last modified Bridgeview.
March 28, 2020. Accessed December 29,
2020. https://www.wbtv.com/2020/03/27/ Sources:
mother-ga-baby-found-dead-cooler-
identified-months-later/. Jones, Will, and ABC 7 Chicago Digital
Team. “Michigan Mother Arrested in 2003
Kish, Phillip. “‘It’s a Baby in Here’: Man Cold Case; Charged with Murder of Newborn
Makes Horrific Discovery in Bag on Side of Twins in Unincorporated Stickney
Road.” 11 Alive News. January 10, 2020. Township.” ABC 7 News. December 5, 2020.
Accessed December 29, 2020. https:// Accessed December 29, 2020. https://
www.11alive.com/article/news/local/its-a- abc7chicago.com/cold-case-arrest-michigan-
baby-in-here-man-makes-horrific-discovery- mother-arrested-antoinette-briley-newborn-
in-bag-on-side-of-road/85-34cbc2fe- twins-murder/8528412/.
d979-4601-a3e0-7bf77677e4b7.
Marowski, Steve. “Michigan Woman Charged
with Murder in 2003 Deaths of Newborn
Case ID 1441-1442: Baby Doe Twins of Twins.” Michigan Live. December 5, 2020.
Stickney Township Accessed December 29, 2020. https://
www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/2020/12/
The remains of twin baby boys were found on michigan-woman-charged-with-murder-
6 June 2003 in Stickney Township, Illinois. A in-2003-deaths-of-newborn-twins.html.
waste management employee was emptying
trash bins in an alley when she saw their Stelloh, Tim. “Michigan Woman Faces
bodies in the front lift bucket of the waste Murder Charges in Cold Case Killings of
truck. An autopsy showed that the babies had Newborn Twins.” NBC News. December 6,
been born alive and had died of asphyxiation. 2020. Accessed December 29, 2020. https://
www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/michigan-
The FGG investigation was conducted by woman-faces-murder-charges-cold-case-
Parabon Nanolabs. killings-newborn-twins-n1250166?
fbclid=IwAR23rieVNrvo4-2Po3w_S-
On December 5, 2020, police arrested 41- wKwJDz6I9WfhmVPrKO2aywcu209wIjOn
year-old Antoinette Briley and charged her WTDFk.

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Case ID 1288: Baby Faith October 22, 2020. Accessed December 29,
2020. https://www.coloradoan.com/story/
The remains of Baby Faith were found on news/2020/10/22/baby-faith-homicide-
August 24, 1996 in Fort Collins, Colorado. mother-sentenced-infant-1996-death-larimer-
Her body was discovered by two 11-year-old county/3713246001/?
boys as they played along the Horsetooth fbclid=IwAR1LPVulF_gm56k1R1Ru4drD8
Reservoir. She had been wrapped in a brown WPpyBU53P5umCIL8YmeWmx3kGPAAuIn
towel, placed in a garbage bag, and weighted QKU.
down with rocks.
Udell, Erin. “Woman Charged with Murder in
There is no information on who performed Decades-Old Northern Colorado ‘Baby Faith’
the FGG investigation. On November 5, Homicide.” The Coloradoan. November 5,
2019, police arrested Jennifer Katalinich and 2019. Accessed December 29, 2020. https://
charged her with manslaughter and www.coloradoan.com/story/news/2019/11/05/
obstruction. She would have been about 18 woman-arrested-1996-child-murder-northern-
years-old at the time of Baby Faith’s birth. colorado-baby-faith-fort-collins/4166233002/.
She is now married with two children.

Katalinich pled guilty to the charges. She Case ID 1734: Baby Garnet
stated that she had given birth to the baby in
her college dorm room, smothered her with a The remains of Baby Garnet were found on
plastic bag, weighted her down with rocks, June 26, 1997 in a campground toilet in
and dropped her into the Reservoir. She was Hudson Township, Mackinac County,
given a sentence of 90 days in jail, followed Michigan. Workers found the infant’s remains
by 8 years of community corrections, when clearing out the septic tank at the
community service and probation. There was Garnet Lake Campground. It is thought that
not a safe haven law in Colorado at the time the infant had been disposed of several weeks
of Baby Faith’s birth – this law was prior, around July 1, 1997. An autopsy
introduced four years later. showed her to be near full term, about 38-40
weeks old at the time of her death. No family
Sources: members claimed the infant, and she became
known as ‘Baby Garnet’. Members of the
Fort Collins Coloradoan. “After 24 Years, local community buried her in the Hudson
New Details Emerge in Baby Faith Case.” Township Cemetery.
Fort Collins Coloradoan. November 5, 2020.
Accessed December 29, 2020. https:// A DNA sample of Baby Garnet was first
www.coloradoan.com/videos/news/history/ obtained in 2017, when the case was
2020/11/05/after-24-years-new-details- reopened. The FGG investigation was
emerge-baby-faith-case/6170299002/. conducted by Identifinders International,
beginning in January of 2020.
Udell, Erin. “Mother of Larimer County’s
‘Baby Faith’ Sentenced in Infant’s 1996 Police have identified 58-year-old Nancy
Homicide.” Fort Collins Coloradoan. Gerwatowski as the mother of Baby Garnet.

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 317
She had lived in the Garnet Lake area at the helped-solve-a-25-year-old-cold-case-of-
time of Baby Garnet’s death. infants-death.

Gerwatowski was arrested at her home in

Wyoming after she admitted to police that she Case ID 1694: Baby Girl Jamie: Babes in
was the mother of Baby Garnet. She waived the Water
extradition, and was arraigned on July 31,
2022 on a charge of homicide - open murder. See also: Baby Boy Cory

Sources: The remains of Baby Girl Jamie were found

on November 4, 1999, at the Lower Boat
Chew, Brandon. “Woman Arraigned in Harbor of the Mississippi River near Red
Michigan for Killing Her Baby in 1997.” Wing, Minnesota. She had been found
WWMT News 3, August 1, 2022. Accessed wrapped in a towel in the Mississippi River
August 7, 2022. https://wwmt.com/news/ by two local high school students. The
local/woman-arraigned-in-michigan-for- remains of Baby Boy Cory would later be
killing-her-baby-in-1997. found on December 7, 2003, on the beach of
Lake Pepin in Frontenac, Goodhue County,
Clarke, Kayla. “Mother Charged with Murder Minnesota. The babies were found to share
25 Years After ‘Baby Garnet’ Found Dead in the same mother.
Michigan.” Click on Detroit, August 2, 2022.
Accessed August 7, 2022. https:// The infants were named Jamie and Cory by
www.clickondetroit.com/news/local/ Jeanne Madtson, who had lost her own baby.
2022/08/02/mother-charged-with-murder-25- Jeanne buried the infants next to her daughter,
years-after-baby-garnet-found-dead-in- Ann Marie. She also buried a third infant
michigan-outhouse/. found in the water in 2007, whom she named
Abby, and who is not related to the other two.
Engel, Justin. “25 Years After ‘Baby Garnet’
Found Dead in Michigan Campground The FGG investigation was conducted by
Outhouse, Police Make Arrest.” Michigan Parabon Nanolabs, beginning in 2020. The
Live, July 13, 2022. Last modified July 25, final confirmation was made through a
2022. Accessed August 7, 2022. https:// warrant to obtain DNA from Jennifer Lynn
www.mlive.com/news/2022/07/25-years- Matter, who has been found to be the mother
after-baby-garnet-found-dead-in-michigan- of the two babies.
campground-outhouse-police-make-
arrest.html. Matter has been charged with two counts of
second-degree murder in connection with the
Kurman, Josh. “How Genealogy Helped death of Baby Boy Cory. She is not yet
Solve a 25-Year-Old Cold Case of an Infant’s charged in the death of Baby Girl Jamie, but
Death.” Up North Live, July 14, 2022. police have stated that further charges may be
Accessed August 7, 2022. https:// laid.
upnorthlive.com/news/local/how-genealogy-

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 318
Matter has stated that she gave birth to Baby woman-in-cold-cases-for-babies-found-dead-
Girl Jamie in a bathroom when she was in-mississippi-river-waters.
dropping her other two children off at their
school and daycare. She told police that later Thiede, Dana, and Lou Raguse. “‘I Need
that night she drove to a local park and put Forgiveness’:Mother Charged in Red Wing
the baby in the water. She gave birth to Baby Baby Murder Says in First Court Hearing.”
Boy Cory at a public beach, and left the child KARE NBC News 11, May 10, 2022, last
on the beach as she had warrants for her modified May 11, 2022. Accessed May 14,
arrest. She stated that the infant was alive 2022. https://www.kare11.com/article/news/
when she left him. crime/bail-set-at-15-million-for-jennifer-
matter-in-babies-in-the-water-case/
Bail for Matter has been set at $150,000. She 89-1e69d60b-bcde-4dfb-a63c-5103580ce037.
has stated that she will be hiring a private
attorney.
Case ID 1345: Baby Hope
Matter has two children born before these
incidents, and one child born after. The remains of Baby Hope were found by
two fishermen on August 24, 1996 in the
Sources: Arkansas River in Pueblo County, Colorado.
An autopsy showed that she had been born
KSTP. “Woman Arrested, Charged After alive.
Baby Found in Mississippi River in 2003.”
KSTP Eyewitness News, May 9, 2022. There is no data on who performed the FGG
Accessed May 15, 2022. https://kstp.com/ investigation. LeeAnn Hed was identified as
kstp-news/top-news/significant- the possible mother of Baby Hope in October
developments-in-2-goodhue-county-baby- of 2019. Police approached her and asked her
death-investigations/. to provide a DNA sample, and she refused.

Raguse, Lou. “Minnesota Unsolved: The Hed committed suicide several days later, on
Mystery of the Babies in the Water.” KARE October 7, 2020. She was then 52 years old.
NBC News 11, April 28, 2022. Accessed May Her body was found in a burned car outside
14, 2022. https://www.kare11.com/article/ of the Southern Colorado Gaming & Events
news/local/kare11-extras/minnesota- Center. Autopsy samples were compared with
unsolved-the-mystery-of-the-babies-in-the- Baby Hope and Hed was determined to be the
water/89-6752111f-3622-4848-bbdd- baby’s mother. The case was cleared by
e68cf8728746. exception.

Stolle, Matthew. “Goodhue County Sheriff, Sources:

BCA Arrest Woman in Cold Cases for Babies
Found Dead in Mississippi River Waters.” Dumas, Tyler. “Pueblo Co. Sheriff’s Office
Post Bulletin, May 9, 2022. Accessed May Solves 23-Year-Old Cold Case.” KOAA News.
14, 2022. https://www.postbulletin.com/news/ March 9, 2020. Accessed December 29, 2020.
local/goodhue-county-sheriff-bca-arrest- https://www.koaa.com/news/covering-

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 319
colorado/pueblo-co-sheriffs-office-solves-23- father and recalls little of the pregnancy and
year-old-cold-case. birth.

Mestas, Anthony A. “Pueblo’s ‘Baby Hope’ There is currently no information on who

Case Solved 23 Years After Infant Found in conducted the FGG investigation, or how the
River.” Pueblo Chieftan, reprinted in The final confirmation was made.
Coloradoan. March 10, 2020. Accessed
December 29, 2020. https:// The Pelletiers never had any children of their
www.coloradoan.com/story/news/2020/03/10/ own, and would have wanted to adopt baby
dna-evidence-helps-solve-baby-hope-case- Jane Doe had she lived. She is described as
pueblo/5011447002/ being 6 lbs 8 oz with reddish blonde hair.

Sources:
Case ID 1710: Baby Jane Doe
Bayly, Julia. “After Nearly 3 Decades, the
The remains of Baby Jane Doe were found on Case of Baby Jane Doe Still Haunts Maine
December 7, 1985 in Frenchville, Maine. Couple, Investigators.” Bangor Daily News,
Early that morning, Armand and Lorraine March 21, 2014. Last Modified June 15,
Pelletier’s dog, a Siberian Husky named Paca, 2022. Accessed June 17, 2022. https://
was pounding on their sliding glass door. As www.bangordailynews.com/2014/03/21/
Armand Pelletier told to Bayly, “She kept news/aroostook/after-nearly-three-decades-
pounding, and after awhile, I went to go look, the-case-of-baby-jane-doe-still-haunts-maine-
and I could not believe what I saw. I saw what couple-investigators/.
looked like a little rag doll, but then we saw it
was a frozen little baby.” Byrne, Matt. “A Baby Died Outside in the
Cold in 1985. Now Police Say Her Mother’s
Paca had found the baby in a gravel pit near to Blame.” Press Herald, June 14, 2022.
U.S. Route 1 outside of town, and had Accessed June 17, 2022. https://
brought the baby’s body home. A woman had www.pressherald.com/2022/06/14/state-
given birth and then abandoned the newborn police-charge-massachusetts-woman-with-
in the gravel pit and driven away. Police murder-in-1985-death-of-abandoned-
could not locate the mother, or identify newborn/.
anyone from the baby’s family.
Lambe, Jerry. “Woman Charged with Murder
Lee Ann Daigle, 58, was arrested on June 13, After 36 Years After Newborn ‘Baby Jane
2022 after having been identified as Baby Doe’ was ‘Abandoned in Below Zero
Jane Doe’s mother. She is charged with Temperatures’ in Gravel Pit.” Law & Crime,
murder. Police also located Baby Jane Doe’s June 14, 2022. Accessed June 17, 2022.
father, who is in a nursing home in Florida https://lawandcrime.com/crime/woman-
and is described as being unable to charged-with-murder-36-years-after-
communicate due to years of substance use. newborn-baby-jane-doe-was-abandoned-in-
Daigle states that she does not know the below-zero-temperatures-in-gravel-pit/.

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 320
Maine State Police. “Police Arrest Mother of Singh is charged wth first-degree murder in
Newborn Found in Gravel Pit in 1985.” Palm Beach County Circuit Court.
Forensic Magazine, June 17, 2022. Accessed Investigators state that she had been to the
June 17, 2022. https://www.forensicmag.com/ inlet 48 hours before the infant was found,
587363-Police-Arrest-Mother-of-Newborn- and that she had searched for and read several
Found-in-Gravel-Pit-in-1985/. news articles about the discovery of the
infant’s remains.
Rubin, April. “Woman is Charged in Death of
Newborn Abandoned in 1985,” New York Sources:
Times, June 26, 2022. Accessed July 1, 2022.
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/26/us/ Deliso, Meredith. “Mother Arrested in
mother-arrested-cold-case-baby.html. Mysterious 2018 Case of Newborn Found
Dead Off Florida Coast: Police.” ABC News,
December 15, 2022. Accessed December 19,
Case ID 1806: Baby June 2022. https://abcnews.go.com/US/mother-
arrested-mysterious-2018-case-newborn-
The remains of Baby June were found on found-dead/story?id=95370819.
June 1, 2018 in Manalapan, Florida. The
newborn infant was found floating in the Jewers, Chris. “Mother of Unidentified
Boynton Beach Inlet by an off-duty Newborn Nicknamed ‘Baby June’ - Who Was
firefighter. The baby was determined to have ‘Discarded Like a Piece of Trash’ and Found
been born alive, and the cause of death was Floating Off Florida Coast Four Years Ago -
found to be asphyxia. Is Arrested After DNA Helps Crack Cold
Case.” Daily Mail, December 16, 2022.
The FGG investigation was conducted by the Accessed December 19, 2022. https://
Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office. Through www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11546451/
this, investigators located the father of Baby Mother-unidentified-newborn-nicknamed-
June, who told them that his girlfriend at the Baby-June-arrested-DNA-helps-crack-cold-
time, Arya Singh, had told him she was case.html.
pregnant with his baby, but that she had
‘taken care of it’. He states that he thought Lambe, Jerry. “‘Discarded Like a Piece of
she had had an abortion. Trash’: Florida Woman Arrested Four Years
After Allegedly Tossing Newborn Daughter
The final confirmation was made by the in the Ocean.” Law & Crime, December 17,
surreptitious sampling of DNS from items 2022. Accessed December 19, 2022. https://
that Singh had discarded. Investigators then lawandcrime.com/crime/discarded-like-a-
arrested 29-year-old Singh on December 15, piece-of-trash-florida-woman-arrested-four-
2022. She told investigators that she went to a years-after-allegedly-tossing-newborn-
hotel and gave birth to the baby in the daughter-in-the-ocean/.
washroom. An autopsy showed that the infant
was born alive, but was deceased before it
went into the inlet.

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 321
Case ID 1499: Baby Mary Anne Sources:

The body of a newborn infant was found on Harkins, Gina. “A Newborn Baby was
24, September 2007 in a dumpster behind a Discarded in a YMCA Dumpster 13 Years
YMCA in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. David Ago. The Suspected Mom is Now in Custody,
Ressler, the facilities manager at the YMCA, Police Say.” Washington Post. July 8, 2021.
found the remains of the baby wrapped up in Accessed July 10, 2021. https://
a blood-stained blanket, along with the www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/07/08/
placenta and umbilical cord, and placed in baby-ymca-dumpster-woman-arrest/.
several plastic bags. An autopsy determined
that the infant was born alive and died of Luperon, Alberto. “Woman Admitted She
asphyxiation. Discarded Her Newborn Daughter in a
Dumpster, Then She Flew to California:
The FGG investigation was conducted by Prosecutors.” Law & Crime. July 9, 2021.
Parabon Nanolabs. Accessed July 10, 2021. https://
lawandcrime.com/crime/a-mother-admitted-
Over the years, police investigated 25 women discarding-her-newborn-daughter-in-a-
as potential mothers of Baby Mary Anne, all dumpster-prosecutors-say-she-then-allegedly-
of whom were eliminated as suspects. There jetted-to-california/.
is currently no information on whether police
took DNA samples from these women in Nephin, Dan. “‘That Floored Me’:
order to eliminate them. Ressler, who located Community Reacts to Arrest Made 14 Years
the baby after noticing a strong smell coming After Baby Mary Anne was Found Dead in
from the dumpster, was treated by police as a 2007.” Lancaster Online. July 7, 2021.
suspect and given a lie detector test. Accessed July 10, 2021. https://
lancasteronline.com/news/local/mother-
The mother of the baby, Tara Brazzle, née charged-with-homicide-14-years-after-baby-
Indrakosit, was interviewed by police, and mary-anne-was-found-dead-in-a/
she made adverse admissions about article_8eefa218-dea5-11eb-9250-
abandoning the baby in the dumpster, after cb161bffe4a6.html.
giving birth alone and failing to receive any
pre-natal medical care. Brazzle had been an Spocchia, Gino. “Woman Arrested 14 Years
employee at the front desk of the YMCA After Abandoning Her Newborn in a
where the body was found. Brazzle had even Dumpster.” Independent. July 8, 2021.
taken a maternity leave after the baby’s birth. Accessed July 10, 2021. https://
After this interview, Brazzle boarded a plane www.independent.co.uk/news/world/
to California, and was arrested on a warrant americas/crime/lancaster-baby-mary-anne-
by the San Jose Police Department. Brazzle is dumpster-b1880403.html.
now being extradited to Lancaster County
where she is facing charges of criminal Wise, Jenna. “Mom Identified by DNA,
homicide. Arrested 14 Years After Death of Baby Tossed
in Trash.” Patriot News. July 7, 2021.
Accessed July 10, 2021. https://

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 322
www.pennlive.com/news/2021/07/mom- October 27, 2021. https://
identified-by-dna-arrested-14-years-after- elbertcountynews.net/stories/victim-
death-of-baby-tossed-in-trash.html. identified-in-33-year-old-sheridan-cold-
case,384220.

Case ID 1542: Bada’an, Akram Rose, Alex. “Sheridan Police Identify Victim
in 33-Year-Old Cold Case.” Fox 31 News 2
The body of 36-year-old Akram Bada’an was Colorado. October 27, 2021. Accessed
found on August 27, 1988, near a dumpster in October 28, 2021. https://kdvr.com/news/
Sheridan, Colorado. He had been killed by a local/sheridan-police-to-announce-major-
gunshot wound. He was located on the 2800 development-in-cold-case/.
block of West Oxford Avenue. He had no
identification. Initial efforts to identify him Unidentified Wiki. “Akram Bada’an.”
were based on the faulty assumption that he Wikia.org. n.d. Accessed October 28, 2021.
was of Mexican or Latin American ancestry. https://unidentified.wikia.org/wiki/
Akram_Bada%27an.
Investigators stated that once they learned
that the victim was of Middle Eastern, Israeli,
ancestry, they were able to access further Case ID 1844: Baker, Elsie
genealogical leads on a public database
similar to those used in North America. This The skeletal remains of Elsie Baker were
database was not specified. The method of found on June 19, 1986 in Grants Pass,
final confirmation of Bada’an’s identity was Oregon.
not specified.
A homeowner named Steve Heaton was
Bada’an’s family in Israel have been notified installing a new septic tank when her remains
of his death. Police continue to investigate were found buried in a shallow grave along
Bada’an’s homicide and are seeking with some fabric from a dress, a set of
information from the public. dentures, and parts of what may have been a
walker or crutches. It was determined that she
Sources: may have been in the ground for several
decades. Heaton stated that the discovery
Miller, Blair. “Authorities Identify Victim in shocked him: “My neighbor kept picking up
1988 Sheridan Cold Case Using Genetic bones and telling me they were human,”
Genealogy.” The Denver Channel. October Heaton told Kevin Opsahl, “I didn’t believe
27, 2021. Accessed October 28, 2021. https:// him.”
www.thedenverchannel.com/news/local-
news/authorities-identify-victim-in-1988- The FGG investigation was conducted by
sheridan-cold-case-using-genetic-genealogy. Parabon Nanolabs in partnership with the
Josephine County Sheriff’s Office and the
Penry, Brian. “Victim Identified in 33-Year- Oregon State Medical Examiner. The final
Old Sheridan Cold-Case Homicide.” Elbert confirmation was made to Baker’s grandson,
County News. October 26, 2021. Accessed who is living in Utah.

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 323
The FGG investigation, which reportedly cost baker-her-identity-back/article_37f7e912-
about $6,000 to $9,000 USD, was funded by ad5b-11ed-a7b7-139ae324efa4.html.
a public grant. The Oregon State Medical
Examiner’s Office has received a $405,000 Unidentified WIki. “Elsie Baker.” Wikia.org.,
grant to use DNA testing to identify 120 n.d. Accessed February 18, 2023. https://
unknown decedents. 30 of these cases have unidentified-awareness.fandom.com/wiki/
been resolved to date. Elsie_Baker.

Baker was about 62 to 63 years old when she

disappeared from her home in Rogue River. Case ID 1457: Baker, Michael Joe Wesley:
She was undergoing treatment for cancer at Cameron Doe
the time, and was in a wheelchair. Authorities
have stated that her wheelchair was found in The body of 24-year-old Michael Joe Wesley
her home but about $10,000 in cash was Baker was found in 2005 in the town of
missing. Sheriffs continue to investigate her Cameron in Harnett County, North Carolina.
murder. Three boys were playing with their dog near a
burned-out house, when they came across
Sources: Baker’s skeletonized remains. He became
known as the Cameron Doe.
Fox 12 Staff. “Remains Found in Shallow
Grave identified as Josephine Co. Woman The FGG investigation was conducted by
Missing Since 1959.” Fox 12 News, February genealogist Leslie Kaufman, in partnership
15, 2023. Accessed February 18, 2023. with the North Carolina Cold Case Initiative,
https://www.kptv.com/2023/02/15/remains- which seeks to use anthropology and
found-shallow-grave-identified-josephine-co- genealogy to identify unknown decedents.
woman-missing-since-1959/. They hope to solve 13 more cases.

Howard, Jerry. “Josephine County, State Baker’s family had lost touch with him, and
Medical Examiner, and DNA Identify reported him missing in 2007, but they were
Remains from 1986.” KDRV ABC News 12, unable to learn anything about what happened
February 15, 2023. Accessed February 18, to him.
2023. https://www.kdrv.com/news/josephine-
county-state-medical-examiner-and-dna- Sources:
identify-remains-from-1986/
article_4c7e65ea-ad52-11ed- Lamb, Amanda. “Harnett Sheriff: ID on Cold
a602-87256afe4ef1.html. Case Skeleton Combined Investigative,
Genetic Research.” WRAL.com. January 25,
Opsahl, Kevin. “Forensic Science Finally 2021. Accessed January 27, 2021. https://
Gives Elsie Baker Her Identity Back.” Rogue www.wral.com/harnett-sheriff-id-on-cold-
Valley Tribune, February 16, 2023. Accessed case-skeleton-combined-investigative-
February 18, 2023. https://www.rvtrib.com/ genetic-research/19490779/?
localstate/forensic-science-finally-gives-elsie- fbclid=IwAR3v8Ity31w9q7BS4OXyfG_cCaj
Duvw0JjdfeM5NPV2h100sMqU01aunFbI.

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 324
Case ID 1561: Baker, Wendy Louise
Rhodin, Tony. “‘Tiger Lady’ Identified 30
The body of 16-year-old Wendy Louise Baker Years After Body was Found off I-80 Near
was found by hunters on October 26, 1991 in Pa. Border.” Leigh Valley Live. November 19,
Knowlton Township, New Jersey – just off 2021. Accessed November 19, 2021. https://
the I-80 near the border with Pennsylvania. www.lehighvalleylive.com/news/2021/11/
Her cause of death could not be determined, tiger-lady-identified-30-years-after-the-her-
although she was ruled the victim of a body-was-found-off-i-80-near-pa-border.html.
homicide. She could not be identified. She
had a large tattoo of a Bengal tiger on her Tanenbaum, Michael. “Missing Chester
lower left leg, and so she became known as County Teen Identified as ‘Tiger Lady’
the ‘Tiger Lady.’ Victim in 1991 Cold Case.” Philly Voice.
November 18, 2021. Accessed November 19,
A DNA profile was obtained from a bone 2021. https://www.phillyvoice.com/tiger-
sample in 2020. The FGG investigation was lady-new-jersey-homicide-cold-case-teen-
conducted by Bode Technologies. coatesville-chester-county/.
Investigators found several relatives of Baker,
including an uncle from Pennsylvania. Her
father, Bruce Baker, had his DNA on file with Case ID 1304: Bateman, Marcia Kaylynn:
the Pennsylvania State Police, and this was I-196 Jane Doe
used to confirm her identity.
The body of 28-year-old Marcia Kaylynn
Baker was originally from Coatesville, Bateman was found on October 12, 1988 in
Pennsylvania. Her parents are now deceased, Covert Township, Michigan. She was found
and she had been raised by her father and along the I-196 highway by a hunter and was
stepmother. Her relatives thought she had known only as the I-196 Jane Doe for 31
moved to Ohio. Her cousin described her by years.
stating, “I don’t want to say a lost soul but she
seemed like she was kind of bounced here, The FGG investigation was conducted by the
bounced there, you know.” DNA Doe Project. Local businesses funded
the investigation.
The police continue to investigate Baker’s
homicide. Bateman’s family in Oklahoma had reported
her missing in August of 1988, but her
Sources: relatives had passed away before NAMUS
(National Missing and Unidentified Persons
Associated Press. “How Authorities ID’d System) was introduced in 2007. No one has
‘Tiger Lady’ Found in NJ as Pa. Teen After 30 been arrested for Bateman’s murder, and
Years.” NBC News 10 Philadelphia. police hope that her identification will further
November 19, 2021. Accessed November 19, their investigation.
2021. https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/
news/local/tiger-lady-wendy-baker-
identification/3053965/.

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 325
Sources: cause and a time of death could not be
determined. His body was estimated as
Boldrey, Ryan. “Police Seek Help After having lain on the beach at that remote
‘I-196 Jane’ Identified in 31-Year-Old Cold location for at least a year. He became known
Case.” M Live. November 25, 2019, last as the Fire Island John Doe.
modified November 26, 2019. Accessed
December 29, 2020. https://www.mlive.com/ A DNA profile was obtained from tissues
news/kalamazoo/2019/11/police-seek-help- preserved at his autopsy in 2003 and uploaded
after-i-196-jane-identified-in-31-year-old- into NAMUS. Bone samples were sent to
cold-case.html. Othram Inc. in 2021, who were able to extract
a DNA profile suitable for genetic genealogy.
KOCO Staff. “Remains Found in Michigan The final confirmation was made to a living
Identified 31 Years Later as Those of Missing relative.
OKC Woman.” KOCO 5 News ABC.
November 22, 2019. Accessed December 29, Michael Beavers was a heavy equipment
2020. https://www.koco.com/article/remains- operator who owned a business in Chugiak,
found-in-michigan-identified-31-years-later- Alaska, about 29 miles from where his body
as-missing-oklahoma-woman/29893050#. was found. He was reported missing by his
spouse in January of 1980 after he
Minegar, Andrew. “Michigan State Police disappeared en route to Seattle for a business
Identify Skeletal Remains Found in 1988.” trip in November of 1979. His missing
WWMT News. November 21, 2019. Accessed persons case was closed in 1982, with no
December 29, 2020. https://wwmt.com/news/ leads – about 7 years before his body was
local/michigan-state-police-identify-skeletal- found.
remains-found-in-1988.
The investigation into his homicide continues.
Rainey, Callie. “State Police Seek Public’s
Help in Solving the ‘I-196 Jane’ Suspicious Sources:
Death Investigation.” WWMT News Channel
3. November 25, 2019. Accessed December Bonvillian, Crystal. “Fire Island John Doe:
29, 2020. https://wwmt.com/news/local/state- Genetic Genealogy IDs Second Alaska Cold
police-seek-publics-help-in-solving-the- Case Victim in Six Weeks.” WPXI News.
i-196-jane-suspicious-death-investigation. December 3, 2021. Accessed December 7,
2021. https://www.wpxi.com/news/trending/
fire-island-john-doe-genetic-genealogy-ids-
Case ID 1568: Beavers, Michael Allison: second-alaska-cold-case-victim-6-weeks/
Fire Island John Doe AAV5BW6TFFDUBOJJDV4TQFRA6Y/.

The remains of 41-year-old Michael Allison Geiger, Dorian. “Anchorage John Doe From
Beavers were found on July 24, 1989, on the 1989 Identified as Michael Beavers, Missing
shores of Fire Island in Anchorage, Alaska. Since 1980.” Oxygen. December 3, 2021.
He was determined to be a homicide victim, Accessed December 7, 2021. https://
but due the decomposition of the body a www.oxygen.com/crime-news/anchorage-

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 326
island-john-doe-from-1989-idd-as-michael- October 23, 2022. https://www.12news.com/
beavers. article/news/local/valley/investigators-
identify-man-fell-phoenix-building-18-years/
Vogen, Michael. “Alaska Bureau of 75-0ea3e0f0-7f7d-424d-b3ec-bbf798b9d336.
Investigation and Alaska State Troopers Team
with Othram to Identify Fire Island John DNA Doe Project. “Downtown Phoenix John
Doe.” DNASolves.com. December 1, 2021. Doe 2004.” DNA Doe Project, July 26, 2022.
Accessed December 7, 2021. https:// Last Modified October 20, 2022. Accessed
dnasolves.com/articles/Fireisland_alaska/? October 23, 2022. https://dnadoeproject.org/
fbclid=IwAR06OE8CwP55b9ovqAd1iA9JA5 case/downtown-phoenix-john-doe-2004/.
DcifZjGsqT6ivKpnd_LmmQpp9aEoW5qTU.
Silavong, Kit. “Man Who Fell From
Downtown Phoenix Building 18 Years Ago
Case ID 1774: Beck, Frank: Downtown Identified.” CBS 5 News, October 21, 2022.
Phoenix John Doe 2004 Accessed October 23, 2022. https://
www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/man-who-
The remains of 57-year-old Frank R. Beck fell-from-downtown-phoenix-building-18-
were found on October 19, 2004 in downtown years-ago-identified/ar-AA13ceAI.
Phoenix. He had likely fallen from a tall
building near Central Avenue and Monroe
Street. He was wearing jeans and a black belt, Case ID 1808: Bennett, Linda: Owen
but had no identification with him. He had a County Jane Doe 1988
surgical implant in his ankle, but efforts to
trace it failed and he could not be identified. The remains of 38-year-old Linda Bennett
were found on May 6, 1988 in Owenton,
The FGG investigation was conducted by the Kentucky. She was found by a local couple on
DNA Doe Project, in partnership with the their way to pick up their newspaper. She was
Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s Office. nude, except for a pair of men’s dress socks,
This was the first case to be solved by the and may have been sexually assaulted. Some
DNA Doe Project’s apprenticeship program additional items of clothing were found
for genetic genealogists. The case was nearby. She had a tattoo of the name ‘Steve’
partially funded by donations to the DNA Doe on her upper right arm.
Project, which raised $2525.
Fingerprints and facial reconstructions were
Beck was originally from Pennsylvania. He not successful in identifying her. The FGG
was known to be transient in the last last investigation was conducted by Othram in
years of his life. partnership with the Kentucky State Police,
beginning in 2022. The final confirmation
Sources: was made to Bennett’s son.

12 News. “Investigators Identify Man Who Bennett’s family reported her missing from
Fell From Phoenix Building 18 Years Ago.” her home in Columbus in June of 1988. They
NBC 12 News, October 20, 2022. Accessed had limited contact with her before her death.

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 327
Sources: uploaded into CODIS and NamUs. In
November of 2020, the Idaho State Police
10TV Web Staff. “Body Found in Kentucky obtained tentative federal funding to use
34 Years Ago Identified as Missing Columbus genetic genealogy to identify unknown
Woman.” 10WBNS News, December 19, decedents. When the funding did not
2022. Accessed December 19, 2022. https:// materialize, NamUs donated the funds for the
www.10tv.com/article/news/local/ohio/body- FGG investigation, which was conducted by
found-kentucky-more-than-30-years-ago-idd- Othram, beginning in January of 2022. The
as-missing-columbus-woman/530-46bc0497- final confirmation was made to Bennett’s
d653-40bb-bf8f-4e33fe12fa12. mother, Wilma Bennett, and his sister, Cheri
Pope.
Unidentified Wiki. “Linda Bennett.”
Wikia.org, n.d. Accessed December 19, 2022. Bennett’s sister, Cheri Pope, confirmed that
https://unidentified-awareness.fandom.com/ Bennett went missing sometime in the early
wiki/Linda_Bennett. months of 1982. He had recently been
discharged from the Air Force and was
Vogen, Michael. “Kentucky State Police planning to go to Oklahoma to work on an
Central Forensic Laboratory Teams With offshore oil rig. It is not known why he was in
Othram to Identify Owen County 1988 Jane Idaho, but he had a long-standing interest in
Doe.” DNASolves.com, December 19, 2022. the travels of Lewis & Clark and may have
Accessed December 19, 2022. https:// wanted to visit the trail.
dnasolves.com/articles/owen-county-jane-
doe-1988-linda-bennett/. A cause of death has not been determined.
Investigators suspect there may have been
foul play, as one of the lenses from his
Case ID 1680: Bennett, Roger Brian: Mr. eyeglasses was found with his body, while the
Bones rest of his glasses were found at his camp.

The skeletal remains of 26-year-old Roger Sources:

Brian Bennett were found in 1984, in a rural
area off White Sand Road, near Colt Killed Hedberg, Kathy. “Remains Found in 1984
Creek, Idaho. In September of 1983, the Identified as Missing Oklahoma Man.” Daily
Idaho County Sheriff’s Office had found an News, April 12, 2022. Accessed April 12,
abandoned camp about one mile away, with 2022. https://dnews.com/local/remains-found-
camping equipment and a pair of prescription in-1984-identified-as-missing-oklahoma-man/
eyeglasses. Bennett could not be identified, article_c9667074-
and so he became known affectionately as a7d3-5033-81e2-0fc5dbf27d7e.html.
“Mr. Bones.”
Perez, Brianda. “Remains Found in Colt
A forensic sketch of Bennett was produced, Killed Creek 37 Years Ago Belong to Missing
and his DNA profile was obtained in 2011 by Oklahoma Man.” KREM 2 News, April 11,
the University of North Texas Center for 2022. Accessed April 12, 2022. https://
Human Identification. His information was www.krem.com/article/news/local/idaho/

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 328
remains-colt-killed-creek-37-years-missing- Fox 3 News Staff. “Remains Found Partially
oklahoma-man/293-8c424388- Buried in Caddo County in 1995 Have Been
f989-472a-958e-b83cf8bee244. Identified as 20-Year-Old Katrina
Bentivegna.” Fox 3 Now, March 12, 2022.
Vogen, Michael. “The Idaho County Sheriff’s Accessed March 13, 2022. https://
Office Teams with Othram to Identify 1984 www.fox3now.com/katrina-bentivegna-
John Doe.” DNASolves.com, April 11, 2022. remains-found-partially-buried-in-caddo-
Accessed April 12, 2022. https:// county/.
dnasolves.com/articles/
Roger_Brian_Bennett_Idaho/. Oklahoma Digital News. “Oklahoma Woman
Murdered in 1995 Identified Through
Forensic Genetic Genealogy.” Oklahoma
Case ID 1661: Bentivegna, Katrina: Caddo Digital News, March 11, 2022. Accessed
County Jane Doe March 13, 2022. https://
oklahomadigitalnews.com/2022/03/11/
The partial remains of 20-year-old Katarina oklahoma-woman-murdered-in-1995-
Bentivegna were found on April 24, 1995, in identified-through-forensic-genetic-
a rural area of Caddo County, Oklahoma. She genealogy/.
had been dismembered, and her hands, feet,
and head had been removed from her body.
Her remains had been buried in a shallow Case ID 1332: Bibb, Ginger Lynn: Phoenix
grave near Highway 281 and Route 66. Her Jane Doe
skull was found in 1996.
The remains of 45-year-old Ginger Lynn Bibb
The FGG investigation was conducted by were found on April 21, 2004 in Phoenix,
Parabon Nanolabs beginning in March of Arizona. She was found in a rolled-up carpet
2021. The final confirmation was made to at the side of the road, near 43rd Avenue and
living relatives. Baseline Road. She was known for 16 years
only as the Phoenix Jane Doe. It is not yet
Bentivegna had moved to Midwest City, known who killed her or how she died. She
Oklahoma from Colorado and was married was last seen sometime in April of 2003.
soon after. She has a son. Police continue to
investigate her murder. A DNA profile from her skeletal remains was
obtained by Bode Technologies. The FGG
Sources: investigation was conducted by Parabon
Nanolabs and the DNA Doe Project.
Boydston, Tyler. “Remains Found in Caddo Confirmation was made through the
County in 1995 Identified.” ABC News 7, assistance of Bibb’s living relatives.
March 11, 2022. Accessed March 12, 2022.
https://www.kswo.com/2022/03/11/remains- Sources:
found-caddo-county-1995-identified/.
DNA Doe Project. “Phoenix Jane Doe 2004.”
DNA Doe Project. June 7, 2020. Accessed

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 329
December 29, 2020. https:// The FGG investigation was performed by
dnadoeproject.org/case/phoenix-jane- Othram. A genealogy search located a close
doe-2004/. relative of Birdlong, and she pointed
investigators to Birdlong’s grandmother, a 93-
Holland, Catherine. “Phoenix PD Turn to year-old woman who was born in Leflore
Genetic Genealogy to ID Victim in 2004 Cold County, Mississippi. Her family had not seen
Case.” AZFamily.com. February 3, 2020. Birdlong since she went missing sometime in
Accessed December 29, 2020. https:// the 1970s, perhaps on her way to Florida with
www.azfamily.com/news/phoenix-pd-turns- an African American male who matches a
to-genetic-genealogy-to-id-victim-in-2004- description of Samuel Little.
cold-case/article_e7f33276-46bc-11ea-a953-
f7df2cf2c4bd.html. Serial killer Samuel Little confessed in 2018
to the murder of Escatawpa Jane Doe. He did
Taylor, Michelle. “DNA Doe Project IDs not remember her name. Little passed away in
2004 Jane Doe in 48 Hours.” Forensic prison in December of 2020 at the age of 80
Magazine. February 18, 2020. Accessed years. He is thought to have murdered about
December 29, 2020. https:// 93 women between 1970 and 2005, targeting
www.forensicmag.com/560849-DNA-Doe- mainly sex workers and African American
Project-IDs-2004-Jane-Doe-in-48-Hours/. women. Many of his victims were killed by
strangulation. He spent about 6 years in
Unidentified Wiki. “Ginger Bibb.” Wikia.org. custody before his death.
n.d. Accessed December 29, 2020. https://
unidentified.wikia.org/wiki/Ginger_Bibb. Before his conviction for three homicides in
2014, Little had previously been convicted of
the rape and strangulation of two women in
Case ID 1525: Birdlong, Clara: Escatawpa California. He was identified as a serial killer
Jane Doe after he was arrested for a narcotics charge in
Kentucky and extradited to California where
The skeletal remains of 44-year-old Clara the LAPD obtained a DNA profile.
Birdlong were found by hunters on December
27, 1977, near present-day Highway 613 and Sources:
Interstate 10 in Jackson County, Mississippi.
It is thought that her body had been in the Dewberry, Sarah. “Sheriff IDs Mississippi
area for about 3 to 4 months before being Woman Found in 1977 as Victim of Serial
found. She was very petite and had a Killer.” The Denver Channel ABC News 7.
distinctive gold front tooth. She may have September 23, 2021. Accessed September 23,
been wearing a wig. Investigators could not 2021. https://www.thedenverchannel.com/
determine the cause of her death, but they news/national/sheriff-ids-mississippi-woman-
suspected that she was the victim of a found-in-1977-as-victim-of-serial-killer.
homicide. She became known as “Escatawpa
Jane Doe.” Geiger, Dorian. “Woman’s Remains ID’d as
Serial Killer Victim 44 Years After She Was
Found.” Oxygen. September 22, 2021.

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 330
Accessed September 23, 2021. https:// determined. However, her remains were
www.oxygen.com/crime-news/escatawpa- found without any clothing, and investigators
jane-doe-idd-as-clara-birdlong-44-years-after- thought she had been placed in that location
slaying. deliberately, leading them to treat her death as
a possible homicide.
Knowles, Lindsay. “Leflore County
Supervisor Helps Investigators Find Family A forensic facial reconstruction was
of Jane Doe.” WLOX News. September 23, performed, and her case was entered into
2021. Accessed September 23, 2021. NamUs, but did not produce any leads. Over
the years, about 250 missing women were
Madani, Doha. “FBI Confirms Samuel ruled out as being Brown. The FGG
Little’s Confession: He is the Worst Serial investigation was performed by Othram,
Killer in U.S. History.” NBC News. October beginning in 2021. The final confirmation
7, 2019. Accessed September 23, 2021. was made to her daughter, now living in
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/fbi- Georgia.
confirms-samuel-little-s-confession-he-worst-
serial-killer-n1063381. Black was last seen by her family on January
1, 1980. A relative reported her missing in
Miller, Joshua Rhett. “Mississippi Woman May of 2015. She had moved to California
ID’d as Likely Victim of America’s Most after high school, but was originally from
Prolific Serial Killer.” New York Post. Vandalia, Ohio. Police continue to investigate
September 23, 2021. Accessed September 23, her death.
2021. https://nypost.com/2021/09/23/
mississippi-woman-clara-birdlong-likely- Sources:
samuel-little-victim/.
Kremer, T.J. III, and Patch Staff. “Remains of
Othram Inc. “Jackson County Sheriff’s Office Woman Found in New Lennox Identified
and Mississippi State Crime Laboratory Team After 41 Yeats: Coroner.” Patch, April 13,
with Othram to Identify Escatawpa Jane 2022, last modified April 14, 2022. Accessed
Doe.” DNASolves.com. September 21, 2021. April 14, 2022. https://patch.com/illinois/
Accessed September 23, 2021. https:// newlenox/remains-woman-found-new-lenox-
dnasolves.com/articles/escatawpa_jane_doe/. identified-after-41-years-coroner.

Unidentified Wiki. “Brenda Black.”

Case ID 1682: Black, Brenda Sue Wikia.org., n.d. Accessed April 14, 2022.
https://unidentified-awareness.fandom.com/
The decomposing remains of 26-year-old wiki/Brenda_Black.
Brenda Sue Black were found on April 19,
1981, off the Interstate-80 highway in New Vogen, Michael. “The Will County Coroner’s
Lennox, Illinois. Plants had grown up and Office and Othram Team to Identify a 1981
concealed her body. It was estimated that her Jane Doe.” DNASolves.com, April 12, 2022.
remains had lain there for about a year before Accessed April 14, 2022. https://
she was found. A cause of death could not be

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 331
dnasolves.com/articles/
will_county_jane_doe_1981/. Unidentified Wiki. “Anderson Bolls.”
Wikia.org. n.d. Accessed October 1, 2021.
https://unidentified.wikia.org/wiki/
Case ID 1530: Bolls, Anderson: Hinds Anderson_Bolls.
County John Doe

The skeletal remains of Anderson Bolls were Case ID 1743: Boucher, Samuel C.: Biloxi
found on August 27, 2020 by a maintenance John Doe 2017
worker just off Holmes Avenue in Jackson,
Mississippi. His body was fully clothed and The partial skeletal remains of 40-year-old
lying face down in a wooded area. He had no Samuel C. Boucher were located on October
identification, and his remains could not be 7, 2017 near Biloxi, Mississippi. A group of
identified through forensic analysis of his boaters found the remains near the
bones and teeth. His cause of death has not Tchoutachabouffa River near an area called
been reported. the “Hurricane Hole” just hours before the
arrival of Hurricane Nate. Investigators found
The FGG investigation was conducted by some personal effects, including the wallet
Othram. Genealogist Carla Davis provided and driver’s license of a man who had been
some of the funding for this case to proceed. reported missing. However, the ancestry of
Several family members ofprovided DNA Boucher did not match that of the missing
samples to aid in his identification. man, and he could not be identified. There is
currently little information as to when or how
Bolls was last seen by his family on April 1, Boucher died.
2020, and was reported missing. No cause of
death has been provided, nor have police The FGG investigation was conducted by
stated if they are investigating this death as a Othram, led by genetic genealogist Carla
homicide. Davis. Davis has worked many cases in
Mississippi, and has recently been appointed
Sources: the chief genetic genealogist at Othram.

Apel, Therese. “Missing Jackson Man’s Boucher had been reported missing by his
Remains Identified by Private DNA family.
Company.” Dark Horse Press. September 30,
2021. Accessed October 1, 2021. https:// Sources:
darkhorsepressnow.com/5233-2/.
DNASolves. “MS Office of the State Medical
Othram Inc. “The Mississippi State Crime Examiner and Harrison County Coroner’s
Lab Teams with Othram to Identify Hinds Office Team With Othram to Identify 2017
County John Doe.” DNA Solves. September John Doe.” DNASolves.com, August 19,
30, 2021. Accessed October 1, 2021. https:// 2022. Accessed August 26, 2022. https://
dnasolves.com/articles/ dnasolves.com/articles/samuel-c-boucher/.
ms_crime_lab_anderson_bolls/.

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Unidentified Wiki. “Samuel Boucher.” Sources:
Wikia.org. n.d. Accessed August 26, 2022.
https://unidentified-awareness.fandom.com/ DNA Doe Project. “Brad Doe Newton Co
wiki/Samuel_Boucher. 1983.” DNA Doe Project. March 12, 2021.
Accessed April 26, 2021. https://
dnadoeproject.org/case/brad-doe-newton-
Case ID 1479: Brandenburg, John Ingram co-1983/.
Jr.: Brad Doe of Newton County
Hughes, Virginia. “To Solve Three Cold
See also: William Lewis: Jasper County John Cases, This Small County Got a DNA Crash
Doe Course.” New York Times. May 3, 2021.
Accessed May 6, 2021. https://
The body of 19-year-old John (‘Johnny’) www.nytimes.com/2021/05/03/science/cold-
Brandenburg Jr. was found on October 18, cases-genetic-genealogy.html.
1983, buried in a shallow grave in a rural area
of Newton County, Indiana. Hunters had Sederstrom, Jill. “Remains Found by
found the grave in an abandoned barn. The Mushroom Hunters in 1983 are Identified as
grave contained the bodies of four young Victim of Serial Killer Larry Eyler.” Oxygen.
men, only two of whom could be identified. April 26, 2021. Accessed April 26, 2021.
All were victims of serial killer Larry Eyler, https://www.oxygen.com/crime-news/
who preyed upon young men whom he remains-found-in-1983-identified-as-john-
tortured and sexually assaulted. Since ingram-brandenburg-victim-of-larry-eyler.
Brandenburg’s identification, only one of the
victims found in the grave remains Unidentified Wiki. “Johnny Brandenburg Jr..”
unidentified – ‘Adam Doe’. Wikia.org. n.d. Accessed April 26, 2021.
https://unidentified.wikia.org/wiki/
The FGG investigation was conducted by the Johnny_Brandenburg_Jr.
DNA Doe Project. This investigation was
especially rapid. The DNA was uploaded to
GEDmatch on April 2, 2021, and there was a Case ID 1701: Brooks, Jimmy Mack:
match right away with a close relative. Chatham County John Doe
Brandendburg’s identity was confirmed and
announced on April 24, 2021. The remains of 26-year-old Jimmy Mack
Brooks were found on March 31, 1976 in
Eyler was convicted and sentenced to death Moncure, North Carolina. His body was
for the 1984 murder of 15-year-old Daniel found in the Cape Fear River, near the intake
Bridges, whose dismembered remains were valve for the Carolina Light & Power
located in a garbage bin near Eyler’s Company. His head and hands had been
residence. He passed away in prison in 1994 removed, perhaps in an attempt to prevent his
due to complication from AIDS. Before he identification. Investigators believed he had
died, he confessed to 20 further murders to been put into the water upstream. His death
his attorney, Kathleen Zellner. was determined to be a homicide but, as he

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 333
could not be identified, the investigation Unidentified Wiki. “Jimmy Brooks.”
could not advance. Wikia.org, n.d. Accessed May 26, 2022.
https://unidentified-awareness.fandom.com/
The FGG investigation was conducted by wiki/Jimmy_Brooks.
Othram, with the assistance of the North
Carolina Unidentified Project. Mack is the
seventh victim to date to be identified as a Case ID 1681: Brown, Alexander Jr.
result of the partnership between North
Carolina law enforcement, and the North The remains of Alexander Brown Jr. were
Carolina Unidentified Project. found in February of 1981 in Pittsboro, North
Carolina. He was determined to have been the
Mack was from Allegheny County, North victim of a homicide, but he could not be
Carolina. An Army veteran who had been identified and the case went cold.
stationed at Fort Bragg, he had been
discharged from service only a few months The FGG investigation was performed by the
before his death. The Chatham County North Carolina Unidentified Project, a
Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate partnership between genealogist Leslie
Mack’s murder. Kaufman and Dr. Ann Ross, a forensic
anthropologist from North Carolina State
Sources: University. The final confirmation was made
to living relatives.
Brown, Maggie. “NC Man Murdered in 1976
Identified as U.S. Army Veteran.” WRAL Brown’s family in Baltimore had reported
News, May 25, 2022. Accessed May 26, him missing three years before his remains
2022. https://www.wral.com/nc-man- were found, on April 12, 1978. Police
murdered-in-1976-identified-as-us-army- continue to investigate his murder.
veteran/20300525/.
Sources:
Chatham County Sheriff’s Office. “Murder
Victim Identified as Army Veteran Missing ABC 11 News. “Victim in 43-Year-Old
Since 1976.” Chatham News & Record, May Murder Investigation in Pittsboro Identified.”
25, 2022. Accessed May 26, 2022. https:// ABC 11 News, April 13, 2022. Accessed April
www.chathamnewsrecord.com/stories/ 14, 2022. https://abc11.com/11744447/.
chatham-identified-veteran-
brooks-1976,13401. Bergin, Mark. “Murder Victim Identified 43
Years Later in North Carolina.” WRAL News,
Vogen, Michael. “Chatham County Sheriff’s April 12, 2022. Accessed April 14, 2022.
Office and NC Unidentified Project Partner https://www.wral.com/murder-victim-
with Othram to Identify a 1976 Homicide identified-43-years-later-in-north-carolina/
Victim.” DNASolves.com, May 25, 2022. 20233276/?version=amp.
Accessed May 26, 2022. https://
dnasolves.com/articles/jimmy_mack_brooks/. Prunka, Michael. “Man Found Dead in North
Carolina ID’d 40+ Years Later, Sheriff’s

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Office Says.” WBTW 13 News, April 12, County.” WIS News 10 NBC. January 21,
2022. Accessed April 14, 2022. https:// 2021, last modified January 22, 2021.
www.wbtw.com/news/state-regional-news/ Accessed January 25, 2021. https://
man-found-dead-in-north-carolina-idd-40- www.wistv.com/2021/01/21/live-sumter-co-
years-later-sheriffs-office-says/. sheriffs-office-shares-new-findings-cold-
case/.

Case ID 1453: Buckley, Pamela Mae: DNA Doe Project. “Sumter Jane Doe 1976.”
Sumpter Jane Doe DNA Doe Project. July 24, 2019. Accessed
January 25, 2021. https://dnadoeproject.org/
See also: Freund, James Paul case/sumter-jane-doe-1976/.

The body of 25-year-old Pamela Mae DNA Doe Project. “Sumter Jock Doe 1976.”
Buckley was found on August 9, 1976 on DNA Doe Project. July 24, 2019. Accessed
Locklair Road, between Sumpter and January 25, 2021. https://dnadoeproject.org/
Florence, South Carolina. She was found with case/sumter-jock-doe-1976/.
James Paul Freund. The pair had been robbed
and shot numerous times in the upper body.
They may have been the victims of a Case ID 1555: Bunts/Bunce, Richard:
carjacking, and they had no money or Hudson John Doe 2019
identification.
The remains of Richard Bunts were unearthed
Their bodies were exhumed in 2007 for DNA on August 16, 2019, in Hudson, Ohio. A real
testing. This showed that they were not estate development project was underway
brother and sister as originally thought, but when workers unearthed a pine coffin
there were still no leads as to their identities. containing Bunts’ remains. Forensic
anthropologists determined that the remains
The FGG investigation was conducted by the were likely those of a middle-aged Caucasian
DNA Doe Project, with bioinformatics work male who had been buried there for at least 50
being done by Kevin Lord of Saber years. Although the area was not an official
Investigations. They found several matches cemetery, it was known that some remains
on GEDmatch and FTDNA and were able to had been buried there in the mid-nineteenth
produce a list of leads in about two days. This century.
case was crowdfunded through donations to
the DNA Doe Project. The FGG investigation was conducted by the
DNA Doe Project. The final confirmation was
The homicide investigation into the murder of made to a living descendent of Richard and
Buckley and Freund is ongoing. Annie Bunts – their third great-
granddaughter.
Sources:
The DNA Doe Project identified the decedent
Coleburn, Caroline. “Investigators Identify as Richard Bunts, who is recorded in the 1850
Victims of 1976 Cold Case Out of Sumter census as having lived in Hudson with his

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 335
wife, Annie, and their children. The land on A DNA profile was generated from her femur
which he was buried likely belonged at the bone by DNA Solutions. The FGG
time to Bunts and his family. Bunts himself investigation was conducted by genealogists
was born in 1793. Charles McGee and Jane Grier, as part of a
television documentary entitled “The Jane
At the time this case was solved, Bunts’ Doe Murders.” The confirmation of Buxton’s
remains were the oldest to date to be solved identity was made with two of her daughters
using FGG. and a sister, none of whom knew that Kathy
was missing or what had happened to her.
Sources:
A bag of men’s clothing was found near
DNA Doe Project. “Hudson John Doe 2019.” Buxton’s body and is thought to be from the
DNA Doe Project. March 10, 2020. Accessed person who deposited her there. It contained a
November 19, 2021. https:// pair of men’s briefs with a semen stain. A
dnadoeproject.org/case/hudson-john- clump of hair was found on a bush nearby.
doe-2019/. The DNA sample was uploaded to CODIS
and has not received any hits. The
Lord, Kevin. “Case Study: Identifying a Pre- investigation into her death is continuing.
Civil War John Doe.” CrimeBench. January
2022. Accessed January 25, 2022. https:// Buxton’s spouse at the time of her murder,
crimebench.com/case-study-identifying-a- Brian Clifton, was arrested on September 7,
pre-civil-war-john-doe/. 2021 for her murder. He was arraigned on
charges of first-degree murder in Polk County
Unidentified Wiki. “Richard Bunts.” Circuit Court. He admitted to playing a role in
Wikia.org. n.d. Accessed November 19, 2021. the homicide during police interviews. On
https://unidentified.wikia.org/wiki/ October 27, 2022, he was sentenced to life in
Richard_Bunts. prison after pleading guilty to first-degree
murder in the death of Buxton.

Case ID 1449: Buxton, Kathy This is the second life sentence handed down
to Clifton. He was previously sentenced to
The skeletal remains of 46-year-old Kathy life in prison in 1973 for the murder by
Buxton, also known as Kathy Thomas, were strangulation of a hotel employee. He was
located in Polk County, Oregon, on released on parole in 1981, three years before
September 1, 1996. Her skull was found by he married Buxton.
hunters, deep in a wooded area. She had been
wrapped in a blue tarp, but her remains had Sources:
been pulled out of the tarp by animals.
Investigators were not able to determine the Brun, Michael. “Hudson Genealogist Helps
cause of her death, but it is considered to be Identify Oregon ‘Jane Doe’ in True Crime TV
suspicious. Show Premiering Sunday.” River Towns.
December 31, 2020. Accessed January 6,
2021. https://www.rivertowns.net/

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 336
entertainment/television/6824103-Hudson- The FGG investigation was conducted by
genealogist-helps-identify-Oregon- Parabon Nanolabs. The confirmation was
%E2%80%98Jane-Doe%E2%80%99-in-true- made with her surviving daughter, Jessica
crime-TV-show-premiering-Sunday. Gallegos. Cabanaw was reported missing in
July 1999 in Detroit. It is not known how she
Itemizer-Observer Report. “Polk County died, but her death is considered suspicious.
Detectives Make Arrest in Cold Case.”
Itemizer-Observer. September 10, 2021. Sources:
Accessed September 16, 2021. https://
www.polkio.com/news/polk-county- Associated Press. “Indiana Police Identify
detectives-make-arrest-in-cold-case/ Body of a Colorado Woman’s Mother
article_76dc04b2-102f-11ec-92cf- Missing Since July 1999.” The Denver Post.
d719185de9a0.html. July 21, 2019. Accessed December 29, 2020.
https://www.denverpost.com/2019/07/21/
Lambe, Jerry. “Oregon Killer Released from angola-indiana-july-1999-cold-case-body-
Prison in 1981 is Back Behind Bars After identified/.
Admitting to ‘Deliberate, Cold-Blooded’
1996 Murder of Wife.” Law & Crime, Marturello, Mike. “20-Year Mystery of
October 22, 2022. Accessed October 31, Unidentified Body Solved.” KPC News. July
2022. https://lawandcrime.com/crime/oregon- 21, 2019. Accessed December 29, 2020.
killer-released-from-prison-in-1981-is-back- https://www.kpcnews.com/heraldrepublican/
behind-bars-after-admitting-to-deliberate- article_42214412-afb8-5306-a26a-
cold-blooded-1996-murder-of-wife/. d11ed7932958.html.

Universal Pictures. “The Jane Doe Murders.” Tacopino, Joe. “Dead Body Identified 20
HayU. Aired January 3, 2021. Years Later Through Daughter’s DNA.” New
York Post. July 21, 2019. Accessed December
Van Sambeck, Becca. “In ‘The Jane Doe 29, 2020. https://nypost.com/2019/07/21/
Murders’ A Victim is Finally Identified – dead-body-identified-20-years-later-through-
What About Her Killer?” Oxygen. January 6, daughters-dna/.
2021. Accessed January 6, 2021. https://
www.oxygen.com/the-jane-doe-murders/
crime-news/the-jane-doe-murders-what- Case ID 1775: Campbell, Patricia
happened-to-kathy-buxton.
The partial skull of 15-year-old Patricia
Campbell was found on October 26, 1986, in
Case ID 1229: Cabanaw, Tina Len Two Mile Canyon, outside of Malad, Idaho.
An autopsy determined that she had died from
The remains of 36-year-old Tina Len repeated blows to the head with a blunt
Cabanaw were found on September 6, 1999 object.
in Angola, Indiana. A local farmer found her
body in a field where it had lain for several It was unknown at the time if her remains
months. Her body was nude except for a bra. were connected with the partial remains of

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 337
two young girls found in 1981. These remains being-discovered/
belonged to 12-year-old Tina Anderson and article_7111e6c0-5177-11ed-
Patricia Campbell. The two girls were friends aecd-07db3e27ab4c.html.
and had gone missing on July 22, 1978 from
Pocatello, Idaho where they were attending a Unidentified Wiki. “Patricia Campbell.”
Pioneer Day celebration at Alameda Park. It Wikia.org, n.d. Accessed October 23, 2022.
is currently not known of the two girls’ deaths https://unidentified-awareness.fandom.com/
were connected to other missing and wiki/Patricia_Campbell.
murdered girls who disappeared from the
Pocatello area near the same time. Vogen, Michael. “Oneida County Sheriff’s
Office and Idaho State University Partner
An anthropological analysis of the skull could with Othram to Identify Oneida Jane Doe.”
not determine the age or ancestry of the DNASolves.com, October 21, 2022. Accessed
decedent, likely due to her young age and the October 23, 2022. https://dnasolves.com/
small size of the remains. She was thought to articles/oneida-jane-doe-1986/.
have been Caucasian, possibly with some
Hispanic ancestry. Anthropologists also
attempted a facial reconstruction, but they Case ID 1318: Carnall-Burton, Michelle:
could not use tissue depth markers. Marion County Jane Doe

The FGG investigation was conducted by The body of 22-year-old Michelle Carnall-
Othram in partnership with the Oneida Burton was found on September 21, 1987 in
County Sheriff’s Office and Dr. Samantha Lincolnville, Kansas. She was found along
Blatt of the Anthropology Department at the side of 290th Street by a road crew. She
Idaho State University, beginning in 2021. had been dead about two to three months. She
The investigation was funded through a was known for more than 30 years only as the
crowdfunding campaign by Othram and Marion County Jane Doe.
DNASolves, which raised $5,000.
The FGG investigation was conducted by the
Campbell has been returned to her family. DNA Doe Project. The confirmation of her
She will be cremated and buried with her identity was made with her surviving parents.
mother. Her murderer has not been identified and the
case is still open.
Sources:
Sources:
Big Country News. “Idaho Cold Cases: Skull
Positively Identified Through Forensic Associated Press. “32 Years After Body
Genealogy 36 Years After Being Discovered.” Found in Kansas, Victim is Identified.”
Big Country News, October 21, 2022. Associated Press. December 23, 2019.
Accessed October 23, 2022. https:// Accessed December 29, 2020. https://
www.bigcountrynewsconnection.com/idaho/ apnews.com/article/
idaho-cold-cases-skuli-positively-identified- c5f8a510c0d6c97d6d59b84534dbc15b.
through-forensic-genealogy-36-years-after-

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 338
Ellis, Ashley, and KTUL Staff. “KBI Uses Sources:
DNA, Forensic Genetic Genealogy to Identify
Woman Killed in 1987.” KTUL News, and Cunningham, Patrick. “Tyler Police Identify
ABC 8 Tulsa. December 23, 2019. Accessed Body from 2004 after Enlisting Help from
December 29, 2020. https://ktul.com/news/ DNA Doe Project.” KETK.com, December
local/kbi-uses-dna-forensic-genetic- 14, 2021. Accessed December 21, 2021.
genealogy-to-identify-woman-killed-in-1987. https://www.ketk.com/news/local-news/tyler-
police-identifies-body-from-2004-after-
KAKE News Staff. “Kansas Homicide Victim enlisting-help-from-dna-doe-project/.
Identified More than 30 Years After Murder.”
KAKE News. December 23, 2019. Accessed DNA Doe Project. “Barn John Doe 2004.”
December 29, 2020. https://www.kake.com/ DNA Doe Project. August 8, 2020, Last
story/41489863/kansas-homicide-victim- modified December 15, 2021. Accessed
identified-more-than-30-years-after-murder. December 21, 2021. https://
dnadoeproject.org/case/barn-john-doe-2004/.

Case ID 1603: Casey, Kim Ryan: Barn Mullins, Natasha. “The John Doe of Smith
John Doe 2004 County.” Medium, April 17, 2021. Last
modified September 11, 2021. Accessed
The decomposing remains of 52-year-old December 21, 2021. https://medium.com/
Kim Ryan Casey were found on December cold-case-cas-project-2021-22/the-john-doe-
23, 2004, by several children exploring an of-smith-county-98390c25b16.
abandoned barn in Tyler, Texas. The skeleton
was clothed in jeans, a jacket, a baseball cap,
and a pair of brown Rockport shoes. It was Case ID 1802: Castillo, Nora Elia
estimated that he had been dead for several
months, but he could not be identified – nor The remains of Nora Castillo were found on
could a cause of death be determined, June 3, 1988 in a farmer's field in Baca
although investigators do not think that he County, Colorado, near the city of
was the victim of a homicide. He may have Springfield. She was determined to be a
been a transient sheltering in the barn, and young woman of Hispanic ancestry, with
who passed away from exposure, heat stroke, possible European and Indigenous ancestry,
or other causes. He became known only as in about her early 20s. It was estimated that
Barn John Doe. she had lain there for about 1 to 3 years.

The FGG investigation was conducted by the A facial reconstruction was performed, and
DNA Doe Project. The final confirmation was dental records of missing persons were
made to living relatives. The case was searched, but produced no leads as to her
especially challenging to degraded DNA, identity.
bacterial contamination, and endogamy in
Casey’s Kentucky and Missouri regions of his The FGG investigation was conducted by
family tree. Michelle Kennedy of Solved by DNA in
partnership with the Baca County Sheriff’s

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 339
Office, beginning in May of 2021. Castillo’s https://unidentified-awareness.fandom.com/
remains were exhumed in December of 2021. wiki/Nora_Castillo.
The investigation turned up a first cousin
once removed - a very close match. The final Wadas, Amy. “Genetic Genealogy Credited
confirmation was made to Castillo’s surviving for Breakthrough in 1988 Baca County Cold
daughter. Case.” ABC News 7 Denver, December 9,
2022. Accessed December 10, 2022. https://
Nora’s daughter had been searching for her www.denver7.com/news/local-news/genetic-
for some time, and had provided a DNA genealogy-credited-for-breakthrough-
sample to the McAllen, Texas Police in-1988-baca-county-cold-case.
Department in 2004. Her family last had
contact with her by phone sometime in 1986
or 1987 and she was reported missing in Case ID 1619: Cavallaro, Patricia
1996. Police continue to investigate Castillo’s
murder. The body of 57-year-old Patricia Cavallaro
was found on October 24, 1994, in a shallow
Sources: grave in the desert in Thousand Palms,
California. Her body had been wrapped in
Case, Angela. “Remains Found in plastic and tied with a brown cord. Her body
Southeastern Colorado in 1988 Identified.” laid in the desert for about one to four months
NBC News 9, October 31, 2022. Accessed before being discovered. A cause of death
December 10, 2022. https://www.9news.com/ could not be determined, but investigators
article/news/local/remains-of-woman-found- ruled it a homicide.
in-1988-identified/73-a215c460-27f2-4fc7-
ba77-2fe2a5a6f59a. Cavallaro’s DNA was entered into the
California Department of Justice’s Missing &
Roberts, Michael. “How Nora Castillo's Body Unidentified Persons System, but no match
was IdentifiedAfter 35 Years.” Westworld, could be made. The FGG investigation and
November 9, 2022. Accessed December 10, laboratory work were performed by Othram.
2022. https://www.westword.com/news/how- The final confirmation was made to one of
nora-castillos-body-was-identified-after-35- Cavallaro’s living children.
years-15358805.
Cavallaro was from Bellflower. She was
Ross, Alexandra. “How Nora Castillo’s Body reported missing by her husband in 2001. He
Was Identified After 35 Years.” Local Today, himself passed away in 2017. She also has an
November 10, 2022. Accessed December 10, adult son, as well as another child. None of
2022. https://localtoday.news/co/how-nora- her relatives are suspects in her homicide,
castillos-body-was-identified-after-35- which police continue to investigate.
years-54286.html.
Sources:
Unidentified Wiki. “Nora castillo.”
Wikia.org., n.d. Accessed December 10, 2022. Blanco, Andrea. “DNA From Son of Cold
Case Victim Helps Identify Woman, 57,

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 340
Whose Body Was Wrapped in Plastic Cover In the mid-2000s the case was reopened. A
and Dumped in Shallow Grave in California DNA profile was obtained, and new forensic
Desert 28 Years Ago.” Daily Mail, January 4, sketches were made. However, these did not
2022. Accessed January 4, 2022. https:// produce any new leads. The FGG
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10368113/ investigation was conducted by Othram and
DNA-son-cold-case-victim-helps-identify- the FBI ‘s Investigative Genealogy Unit. The
woman-57-body-28-years-ago.html. final confirmation was made through a
fingerprint match.
City News Service. “Woman’s Remains
Unearthed 30 Years Ago in Thousand Palms Chahorski, who was from Norton Shore,
Identified Via DNA.” NBC News 7 San Michigan, was reported missing by her family
Diego, January 3, 2022. Accessed January 4, on September 15, 1988. She had phoned her
2022. https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/ mother and told her that she was in North
national-international/riverside-county-cold- Carolina and that she would be travelling
case-patricia-cavallaro-thousand-palms/ back to Michigan. She never arrived.
2830672/.
Chahorski’s body will be returned to her
Smith, Haley. “Cold Case Victim from 1994 family.
is Identified Through Forensic Genealogy in
Riverside County.” Los Angeles Times, On September 6, 2022, police announced that
January 4, 2022. Accessed January 4, 2022. Henry Frederick Wise had been identified
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/ through forensic genetic genealogy as the
2022-01-04/patricia-cavallaro-1994-cold- lead suspect in Chahorski’s murder. Wise,
case-victim-identified-forensic-genealogy- who was about 34 years old at the time of
dna. Chahorsky’s murder was a truck and race
driver. Wise was killed in a car accident at the
Myrtle Beach Speedway in South Carolina in
Case ID 1671: Chahorski, Stacy Lyn: 1999.
Rising Fawn Jane Doe
Sources:
See also: Wise, Henry Frederick
Connor, Tracy. “Strangulation Victim Found
The remains of 18-year-old Stacy Lyn in Georgia in 1988 Now Has a Name.” Daily
Chahorski were found on December 16, 1988, Beast, March 24, 2022, last modified March
in a rural area along the Interstate-59 highway 25, 2022. Accessed March 26, 2022. https://
in Dade County, Georgia. She was found by www.thedailybeast.com/georgia-
two transportation workers. It was determined strangulation-victim-identified-as-stacey-lyn-
that the cause of death was strangulation. A chahorski.
clay bust and forensic sketches were made of
her, but she could not be identified. She was Mountain-Valley Independent. “‘Rising Fawn
buried in the Lake Hills Memorial Garden. Jane Doe’ Cold Case Victim Identified as
She became known for the next 33 years as Missing Michigan Woman.” Mountain-Valley
the Rising Fawn Jane Doe. Independent, March 24, 2022. Accessed

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 341
March 26, 2022. https:// extraction did not produce a usable profile
www.discoverdade.com/local/rising-fawn- until 2021. The laboratory work and FGG
jane-doe-cold-case-victim-identified-as- investigation were conducted by Othram.
missing-michigan-woman/. Funding was provided in 2020 by the FBI.
The final confirmation was made to
Vogen, Michael. “GBI, FBI, and Dade Chambers’ sister.
County Sheriff’s Investigators Leverage
Othram’s FGGS Platform to Identify Rising Chambers was last seen by his wife and infant
Fawn Jane Doe.” DNASolves.com, March 24, son on December 17, 1978, when he drove
2022. Accessed March 26, 2022. https:// off in a rental car with his friend, Robert
dnasolves.com/articles/stacy_lyn_chahorski/. Helberg, from their motel in SeaTac. The car
was driven back to the motel later that day by
Vogen, Michael. “GBI, FBI, and Dade Helberg, who was a suspect in Chambers’
County Sheriff’s Investigators Team With disappearance. He told Chambers’ wife that
Othram to Identify the 1988 Murderer of Chambers had probably been murdered by a
Stacy Lyn Chahorski.” DNASolves.com, contract killer. He could not be charged with
September 6, 2022. Accessed September 6, Chambers’ homicide because no body had
2022. https://dnasolves.com/articles/stacy- been found. Helberg died in prison on an
lyn-chahorski-killer/. unrelated change in 1993, and the case has
now been cleared by exception. Police state
that Helberg was connected with drug dealing
Case ID 1656: Chambers, Ronald David: and is a suspect in other homicides near the
Stanwood Bryant John Doe same time.

The skeletal remains of 28-year-old Ronald Sources:

David Chambers were found along Stanwood
Bryant Road on August 3, 1980, in a rural Fox 13 News Staff. “Detectives Identify
field in Snohomish County, Washington. A Snohomish County Homicide Victim 41
landowner discovered a human skull while Years Later.” Fox 13 News, March 4, 2022.
walking on his property and notified the Accessed March 5, 2022. https://
authorities. Investigators were able to unearth www.q13fox.com/news/detectives-identify-
several bones from a shallow grave on the snohomish-county-homicide-victim-41-years-
property. The skull established the cause of later.
death as being by a gunshot wound to the
head. No clothing or personal items were Hutton, Caleb. “1978 Murder Mystery Solved
found, and Chambers could not be identified. in Snohomish County with DNA,
Genealogy.” Herald.net, March 4, 2022.
Investigators made a clay reconstruction of Accessed March 5, 2022. https://
the victim’s appearance, and searched dental www.heraldnet.com/news/1978-snohomish-
records, but no identification could be made. county-murder-mystery-solved-with-dna/.
The case was entered into NamUs in 2008.
The remains were exhumed in 2011 for Vogen, Michael. “Snohomish County Sheriff
further DNA testing. Repeated attempts at and Medical Examiner’s Offices Partner with

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 342
Othram to Identify 1980 Homicide Victim.” 25, 2022. https://www.forensicmag.com/
DNASolves.com, March 4, 2022. Accessed 589239-DNA-Doe-Project-ID-s-2-Remains-
March 5, 2022. https://dnasolves.com/articles/ Found-in-Tucson-in-2019/.
snohomish_county_ronald_chambers/.
DNA Doe Project. “Tucson Parking Lot John
Doe 2019.” DNA Doe Project, June 27, 2022.
Case ID 1741: Chaparro, James (“Mark”): Last Modified August 17, 2022. Accessed
Tucson Parking Lot John Doe 2019 August 25, 2022. https://dnadoeproject.org/
case/tucson-parking-lot-john-doe-2019/.
The body of 64-year-old James (“Mark”)
Chaparro was found on July 28, 2019 in Unidentified Wiki. “Mark Chaparro.”
Tucson, Arizona. He was found unresponsive Wikia.org. n.d. Accessed August 25, 2022.
in the parking lot of a shopping centre. He https://unidentified-awareness.fandom.com/
had the keys to a Mazda in his pocket, but no wiki/Mark_Chaparro.
identification. The vehicle was not found in
the parking lot.
Case ID 1157: Cho, Myoung Hwa
The FGG investigation was conducted by the
DNA Doe Project in partnership with the See also: Robert Adam Whitt.
Pima County Medical Examiner’s Office,
including forensic anthropologist Bruce The body of Myong Hwa Cho was found on
Anderson. The case was a complicated one - May 13, 1998 in Spartanburg County, South
including misattributed parentage, adoption, Carolina. She is the mother of Robert ‘Bobby’
and Hispanic ancestry. The case was solved in Adam Whitt, whose body was found some
about two months, after volunteers drew out a distance away buried under a Billboard in
family tree going back to his great-great- Mebane, North Carolina. Both bodies were
great-grandparents. The investigation was found hidden a short distance off the
funded by an unnamed private donor. Interstate-85.

Chaparro lived less than half a mile from the Cho was naked and her wrists were bound.
shopping centre where he was found. It She had been suffocated. Neither she nor her
appears that he walked to the store, and never son were reported missing because her
made it home. Records indicate that he was husband, John Whitt, had told her family that
later evicted from his apartment for non- she and Bobby had returned to live in Korea.
payment of rent. He was never reported
missing. His family states that they thought The FGG investigation of Myong Hwa Cho
he was living in China. and her son, Robert Whitt, was conducted by
Barbara Rae-Venter. Ancestry results showed
Sources: that the child had half Asian ancestry. This led
investigators for the first time to connect the
DNA Doe Project. “DNA Doe Project ID’s 2 two bodies together, and when DNA testing
Remains Found in Tucson in 2019.” Forensic was performed, they were found to be mother
Magazine, August 19, 2022. Accessed August and son.

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 343
 John Whitt was charged in the deaths of his Case ID 1630: Christian, Shelly Rae:
wife and son. He was already serving time in Matilda Ottawa Co Jane Doe 1994.
a federal prison in Kentucky for robbery. He
pled guilty to homicide and concealing a The skeletal remains of 30-year-old Shelly
death. Rae Christian – also known as Shelly Rae
Kephart – were found on November 6, 1994,
Sources: in Coopersville, Michigan. Two rabbit hunters
came across her remains, and police were
ABC 11 News. “Father of Boy Found Dead phoned to search the area. It is thought that
Under Mebane Billboard in 1998 Pleads her remains had lain there since about May to
Guilty.” ABC 11 News, and WTVD News. September of 1994. Her death was ruled a
January 15, 2020. Accessed December 29, homicide and may be connected to a series of
2020. https://abc11.com/father-of-boy-found- murders of sex workers that took place near
dead-under-mebane-billboard-in-1998- Grand Rapids around that time. However,
pleads-guilty/5853339/. police were not able to identify her, and the
Diamond, Diane. “‘Boy Under the Billboard’ trail went cold. She became known for the
Case Haunts After 20 Years.” Albuquerque next 27 years as “Matilda.”
Journal. September 29, 2018. Accessed
December 29, 2020. https:// The FGG investigation was conducted by the
www.abqjournal.com/1227261/boy-under- DNA Doe Project. With a relative match of
the-billboard-case-haunts-after-20-years.html. only 128cm, DNA Doe was able to identify
an ancestral couple born in Iowa in the 1840s.
Sarah Krueger, Sarah. “Father Charged in This enabled DNA Doe to build up
Death of Boy Whose Remains Were Found Christian’s family tree. Eventually, they came
Under Mebane Billboard in 1998.” WRAL across a missing person’s report from
News. May 13, 2019. Accessed December 29, Minneapolis. The final confirmation was
2020. https://www.wral.com/father-charged- made to living relatives in Minnesota.
in-death-of-boy-whose-remains-were-found-
under-mebane-billboard-in-1998/18383618/. In this case there was a disconnect between
the forensic anthropological examination of
Krueger, Sarah. “Orange County Cold Case the remains and the genealogical analysis. At
From 1998 Solved After Murdered Mother, the time that Christian’s remains were
Son, ID’d.” WRAL News. February 5, 2019, examined, she was thought to be of Hispanic/
last modified February 6, 2019. Accessed Latino ancestry, and about 35 to 45 years old.
December 29, 2020. https://www.wral.com/ The genealogical analysis shows her to have
orange-county-cold-case-from-1998-solved- been of North Atlantic and French-Canadian
after-murdered-mother-son-id-d/18170524/. ancestry.

Christian, originally from Minneapolis, was

reported missing by her family in October of
1993. Police continue to investigate her
homicide, and hope that her identification will
allow them to finally apprehend her killer.

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 344
Sources: about March of 2017, Cleveland had gone
missing from a campground upstream from
DNA Doe Project. “Matilda Ottawa Co Jane where the bone was found. He suffered from
Doe 1994.” DNA Doe Project. April 26, 2021. a mental illness and his death may have been
Last modified January 20, 2022. Accessed a suicide.
January 29, 2022. https://dnadoeproject.org/
case/matilda-ottawa-co-jane-doe-1994/. The FGG investigation was conducted by
genealogist Deb Stone.
Gamble, Audra, and Carolyn Muyskens.
“Ottawa County Detectives Identify Jane Sources:
Doe, Mystery Since 1994, as Minnesota
Woman.” Holland Sentinel. January 20, 2022. Hutton, Caleb. “Palm-Sized Piece of Human
Accessed January 29, 2022. https:// Skull Found in Skykomish River.”
www.hollandsentinel.com/story/news/crime/ Herald.net. December 23, 2018. Accessed
2022/01/20/ottawa-county-jane-doe- December 29, 2020. https://
found-1994-identified-minnesota-woman/ www.heraldnet.com/news/palm-sized-piece-
6591359001/. of-human-skull-found-in-skykomish-river/.
Lauren Edwards. “Ottawa Co. Detectives Hutton, Caleb. “Partial Skull Bone Found
Name Victim in 1994 Cold Case.” Fox News Last Year Belonged to Gold Bar Man.”
17. January 20, 2022. Accessed January 29, Herald.net. August 10, 2019. Accessed
2022. https://www.fox17online.com/ December 29, 2020. https://
homepage-showcase/ottawa-co-detectives- www.heraldnet.com/news/palm-sized-piece-
name-victim-in-1994-cold-case. of-skull-identified-as-that-of-gold-bar-man/.

Lovern, Keely. “ Coopersville Cold Case

Homicide Victim Identified After 27 Years.” Case ID 1628: Clouse, Harold
ABC News 13. January 20, 2022. Accessed
January 29, 2022. https://www.wzzm13.com/ See also: Tina Clouse
article/news/crime/cold-cases/coopersville-
cold-case-homicide-victim-identified/ The remains of 21-year-old Harold Dean
69-15a5e1ac-12ea-4c12-9400-e1407ea617e5. Clouse were found on January 12, 1981, in
Houston, Texas. A dog turned up his arm, and
a search uncovered the remains of a male and
Case ID 1235: Cleveland, Daniel: Big Bend a female in a wooded area in the south area of
John Doe the city, near Wallifvale Rd. The male was
bound and gagged. It was thought that the
The partial remains of 35-year-old Daniel woman died from strangulation, while the
Cleveland were found on December 10, 2018 male had been beaten to death. They had
in Snohomish County, Washington. He was likely died about two months prior. They
known only as the Big Bend John Doe. A could not be identified.
fisherman had spotted a small piece of his
cranium on a sandbar on December 10. It had The bodies were exhumed in 2011, and DNA
washed ashore along the Skykomish River. In samples were obtained. There were no

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 345
identifications. The FGG investigation was After 40 Years Leads to Discovery that their
conducted by Identifinders International, and Baby, Now Age 41, is Missing.” Identifinders
funded through media organization International (Press Release). January 14,
audiochuk. Misty Gillis led the identification, 2022. Accessed January 14, 2022. https://
and identified Harold Clouse within 10 days. drive.google.com/file/d/
1mNzPxXfHN2Spz_oTLmKDJJokNY_mQw
Clouse and his wife, Tina Clouse, moved to wk/view?
Texas in 1980. They reportedly joined a cult fbclid=IwAR31rVSHuBEWGZfFZDvGKyIc
there and were not heard from again. The z23LeL13RRJf6UT3uZLFuddEy38D-
couple had a one-year-old baby named Hollie HC5MVg.
Marie. Genealogists Allison Peacock and
Misty Gillis, who worked on this case with Mujezinovic, Damir. “Murdered Houston
Identifinders, were able to locate baby Holly. Couple Identified After 40 Years, Their Child
Still Missing.” Inquisitr. January 13, 2022.
Holly Miller, now 42, was reunited with her Accessed January 14, 2022. https://
family in November of 2022. She had been www.inquisitr.com/6501208/murdered-
left at a church in Arizona, and adopted. She houston-couple-identified-after-40-years-
now has five children of her own, and lives in their-child-s.
Oklahoma.
Yamada, Haley. “Watch ‘Baby Holly,’ Who
Police continue to investigate what happened Went Missing 40 Years Ago, Reunite with
to Holly, and who murdered her parents. Her Family.” Good Morning America,
November 7, 2022. Accessed November 9,
Sources: 2022. https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/
news/story/watch-baby-holly-missing-40-
Bradford, Chris. “Texas Massacre: Mystery of years-ago-reunite-92775061.
Couple Murdered After ‘Joining Cult’ in
Texas 40 Years Ago as Family Still Search for
Missing Baby.” The U.S. Sun. January 13, Case ID 1629: Clouse, Tina
2022. Accessed January 14, 2022. https://
www.the-sun.com/news/4453027/mystery- See also: Harold Clouse
couple-murdered-cult-texas-baby-missing/.
The remains of 17-year-old Tina Lynn Clouse
Flynn, Sheila. “Finding Baby Holly Was ‘A were found on January 12, 1981, in Houston,
Miracle,’ Says Genealogist Who Helped Texas. A dog turned up the arm of an
Solve the 40-Year-Old Mystery.” unknown male, and a search uncovered the
Independent, 10 June 2022. Accessed 17 June remains of a male and a female in a wooded
2022. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/ area in the south area of the city, near
world/americas/crime/baby-holly-mystery- Wallifvale Rd. The male was bound and
texas-b2098272.html. gagged. It was thought that the woman died
from strangulation, while the male had been
Identifinders International. “1981 Murdered beaten to death. They had likely died about
Harris County John & Jane Doe Identified

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 346
two months prior. They could not be world/americas/crime/baby-holly-mystery-
identified. texas-b2098272.html.

The bodies were exhumed in 2011, and DNA Identifinders International. “1981 Murdered
samples were obtained. There were no Harris County John & Jane Doe Identified
identifications. The FGG investigation was After 40 Years Leads to Discovery that their
conducted by Identifinders International, and Baby, Now Age 41, is Missing.” Identifinders
funded by Audiochuk. Misty Gillis led the International (Press Release). January 14,
identification, and identified Harold Clouse 2022. Accessed January 14, 2022. https://
within 10 days. drive.google.com/file/d/
1mNzPxXfHN2Spz_oTLmKDJJokNY_mQw
Clouse, and his wife Tina Clouse, moved to wk/view?
Texas in 1980. They reportedly joined a cult fbclid=IwAR31rVSHuBEWGZfFZDvGKyIc
there and were not heard from again. The z23LeL13RRJf6UT3uZLFuddEy38D-
couple had a one-year-old baby named Hollie HC5MVg.
Marie. Genealogists Allison Peacock and
Misty Gillis, who worked on this case with Mujezinovic, Damir. “Murdered Houston
Identifinders, were able to locate baby Holly. Couple Identified After 40 Years, Their Child
Still Missing.” Inquisitr. January 13, 2022.
Holly Miller, now 42, was reunited with her Accessed January 14, 2022. https://
family in November of 2022. She had been www.inquisitr.com/6501208/murdered-
left at a church in Arizona, and adopted. She houston-couple-identified-after-40-years-
now has five children of her own, and lives in their-child-s.
Oklahoma.
Yamada, Haley. “Watch ‘Baby Holly,’ Who
Police continue to investigate what happened Went Missing 40 Years Ago, Reunite with
to Holly, and who murdered her parents. Her Family.” Good Morning America,
November 7, 2022. Accessed November 9,
Sources: 2022. https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/
news/story/watch-baby-holly-missing-40-
Bradford, Chris. “Texas Massacre: Mystery of years-ago-reunite-92775061.
Couple Murdered After ‘Joining Cult’ in
Texas 40 Years Ago as Family Still Search for
Missing Baby.” The U.S. Sun. January 13, Case ID 1565-1566: Coblentz, Haley Mae
2022. Accessed January 14, 2022. https://
www.the-sun.com/news/4453027/mystery- The body of 9-year-old Haley Mae Coblentz
couple-murdered-cult-texas-baby-missing/. was found on December 10, 2020, at a rest
stop in the H. B. Van Duzer Scenic Corridor
Flynn, Sheila. “Finding Baby Holly Was ‘A in Lincoln County, Oregon. Her remains had
Miracle,’ Says Genealogist Who Helped been placed in a duffle bag and dumped near
Solve the 40-Year-Old Mystery.” a riverbank. They were found by a man who
Independent, 10 June 2022. Accessed 17 June was walking in the forest. Investigators
2022. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 347
estimated that she had been dead about 30 to 2021. Accessed December 3, 2021. https://
60 days. people.com/crime/child-remains-found-
duffle-bag-identified-oregon-mom-charged-
The FGG investigation was conducted by murder/.
Parabon Nanolabs. Coblentz was identified
on October 4, 2021. She had been living with Lambe, Jerry. “Mother of Child Whose
her mother, 29-year-old Shawna Browning, Remains Were Hidden in a Duffle Bag in
and her mother’s girlfriend, 34-year-old Oregon Woods Has Been Arrested in Detroit
Lauren Harrison, in various places in the with Girlfriend.” December 2, 2021.
Pacific Northwest. Her parents did not report Accessed December 3, 2021. https://
her missing. The family is thought to have lawandcrime.com/crime/mother-of-child-
been homeless, and Coblentz had never been whose-remains-were-hidden-in-a-duffle-bag-
registered in school. in-oregon-woods-has-been-arrested-in-
detroit-with-girlfriend/.
Browning and Harrison were arrested in
Detroit on a warrant for aggravated murder on Oregon State Police. “The Body Found in a
November 30, 2021. They were held without Duffle Bag Has Been Identified as a 9-Year-
bail and extradited to face the charges in Old Girl, an Arrest Has Been Made.” NBC
Lincoln County Circuit Court. However, on Right Now. December 1, 2021. Accessed
March 12, 2022 – shortly after Browning December 3, 2021. https://
arrived in Lincoln County – the prosecutor www.nbcrightnow.com/news/the-body-found-
dismissed the charges against the two women, in-a-duffle-bag-has-been-identified-as-a-9-
stating that the case required further year-old/
investigation. There is no information as yet article_de0f0924-5303-11ec-8eee-33c050a21
on why the charges were dismissed, or if they b5e.html.
will be reinstated at a later time.
Unidentified Wiki. “Haley Coblentz.”
Sources: Wikia.org. n.d. Accessed December 3, 2021.
https://unidentified-awareness.fandom.com/
Crombie, Noelle. “Charges Dropped Against wiki/Haley_Coblentz.
Two Women Accused in Death of Child
Dumped Along Lincoln County Riverbank.”
The Oregonian, March 12, 2022. Accessed Case ID 1744: Coffey, Kathryn
March 16, 2022. https://www.oregonlive.com/
crime/2022/03/charges-dropped-against-2- The partial skeletal remains of 36-year-old
women-accused-in-death-of-child-dumped- Kathryn Coffey were located on January 22,
along-lincoln-county-riverbank.html? 1992 in Thermal, California. Bones were
fbclid=IwAR2n9CpXr4OKoxN2FkZAT6kKl found in the desert, in the wash area at the
aaFQBBhmucoJsazJSblGnoMMjJEsq-1-Hc. base of a hill. It was thought that the bones
belonged to a homicide victim, and that they
Hanlon, Greg. “Child’s Remains Were Found had been there for a long period of time.
in Duffle Bag in 2020 – Now Girl is ID’d and Coffey could not be identified, and the case
Mom is Charged.” People. December 3, went cold.

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 348
 Case ID 1697: Coleman, Juanita Diane
The FGG investigation was conducted by Roxy
Othram beginning in early 2022 in
partnership with the Riverside District The skeletal remains of 19-year-old Juanita
Attorney’s Office Cold Case Team. The final Diane Roxy Coleman were found on March
confirmation was made to Coffey’s living 13, 2018 in Bolton, Mississippi. Tree cutters
family members. came across her skull while working in a
wooded area. A search then discovered
Coffey graduated from Scripps College in the several more bones. A cause of death could
mid-1970s, Phi Beta Kappa in English not be determined, but since her remains had
literature. She was last seen in the Indio area been burned, her death was ruled to be
sometime around 1989 or 1990. Police suspicious.
continue their investigation into her murder.
The FGG investigation was performed by
Sources: Othram, beginning in 2021. The sequencing
was complicated as a result of her remains
Office of the District Attorney County of having been partially burned, but a usable
Riverside. “Cold Case Homicide Team profile was obtained. Carla Davis, who has
Identifies Remains Found 31 Years Ago in worked on several cases involving
Thermal.” Office of the District Attorney unidentified remains in Mississippi,
County of Riverside (News Release), August performed the genealogical analysis and
23, 2022. Accessed August 26, 2022. https:// provided funding for the investigation. The
rivcoda.org/community-info/news-media- final confirmation was made to Coleman’s
archives/cold-case-homicide-team-identifies- mother.
remains-found-31-years-ago-in-thermal.
Coleman was from Jackson Mississippi. She
Segura, Daniella. “Remains Found in CA was last seen by her family on April 1, 2016.
Desert 30 Years Ago Just Identified, Thanks Police continue to investigate her murder.
to DNA, Officials Say.” Sacramento Bee,
August 25, 2022. Accessed August 26, 2022. Sources:
https://www.sacbee.com/news/california/
article264908309.html. Apel, Theresa. “New Developments in Cold
Case of Missing Jackson Woman Whose
Vogen, Michael. “Riverside District Body was Found Burned.” Dark Horse Press,
Attorney’s Office Leverages Othram’s May 19, 2022. Accessed May 28, 2022.
Genetic Testing Platform to Identify a 1991 https://darkhorsepressnow.com/13298-2/.
Jane Doe.” DNASolves.com, August 23, 2022.
Accessed August 26, 2022. https:// Hernandez, Rachel. “Burned Remains
dnasolves.com/articles/kathryn-coffey/. Identified as Missing Jackson Woman.”
WJTV CBS News 12, May 20, 2022. Accessed
May 28, 2022. https://www.wjtv.com/news/
local-news/burned-remains-identified-as-
missing-jackson-woman/.

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 349
Vogen, Michael. “Mississippi State Medical baby were doing well, although Evelyn could
Examiner’s Office and Hinds County not write. Sierra is currently awaiting
Sheriff’s Office Teams With Othram to extradition to Carbon County, where he will
Identify 2018 Jane Doe.” DNASolves.com, be tried for the murder of Colon and her
May 26, 2022. Accessed May 28, 2022. unborn baby.
https://dnasolves.com/articles/
juanita_coleman_ms/. On June 2022, Sierra was released on a
$250,000 bond, based on the 2021 decision in
Commonwealth v. Talley, which requires
Case ID 1474: Colon, Evelyn: Beth Doe proof that it is substantially more likely than
not that Mr. Sierra committed the homicide.
The dismembered remains of 15-year-old This case has increased the burden on
Evelyn Colon were found on December 20, prosecutors in Pennsylvania who wish to
1976 in a series of three suitcases that had remand those accused of murder.
been dumped underneath an overpass along
the Lehigh River in Carbon County, Colon’s family is raising money for a proper
Pennsylvania. Colon had been raped, burial that will reunite Colon and her baby.
strangled, and shot. Her ears, nose, and
breasts had been cut off. She was also Sources:
carrying a near-term fetus at time of her
death, which had been removed from her Griffin, Alice. “Ozone Park Man Arrested for
body. 1976 Gruesome Murder of Pregnant Teenage
Girl.” Forest Hills Post. April 2, 2021.
Colon’s remains were exhumed in 2007. A Accessed April 4, 2021. https://
DNA profile taken from Colon’s femur bone foresthillspost.com/ozone-park-man-arrested-
was developed in 2020. There is no for-1976-gruesome-murder-of-pregnant-
information as to who performed the FGG teenage-girl.
investigation. It was reported that the Colon
was identified doe to a DNA match to a Istaque, Amit. “Queens Man is Charged in
nephew who had uploaded his DNA to a 1976 Killing of Pregnant Teenager.” Red
public genealogy site, partly in an effort to Wing News. April 2, 2021. Accessed April 4,
locate his aunt. 2021. https://redwingnews.com/queens-man-
is-charged-in-1976-killing-of-pregnant-
Once Colon was identified, police detained teenager/.
her then live-in partner, Luis Sierra, now 63
years old, who was living in Queen’s with his Rogers, Nicole. “Accused Killer Out on Bail
spouse and family. At the time of Colon’s in Carbon County.” PAHomepage, July 25,
death, she resided with Sierra in Jersey City. 2022. Accessed January 8, 2023. https://
He would have been 19 years-old at the time www.pahomepage.com/news/crime-courts/
of her death. Colon’s family reported that he accused-killer-out-on-bail-in-monroe-county/.
had been jealous and abusive towards Colon.
The family had received a letter, written in Walter-Warner, Holden. “NYC Man, 63, is
Spanish, in 1977 claiming that Evelyn and the Charged with Cold Case Strangling of his

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 350
Pregnant Girlfriend, 15, After Detectives Use Detroit, Michigan near a recycling centre on
DNA Advancements to Identify Remains Harper Avenue. She had been sexually
Dumped in Three Suitcases in Pennsylvania assaulted and stabbed. Her throat had been
River in 1976.” Daily Mail. April 1, 2021. cut and her body was tossed in the dumpster
Accessed April 4, 2021. https:// to be incinerated. An autopsy disclosed that
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9427889/ she had recently given birth.
NYC-man-63-charged-1976-cold-case-
killing-pregnant-15-year-old-girlfriend.html. Her body was exhumed in 2014 and a DNA
profile was generated. A bone sample was
resubmitted for further testing in October of
Case ID 1143: Confidential: Alfred Jake 2018. The FGG investigation was conducted
Fuller by the DNA Doe Project. The non-profit
group Missing in Michigan raised the funds
A male, somewhere between 40 and 46 years for the DNA testing.
of age was found on May 2, 2014 deceased in
his apartment in Oakland, Maine. His death is Her killer has not been identified, and the
not though to be suspicious. He was living case remains open. The police are not
under the assumed name of Alfred Jake disclosing her identity at this time. She is
Fuller, and his real identity was unknown. known as Harper Jane Doe.

The FGG investigation was conducted by the Sources:

DNA Doe Project. His remains have been
returned to his family. His real name is being Colthorp, Jason, and Derick Hutchinson.
withheld for privacy. “Non-Profit Wants DNA Test for Unknown
Woman Found with Throat Slashed 31 Years
Sources: Ago in Detroit.” Click on Detroit. August 8,
2018. Accessed December 29, 2020. https://
DNA Doe Project. “Alfred Jake Fuller.” DNA www.clickondetroit.com/missing-in-
Doe Project. November 3, 2018. Accessed michigan/2018/08/09/non-profit-wants-dna-
December 29, 2020. https:// test-for-unknown-woman-found-with-throat-
dnadoeproject.org/case/alfred-jake-fuller/. slashed-31-years-ago-in-detroit/.

Unidentified Wiki. “Alfred Jake Fuller.” DNA Doe Project. “Harper Jane Doe 87.”
Wikia.org. n.d. Accessed December 29, 2020. DNA Doe Project. February 24, 2019.
https://unidentified.wikia.org/wiki/ Accessed December 29, 2020. https://
Alfred_Jake_Fuller. dnadoeproject.org/case/harper-jane-doe-87/.

Isom, Andrea. “Police Hope to Identify Jane

Case ID 1434: Confidential: Harper Jane Doe Found Murdered on Harper Avenue 31
Doe Years Ago.” WXYZ News Detroit. June 5,
2018. Accessed December 29, 2020. https://
The body of a young woman, about 18 to 20 www.wxyz.com/news/region/detroit/police-
years old, was found on February 10, 1987 in

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 351
hope-to-identify-jane-doe-found-murdered- 2022. https://dnasolves.com/articles/orange-
on-harper-avenue-31-years-ago. county-1984/.

Never Forget Me. “DNA Doe Project Case Unidentified Wiki. “Harriman State Park Jane
Announcement: Harper Jane Doe – Detroit, Doe.” Wikia.org, n.d. Accessed September 27,
Michigan (1987).” Facebook Post. June 11, 2022. https://unidentified-
2019. Accessed December 29, 2020. https:// awareness.fandom.com/wiki/
www.facebook.com/WeWontForgetThem/ Harriman_State_Park_Jane_Doe.
posts/dna-doe-project-case-announcement-
harper-jane-doe-detroit-michigan-1987-
status-i/3199935896687092/. Case ID 1353: Confidential: Harry Doe

The charred, skeletal remains of Harry Doe

Case ID 1760: Confidential: Harriman were found on July 18, 1979 on a farm in
State Park Jane Doe Charleston, Missouri. His death was due to
accidental drowning in the Missouri River,
The remains of Harriman State Park Jane Doe although his body was never recovered. It is
were found on May 13, 1984 in a wooded thought that his remains were washed onto
area of Harriman State Park in New York. She the farm and burned unintentionally as a
was a Caucasian woman in about her late 30s, result of routine farm activities. Harry Doe
and had grey hair that had been dyed. She had was in his mid-30s when he died. His family
extensive dental work, and was wearing some was aware at the time that he had passed
gold jewelry. She had died from a gun shot away.
wound, about one to two years prior to being
located. She was entered into NamUs as The FGG investigation was performed by Lee
UP9736, but she could not be identified. and Anthony Redgrave of Redgrave Research
in partnership with Othram and
The FGG investigation was conducted by anthropologists at the Southeast Missouri
Othram in partnership with the FBI and the State University.
New York State Police, beginning in March
of 2021. Sources:

Investigators continue to investigate her Othram. “Othram Uses Forensic Genealogy

murder, and they are releasing few details at to Help SEMO Anthropologist Identify
this time. Remains Found on a Missouri Farm in 1979.”
Othram. April 22, 2020. Accessed January 1,
Sources: 2021. https://dnasolves.com/articles/
southeast_missouri_state2/.
Vogen, Michael. “The New York State Police
and the FBI Team with Othram to Identify a Othram. “Southeast Missouri State University
1984 Homicide Victim.” DNASolves.com, Anthropologist Partners with Othram for
September 22, 2022. Accessed September 27, Identification of Human Remains.” Laura
Burgess Marketing (Press Release). February

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 352
13, 2020. Accessed January 1, 2021. https:// The FGG investigation was funded by a
lauraburgess.com/southeast-missouri-state- federal grant to enable medical examiners
university-anthropologist-partners-with- to use modern methods of DNA testing to
othram-for-identification-of-human-remains/. identify decedents.

Redgrave Research. “John Doe 1979 John Doe’s relatives did not believe at
Charleston, Missouri.” Redgrave Research.
first that the John Doe from Hood River
April 24, 2020. Accessed January 1, 2021.
County was their relative. They had
http://redgraveresearch.com/2020/04/24/john-
doe-1979-charleston-missouri/.
reported him missing from the East coast
Unidentified Wiki. “Harry (1979).” in 2008. Unfortunately, kinship DNA
Wikia.org. n.d. Accessed January 1, 2021. testing confirmed his identity. His remains
https://unidentified.wikia.org/wiki/ have now been returned to his family. The
Harry_(1979). family has asked that his name be kept
confidential for privacy reasons.

Case ID 1678: Confidential: Hood Sources:

River County John Doe
Forensic Magazine. “Oregon State
The skeletal remains of Hood River Medical Examiner’s Office, Parabon ID
County John Doe were found on Skeletal Remains from 2009 Cold Case.”
December 24, 2009, in the woods in Hood Forensic Magazine, April 8, 2022.
River County, Oregon. A group of Accessed April 9, 2022. https://
children has come across the remains www.forensicmag.com/584949-Oregon-
while playing there. Investigators found a State-Medical-Examiner-s-Office-
suitcase and a backpack nearby that Parabon-ID-Skeletal-Remains-from-2009-
contained some clothing and toiletries, but Cold-Case/.
no identification.
Wegner, Helena. “Kids Find Skeletal
In 2011, a DNA profile was obtained from Remains in Oregon. DNA Testing
a bone sample by the University of North Identifies Him 12 Years Later.” News &
Texas Center for Human Identification in Observer, April 6, 2022. Accessed April 9,
Fort Worth, Texas, and uploaded into 2022. https://www.newsobserver.com/
CODIS and the NamUs database. Dental news/nation-world/national/
records were also available, but there were article260181015.html.
no leads. The FGG investigation was
conducted by Parabon Nanolabs
beginning in March of 2021. The final
confirmation was made through a
comparison of John Doe’s dental records,
as well as DNA testing of a sibling.

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 353
Case ID 1700: Confidential: Kelly/El Sources:
Dorado Jane Doe
Lohr, David. “We Know Who Killed Her. But
The remains of 23-year-old Kelly were found 24 Years Later, We Still Don’t Know Her
on July 10, 1991 in El Dorado, Arkansas. She Name.” Huffington Post, March 15, 2016.
was found dead by a gun shot wound in a Accessed May 26, 2022. https://
room in the Whitehall Hotel. www.huffpost.com/entry/eldorado-jane-
doe_n_56e6d679e4b0b25c918276a3.
The FGG investigation was conducted by the
El Dorado Police Department with the McLary, Yolanda. “Meet Kelly aka El Dorado
assistance of Yolanda McClary, Jean Grier, Jane Doe.” Closing the Case, 2022. Accessed
and Michael Leclerc. May 26, 2022. https://closingthecase.com/
solved-el-dorado-jane-doe.
Kelly lived a life of abuse, and was
introduced to drugs and crime by her mother THV11 Digital. “El Dorado Jane Doe:
early on. She ran away from home at a young Investigators Identify Woman Nearly 31
age. She first went to rehab for drug use when Years Later.” THV 11 News, May 25, 2022.
she was 18. She used several false names, and Accessed May 26, 2022. https://
moved around quite a bit from state to state. www.thv11.com/article/news/crime/el-
At the time of her death, she was using the dorado-jane-doe-identified-31-years-later/
name ‘Cheryl Ann Wick’ - an identity which 91-4d6d3495-0261-4e21-90b9-653e93023bb
she had stolen. She was working as a dancer 5.
in night clubs and sending money to help
support her two children, although reports Unidentified Wiki. “Kelly (1991).” Wikia.org,
state that this cannot be confirmed. n.d. Accessed May 26, 2022. https://
unidentified-awareness.fandom.com/wiki/
Kelly was murdered by an ex-boyfriend Kelly_(1991).
named James McAlphin (also described as
her former pimp) in July of 1991, after she
had tried to leave him. McAlphin physically Case ID 1693: Confidential: Lincoln
abused Kelly, who had to seek emergency County John Doe (2006)
treatment several times for injuries sustained
by him. McAlphin pled guilty to her murder, The skeletal remains of Lincoln County John
and served a 15-year sentence, but the real Doe were found on March 7, 2006, by a
identity of Kelly could not be determined. survey crew just off Highway KK in Troy,
McAlphin offered to reveal her true identity Missouri. His body was found in a wood pile
to the Huffington post in 2016 in return for in the Cuivre River State Park. He had a
$4000. He continues to claim she committed folding knife, a flashlight, a thermos and a
suicide. Her last name is being withheld at the cooler with him. A forensic reconstruction as
request of the family for reasons of privacy. performed, and a bust was made. However, he
could not be identified.

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 354
The FGG investigation was performed by The FGG investigation was conducted by the
Othram, beginning in 2021. Othram partnered DNA Doe Project, having been referred to
with the Lincoln County Sheriff’s and them by the Trans Doe Trask Force.
Coroner’s Offices, as well as the Southeast
Missouri State University’s Anthropology They likely died of a heart attack. Their name
Program. The genealogical research was is being kept confidential.
performed by Carla Davis. There is no
information as to how the final confirmation Sources:
was made.
DNA Doe Project. “Live Oak Doe 1986.”
His cause of death is unknown but is not DNA Doe Project. January 20, 2020.
thought to be suspicious. He has been Accessed January 29, 2021. https://
returned to his family. dnadoeproject.org/case/live-oak-doe-1986/.

Sources: Trans Doe Task Force. “Live Oak Doe

(Texas, 1986).” Trans Doe Task Force.
Vogen, Michael. “Lincoln County Sheriff’s February 16, 2019. Accessed 29 January
Office Teams with Southeast Missouri State 2021. http://transdoetaskforce.org/live-oak-
University and Othram to Identify 2006 John doe/.
Doe.” DNASolves.com, April 27, 2022.
Accessed April 27, 2022. https://
dnasolves.com/articles/ Case ID 1089: Confidential: Lyle Stevik
Lincoln_County_John_Doe_2006/.
A 25-year-old male was found deceased on
Unidentified Wiki. “Lincoln County John September 17, 2001 in Amanda Park, Grays
Doe (2006).” Wikia.org, n.d. Accessed April Harbor County, Washington. He had checked
27, 2022. https://unidentified- in to a hotel there under the false name ‘Lyle
awareness.fandom.com/wiki/ Stevik,’ which is the name of a character from
Lincoln_County_John_Doe_(2006). the Joyce Carol Oats novel, You Must
Remember This. He hung himself, and his
body was found by a female employee when
Case ID 1455: Confidential: Live Oak Doe she came to clean his room. He had left the
money for the room on the nightstand. He
The body of Live Oak Doe was found on July appeared to have recently lost a good deal of
10, 1986, on Wentworth Avenue near Live weight.
Oak Street in Houston, Texas. The individual
was taken to the hospital and passed away The FGG investigation was conducted by the
shortly thereafter. The deceased was DNA Doe Project. He has been identified as a
presenting as a female, wearing jewelry and 25-year-old man from Alameda County,
false breasts. They were thought to be aged California, and his identity is being kept
from about 23 to 40 years old. confidential at the request of his family. He
was partly Native American and partly of

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 355
Spanish heritage with several relatives https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/
coming from northern New Mexico. local_news/dead-man-found-in-washington-
state-who-had-ties-to-n-m-id-d-through/
A large Reddit community had grown up article_00accfb7-b964-5a57-a9ae-
devoted to solving his case, with many ed6841bb2917.html.
theories put forward. The Reddit community
raised the money and approached DNA Doe Eveleth, Rose. “When a Cold Case is Solved,
to conduct the investigation. They also Why Can’t Internet Sleuths Move On?” The
attempted to raise money for his funeral costs, Outline. June 22, 2018. Accessed December
which his family declined. 29, 2020. https://theoutline.com/post/4994/
when-a-cold-case-is-solved-why-cant-
His family had not known he was deceased, internet-sleuths-move-on?
and they do not want his identity released. zd=1&zi=bmpd5nak.
Some members of the Reddit community
were angry – some were even angry at the Pepi, Kirk. “One of the Internet’s Favorite
DNA Doe Project for having taken their Mysteries Has Been Solved.” Mel Magazine.
money and not revealing the true identity of May 14, 2018. Accessed December 29, 2020.
Stevik to them. Decedents are identified https://melmagazine.com/en-us/story/one-of-
primarily for their own dignity, and the-internets-favorite-mysteries-has-been-
secondarily so that their loved ones can learn solved-2.
what happened to them. The subreddit was
eventually closed down and the moderators
moved on to other unsolved cases. Others are Case ID 1234: Confidential: Philadelphia
still trying to track down his identity despite Jane Doe
the wishes of the family.
Known only as Philadelphia Jane Doe, she
His case touched many people who identified was killed at about 2:30 am on December 10,
with the loneliness and the depression he 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania when she
suffered before his death. was pushed out of a moving truck. She had
tried to hang on to the car door, but she fell
Sources: off and was struck and killed by another
vehicle. She is thought to have been about 30
Doe Network. “233UMWA – Unidentified to 50 years old, and likely closer to the
Male.” The Doe Network International younger age range.
Center for Unidentified and Missing Persons.
Last modified December 25, 2017. Accessed The FGG investigation was conducted by the
December 29, 2020. http:// DNA Doe Project. She has been identified,
www.doenetwork.org/cases/233umwa.html. and the investigation into her murder is
ongoing.
Edge, Sami. “Dead Man Found in
Washington State, Who Had Ties to N.M.,
ID’d Through DNA.” Santa Fe New Mexican.
May 8, 2018. Accessed December 29, 2020.

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 356
Sources: they chose in the lifetime. Trans persons are
victims of violent crimes at higher rates than
DNA Doe Project. “Philadelphia Jane Doe.” average. In this case, forensic sketches of
DNA Doe Project. December 26, 2018. Pillar Point Doe depicted them as male.
Accessed December 29, 2020. https:// Police who mis-name or incorrectly depict
dnadoeproject.org/case/philadelphia-jane- trans persons can hamper investigations into
doe/. their deaths.

NBC 10 News. “Woman Dies After Being In this case, The Redgraves were impeded in
Pushed Out of Car in Philadelphia.” NBC 10 their investigation when GEDmatch opted-out
News. December 10, 2017, last modified about 80% of Pillar Point Doe’s Matches. The
December 11, 2017. Accessed December 29, Redgraves were still able to trace Pillar Point
2020. https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/ Doe’s ancestors to a village in Wales.
news/local/woman-dies-after-being-pushed-
out-of-moving-car/35571/. The identity of Pillar Point Jane Doe is being
kept confidential at this time. The
Unidentified Wiki. “Philadelphia Jane Doe investigation into their homicide is ongoing.
(2017).” Wikia.org. n.d. Accessed December
29, 2020. https://unidentified.wikia.org/wiki/ Sources:
Philadelphia_Jane_Doe_(2017).
Madison, Alex. “San Mateo Trans Cold Case
Gets Renewed Attention After 35 Years.” Bay
Case ID 1283: Confidential: Pillar Point Area Reporter. March 22, 2019. Accessed
Doe/Julie Doe December 29, 2020. https://www.ebar.com/
news/crime//273946/
The body of a trans person was found on san_mateo_trans_cold_case_gets_renewed_at
November 26, 1983 on the beach at Lower tention_after_35_years.
Pilar Point, in Half Moon Bay, California.
They had been beaten, stabbed, and strangled. DNA Doe Project. “Pillar Point Doe.” DNA
Police suspect they may have been attacked Doe Project. January 31, 2019. Accessed
when they killer or killers discovered that December 29, 2020. https://
they were not a cis-gender woman. They are dnadoeproject.org/case/pillar-point-doe/.
thought to have left the Tenderloin area of
San Francisco with one or more men earlier O’Neill, Natalie. “Meet the Genetic Sleuths
that day. They have been known as both Pillar Solving Decades-Old Trans Murders.” Vice
Point Doe and as Julie Doe. News. January 25, 2021. Accessed January
25, 2021. https://www.vice.com/en/article/
The FGG investigation was conducted by the z3vgzw/meet-the-genetic-sleuths-solving-
DNA Doe Project, led by Anthony Redgrave. decades-old-trans-murders.
Redgrave has also founded the Trans Doe
Task Force which was formed to deal with the San Mateo County Coroner. “John Doe
special issues involved in identifying trans #83-26/Case #83-1063.” County of San
individuals and giving them back the identity Mateo Coroner’s Office. n.d. Accessed

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 357
December 29, 2020. https:// Sources:
coroner.smcgov.org/john-doe-83-26-
case-83-1063. Oregon State Police. “The Unidentified Have
Been Identified.” Oregon State Police.
Unidentified Wiki. “San Mateo County Doe Facebook Post. June 1, 2021. Accessed June
(1983).” Wikia.org. n.d. Accessed December 12, 2021. https://www.facebook.com/
29, 2020. https://unidentified.wikia.org/wiki/ 100044486767166/posts/387321042760785/?
San_Mateo_County_Doe_(1983). d=n.

Case ID 1485: Confidential: Tilamook Case ID 1652: Confidential: Trinity

John Doe Bellwoods Park Jane Doe

The partial skeletonized remains of an The remains of Trinity Bellwoods Park Jane
identified male washed ashore on October 10, Doe were found on June 10, 2020 in the
1984, at Cape Lookout in Tilamook County, Trinity Bellwoods Park in Toronto, Ontario,
Oregon. The identification of the remains was Canada. She was located at around 1:30 am,
conducted by the Oregon State Medical laying on a sleeping bag in a grassy area of
Examiner’s Office. the park. She had some food and personal
items with her, suggesting she may have been
In 2011, a DNA profile was developed from sleeping rough. Her death is not thought to be
the skeletal remains and uploaded into suspicious, but police were unable to identify
CODIS, and this, too, generated no new leads. her. There were no fingerprints or dental
The FGG investigation was conducted by records on file.
Parabon Nanolabs with the assistance of
funding from the National Institute of Justice The FGG investigation was conducted by the
(NIJ). The FGG investigation began in March DNA Doe Project. A DNA profile was
of 2020, when a new DNA sample was developed from tissues taken at her autopsy
obtained from the remains. Final confirmation and uploaded to GEDmatch. C. Lauritsen, the
was made through a kinship comparison with team leader at DNA Doe, stated that several
a close living relative. of her family members had submitted their
DNA and built out some “beautiful family
The name of the decedent has not been trees” which assisted greatly in the
released for privacy reasons. The decedent investigation. The genealogical portion of the
was known to be missing and presumed dead investigation reportedly took less than a
when his single-engine plane was reported to week. The final confirmation was made
have gone down along the Oregon coast, through dental records that were made
about 60 miles south of Cape Lookout, on available to the coroner.
May 19, 1984. The remains have now been
returned to the family for burial. Her relatives have been notified of her death,
and her identity is being kept secret to protect
her privacy.

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 358
Sources: It is thought that Conrad died by suicide and
his death is not considered to be suspicious.
DNA Doe Project. “Trinity Bellwoods Park
Jane Doe.” DNA Doe Project, October 11, Sources:
2021, last modified February 22, 2022.
Accessed February 23, 2022. https:// Hutton, Caleb. “Genetic Genealogy Solves
dnadoeproject.org/case/trinity-bellwoods- Mystery of Body in Edmonds Park.”
park-jane-doe/. Herald.net. April 25, 2019. Accessed
December 30, 2020. https://
Gillis, Wendy. “She Was Found Dead in www.heraldnet.com/news/genetic-genealogy-
Trinity Bellwoods Park. In a First for Toronto solves-mystery-of-body-in-edmonds-park/.
Police, She’s Been Identified Using Genetic
Genealogy.” Toronto Star, February 22, 2022. Hutton, Caleb. “New Drawing, DNA
Accessed February 22, 2022. https:// Sleuthing Give Hope in Edmonds Cold
www.thestar.com/news/gta/2022/02/22/she- Case.” Herald.net. April 6, 2019. Accessed
was-found-dead-in-trinity-bellwoods-in-a- December 30, 2020. https://
first-for-toronto-police-shes-been-identified- www.heraldnet.com/news/new-drawing-dna-
using-genetic-genealogy.html. sleuthing-give-hope-in-edmonds-cold-case/.

Ramlochan, Katrina. “Toronto Police Seeking

Public’s Help in Identifying a Deceased Case ID 1187: Cook, Audrey Lee: The
Woman, Sketch Released.” Global News, ‘Calder Road Murders’ Jane Doe
June 24, 2020. Accessed February 22, 2022.
https://globalnews.ca/news/7102009/toronto- The body of 30-year-old Audrey Lee Cook
police-deceased-woman-identity-trinity- was found on February 2, 1986 in League
bellwoods/. City, Texas in an area known as the Texas
Killing Fields. Known as the ‘Calder Road
Murders’ Jane Doe, she was the second of
Case ID 1190: Conrad, Tim four bodies to be discovered in the area. She
was found by two boys riding bikes along
The remains of 58-year-old Tim Conrad were Calder Road. She had been shot in the back,
found on November 10, 2018 in Edmonds, and had been dead about 6 weeks when she
Washington. He had been dead for several was found. Cook was last seen living and
weeks when he was found by passersby at a working in Houston. Her last contact with
makeshift campsite in Yost Park. He became family members was in about December of
known as the Yost Park John Doe. 1985.

The FGG investigation was conducted by The Texas Killing Fields is an area of about
Deb Stone in cooperation with the Snohomish 25-acers of bog land off the Interstate-45
County Medical Examiner’s Office and the where about thirty bodies have bene located
County Sheriff’s Office. since the early 1970s, mainly of young
women.

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 359
The FGG investigation in this case was Police-need-help-identifying-
conducted by Parabon Nanolabs. Parabon had women-13456369.php.
earlier assisted in reconstructions of the
women’s features, ancestry, and coloring.
Other reports state that FTDNA was also Case ID 1824: Cowan, Mary Anga: Newton
contacted by officers for assistance. Jane Doe

Cook’s killer, and the killer of the other three The remains of -year-old Mary Anga
women found near Calder Road, is still (“Angie”) Cowan were found on May 14,
unknown. Investigators are not sure if there is 1985 in Baker County, near Newton, Georgia.
a connection between the murders or if it is She had been found injured and unconscious
the work of a single offender. Cook was on Highway 91, and was taken to a hospital in
identified along with Donna Prudhomme, as Albany, Georgia, where she passed away on
described below. June 1, 1985. Her cause of death was found to
be blunt force trauma to the head.
Sources:
Her body was exhumed in September of
Aradillas, Elaine. “2 Women Found Dead in 2012. A bone fragment was sent for isotope
‘Texas Killing Fields’ Are ID’d, as Police analysis, and her data was entered into
Investigate Decades-Old Murders.” People. NamUs.
April 15, 2019. Accessed December 30, 2020.
https://people.com/crime/texas-killing- The FGG investigation was conducted by
fields-2-women-bodies-identified/. Othram in partnership with the Georgia
Bureau of Investigation and the FBI,
Jacobo, Julia. “Texas Authorities Identify 2 beginning in March of 2022. A DNA profile
Victims in Decades-Old ‘Killing Fields’ was generated by Othram, and the
Murders Using Genetic Genealogy.” ABC genealogical investigation was conducted by
News. April, 15, 2019. Accessed December the FBI. The final confirmation was made to
30, 2020. https://abcnews.go.com/US/texas- one of Cowan’s living relatives. The FGG
authorities-identify-victims-decades-killing- investigation was funded by NamUs.
fields-murders/story?id=62408999.
Cowan was from Seminole County, Florida.
League City Police. “Audrey Cook – Cold She had been reported missing about a month
Case #86-216.” League City Police. n.d. before she died.
Accessed December 30, 2020. https://
www.leaguecity.com/3279/Audrey-Cook--- Sources:
Cold-Case-86-216.
Georgia Bureau of Investigation. “After 37
Powell, Nick. “Can DNA Provide Answers in Years, Unidentified Woman is Identified
Deaths of 2 Women in ‘Texas Killing Using Genealogy Technology.” Georgia
Fields’?” Chron. December 12, 2018. Bureau of Investigation, January 31, 2023.
Accessed December 30, 2020. https:// Accessed February 1, 2023. https://
www.chron.com/local/article/League-City- gbi.georgia.gov/press-releases/2023-01-31/

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 360
after-37-years-unidentified-woman- suitable for forensic phenotyping and genetic
identified-using-genealogy-technology. genealogy was obtained in October of 2020.
The FGG investigation was conducted by
Popowski, Aspen. “‘Jane Doe Found on Parabon Nanolabs. The final confirmation
Georgia Highway Identified 37 Years Later.” was made to living relatives.
11 Alive News, February 1, 2023. Accessed
February 1, 2023. https://www.11alive.com/ One of Stevie’s relatives told investigators
article/news/local/woman-found-georgia- that he had a young half-brother who went
highway-identified-37-years-baker-florida/ missing in the 1960s with little explanation.
85-c476e614-4cbe-4304-9427-f20f2bb484d3. The little boy had Down’s Syndrome, and his
disappearance was never explained by the
Vogen, Michael. “Georgia Bureau of family. Relatives claim that Stevie’s mother
Investigation and the Atlanta FBI Team with returned from a trip and told the family that
Othram to Identify 1985 Jane Doe.” they wouldn’t have to worry about Stevie
DNASolves.com, January 31, 2023. Accessed anymore. She has passed away, and police
February 1, 2023. https://dnasolves.com/ state that they are not planning to pursue
articles/gbi-georgia-mary-anga-cowan/. criminal charges in this case.

Sources:
Case ID 1496: Crawford, Stevie: Keene
Creek Baby Doe/Boy in a Bundle Furman, Mark. “DNA Helps ID Little Boy
Found Dead in Oregon Lake in 1963.” KMTR
The body of a toddler was found by a 16 NBC News. June 28, 2021. Accessed July
fisherman on July 11, 1963, in the Keene 1, 2021. https://nbc16.com/news/local/dna-
County Reservoir near Ashland, Oregon. The helps-id-little-boy-found-dead-in-oregon-
boy is described as wearing high-quality lake-in-1963.
clothing, including cloth diapers with blue
diaper pins, and a red shirt with grey corduroy Gianola, Jeff. “‘Boy in a Bundle’ Cold Case
pants and ‘Jumping Jacks’ shoes. He had been From 1963 Solved.” KOIN News 6. June 24,
bound with wire, bundled up in a handmade 2021. Last Modified June 26, 2021. Accessed
quilt, along with two iron assayer’s moulds to July 1, 2021. https://www.koin.com/news/
weigh his body down. Since he could not be koin-6-unsolved/boy-in-a-bundle-cold-case-
identified, he became known as the ‘Boy in a from-1963-solved/.
Bundle,’ and he was buried at the Hillcrest
Memorial Cemetery in Medford, Oregon. He Miller, Jax. “Authorities ID 2-Year-Old Boy
was about 2 years old. Investigators believe 58 Years After Body was Found Wrapped in
he was placed in the Reservoir sometime in Blankets in an Oregon Creek.” Oxygen. June
October of 1962. 30, 2021. Accessed July 2, 2021. https://
www.oxygen.com/crime-news/2-year-old-
His body was exhumed in 2008, and a DNA boy-identified-as-stevie-crawford-58-years-
profile was obtained from his femur bone. later.
This profile was entered into CODIS, but no
leads were obtained. A new DNA profile

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 361
Oregon State Police. “Oregon’s Oldest Cold Sources:
Case Solved.” KEX News 1190. June 30,
2021. Accessed July 1, 2021. https:// National Parks Service (U.S.). “Phenotyping,
1190kex.iheart.com/featured/portland-local- Genetic Genealogy Help ID Jane Doe Found
news/content/2021-06-30-oregons-oldest- at Yosemite in 1983.” Forensic Magazine.
cold-case-solved/. November 22, 2021. Accessed December 15,
2021. https://www.forensicmag.com/581223-
Phenotyping-Genetic-Genealogy-Help-ID-
Case ID 1562: Dahlstrom, Patricia Marie: Jane-Doe-Found-at-Yosemite-in-1983/.
Mariposa County Jane Doe
Pelisek, Christine. “Remains of Murdered
See also: Debra Jackson Woman were Found in Yosemite in 1983:
Will Facial Reconstruction Identify Her?”
The partial remains of Patricia (“Patty”) People. December 23, 2020. Accessed
Marie Dahlstrom were found on June 28, December 15, 2021. https://people.com/
1983, in Summit Meadow in Yosemite crime/remains-woman-murdered-found-
National Park, California. Further remains yosemite-facial-reconstruction/.
were found in 1988. She was thought to have
been in her late teens or 20s, and was Unidentified Wiki. “Mariposa County Jane
determined to have been the victim of a Doe.” Wikia.org. n.d. Accessed February 15,
homicide. A forensic reconstruction was 2023. https://unidentified-
produced from her skull, with the lower jaw awareness.fandom.com/wiki/
missing. She became known as the Mariposa Mariposa_County_Jane_Doe.
County Jane Doe.

The FGG investigation was conducted by Case ID 1647: D’Alton, David: Babes in
Parabon Nanolabs. the Woods

Henry Lee Lucas confessed to the murder of See Also: Derek D’Alton
Dahlstrom. He said that he picked her up
hitchhiking near Yosemite on Highway 41, The remains of 6-year-old David D’Alton and
sometime around 1981 or 1982. Lucas and his 7-year-old brother Derek D’Alton were
Toole falsely confessed to a large number of found on January 15, 1953, in the woods of
homicides that they later retracted. Many Stanley Park in Vancouver, British Columbia,
were found to be false confessions. It is Canada. A groundskeeper was clearing brush
thought that this confession was genuine, and in the park near Beaver Lake and found the
Lucas is still considered to be responsible for skeletal remains of the two young children
this crime. Lucas took investigators to the under a woman’s fur coat. They had been
crime scene and provided details that only the bludgeoned to death with a hatchet, which
killer would know – although this occurred in was located at the scene. Investigators believe
some of Lucas’ false confessions, as well. It the boys were killed in the park sometime in
was found that he had been fed details of the 1947 or 1948. Their remains could not be
crimes from police files.

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 362
identified, and they became known for the children’s remains out of the Vancouver
next 70 years as the ‘Babes in the Woods.’ Police Museum sometime in the 1990s, as he
did not think their display there was
DNA samples of Derek were extracted from appropriate. He took them to Dr. David Sweet
his skull by Lakehead University’s Paleo- at the Bureau of Legal Dentistry at the
DNA Laboratory and sequenced by a University of British Columbia, and a tooth
laboratory in Alabama. The FGG was extracted from each of the skulls.
investigation was performed by Redgrave
Research Forensic Services. Redgrave located The remains, minus the skulls, were then
a couple that they determined were likely the cremated and interred in the ocean with the
grandparents of the boys and built out their assistance of the police chaplain. The
family trees. Living family members and old Children’s festival was taking place nearby.
school records helped to confirm the boys’
identities. Sources:

Police state that the boy’s maternal Fraser, Keith, and John Mackie. “Victims
grandparents immigrated to Vancouver from ID’d in Vancouver’s 70-Yesr-Old Babes in the
Russia in the early 20th century, and a family Woods Murder Mystery.” Vancouver Sun,
member lived near Stanley Park at the time of February 15, 2022. Accessed February 7,
the murders. The boys were impoverished, 2022. https://vancouversun.com/news/local-
and had different fathers. Relatives told police news/victims-idd-in-vancouvers-70-year-old-
that the boys were taken from their mother babes-in-the-woods-murder-mystery.
into the care of the government, but the fate
of the boys has not yet been determined. It is Judd, Amy. “Identities of Stanley Park Babes
known that they attended the Hudson in the Woods Revealed Almost 70 Years
Elementary School in Kitsilano. Sometime in Later,” Global News, February 15, 2022.
the 1950s, after their deaths, their mother Accessed February 16, 2022. https://
changed her last name to Bousquet. globalnews.ca/news/8621234/cold-case-
babes-in-the-woods-identity-stanley-park-
The boy’s niece, Ally Brady, told murder/.
investigators that she uploaded her DNA, and
her grandmother Diane’s DNA, to GEDmatch Lazarus, Eve. “Meet Olivia McCarter: The
in an effort to locate the missing boys or their 20-Year-Old Genetic Genealogist Who Got
descendants. Diane was the boys’ half-sister. the Babes in the Woods Case.” Eve Lazarus
The boy’s mother, Eileen Bousquet, died in (Blog), April 2, 2022. Accessed April 9, 2022.
1996 at the age of 78. Long the chief suspect https://evelazarus.com/meet-olivia-mccarter-
in the case, family members do not believe the-20-year-old-genetic-genealogist-who-got-
she is responsible for her sons’ murders. They the-babes-in-the-woods-case/.
describe her as a “lovely old woman who
loved animals and babysat kids all the time.” Lindsay, Bethany. “For Nearly 70 Years,
These Two Murdered Boys Were Known as
Detective (Ret.) Brian Honeybourn of the the ‘Babes in the Woods,’ Now they Finally
Vancouver PD homicide unit, took the Have Names.” CBC News, February 15,

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 363
2022. Accessed February 16, 2022. https:// school records helped to confirm the boys’
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/ identities.
babes-in-the-woods-identified-1.6352438.
Police state that the boy’s maternal
Smart, Amy. “Vancouver Police Use DNA to grandparents immigrated to Vancouver from
Identify Child Victims in ‘Babes in the Russia in the early 20th century, and a family
Woods’ Cold Case.” The Star, February 15, member lived near Stanley Park at the time of
2022. Accessed February 16, 2022. https:// the murders. The boys were impoverished,
www.thestar.com/news/canada/2022/02/15/ and had different fathers. Relatives told police
vancouver-police-use-dna-to-identify-child- that the boys were taken from their mother
victims-in-babes-in-the-woods-cold- into the care of the government, but the fate
case.html. of the boys has not yet been determined. It is
known that they attended the Hudson
Elementary School in Kitsilano. Sometime in
Case ID 1648: D’Alton, Derek: Babes in the 1950s, after their deaths, their mother
the Woods changed her last name to Bousquet.

See Also: David D’Alton The boy’s niece, Ally Brady, told
investigators that she uploaded her DNA, and
The remains of 6-year-old David D’Alton and her grandmother Diane’s DNA, to GEDmatch
his 7-year-old brother Derek D’Alton were in an effort to locate the missing boys or their
found on January 15, 1953, in the woods of descendants. Diane was the boys’ half-sister.
Stanley Park in Vancouver, British Columbia, The boy’s mother, Eileen Bousquet, died in
Canada. A groundskeeper was clearing brush 1996 at the age of 78. Long the chief suspect
in the park near Beaver Lake and found the in the case, family members do not believe
skeletal remains of the two young children she is responsible for her sons’ murders. They
under a woman’s fur coat. They had been describe her as a “lovely old woman who
bludgeoned to death with a hatchet, which loved animals and babysat kids all the time.”
was located at the scene. Investigators believe
the boys were killed in the park sometime in Detective (Ret.) Brian Honeybourn of the
1947 or 1948. Their remains could not be Vancouver PD homicide unit, took the
identified, and they became known for the children’s remains out of the Vancouver
next 70 years as the ‘Babes in the Woods.’ Police Museum sometime in the 1990s, as he
did not think their display there was
DNA samples of Derek were extracted from appropriate. He took them to Dr. David Sweet
his skull by Lakehead University’s Paleo- at the Bureau of Legal Dentistry at the
DNA Laboratory and sequenced by a University of British Columbia, and a tooth
laboratory in Alabama. The FGG was extracted from each of the skulls.
investigation was performed by Redgrave
Research Forensic Services. Redgrave located The remains, minus the skulls, were then
a couple that they determined were likely the cremated and interred in the ocean with the
grandparents of the boys and built out their assistance of the police chaplain. The
family trees. Living family members and old Children’s festival was taking place nearby.

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 364
Sources: Case ID 1715-1716: Daniels, Samone J.:
Baby Doe
Fraser, Keith, and John Mackie. “Victims
ID’d in Vancouver’s 70-Yesr-Old Babes in the The remains of Samone J. Daniels were
Woods Murder Mystery.” Vancouver Sun, located on August 15, 2019 in Columbia,
February 15, 2022. Accessed February 7, Missouri. Employees working at the
2022. https://vancouversun.com/news/local- McKnight Tire store found a backpack hidden
news/victims-idd-in-vancouvers-70-year-old- inside a tire. When they opened it, they found
babes-in-the-woods-murder-mystery. the decomposed remains of a baby girl.
Daniels was about 4 to 5 months old at the
Judd, Amy. “Identities of Stanley Park Babes time of her murder. Investigators have not yet
in the Woods Revealed Almost 70 Years released a cause of death. She is thought to
Later,” Global News, February 15, 2022. have been killed sometime in 2017.
Accessed February 16, 2022. https://
globalnews.ca/news/8621234/cold-case- Daniels could not be identified, and her
babes-in-the-woods-identity-stanley-park- details were entered into NamUs. The FGG
murder/. investigation was conducted by Othram,
beginning in the fall of 2020, and was funded
Lazarus, Eve. “Meet Olivia McCarter: The through a crowd campaign.
20-Year-Old Genetic Genealogist Who Got
the Babes in the Woods Case.” Eve Lazarus On June 14, 2022, an unnamed person
(Blog), April 2, 2022. Accessed April 9, 2022. brought a letter to the Columbia PD. They
https://evelazarus.com/meet-olivia-mccarter- had found the letter at a Super 8 Motel, and it
the-20-year-old-genetic-genealogist-who-got- was addressed to the Columbia PD. Columbia
the-babes-in-the-woods-case/. PD reported that the individual was
discouraged from coming forward. Police
Lindsay, Bethany. “For Nearly 70 Years, state that public attention to the case, and the
These Two Murdered Boys Were Known as importance of identifying the infant, helped
the ‘Babes in the Woods,’ Now they Finally the individual to come forward with the
Have Names.” CBC News, February 15, information.
2022. Accessed February 16, 2022. https://
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/ The letter is reported to have been written by
babes-in-the-woods-identified-1.6352438. Daniels’ mother. She states that she went to
sleep after a work shift, and woke up to find
Smart, Amy. “Vancouver Police Use DNA to the baby was bleeding and had a towel around
Identify Child Victims in ‘Babes in the her neck. She performed CPR on the child,
Woods’ Cold Case.” The Star, February 15, and then fled while Fountain disposed of the
2022. Accessed February 16, 2022. https:// child’s remains.
www.thestar.com/news/canada/2022/02/15/
vancouver-police-use-dna-to-identify-child- Daniels’ parents were arrested on June 28,
victims-in-babes-in-the-woods-cold- 2022 and charged in connection with her
case.html. death. Daniels’ father, Staffone Fountain, age
30, is charged with first-degree murder and

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 365
abandonment of a corpse. Her mother, 28- DNASolves.com, June 23, 2022. Accessed
year-old Lavosha Daniels, is charged with July 1, 2022. https://dnasolves.com/articles/
first-degree child endangerment and columbia_baby_doe/.
abandonment of a corpse. It is reported that
other children in the care of the accused have
been taken into custody. Case ID 1252: Deggs, Nathaniel Terrence
(Terry): Mill Creek Shed Man
Sources:
The body of Terrence “Terry” Deggs was
Alanis, Kaitlyn. “Letter Found at Hotel Helps found on January 11, 2015 in a shed in Mill
Identify Baby Found Dead in Tire in 2019, Creek, Washington. He may have been
Missouri Cops Say.” The Herald, June 29, deceased for up to a year. His death is not
2022. Accessed July 1, 2022. https:// considered suspicious.
www.heraldonline.com/news/nation-world/
national/article263021123.html. in October of 1985, the previous owner of the
property had found Deggs in poor health and
Columbia Police Department. “Suspects living in a collapsed barn. The owner nursed
Arrested June 28 in Connection to Infant him back to health and then let him live in the
Remains Found in 2019.” City of Columbia shed, where he remained for the next 30
Police Department (Press Release), June 28, years. He stated that his name was Jerry
2022. Accessed July 1, 2022. https:// Deggs and that he was from New York. He
www.como.gov/CMS/pressreleases/ received a serious head injury in a bank
view.php?id=8091&tbiframe=1. robbery while he was working as a security
Hornick, Caitlin. “Killer Found: Chilling guard. He then left to come out west. He had
Note ‘Solved’ Mystery Murder of Baby no identification, and authorities could not
Whose Decomposing Remains Were Found locate his next-of-kin.
Hidden in a Backpack Inside a Tire.” U.S.
Sun, June 29, 2022. Accessed July 1, 2022. A DNA profile was obtained from his femur
https://www.the-sun.com/news/5669221/ bone by Bode Technologies in November of
chilling-note-solved-mystery-murder- 2017. The FGG investigation was conducted
decomposing-remains-baby/. by the DNA Doe Project.

Spain, Emily, and Jack Laurie. “Baby A close match opted in to GEDmatch in
Identified, Parents Charged in 2019 ‘Baby February of 2019, but they were of unknown
Doe’ Case.” KOMU 8 News, June 28, 2022. parentage. DNA Doe assisted that person to
Accessed July 1, 2022. https:// draw up their own family tree, and both does
www.komu.com/news/midmissourinews/ were thus identified. It was found that the two
baby-identified-parents-charged-in-2019- shared a common grandfather. This enabled
baby-doe-case/article_3d1b8d76-f6ff-11ec- DNA Doe to locate Deggs’ half-sister.
a1bb-b31131cf4212.html.
Terry Deggs was born in Baltimore, and
Vogen, Michael. “ Columbia PD Partners raised in New York by the Deggs, who were
With Othram to Identity Missouri Baby Girl.” his foster family. He had worked as a security

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 366
guard in the Bronx. He disappeared sometime enforcement matching. A close relative was
in the early 1980s after the death of his then identified, and Denton’s identity was
beloved foster mother. confirmed through this match.

Sources: The remains of a male named Selease “Tony”

Sherrod were found with Denton. He had also
DNA Doe Project. “Mill Creek Shed Man.” been shot and burned, and his burned vehicle
DNA Doe Project. February 12, 2018. was found three miles away. The
Accessed December 30, 2020. https:// investigation into the murders of Denton and
dnadoeproject.org/case/mill-creek-shed-man/. Sherrod is continuing.

Snohomish County. “Nathaniel Terrence Sources:

“Terry” (Davies) Deggs.” Snohomish County
Washington Government. n.d. Accessed DNA Doe Project. “Charlene Doe Newton Co
December 30, 2020. https:// 1988.” The DNA Doe Project. May 13, 2020.
www.snohomishcountywa.gov/5547/ Accessed March 8, 2021. https://
Nathaniel-Terry-Deggs. dnadoeproject.org/case/charlene-doe-newton-
co-1988/.

Case ID 1468: Denton, Jenifer Noreen: Doe Network. “499UFIN – Unidentified

Charlene Doe Newton Co Female.” The Doe Network. November 2,
2020. Accessed March 8, 2021. http://
The remains of 24-year-old Jenifer Noreen www.doenetwork.org/cases/499ufin.html.
Denton were found on August 5, 1988 in a
remote and heavily vegetated are near Beaver Newton County, Indiana Coroner’s Office.
Creek in the Willow Slough State Fish and “Woman Identified After 33 Years.”
Wildlife Are in Morocco, Indiana. She had Facebook (Post/Press Release). March 5,
been shot and her body was burned. She 2021. Accessed March 8, 2021. https://
became known for the next 33 years as the www.facebook.com/nccoindiana/.
Charlene Doe of Newton County.

The DNA Doe Project was engaged by the Case ID 1654: Dodd, Charles:
Newton County Indiana Coroner’s Office to Montgomery County John Doe
conduct the FGG investigation in late 2019.
After whole genome sequencing, and The skeletal remains of 74-year-old Charles
uploading Denton’s DNA to both GEDmatch (“Charlie”) Wane Dodd were found on
and FTDNA, there were no solid leads as all January 18, 1988, in a field in Conroe, Texas.
of the matches were to distant relatives only. A hunter discovered some bones and took
A break in the case came after GEDmatch them in to a dentist for identification. Once it
changed its terms of service on January 11, was realized that the remains were human,
2021, to set the default privacy settings for police surveyed the area, and found further
Human Remains Investigations to remains as well as a pair of pants and a shoe.
automatically opt all users in to law The remains were thought to have lain in the

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 367
field for about 3 to 4 years. He could not be embers were still warm. She was wearing a
identified, and Charlie Dodd became known lavender sweater, and so she became known
for the next 34 years as the Montgomery for the next 13 years as Lavender Doe.
County John Doe.
A DNA profile was developed from semen
A DNA profile was first developed in 2009 found at the crime scene. The FGG
and entered into CODIS, but no leads investigation was conducted by Kevin Lord
resulted. The FGG investigation was of the DNA Doe Project.
conducted by Othram, beginning in
September of 2021. The final conformation Joseph Burnette confessed to her murder in
was made to living relatives. August of 2018, but he did not know her
name. He had abducted her from the Walmart
Dodd was originally from Dallas, Texas. He Supercenter in Longview, Texas where she
was last seen by his family in August of 1985. was selling magazines. She approached
Investigators report that he may have been Burnette to ask him to buy some magazines,
taken against his will, and they continue to and he convinced her to enter his vehicle. A
investigate the suspicious circumstances registered sex offender, Burnette has also
surrounding his death. confessed to the murder of another young
woman, Felicia Pearson. He has been
Sources: sentenced to 50 years for the two murders.

Vogen, Michael. “Montgomery County Lavender Doe has been identified as Dana
Sheriff’s Office Partners with Othram to Lynn Dodd of Jacksonville, Florida, where
Identify a 1988 John Doe from Texas.” she was known for her perfect smile. No one
DNASolves.com, February 28, 2022. reported her missing.
Accessed March 5, 2022. https://
dnasolves.com/articles/charles_wane_dodd/. Sources:

Unidentified Wiki. “Charlie Dodd.” DNA Doe Project. “Lavender Doe.” DNA
Wikia.org, n.d. Accessed March 5, 2022. Doe Project. August 21, 2018. Accessed
https://unidentified-awareness.fandom.com/ December 30, 2020. https://
wiki/Charlie_Dodd. dnadoeproject.org/case/lavender-doe/.

Frazier, Stephanie. “Gregg Co. District

Case ID 1160: Dodd, Dana Lynn: Lavender Attorney Tom Watson Talks About the Justice
Doe Delivered to the Families of the Murder
Victims.” KLTV News. December 15, 2020.
The body of Dana Lynn Dodd was found on Accessed December 30, 2020. https://
October 29, 2006 in Gregg County, Texas. www.kltv.com/2020/12/15/man-who-killed-
Two men who were target shooting in a lavender-doe-second-woman-pleads-guilty-
wooded area came across her. She had been gregg-county-court/.
sexually assaulted, and her body was set on
fire. A gas can was found nearby, and the

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 368
Garcia, Gabriela. “DNA Doe Project: specializes in obtaining forensic DNA profiles
‘Lavender Doe’ Identified, but Not from East from rootless hair.
Texas.” CBS 19 News. January 29, 2019, last
modified January 30, 2019. Accessed Dodd went missing sometime in December of
December 30, 2020. https://www.cbs19.tv/ 1984. Her family have now been notified.
article/news/crime/dna-doe-project-lavender- Police have not stated whether they are
doe-identified/501- continuing to investigate.
a20773d0-4452-4618-9458-8241dd96ee6e.
Sources:
KLTV Digital Media Staff. “East Texas
Officials Release Identity of Lavender Doe.” ABC 13 News. “Fort Bend Co. Uses Cutting
KLTV News. February 11, 2019. Accessed Edge DNA Technology to Identify Remains
December 30, 2020. https://www.kltv.com/ in 38-Year-Old Cold Case.” ABC 13 News,
2019/02/11/east-texas-officials-release- June 2, 2022. Accessed June 5, 2022. https://
identify-lavender-doe/. abc13.com/fort-bend-county-cold-case-
missing-woman-remains-identified-peggy-
Staff Reports. “Police: Man Confesses to anne-dodd/11919090/.
2018, 2006 Killings of Women in Gregg
County.” Longview News Journal. August 27, Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office. “Fort
2018, last modified June 12, 2020. Accessed Bend Woman Identified in 38-Year-Old Cold
December 30, 2020. https://www.news- Case.” Facebook Post, June 2, 2022.
journal.com/news/police/police-man- Accessed June 5, 2022. https://
confesses-to-killings-of-women-in-gregg- www.facebook.com/
county/article_b9b7b752-aa2c-11e8-ae2d- FortBendCountySheriffsOffice.
bb29d6ff4ac2.html.
Fort Bend Herald. “Woman’s Body Identified
After 38 Years.” Fort Bend Herald, June 4,
Case ID 1708: Dodd, Peggy Anne: 2022. Accessed June 5, 2022. https://
www.fbherald.com/news/woman-s-body-
The remains of 29-year-old Peggy Anne identified-after-38-years/article_7a8ee408-
Dodd were found on December 22, 1984 on a e428-11ec-8817-bf4510ba5305.html.
ranch in Fort Bend County. She had light
brown hair and some clothing with her, but
she could not be identified, nor could a cause Case ID 1476: Duffey, Pamela Dianne:
of death be determined. Jane Doe 10

The FGG investigation was conducted in See also: William Everette Lane
partnership with the Fort Bend County
Sheriff’s Office and volunteer genealogists The bodies of 20-year-old Pamela Dianne
with Intermountain Forensics and Astrea Duffey and 19-year-old William Everette
Forensics. This investigation was significant Lane were found on November 17, 1980,
as it used rootless hair to derive a DNA buried in a remote area of the Mojave Desert
profile suitable for FGG. Astrea Forensics near Ludlow, California. They were found

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 369
buried in a shallow grave by an archaeologist. able to obtain DNA profiles which were
Their bodies were naked, and autopsies uploaded into CODIS, but this produced no
showed that they had died from a matches. There is currently no information on
combination of blunt force trauma and who conducted the FGG investigation, or
gunshot wounds. when it commenced. On December 11, 2020,
investigators noticed that a close relative of
Investigators could not identify the bodies, Duffey had uploaded her DNA to GEDmatch
but they suspected the couple had been and the results indicated that it was Duffey’s
murdered by a man named Howard Neal. daughter.
Neal had lived in Ludlow at the time of the
murders and had left with his wife and child Duffey’s daughter, 41-year-old Christine
shortly after. He moved to Mississippi, where Marie Salley, had hired a private investigator
he murdered his brother, and raped and in April of 2018 to help her find her birth
murdered his 13-year-old sister and her 12- parents. She would later upload her DNA to
year-old friend. Their remains were found in GEDmatch for this purpose. Investigators
February of 1981. He then left and moved to confirmed the mother-daughter match
Stockton, California, where he was arrested through DNA testing at the California
for petty theft. He was then extradited to Department of Justice laboratory.
Mississippi for the triple murder. He was
convicted in February of 1982 and sentenced Salley told investigators that her mother was
to death. In about 1990, Neal’s attorneys had Pamela Duffey, and that she was travelling
the death sentence commuted as a result of with a man named ‘Digger’ Lane, who had
Neal’s IQ tests, which showed that he was on recently been released from prison in
the borderline of being mentally challenged. Virginia. Through this information and the
assistance of the Virginia State Police,
Investigators were not permitted to interview investigators were able to identify the
Neal until August of 2017. At that time, Neal unknown male as William Everette Lane,
told investigators that he had picked up the from Jacksonville, Florida. His identity was
couple while they were hitchhiking and taken confirmed through DNA testing with his
them back to his residence where he made mother.
sexual advances to the female. An argument
then broke out between Neal and the male, Charges of homicide and sexual assault have
during which Neal shot and killed him. He been brought against Neal. The remains of
then sexually assaulted and killed the female. Duffey and Lane have been returned to their
He buried their bodies in the Mojave Desert families.
south of Highway 66. All he could tell
investigators was that the female had left a Sources:
daughter behind in Arkansas, that the male
was a ‘hippie’, and they were hitchhiking Benson, Grant T. “Adopted Daughter’s DNA
across the country together. Helps Identify Victims of a 1980 Double
Homicide; Suspect in Custody.” Breaking911.
Investigators still could not identify the April 21, 2021. Accessed April 23, 2021.
victims. After several attempts, they were https://breaking911.com/adopted-daughters-

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 370
dna-helps-identify-victims-of-a-1980-double- and she could not be identified for a further 9
homicide-suspect-in-custody/. years.

San Bernardino Sheriff’s Office. “Through Police continue to investigate her death,
Investigation Homicide Cold Case which is a suspected homicide, and there are
Investigators Identify the Victims in a 1980 few details as of the time of writing.
Double Homicide; Suspect in Custody.” San
Bernardino Sheriff’s Office (Press Release). Sources:
April 21, 2021. Accessed April 23, 2021.
https://local.nixle.com/alert/8671874/? Halpin, James. “Troopers Identify ‘Jane Doe’
fbclid=IwAR14PakY610KjOj7FodI7nD6qY in Alden Mountain Cold Case.” Standard-
WG3wtXQX4sAUSVjefz4V1nI7rx6IZIkgk. Speaker, September 16, 2022. Accessed
September 25, 2022. https://
Wilson, Quinn. “1980 Cold Case: Search for www.standardspeaker.com/troopers-identify-
Biological Mother Leads to Bodies Buried in jane-doe-in-alden-mountain-cold-case/
San Bernardino County Desert and Link to article_f08828ab-95aa-55e1-9b03-9ea49cbf6
Mississippi Killer.” San Bernardino Sun. 65e.html.
April 21, 2021. Accessed April 23, 2021.
https://www.sbsun.com/2021/04/21/1980- Muniz, Vivian. “Remains Found Identified as
cold-case-cracked-after-bodies-buried-in-san- Pennsylvania Teen Missing Since 1969.”
bernardino-county-desert-are-idd-linked-to- WTAJ News, September 19, 2022. Accessed
mississippi-killer/? September 25, 2022. https://www.wtaj.com/
fbclid=IwAR0YJfEnL2jtA1I7Ngw0KSuQjH- news/regional-news/remains-found-
ZIiOFFrWzP0Fl1EN087oNGEUBQaOddCk. identified-as-pennsylvania-teen-missing-
since-1969/.
Unidentified Wiki. “Pamela Duffey.”
Wikia.org. n.d. Accessed April 23, 2021. Unidentified Wiki. “Joan Dymond.”
https://unidentified.wikia.org/wiki/ Wikia.org., n.d. Accessed September 25,
Pamela_Duffey. 2022. https://unidentified-
awareness.fandom.com/wiki/Joan_Dymond.

Case ID 1756: Dymond, Joan Marie: Alden

Mountain Jane Doe Case ID 1464: Eaton, Carolyn

The skeletal remains of 14-year-old Joan The body of 17-year-old Carolyn Eaton was
Marie Dymond were found on November 17, found on the side of Interstate-40 on February
2012 in Newport Township, Pennsylvania. 14, 1982 in Coconino County, near Williams
Her skull was located off of Alden Road. Arizona. She was found by an Arizona State
Trooper who had stopped to assist a motorist.
Dymond went missing from her home in She was known for the next 40 years only as
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania on June 25, 1969. Valentine Sally.
Her remains lay undiscovered for 43 years,

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 371
Investigators have stated only that the FGG www.facebook.com/CoconinoSheriff/posts/
investigation was performed by a private 5509251079100030.
company. The final confirmation was made to
a living relative of Eaton. The investigation Heffernan, Erin. “After Almost 40 Years, St.
was funded by a grant from NCMEC. Louis Co. Teen Runaway Identified as
Arizona Cold Case Victim.” St. Louis Post-
Eaton was from Bellefontaine Neighbors, Dispatch. February 23, 2021. Accessed
near St. Louis, Missouri. She had left home March 4, 2021. https://www.stltoday.com/
around the Christmas holiday of 1981 after an news/local/crime-and-courts/after-almost-40-
argument with family members. years-st-louis-co-teen-runaway-identified-as-
arizona-cold-case-victim/
The case was hampered by a false article_4703986a-7573-11eb-8c49-2788a6af7
identification in 1984. Facial reconstruction cf2.html.
was used to identify her as a missing Florida
teen named Melody Cutlip, but Melody
returned home in 1986. Leads in Valentine Case ID 1346: Elgo, Peggy Ann: Pinal
Sally’s case then dried up. County Jane Doe

Eaton’s killer has not yet been identified, and The body of 19-year-old Peggy Ann Elgo was
the investigation into her homicide is found on June 7, 1983 in a remote area of
ongoing. She was last seen at a truck stop on Pinal County, Arizona. She was last seen in
February 2, 1981, a mile from where her body San Carlos, Arizona on New Year’s Day in
was found. She was with a man in his 50s 1983. She had a 1-year-old son and was living
wearing a cowboy hat with a peacock feather. on the Apache Indian Reservation.
It is believed that she died shortly after.
The FGG investigation was conducted by
Sources: Parabon Nanolabs.

Bonvillian, Crystal. “Arizona’s ‘Valentine Another woman from the same San Carlos
Sally’ Identified Through DNA, Genealogy as Apache tribe was found murdered. She is
Missing Missouri Girl After 40 Years.” known as the Ahwatukee Jane Doe. Elgo’s
Boston News 25. February 26, 2021. family members thought she may have been
Accessed March 4, 2021. https:// Peggy, and so they came forward to have their
www.boston25news.com/news/trending/ DNA tested. They were found to not be
arizonas-valentine-sally-identified-through- relatives of the deceased. The Ahwatukee
dna-genealogy-missing-missouri-girl- Jane Doe remains unidentified, but this
after-40-years/ spurred on the investigation into Elgo’s
4LVWA2JOX5HVDPJLORZ5U2X2NE/. disappearance.

Coconino County Sheriff’s Office. Elgo has now been returned to her family. Her
“Identification of ‘Valentine Sally’ After killer has not yet been identified, and the case
Almost 40 Years.” Facebook (Post). February remains open.
22, 2021. Accessed March 4, 2021. https://

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 372
Sources: he may have been murdered by an individual
who picked him up while hitchhiking. Police
City of Phoenix. “Despite Identifying Missing continue to investigate his murder.
Woman, Mystery Remains.” City of Phoenix.
March 3, 2020. Accessed December 30, 2020. Sources:
https://www.phoenix.gov/newsroom/police/
1013. Luperon, Alberto. “Montana Cold Case
Murder: Skull, Pelvic Bones and Femur
Davis, Patricia. “Finding Missing Kids: It’s in Linked to Wisconsin Man Missing Since
Our DNA.” Missing Kids (blog). April 24, 1976.” Law & Crime, November 30, 2022.
2020. Accessed December 30, 2020. https:// Accessed November 30, 2022. https://
www.missingkids.org/blog/2020/finding- lawandcrime.com/crime/montana-cold-case-
missing-kids-its-in-our-dna. murder-skull-pelvic-bones-and-femur-linked-
to-wisconsin-man-missing-since-1976/.
Justice for Native Women. “Peggy Elgo, Sweeney, Don. “Skull Found by Hiker in
Missing from Arizona Since 1983.” Justice Montana Belonged to Man Missing 46 Years,
for Native Women. January 18, 2019. Sheriff Says.” Sacramento Bee, November
Accessed December 30, 2020. http:// 30, 2022. Accessed November 30, 2022.
www.justicefornativewomen.com/2019/01/ https://www.sacbee.com/news/nation-world/
peggy-elgo-missing-from-arizona-since.html. national/article269404427.html.

Vogen, Michael. “Carbon County Sheriff’s

Case ID 1797: Ellis, Rogers Lee Office Teams with Othram to Identify 2004
John Doe.” DNASolves.com, November 29,
The partial skeletal remains of 22-year-old 2022. Accessed November 30, 2022. https://
Rogers (“Roger”) Lee Ellis were found on dnasolves.com/articles/carbon-county-roger-
June 20, 2004, about 15 miles south of Red lee-ellis/.
Lodge, Montana. His skull was found near
Highway 212 by a hiker. Deputies later
recovered a pelvic bone and a femur. Case ID 1672: Emily, Tymon Joseph

A DNA profile was obtained that identified The body of 18-year-old Tymon Joseph Emily
the bones as belonging to the same person, was found on March 7, 1992, in a vacant
but there were no leads from CODIS or building in St. Louis, Missouri. His body had
NamUs. The FGG investigation was been hidden under a set of metal school
conducted by Othram in partnership with the lockers by workers disconnecting the gas
Carbon County Sheriff’s Office, and the service. Authorities determined that he had
Missoula County Sheriff’s Office Cold Case been stabbed to death. It was estimated that
Team, beginning in 2022. he had lain there for 1 to 2 years before being
located. Authorities were unable to identify
Ellis left his home in Wisconsin Rapids in him, and he became known as the ‘St. Louis
1976 because he was afraid of going to jail John Doe 1992’.
for marijuana possession. Police believe that

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 373
A DNA profile was developed in 2004. A been deceased for at least two to three years.
search of CODIS using that profile produced Authorities believe he died of natural causes.
no new leads. The case was entered into the
NCMEC database in 2012. The FGG A DNA profile was obtained in 2013, but
investigation was conducted by the DNA Doe Edwards could not be identified. The FGG
Project beginning in 2021. investigation was performed by Othram,
beginning in September of 2019. Funding
Emily had been reported missing by his was provided by the National Center for
family on March 25, 1990, about two years Missing and Endangered, Inc. of Jackson,
before his remains were found. North Carolina. Investigators located Orlando
Harper in the database, who was performing
Sources: family research, and suspected that Harper
was the deceased’s grandson. This was found
DNA Doe Project. “St Louis John Doe 1992.” to be the case, after the final confirmation was
DNA Doe Project, October 11, 2021. Last made to Evans’ daughter, Gladys Evans
modified March 31, 2022. Accessed April 1, Harper.
2022. https://dnadoeproject.org/case/st-louis-
john-doe-1992/. Evans was born in 1906 in Northampton
County, North Carolina, and served in WWII.
KMOV Staff. “DNA Sample Cracks 32-Year- He had been estranged from his family for
Old Cold Case of Missing St. Louis Teen.” several years before his death, having last
KMOV 4 News, March 31, 2022. Accessed seen Victor Harper (Orlando’s brother) at
April 1, 2022. https://www.kmov.com/ their home in 1982 in Salisbury, Maryland.
2022/03/31/dna-sample-cracks-32-year-old-
cold-case-missing-st-louis-teen/. Sources:

Unidentified Wiki. “T.J. Emily.” Wikia.org, Lance, Martin. “Human Remains Found in
n.d. Accessed April 1, 2022. https:// 1995 Identified.” rrspin.com. December 10,
unidentified-awareness.fandom.com/wiki/ 2021. Accessed December 11, 2021. https://
T.J._Emily. www.rrspin.com/news/5200-human-remains-
found-in-1995-identified.html.

Case ID 1601: Evans, Edward Vogen, Michael. “Northampton County

Sheriff’s Office Teams with Othram to
The remains of 89-year-old Edward Evans Identify Man Found in 1995.”
were found by metal detectorists on DNASolves.com. December 10, 2021.
December 24, 1995, near the Roanoke River Accessed December 11, 2021. https://
in Garysburg, North Carolina. They first came dnasolves.com/articles/
across Edward’s skull – which they initially northampton_edward_evans/?fbclid=IwAR3-
mistook for a smooth stone – and then VYijzS1ju12O1AZXXcvMYLoS3MxDgvpg
notified the authorities who were able to find _WjfgxtZbDd4JarowdBMYV0.
Edward’s intact skeleton buried under a cover
of soil and leaves. It is thought that he had

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 374
Case ID 1722: Everett, James News 5, July 13, 2022. Accessed July 15,
2022. https://kstp.com/kstp-news/local-news/
The partially skeletonized remains of 48-year- remains-found-in-rosemount-in-2014-
old James Everett were found on September identified-as-new-york-man/.
29, 2014 in Rosemount, Minnesota. His
remains were found by a Union Pacific Marinan, Carolyn. “Law Enforcement
Railway worker in a decommissioned Identified ‘John Doe’ Missing Since 2013.”
switching shed. Everett had likely been living Hennepin County (Press Release), July 13,
in the shed. He had no wallet or 2022. Accessed July 15, 2022. https://
identification, but he had some receipts and a content.govdelivery.com/accounts/
newspaper dating back to the fall of 2013, MNHENNE/bulletins/320d51f.
which is when he may have died. His cause of Sun Staff. “Remains of Cohocton’s Missing
death could not be determined. James Everett Identified in Minnesota.”
Genesee Sun, 2022. Accessed July 15, 2022.
His profile was entered into NAMUS and https://geneseesun.com/remains-of-
CODIS, and the FBI performed a facial cohoctons-missing-james-everett-identified-
reconstruction. His remains were buried in in-minnesota/.
June 2017 after the case went cold - only the
second time that unidentified human remains WCCO Staff. “Cold Case Solved: Body
were buried in Hennepin County. Found in Rosemount ID’d as Missing NY
Man, James Everett.” CBS News Minnesota,
The FGG investigation was performed by July 13, 2022. Accessed July 15, 2022.
Parabon Nanolabs beginning in 2019, and https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/
later the DNA Doe Project. The final cold-case-solved-body-found-in-rosemount-
confirmation was made to Everett’s father. idd-as-missing-ny-man-james-everett/.

In September of 2013 Everett left his home in

Cohocton, New York, for a work trip but Case ID 1827: Feigert, Jade David: Cowlitz
never arrived. His wife states that he left his County John Doe
keys in the mailbox and did not come back
home. He was reported missing and located a The skeletal remains of 22-year-old Jade
few weeks later at a rest stop in Montana. He David Feigert were found on February 22,
stated that he left home because he was 2020 in Longview, Washington. A
having troubles at work, had quit, and was longshoreman at the Weyerhaeuser dock
just driving. The missing persons file was phoned authorities who located his remains in
closed. Everett is described as a computer thick blackberry bushes. His cause of death
geek who worked in the tech field and was a was not determined, but police do not believe
talented musician. his death was the result of a crime.

Sources: Forensic odontology was performed, along

with an anthropological analysis and a
KSTP. Remains Found in Rosemount in 2014 forensic artist rendering of what he looked
Identified as New York Man.” KSTP ABC like, but he could not be identified. His

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 375
remains were entered into NamUs in March remains-found-blackberry-bushes-
of 2021 as UP67764 identified-002642277.html.

The FGG investigation was conducted by

Othram in partnership with the Cowlitz Case ID 1627: Feldman, Franklin:
County Sheriff’s Office, beginning in Bethlehem John Doe
November of 2021. The final confirmation
was made to Feigert’s mother, Monica The decomposed remains of 41-year-old
Feigert. The costs of the FGG investigation Franklin Feldman were found on April 3,
were crowdfunded through DNASolves. 1981, at the Double V Stables in Delmar,
New York. A farmer fixing a fence came
Feigert was last seen by his mother on across his body in a wooded area.
February 8, 2017 when she dropped him off
in Kelso, Washington. He has now been The case was reopened in 2013. Feldman’s
returned to his family. mandible and maxilla were located in the
office of dentist Colin Morton and was used
Sources: to obtain a DNA profile. The previous dentist,
Dr. Alan Rosell, was involved in forensic
Esnayra, Matthew. “Body in 2020 Longview identifications. Investigators think that if not
Cold Case Identified.” The Daily News, for the preservation of the jawbone, a DNA
February 2, 2023. Accessed February 3, 2023. profile might not have been obtained.
https://tdn.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/
article_27d549d4-9b73-11ed-91f7-8724724f6 The DNA was first compared with law
6f3.html. enforcement databases, and no match was
found. Investigators were denied permission
Unidentified Wiki. “Jade Feigert.” Wikia.org, to perform a familial DNA search in law
n.d. Accessed February 3, 2023. https:// enforcement databases. This policy was
unidentified-awareness.fandom.com/wiki/ changed in April of 2021. Othram performed
Jade_Feigert. the laboratory work for the FGG
investigation. The FGG investigation was
Vogen, Michael. “Cowlitz County Sheriff’s performed by the FBI Melville Office
Office Partners With Othram to Identify a Investigative Genealogy Unit. The final
Man Found in 2020.” DNASolves.com, confirmation was made to living relatives.
February 2, 2023. Accessed February 3, 2023.
https://dnasolves.com/articles/cowlitz-county- Feldman was transient and was not reported
jade-david-feigert/. missing. It is not known how he died.

Wegner, Helena. “Remains Found in Sources:

Blackberry Bushes Identified as Man Missing
Since 2017, WA Cops Say.” The News Cook, Steven. “Police: Body Found 41 Years
Tribune, February 2, 2023. Accessed Ago in Bethlehem Finally Identified; Familial
February 3, 2023. https://www.aol.com/news/ DNA Matches, Police Work Credited.” Daily
Gazette. January 13, 2022. Accessed January

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 376
14, 2022. https://dailygazette.com/ dumped there sometime between 9:20 and
2022/01/13/police-body-found-41-years-ago- 10:20 that morning.
in-bethlehem-finally-identified-familial-dna-
matches-police-work-credited/. The FGG investigation was conducted by
Bode Technology, with the assistance of the
Vogen, Michael. “Bethlehem Police National center for Missing & Exploited
Department and NY FBI Leverage Othram’s Children. The genealogical profile was
Genetic Testing Platform to Identify a Man produced by Othram.
Found in 1981.” DNASolves. January 14,
2022. Accessed January 14, 2022. https:// Margaret’s brother, Edward Fetterolf, stated
dnasolves.com/articles/ that police told him that Ancestry.com was
bethlehem_pd_fbi_franklin_feldman/. used in the FGG investigation, although this
cannot be confirmed. Many genealogists use
Tucker, Anya, and Johan Sheridan. “Cold Ancestry.com’s document database for FGG
Case Solved Thanks to Determined work, and this is not prohibited under their
Investigator and Dentist.” News 10. January terms of service, whereas using the Ancestry
13, 2022. Accessed January 14, 2022. https:// database for relative matching would be.
www.news10.com/news/albany-county/
police-announcing-developments-in-1981- Fetterhof was from Alexandria, Virginia. She
delmar-cold-case/. is described as a habitual runaway, who was
last seen by her family in the summer of
WRGB Staff. “Bethlehem Police Finally 1975. Her identification may assist police in
Identify Body Found in 1981; 41 Years their investigation into her murder. Semen
Later.” CBS News 6. January 13, 2022. was recovered from her body, but there is no
Accessed January 14, 2022. https:// information about whether a DNA profile
cbs6albany.com/news/local/bethlehem-police- from this is available to assist in the homicide
finally-identify-body-found-in-1981-41- investigation.
years-later.
Sources:

Case ID 1521: Fetterolf, Margaret: Baltimore County Government. “‘Woodlawn

Woodlawn Jane Doe Jane Doe’ Identified After 45 Years.”
Baltimore County Government (Press
The body of 16-year-old Margaret Fetterolf Release). September 15, 2021. Accessed
was found on September 12, 1976, just off September 16, 2021. https://
Dogwood Road near the Lorraine Park www.baltimorecountymd.gov/departments/
Cemetery in Woodlawn, Maryland. She had police/news/2021/09/15/woodlawn-jane-doe-
been bound, beaten, sexually assaulted, and identified-after-45-years.
strangled with a ligature. Her body contained
the drug chlorpromazine, which may have Constantino, Abigail. “‘Woodlawn Jane Doe’
been proved to her to facilitate the sexual Identified as Alexandria Teen 45 Years After
assault. Witnesses at the time saw a white van Her Murder.” WTOP News. September 15,
in the area, and police think that her body was 2021. Accessed September 15, 2021. https://

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 377
wtop.com/local/2021/09/woodlawn-jane-doe- for murdering the owner of a coin shop in
identified-as-alexandria-teen-45-years-after- Tarrant County. Ethington shot the man in the
her-death/. back of the head three times during a robbery.
He went to prison again for the aggravated
Rosenwald, Michael. “Forty-Five Years Later, sexual assault of a child. He died in prison in
Virginia Woman Identified as the Woodlawn October of 2019 at the age of 81. The murder
Jane Doe.” Washington Post. September 15, of Fiegener has been cleared by exception.
2021. Accessed September 16, 2021. https://
www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/ Sources:
2021/09/15/woodlawn-jane-doe-margaret-
fetterolf/. Owens, Autumn. “PCSO Identifies Remains,
Gets New Leads in 1985 Cold Case.”
Tron, Gina. “‘Woodlawn Jane Doe’, A Teen Weatherford Democrat. 24 December 2019.
Who Was Raped and Strangled 45 Years Ago, Accessed December 30, 2020. https://
Gets Her Name Back.” Oxygen. September www.weatherforddemocrat.com/news/
16, 2021. Accessed September 16, 2021. local_news/pcso-identifies-remains-gets-new-
https://www.oxygen.com/crime-news/ leads-in-1985-cold-case/
woodlawn-jane-doe-identified-as-missing- article_4049f522-3e35-5efd-8404-4afbd4cd0
teen-margaret-fetterolf. d75.html.

Owens, Autumn. “PCSO Investigators Solve

Case ID 1317: Fiegener, William Arthur: 1980s Cold Case.” Weatherford Democrat.
Parker County John Doe February 6, 2020. Accessed December 30,
2020. https://www.weatherforddemocrat.com/
The skeletal remains of 22-year-old William news/local_news/pcso-investigators-
Arthur Fiegener were found along a roadside solve-1980s-cold-case/
in a shallow grave near Weatherford, Texas in article_a0aa2d22-9b1f-5c0f-
October of 1985. He was known for the next ade4-086243290501.html.
34 years as the Parker County John Doe.

The FGG investigation was performed by Case ID 1726: Fillingim, Theresa Caroline
Parabon Nanolabs. The confirmation was
made to William’s parents, who were living in The skeletal remains of 16-year-old Theresa
Florida. Caroline Fillingim were located on April 3,
1981 in Spring Hill, Florida. Police began
Fiegener had left his home in Brooklyn and excavating a 6-acre junkyard on March 16,
come down to Texas, where he joined up with 1981 looking for human remains at the home
a con man named Forrest Ethington. Fiegener of serial killer Billy Mansfield Jr.
had been arrested for robbing a coin shop, and
he was not seen again after being released. Mansfield was convicted of the rape and
Ethington had told several people that he murder of 30-year-old Rene Sailing in Santa
killed Fiegener before he could testify against Cruz, California that took place in December
him in court. Ethington later went to prison of 1980. His brother, Gary, was charged with

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 378
being an accessory to the murder. The charges https://www.tampabay.com/news/crime/
were dropped in return for Gary’s 2022/07/21/after-4-decades-dna-identifies-
cooperation. After a highly publicized tampa-teen-as-victim-of-serial-killer-billy-
mistrial, Mansfield pled guilty to the murder mansfield/.
of Saling. He would later plead guilty to the
murders of the four women in Florida, as well Mesmer, Aaron. “‘It Floored Me’: Body
as attempted sexual battery on a further Found in Serial Killer’s Backyard 4 Decades
victim. Ago Identified as Teen Who Vanished in
After Mansfield was charged in California, 1980.” Fox 13 News, July 20, 2022. Last
police received a tip to look for a young Modified July 21, 2022. Accessed July 21,
woman named Sandra Graham on his Spring 2022. https://www.fox13news.com/news/it-
Hill property. On March 17, 1981, police floored-me-teen-who-vanished-in-1980-
located the remains of an unidentified woman identified-as-body-found-in-serial-killers-
(Jane Doe No. 1). The following week, police backyard-4-decades-ago.
located the remains of 15-year-old Elaine
Zeigler. Fillingim’s remains were unearthed Schonfeld, Alexandra. “Remains of Teen Girl
on April 3, 1981, and she became known as Missing for Over 40 Years Found at Serial
Jane Doe No. 2. On April 7, 1981, they finally Killer’s Florida Home:Police.” People, July
located the remains of 21-year-old Sandra 21, 2022. Accessed July 21, 2022. https://
Graham. people.com/crime/remains-of-florida-teen-
missing-for-over-40-years-found-at-serial-
A DNA profile was finally developed from killers-home/?utm=newsbreak.
Fillingim’s remains in 2020. The FGG
investigation was conducted by Paragon
Nanolabs, who also performed forensic Case ID 1800: Fitzgerald, Nancy Carol
phenotyping to determine what the decedents
may have looked like. The skeletal remains of 16-year-old Nancy
Carol Fitzgerald were found on December 10,
Fillingim vanished on her way to a job 1988 in Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey.
interview in Tampa. She was reported missing Local residents found her during a
by her sister, Margaret Johns, on May 16, community clean-up along what is now the
1980. She would have turned 17 about a week Henry Hudson Bike Trail. A forensic
after her murder. anthropological investigation showed the
remains to be those of a teenaged woman who
Mansfield is currently serving four life most likely died something around the
sentences in Stockton, California. mid-1970s.

Sources: The FGG investigation was conducted by

Bode Technologies in partnership with the
Dawson, Anastasia. “After 4 Decades, DNA Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office and
Identifies Tampa Teen as Victim of Serial the Atlantic Highlands Police Department,
Killer Billy Mansfield.” Tampa Bay Times, beginning in 2020. The final confirmation
July 21, 2022. Accessed July 21, 2022. was made to her sister, Kathleen Unterberger,

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 379
who was 15 years old when her sister Case ID 1343: Floyd, Christy Lynn
disappeared.
The body of 16-year-old Christy Lynn Floyd
Fitzgerald vanished on April 2, 1972, the day was found on August 7, 1986 in Chesterfield,
after having Easter dinner with her family in Virginia. She was discovered by maintenance
Bloomfield, NJ. Police continue to investigate workers while unloading trash at a landfill
the circumstances surrounding the murder of site. The Virginia Office of the County
Fitzgerald. Her sister has told the police that Medical Examiner determined that she had
Fitzgerald suffered from an addiction, and died by homicide.
had given evidence about her drug supplier
shortly before her disappearance. The FGG investigation was conducted by
Parabon Nanolabs. They analyzed her
Sources: ancestry, coloring and appearance to
reconstruct what she may have looked like.
Adams, Abigail. “Skeletal Remains Found in This generated publicity for her case, and
1988 Belonged to Teen Girl Who Vanished 50 some of Floyd’s relatives came forward with
Years Ago, Investigators Say.” People, DNA samples for testing. Her murderer has
December 6, 2022. Accessed December 8, yet to be identified, and the case remains
2022. https://people.com/human-interest/ open.
skeletal-remains-found-1988-missing-teen-
girl-vanished-50-years-ago-new-jersey/. Sources:

Kalmbacher, Colin. “Remains of Missing Chesterfield Police Department. “Police ID

New Jersey Teen Found More Than 50 Years Teen’s Remains Found in Virginia Landfill in
Following Disappearance After Easter 1986.” Forensic Magazine. August 12, 2020.
Sunday.” Law & Crime, December 6, 2022. Accessed January 2, 2021. https://
Accessed December 8, 2022. https:// www.forensicmag.com/567131-Police-ID-
lawandcrime.com/high-profile/remains-of- Teen-s-Remains-Found-in-Virginia-Landfill-
missing-new-jersey-teen-found-more- in-1986/.
than-50-years-following-disappearance-after-
easter-sunday/. Griset, Rich. “Investigators Identify Remains
of 1986 Homicide Victim.” Chesterfield
Miller, Jax. “Officials Seek Answers After Observer. August 12, 2020. Accessed January
Skeletal remains ID’d as NJ Teen Missing 2, 2021. https://
Since 1972.” Oxygen, December 7, 2022. www.chesterfieldobserver.com/articles/
Accessed December 8, 2022. https:// investigators-identify-remains-of-1986-
www.oxygen.com/crime-news/1988-jane- homicide-victim/.
doe-identified-missing-new-jersey-teen-
nancy-carol-fitzgerald. Wise, Scott. “Police ID Richmond Teen
Whose Body Was Found in a Landfill 34
Years Ago.” CBS 6 News Richmond. August
12, 2020, last modified August 13, 2020.
Accessed January 2, 2021. https://

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 380
www.wtvr.com/news/local-news/police-id- Newsum, Kait. “Remains Found in Morgan
richmond-teen-whose-body-was-found-in-a- County Identified as Courtland Woman
landfill-34-years-ago. Missing for Over 2 Years.” WHNT News,
December 19, 2022. Accessed December 19,
2022. https://whnt.com/news/northwest-
Case ID 1809: Floyd, Wanda Ashford: alabama/remains-found-in-morgan-county-
Morgan County Jane Doe 2020 identified-as-courtland-woman-missing-for-
over-2-years/.
The remains of 61-year-old Wanda Ashford
Floyd were found on July 31, 2020 in
Decatur, Alabama. She was found floating in Case ID 1454: Freund, James Paul:
Flint Creek by a local fisherman. Sumpter Jock Doe

The FGG investigation was undertaken by See also: Buckley, Pamela Mae
Moxxy Forensic Investigations in partnership
with the Decatur Police Department, as well The body of 30-year-old James Paul Freund
as the Mobile and Lawrence County Sheriff’s was found on August 9, 1976 on Locklair
Offices. The funding was provided by Road, between Sumpter and Florence, South
philanthropist and genetic genealogist Carla Carolina. He was found with 25-year-old
Davis. Pamela Mae Buckley. The pair had been
robbed and shot numerous times in the upper
Floyd had been in Decatur General Hospital body. They may have been the victims of a
on the morning of July 15, 2020. She was carjacking, and they had no money or
released a few hours later, but was not seen identification.
and so a missing person report was filed. Her
death is not thought to have been suspicious. Their bodies were exhumed in 2007 for DNA
testing. This showed that they were not
Sources: brother and sister as originally thought, but
there were still no leads as to their identities.
Marie, Erica. “Wanda Floyd, 60: Vanished
After Leaving Hospital in 2020.” Our Black The FGG investigation was conducted by the
Girls, April 7, 2022. Accessed December 19, DNA Doe Project, with bioinformatics work
2022. https://ourblackgirls.com/2022/04/07/ being done by Kevin Lord of Saber
wanda-floyd-60-vanished-after-leaving- Investigations. They found several matches
hospital-in-2020/. on GEDmatch and FTDNA and were able to
produce a list of leads in about two days. This
Moxxy Forensic Investigations. “Case Solve: case was crowdfunded through donations to
Morgan County Jane Doe Identified as Wanda the DNA Doe Project.
Ashford Floyd.” Moxxy Forensic
Investigations, n.d. Accessed December 19, The homicide investigation into the murder of
2022. https://www.moxxyforensics.com/ Freund and Buckley is ongoing.
casework.

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 381
Sources: Authorities suspect foul play in his death and
the case remains open.
Coleburn, Caroline. “Investigators Identify
Victims of 1976 Cold Case Out of Sumter Sources:
County.” WIS News 10 NBC. January 21,
2021, last modified January 22, 2021. Kravetz, Andy, and Phil Luciano. “Man
Accessed January 25, 2021. https:// Whose Remains Were Found in Illinois River
www.wistv.com/2021/01/21/live-sumter-co- Killed a Man in Hawaii in ’02.” Journal Star.
sheriffs-office-shares-new-findings-cold- January 28, 2020. Accessed December 30,
case/. 2020. https://www.pjstar.com/news/
20200128/man-whose-remains-were-found-
DNA Doe Project. “Sumter Jane Doe 1976.” in-illinois-river-killed-man-in-hawaii-in-02.
DNA Doe Project. July 24, 2019. Accessed
January 25, 2021. https://dnadoeproject.org/ WICS, and WRSP Staff. “Skull, Torso Found
case/sumter-jane-doe-1976/. Along Illinois River Identified.” News
Channel ABC 20. January 28, 2020. Accessed
DNA Doe Project. “Sumter Jock Doe 1976.” December 30, 2020. https://
DNA Doe Project. July 24, 2019. Accessed newschannel20.com/news/local/skull-torso-
January 25, 2021. https://dnadoeproject.org/ found-on-illinois-river-shore-identified.
case/sumter-jock-doe-1976/.

Case ID 1492: Funk, Kimberly Ann:

Case ID 1325: Frisch, John H.: Peoria Vancleave Jane Doe
County John Doe
The body of 21-year-old Kimberly Ann Funk
The skull of 56-year-old John Frisch was was found on January 31, 1991 in a swampy
found on June 12, 2017 in Kingston, Illinois, region near Vancleave in rural Jackson
along the river shore. On November 13, 2016, County, Mississippi. Investigators determined
a torso was also found in the Illinois River in her death to be a homicide. Her body may
Schuyler County. DNA testing showed that have lain in the bayou for up to three years. A
the two sets of remains were connected. clay model of her face was made but
Frisch had been killed by blunt force trauma produced no leads. She became known for the
to the head, and his body dismembered. He next 30 years only as the Vancleave Jane Doe.
became known as the Peoria County John
Doe. A DNA profile was extracted from her
remains in 2012, and her information was
The FGG investigation was conducted by the uploaded to NAMUS. In 2019, private
DNA Doe Project. The final confirmation was funding from genealogist Carla Davis and the
made using Frisch’s dental records, which Mississippi State Crime Lab paid for a new
were on file in Hawaii. Frisch had served a DNA sequence to be extracted by Othram.
year in prison for a manslaughter charge in The FGG investigation was also performed
2002 after he had beaten a man during a bar by Othram. The final confirmation was made
fight. to a living brother.

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 382
 Funk went missing sometime in April to June in Monroe County, Indiana. He was
of 1990. The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office determined to be the victim of a homicide,
continues to investigate her murder. and investigators believed that he had lain in
the area for up to a year before being located.
Sources:
A facial reconstruction was performed, and a
Gauntner, Mike. “Remains Found 30 Years clay model was produced. His information
Ago in Mississippi Swamp Identified as was entered into CODIS and NamUs. The
Sharon Woman.” WFMJ 21 NBC News. June FGG investigation was conducted by Othram
10, 2021. Accessed June 12, 2021. https:// in partnership with the Monroe County
www.wfmj.com/story/44076236/remains- Sheriff’s Office, beginning in 2022. The final
found-30-years-ago-in-mississippi-swamp- confirmation was made to a living nephew.
identified-as-sharon-woman? Funding was provided by the Monroe County
fbclid=IwAR3p2DM7I3JwD0io0uNk2gb8fzlI Council.
lStVf3bXMyY0v-
PUdqo820ck5WkFqlo#.YMJcy40ulcA.faceb Gabbard, who was from Louisville,
ook. Kentucky, was reported missing by his
family. Police continue to investigate his
Othram. “Jackson County Sheriff’s Office murder.
and Mississippi State Crime Laboratory Team
with Othram to Identify Vancleave Jane Doe.” Sources:
DNASolves. June 10, 2021. Accessed June 12,
2021. https://dnasolves.com/articles/ Hogan, Jeremy. “Monroe County Homicide
vancleave_jane_doe/. Victim Steven Gabbard Identified Through
DNA.” The Bloomingtonian, October 17,
Unidentified Wiki. “Kimberly Funk.” 2022. Accessed October 21, 2022. https://
Wikia.org. n.d. Accessed June 12, 2021. bloomingtonian.com/2022/10/17/monroe-
https://unidentified.wikia.org/wiki/ county-homicide-victim-steven-gabbard-
Kimberly_Funk. identified-through-dna/.

WXXV Staff. “They Now Know Her Name, Vogen, Michael. “Monroe County Sheriff’s
But What Happened to Kimberly Ann Funk?” Office Teams with Othram to Identify 2004
WXXV Fox News 25. June 10, 2021. Accessed Homicide Victim.” DNASolves.com, October
June 12, 2021. https://www.wxxv25.com/ 17, 2022. Accessed October 21, 2022. https://
they-now-know-her-name-but-what- dnasolves.com/articles/monroe-county-
happened-to-kimberly-ann-funk/. steven-gabbard/.

WTHR.com Staff. “DNA Technology

Case ID 1773: Gabbard, Steven Positively Identifies Skeletal Remains Found
in Monroe County in 2004.” WTHR News 13,
The skeletal remains of 38-year-old Steven October 17, 2022. Accessed October 21,
Gabbard were found by local hunters in May 2022. https://www.wthr.com/article/news/
of 2004 in a wooded area near Lake Lemon, crime/skeletal-remains-positively-identified-

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 383
dna-technology-monroe-county-steven- This is thought to be the oldest case, at the
gabbard-louisville-indianapolis/531- date it was cleared, that has been solved with
a2232acb-d988-4df0-a368-b6fed24a7a73. the assistance of NCMEC – the National
Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Police continue to investigate Gallegos’
Case ID 1664: Gallegos, Sharon Lee: Little murder.
Miss Nobody
Sources:
The decomposed remains of 4-year-old
Sharon Lee Gallegos were found on July 31, Luperon, Alberto. “‘Little Miss Nobody’
1960, in Congress, Arizona. She was found Finally Identified Almost 62 Years After
by a schoolteacher from Las Vegas who was Teacher Found Her in Arizona Desert.” Law
looking in the desert for rocks to decorate his & Crime, March 15, 2022. Accessed March
garden. She had been buried in a shallow 16, 2022. https://lawandcrime.com/crime/
grave. Police thought that she might have little-miss-nobody-finally-identified-
been a little girl who had recently been almost-62-years-after-teacher-found-her-in-
abducted in New Mexico, but the clothing arizona-desert/.
and a footprint comparison did not match.
The remains were also thought to have been O’Neill, Jesse. “Slain Girl ‘Little Miss
of an older, 7-year-old, child and so police Nobody Identified 62 Years Later.” New York
explored other leads. Post, March 16, 2022. Accessed March 16,
2022. https://nypost.com/2022/03/16/
The girl’s body was exhumed in 2015, but a arizona-4-year-old-girl-abducted-62-years-
DNA profile could not be obtained at that ago-idd-as-sharon-lee-gallegos/.
time. A 3-dimensional facial reconstruction
was performed in 2016 but generated no new Williams, Linda, Stephanie Bennett, May
leads. The FGG investigation was performed Phan, Brent Corrado, and Associated Press.
by Othram. The final confirmation was made “‘Little Miss Nobody’: After 62 Years, Girl
to living relatives. Identified in 1960 Arizona Cold Case.” Fox
10 News Phoenix, March 13, 2022. Accessed
Investigators have now learned that Gallegos March 16, 2022. https://
was abducted from her grandmother’s home www.fox10phoenix.com/news/little-miss-
in Alamogordo, New Mexico, on July 21, nobody-after-62-years-girl-identified-
1960 – she was indeed the missing girl police in-1960-arizona-cold-case?
had initially investigated. She had been fbclid=IwAR3A59kAGf1_lh6zvzeSLe2WxjT
dragged into a “dirty old green car” by an guK_Vjub9UNClzy1FPRebfy5tI14qkn0.
unknown couple, who had earlier stalked the
little girl. It is not known why the footprint
comparison did not match, but this form of
forensic identification is no longer considered
sufficiently individualizing for use in
investigations.

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 384
Case ID 1473: Garber, Shawna Beth: Sources:
Grace Doe
Clayton, James. “Finding ‘Grace’: Murder,
The remains of 22-year-old Shawna Beth DNA and Ancestry.” BBC News. July 15,
Garber were found on December 2, 1990 by a 2021. Accessed July 17, 2021. https://
couple walking along a rural road in www.bbc.com/news/technology-57801794.
McDonald County, Missouri. Garber had
been sexually assaulted and strangled. She Gilbert, Gary. “McDonald County ‘Grace
had been hog tied with a variety of bindings – Doe’ Identified After 30 Years with Help of
including nylon and lead ropes, coaxial and DNA From Half-Sibling.” OzarksFirst.com.
telephone cables, clothesline, as well as March 31, 2021. Accessed 3 April 2021.
military grade rope – and dumped behind a https://www.ozarksfirst.com/local-news/local-
rural farmhouse. news-local-news/mcdonald-county-grace-
doe-identified-after-30-years-with-help-of-
A DNA profile was obtained and uploaded in dna-from-half-sibling/.
CODIS and NAMUS in 2009, and a forensic
facial reconstruction was performed. Higgs, Heath. “McDonald County Authorities
Detective Lori Howard stated that she would Seek to Identify ‘Grace Doe’ Found
be identified “only by the Grace of God,” and Murdered in 1990.” KNWA Fox 24 News.
this became the nickname that she was known October 23, 2020. Accessed April 3, 2021.
by for the next two decades. https://www.nwahomepage.com/news/
around-the-region/mcdonald-county-
The FGG investigation was performed by authorities-seek-to-identify-grace-doe-found-
Orthram/DNA Solves, in cooperation with Dr. murdered-in-1990/.
Jennifer Bengtson and her anthropology
students at the Southeast Missouri State Othram. “Grace Doe ID’ed After 30 Years.”
University (SMSU). Funding for the Forensic Magazine. March 31, 2021.
investigation was provided through the DNA Accessed 3 April 3, 2021. https://
Solves crowdfunding platform, as well as a www.forensicmag.com/574776-Grace-Doe-
grant from the SMSU University Foundation. ID-ed-After-30-Years/.

The final confirmation was made with a half- Othram. “The McDOnald County Sheriff’s
sister of Garner, Danielle Pixler, who had Office has Partnered with Othram and SEMO
been looking for her sister ever since she left Anthropology to Identify Grace Doe.”
foster care in Garnett, Kansas. Police in Othram/DNA Solves. March 31, 2021.
McDonald County continue to investigate Accessed April 3, 2021. https://
Garber’s murder. Shawna and an older dnasolves.com/articles/grace_doe/#timeline.
brother had been taken into care at a young
age due to domestic abuse at the hands of
their mother. Shawna’s older brother has
reported that when she was about 6 years old,
Shawna’s mother doused her with lighter
fluid and set her on fire.

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 385
Case ID 1810: Gattaino, Louis Anthony evidence-identifies-minnesota-cold-case-
victim/42311390.
The skeletal remains of 34-year-old Louis
Anthony Gattaino were found on March 13, Minnesota Department of Safety. “DDP Helps
1981 in Beaver Creek Township, Minnesota. ID 1971 Murder Victim.” Forensic Magazine,
A state transportation worker came across his December 21, 2022. Accessed December 24,
remains while cleaning out a culvert near 2022. https://www.forensicmag.com/593103-
Rock City Road 23 and the Interstate-90 DDP-Helps-ID-1971-Murder-Victim/.
Highway. It was determined that he may have
died sometime in late 1980. The culvert was Strande, Bill. “DNA Helps Identify Cold Case
cleaned on October 21, 1980, at which time Murder Victim Found in Minnesota.” KARE
no human remains were noticed. 11 News, December 20, 2022. Accessed
December 24, 2022. https://www.kare11.com/
The FGG investigation was conducted by the article/news/crime/dna-helps-identify-cold-
DNA Doe Project in partnership with the case-murder-victim-found-in-minnesota/89-
Ramsey County Medical Examiner’s Office, db2e9061-d6b8-4c13-83b0-907f6e384360.
as well as the Rock County Sheriff’s Office
and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Unidentified Wiki. “Louis Gattaino.”
Apprehension. The investigation was funded Wikia.org, n.d. Accessed December 24, 2022.
through donations in the amount of $2900 to https://unidentified-awareness.fandom.com/
the DNA Doe Project. The final confirmation wiki/Louis_Gattaino.
was made to living relatives.

Gattaino was missing since October of 1971 Case ID 1211: Geauga’s Child
from his home in Omaha, Nebraska, when he
would have been 25 years old. Police The remains of a baby boy were found March
continue to investigate his murder. 25, 1993 in Thompson Township, Ohio.
Cheryl Jenkins, a 21-year-old newspaper
Sources: delivery driver, found the baby lying dead in
the road. He had been mauled by animals. He
DNA Doe Project. “Rock County John Doe was named Geauga’s Child by the local
1981.” DNA Doe Project, January 30, 2022. community, who buried him and put up a
Last modified December 21, 2022. Accessed headstone in the Maple Grove Cemetery.
December 24, 2022. https://
dnadoeproject.org/case/rock-co-john- There is no information on who conducted the
doe-1981/. FGG investigation. On June 6, 2019, police
arrested Gail Eastwood-Ritchie, and charged
KETV Staff. “DNA Helps Identify Minnesota her with murder and aggravated murder. She
Cold Case Victim as 25-Year-Old Man From was about 23 years old when Geauga’s Child
Omaha.” KETV 7 News Omaha, December was born. She later married the father of the
22, 2022. Accessed December 24, 2022. baby and they had three more children, all
https://www.ketv.com/article/omaha-dna- now grown.

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 386
Eastwood-Ritchie has confessed to www.news-herald.com/news/ongoing-
abandoning the baby by placing him in a trash coronavirus-concerns-move-back-geaugas-
bag and leaving him in a wooded area. She is child-murder-trial/article_b59f689e-
out on bond while the trial is pending in e7c0-11ea-a6cb-6bba946a13fe.html.
Geauga County, Her trial has been postponed
due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but is CBS/AP News. “Ohio Woman Sentenced to
scheduled for March 29, 2021. Life in Prison, 29 Years After Newborn Son
Found Dead on Road by Newspaper
Eastwood-Ritchie has also confessed to Carriers.” CBS News, May 25, 2022.
killing another child two years earlier in Accessed November 18, 2022. https://
Cuyahoga County. There are few details on www.cbsnews.com/news/gail-eastwood-
this case, which is still under investigation as ritchey-life-sentence-murder-1993-death-
the body has not yet been found. newborn-geaugas-child/.
Goldenberg, Sara. “How ‘Geauga’s Child’, a
Kalovec interviewed several of the family 26-Year-Old Case, Was Solved by Detectives
members whose DNA uploads were used to (Timeline).” Cleveland 19 News. August 5,
identify Geauga’s Child. Investigators found a 2019. Accessed December 30, 2020. https://
third cousin of Geauga’s Child, and a relative www.cleveland19.com/2019/08/05/mother-
named Dave Gilger, who assisted geaugas-child-scheduled-face-judge-tuesday-
investigators with building out the family year-cold-case-murder/.
tree. In this case, relatives knew they were
looking to identify their little cousin and solve Johnson, Constance. “Jury Convicts Ohio
his murder, and they reported to Kalovec that Woman of Murder Nearly 30 Years After
they were happy and willing to do this. Mutilated Newborn Was Found.” Oxygen,
April 5, 2022. Accessed April 9, 2022. https://
On April 4, 2022, a jury convicted Eastwood- www.oxygen.com/crime-news/gail-eastwood-
Ritchie of homicide after 5 hours of ritchey-convicted-murder-newborn-geaugas-
deliberation. They acquitted her of the more child.
serious aggravated murder charge. An
autopsy report introduced at trial showed that Karlovec, John. “Third Cousin’s DNA Helps
the infant has likely been born alive and had Solve Geauga’s Child Mystery.” Geauga
drawn breath. Maple Leaf. September 1, 2019. Accessed
December 30, 2020. https://
On May 24, 2022, Eastwood-Ritchie was www.geaugamapleleaf.com/news/third-
sentenced to life in prison with the possibility cousins-dna-helps-solve-geaugas-child-
of parole in 15 years. mystery-w-video/.

Sources: Peters, Benjamin. “‘Geauga’s Child’s’ Mother

Arrested in Unsolved Murder Case that Went
Cass, Andrew. “Ongoing Coronavirus Unsolved for 26 Years.” Cleveland.com. June
Concerns Move Back Geauga’s Child Murder 6, 2019. Accessed December 30, 2020.
Trial.” News-Herald. August 27, 2020. https://www.cleveland.com/crime/2019/06/
Accessed December 30, 2020. https:// geauga-childs-mother-arrested-in-unsolved-

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 387
murder-case-that-went-unsolved-for-26- in his 30s who worked as an upholsterer in
years.html. Vienna, Virginia and who drove a white
Cadillac Eldorado with a red interior.

Case ID 1762: Gildawie, Patricia Agnes Sources:

(“Choubie”)
Banik, Shivam. “Who Killed Patricia
The remains of 17-year-old Patricia Agnes Gildawie? Remains Found in 2001 Identified
(“Choubi”) Gildawie were found on as 17-Year-Old Missing Since 1975.”
September 27, 2001 in Mclean, Virginia. Her Meaww, September 27, 2022. Accessed
remains were located in a drainage ditch by a September 27, 2022. https://meaww.com/
local construction crew. It was determined who-killed-patricia-gildawie-remains-found-
that she died from a gunshot wound to the in-2001-identified-as-17-yr-old-missing-
head, perhaps a few months to two years since-1975.
before she was located. It was thought at the
time that she might be of African American Bensen, Jack, Andrea Swalec, and NBC
ancestry. Washington Staff. “Body of 17-Year-Old
Who Went Missing in 1975 Identified.” NBC
The FGG investigation was conducted by News 4 Washington, September 27, 2022.
Othram in partnership with the Fairfax Accessed September 27, 2022. https://
County Police Department, beginning in www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/body-
2022. The final confirmation was made by of-virginia-17-year-old-who-went-missing-
kinship testing with her half-sister, Veronique in-1975-identified/3166456/.
Duperly.
Czachor, Emily Mae. “Police Use Advanced
Gildawie was born in France in 1958 and DNA Testing to Identify Body of Teenager
immigrated to the US when she was 8 months Who Disappeared in 1975.” CBS News,
old. She disappeared when she was 17 years September 27, 2022. Accessed September 27,
old. At the time, her family states that she had 2022. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/body-
been dating an older man. Her sister noticed missing-teenager-identified-patricia-agnes-
visible bruises on her body on several gildawie-disappeared-1975-dna-testing/.
occasions. She was last seen on February 8,
1975. Vogen, Michael. “Fairfax County PD teams
with Othram to Identify a Homicide Victim
Her sister states that she tried to put up Found in 2001.” DNASolves.com, September
posters after her sister disappeared, but she 26, 2022. Accessed September 27, 2022.
never received any information. She also https://dnasolves.com/articles/fairfax-county-
states that she was unable to hire a private patricia-gildawie/.
investigator and that police were not helpful
at the time.

Police continue to investigate her murder.

They are looking for information about a man

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 388
Case ID 1709: Gipson, Gerron Yolo County District Attorney. “Law
Enforcement Identifies Victim in 1999 Yolo
The remains of 29-year-old Gerron Gipson County Cold Case Homicide.” Yolo County
were found on March 4, 1999 in a rural area District Attorney (Press Release), June 3,
of Yolo County, near Clarksburg, California. 2022. Accessed June 5, 2022. https://
His remains, found near the banks of a yoloda.org/1999-cold-case-homicide-victim-
slough, were badly decomposed. The cause of identified-using-investigative-genetic-
his death was determined to be homicide, but genealogy/.
he could not be identified.

There is no information on who conducted the Case ID 1750: Glatzel, John Howard
FGG investigation or how the final
confirmation was made. The partially skeletonized remains of 18-year-
old John Howard Glatzel, were found on July
Gipson is reported to have ties to the 6, 1982 in Houston, Texas. His remains were
Sacramento area. The police continue to located in a field near the 4200 block and
investigate his murder. Schurmier Road. An autopsy determined that
he had died by manual strangulation. He was
Sources: wearing grey corduroys, a plaid shirt and
cowboy boots. He had no identification, and
Bass, Liam. “Law Enforcement Identifies his description did not match that of any
Victim in 1999 Yolo County Cold Case.” CBS known missing person.
13 News Sacramento, June 3, 2022. Accessed
June 5, 2022. https:// A partial STR profile was developed at some
sacramento.cbslocal.com/2022/06/03/1999- point in the investigation, but led to no new
yolo-county-homicide-victim-identified/. leads. The FGG investigation was conducted
by Othram, in partnership with the Houston
Porras, Gabriel. “23 Years After Killing, Police Department, the Harris County
Gerron Gipson Identified as Yolo County Institute of Forensic Sciences, and the Texas
Homicide Victim.” ABC 10 News, June 4, Rangers Unsolved Crimes Investigation
2022. Accessed June 5, 2022. https:// Program, beginning in August of 2021. The
www.abc10.com/article/news/local/ genealogical work was conducted by Carla
woodland/gerron-gipson-cold-case/ Davis. The final confirmation was made to a
103-87fa14d3- living family member.
cb44-41bb-965b-5f5b72ffd882.
Glatzel was born on December 30, 1964. A
Williams, Dominique. “Victim Identified in missing persons report was not filed in his
1999 Yolo County Cold Case Homicide case. Police continue to investigate his
Using Genetic Genealogy.” Sacramento Bee, murder.
June 4, 2022. Accessed June 5, 2022. https://
www.sacbee.com/news/local/crime/
article262164302.html.

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 389
Sources:
The police continue to investigate Gomez’s
Fischer, Courtney. “13 Unsolved: 18-year-Old death. A case of death, or whether it is
Identified Nearly 40 Years After Murder, considered suspicious, has not been disclosed.
Thanks to New DNA Technology.” ABC
News 13, September 7, 2022. Accessed Sources:
September 9, 2022. https://abc13.com/john-
glatzel-cold-case-reopened-18-year-old- Othram Inc. “Ector County Sheriff’s Office &
found-body-dumped-on-road/12209306/. Texas Rangers Team with Othram to Identify
Gardendale John Doe.” DNASolves.com.
Vogen, Michael. “Harris County Institute of October 14, 2021. Accessed October 15,
Forensic Sciences, HPD, and the Texas 2021. https://dnasolves.com/articles/
Rangers Team with Othram to Identify 1982 ector_county_gardendale_doe/.
Homicide Victim.” DNASolves.com,
September 7, 2022. Accessed September 9, Unidentified Wiki. “Timothy Gomez.”
2022. https://dnasolves.com/articles/john- Wikia.org. n.d. Accessed October 15, 2021.
glatzel-harris-county/. https://unidentified.wikia.org/wiki/
Timothy_Gomez.
Unidentified Wiki. “John Glatzel.” Wikia.org,
n.d. https://unidentified-
awareness.fandom.com/wiki/John_Glatzel. Case ID 1813: Gonzales, Daniel Garza:
Saginaw County John Doe 1973

Case ID 1535: Gomez, Timothy Daniel: The remains of 28-year-old Daniel Garza
Gardendale John Doe Gonzales were found on March 13, 1973,
near Zilwaukee Township, Michigan. He was
The skull of Timothy Daniel Gomez was found floating in the Saginaw River by a local
found on September 10, 2019, by a cattle fisherman. He had been shot about 7 times,
rancher in Ector County, Texas. A search of and also suffered blunt force trauma to the
the area turned up further remains, including back of his head. He was estimated to have
the jaw and teeth, a pelvic bone, and several been deceased for about 6 weeks.
fragments of femur bone, as well as some of
the deceased’s clothing. The Tarrant County The case was reopened in 2020, and the FGG
Medical Examiner’s Office determined that investigation was conducted by the DNA Doe
the male had been deceased for about 2 to 5 Project, in partnership with the Michigan
years. Investigators could not identify the State Police. Samples were prepared from
young man, and a DNA profile uploaded to hair and bone by Astrea Forensics. The
CODIS produced no new leads. He became investigation was complicated by the fact that
known as the Gardendale John Doe. He is Garza Gonzales is of Hispanic ancestry, a
estimated to be about 22-35 years old. population which is underrepresented in
genealogy databases. The DNA Doe Project
The FGG investigation was conducted by made a special appeal for possible relatives of
Othram. Garza Gonzales to upload their DNA. The

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 390
final confirmation was made to relatives his remains. He is thought to have died about
living in Beeville, Texas. 8 years prior.

Garza Gonzales had recently been injured in The FGG investigation was conducted by the
Vietman. Before his disappearance, he had DNA Doe Project. The FGG investigation
left his home in Fort Worth Texas to look for took almost three years, due to the distance of
work in Flint, Michigan, and was not heard the relative matches. About 20 volunteers
from again. Police continue to investigate his worked on the case over the years. The final
murder. confirmation was made to Gooch’s father.

Sources: Gooch’s family had reported him missing in

1996 after they had not heard from him since
Ainsworth, Amber. “Body Found Floating in sometime in 1995. At that time, he was on his
Saginaw River 50 Years Ago Identified as way from San Diego to Las Vegas.
Texas Man.” Fox 2 News Detroit, January 5,
2023. Accessed January 7, 2023. https:// His cause and manner of death has not been
www.fox2detroit.com/news/body-found- disclosed, but police are continuing to
floating-in-saginaw-river-50-years-ago- investigate.
identified-thanks-to-dna.
Sources:
Associated Press. “DNA Helps ID Texas
Man’s Body Found in Saginaw River in ’73.” DNA Doe Project. “Marion Flathead Co John
Detroit Free Press, January 6, 2023. Accessed Doe.” DNA Doe Project. May 2, 2019. Last
January 7, 2023. https://www.freep.com/ Modified February 8, 2022. Accessed
story/news/local/michigan/2023/01/06/daniel- February 11, 2022. https://dnadoeproject.org/
g-garza-gonzales-body-saginaw-river/ case/marion-flathead-co-john-doe/.
69783672007/.
Franz, Justin. “Finding Steven.” Flathead
DNA Doe Project. “Saginaw Co John Doe Beacon, August 8, 2022. Accessed August 25,
1973.” DNA Doe Project, May 20, 2022. Last 2022. https://flatheadbeacon.com/2022/08/08/
Modified January 5, 2023. Accessed January finding-steven/.
7, 2023. https://dnadoeproject.org/case/
saginaw-co-john-doe-1973/. Wegner, Helena. “A Washington Man
Disappeared in 1995. His Remains Were Just
Identified, Sheriff Says.” Charlotte Observer.
Case ID 1645: Gooch, Steven Edward: February 11, 2022. Accessed February 11,
Marion Flathead Co John Doe 2003 2022. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/
crime/a-washington-man-disappeared-
The partially skeletonized remains of 30-year- in-1995-his-remains-were-just-identified-
old Steven Edward Gooch were found on sheriff-says/ar-AATKk8a.
October 26, 2003, in Marlon, Montana. Some
clothing and personal effects were found with Wiley, Elizabeth. “Steven Gooch Last Spoke
to His Family in 1995. His Remains Were

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 391
Finally Identified Thanks to DNA.” KREM 2 enable a much more accurate picture of the
News. February 7, 2022. Last Modified victim.
February 9, 2022. Accessed February 11,
2022. https://www.krem.com/article/news/ Gray was from San Francisco, where her
crime/dna-used-to-identify-remains-of- family had reported her missing. The
bothell-man/281-6f2e0325-becf-48b7-888f- investigation into her death is ongoing, and
a6d524c978be. police hope that identifying her will help with
solving her murder.

Case ID 1306: Gray, Perrean Sources:

The body of 20-year-old Perrean Gray was Dickman, Cassie. “Could DNA Technology
found on June 29, 2001 in Sacramento, Help Identify Body from Dumpster Fire
California. Police had been called to a Nearly 20 Years Ago?” Sacramento Bee. May
dumpster fire. The fire was so hot that the 26, 2018. Accessed December 30, 2020.
metal dumpster had been partially melted. https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/crime/
When firefighters finally extinguished the article211990214.html.
fire, they found the body of a young woman.
Her hair, clothing, and skin had all been Gray, Jacquelyn. “After 18 Years, DNA
burned away, making identification difficult. Identifies Woman Discovered in Burning
Soot was in her lungs, and so medical Dumpster.” Crime Online. November 29,
examiners concluded that she had died in the 2019. Accessed December 30, 2020. https://
fire. www.crimeonline.com/2019/11/29/after-18-
years-dna-identifies-woman-discovered-in-
The FGG investigation was conducted by burning-dumpster/.
Parabon Nanolabs. Facial reconstruction was
performed at the time of her death, but she Smith, Darrell. “Woman Found Dead in
was erroneously identified as being a light- Sacramento Dumpster Fire Identified with
skinned woman of European ancestry. DNA Nearly 2 Decades Later.” Sacramento
Investigators first turned to Parabon in 2017 Bee. November 26, 2019. Accessed
for forensic phenotyping. Parabon’s analysis December 30, 2020. https://www.sacbee.com/
showed that she had brown or dark brown article237814674.html.
skin and was primarily of West African
ancestry. Sernoffsky, Evan. “Woman ID’d Years After
Being Burned in Sacramento Dumpster Was
Analyzing her DNA enabled a much more Missing in SF.” San Francisco Chronicle.
accurate picture of Gray to be developed – November 27, 2019. Accessed December 30,
one that correctly portrayed her as an African 2020. https://www.sfchronicle.com/crime/
American woman. This is an example of how article/Woman-IDd-18-years-after-being-
forensic phenotyping and ancestry analysis burned-in-14868042.php.
might make a difference to an investigation.
Facial reconstruction in addition to forensic
phenotyping of ancestry and colouring can

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 392
Case ID 1389: Griffin, Donna Kay when the Benton County Sheriff’s Office was
able to obtain an order to exhume Grow’s
The body of 37-year-old Donna Griffin was remains for DNA testing. A partial profile was
found on October 23, 1987, along Route 33 in developed by the Arkansas Crime Lab.
Bushkill Township, Pennsylvania. Her cause
of death is undetermined. No one had ever The FGG investigation was conducted by
reported her missing. Othram, in partnership with the Benton
County Sheriff’s Office, beginning in April of
The FGG investigation was undertaken by 2021. Othram were able to develop a full
Bode Technologies. The final confirmation DNA profile suitable for FGG. The final
was made to a living child of Griffin’s. The confirmation was made to a close relative of
investigation into her death is continuing. Grow.

Sources: Grow had left his home in Fayetteville,

Arkansas on June 3, 1981 to visit family in
Rhodin, Tony. “Woman Whose Remains Were Kansas City, Wichita, and Colorado. He was
Found in 1987 Along Route 33 is Identified, last seen in the Kansas City area giving a ride
33 Years Later.” Leigh Valley Live. June 26, to two women. Police have questioned these
2020. Accessed December 30, 2020. https:// women as they continue their investigation
www.lehighvalleylive.com/news/2020/06/ into Grow’s murder.
woman-whose-body-was-found-in-1987-
along-rt-33-is-identified.html? Sources:
fbclid=IwAR2kE-
he8sdrgbEcX1d7_SgMklhtmz7Bkycv0Fi- McCandless, C.C., and Macy Davis. “Benton
rsyJvUymudbeHnqeVPA. County IDs Three Cold Case Homicide
Victims.” KNWA Fox News 24, October 25,
Unidentified Wiki. “Donna Griffin.” 2022. Accessed October 29, 2022. https://
Wikia.org. 2020. Accessed December 30, www.nwahomepage.com/news/benton-
2020. https://unidentified.wikia.org/wiki/ county-ids-three-cold-case-homicide-victims/.
Donna_Griffin.
Neal, Tracy. “Detectives Now Have IDs for
Murder Victims Known for Decades as Bone
Case ID 1778: Grow, Fred James Woman, Lake Man, and John Doe in Benton
County.” Northwest Arkansas Democrat
The remains of 33-year-old Fred James Gazette, October 26, 2022. Accessed October
(“Jamie”) Grow were found on June 13, 1981 29, 2022. https://www.nwaonline.com/news/
in Garfield, Arkansas. He had been shot, and 2022/oct/26/detectives-now-have-ids-for-
his body had been left in a wooded area murder-victims-known/.
outside of town. He was buried in an
unmarked grave in Bentonville Cemetery. Vogen, Michael. “Benton County Sheriff’s
Office Teams with Othram to Identify a 1981
His information was entered into NamUS in Homicide Victim.” DNASolves.com, October
June of 2009. The case was reopened in 2019, 25, 2022. Accessed October 29, 2022. https://

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 393
dnasolves.com/articles/benton-county-fred- www.reviewjournal.com/crime/homicides/
james-grow/. sisters-dna-used-to-id-las-vegas-homicide-
victim-missing-since-1996-2543039/.

Case ID 1660: Guarro, Richard Wayne: Vogen, Michael. “Las Vegas Metropolitan
Tortoise Reserve Doe Police Department Teams with Othram to
Identify Tortoise Reserve Doe.”
The remains of 39-year-old Richard Wayne DNASolves.com, March 10, 2022. Accessed
Guarro were found on July 7, 2001, in a March 12, 2022. https://dnasolves.com/
remote area in the desert northeast of Las articles/LVMPD_richard_wayne_guarro/.
Vegas. Several bones were located about 5
miles from the Interstate-15 highway. His
death was ruled a homicide by the Clark Case ID 1767: Gunnerson, Cynthia
County Coroner’s Office.
The remains of Cynthia Gunnerson were
The FGG investigation was conducted by found on September 9, 2014 in Twin Falls
Othram, beginning in October of 2021 when a County, Idaho. She was floating in the Snake
DNA profile was developed from Guarro’s River near the Perrine Bridge by a kayaker. A
skeletal remains. The final confirmation was facial reconstruction was performed, and her
made to Guarro’s sister. The investigation was fingerprints were taken, but she could not be
funded by Audiochuck. identified. Her cause of death was determined
to be suicide. She was buried by the
Guarro’s family last heard from him the week community in October of that year in the
before he was due to return home to Florida Sunset Memorial Park.
on November 18, 1996, from what was to
have been a short visit to Las Vegas. Police The FGG investigation was conducted by
continue to investigate his homicide. Othram in partnership with the Twin Falls
County Sheriff’s Office, and the Idaho Cold
Sources: Case Advanced DNA Methods Working
Group (ICCADM), beginning in April of
Lacanlale, Rio. “He Never Returned from Las 2022. The investigation was funded by a
Vegas in 1996. Recent DNA Tests Shed Light grant from the Bureau of Justice Assistance.
on His Disappearance.” Reno Gazette
Journal, March 10, 2022. Accessed March Gunnerson, also known as Sasha Ergateage,
12, 2022. https://www.rgj.com/story/news/ was from San Diego. Police continue to
2022/03/10/richard-wayne-guarro- investigate the circumstances surrounding her
disappearance-gets-answers-after-dna-test- death.
results/6988902001/.
Sources:
Schnur, Sabrina. “Sister’s DNA Used to ID
Las Vegas Homicide Victim Missing Since Bruhl, Zach. “The Identity of 2014 Jane Doe
1996.” Las Vegas Review-Journal, March 10, in Twin Falls has Been Uncovered.” KMVT
2022. Accessed March 12, 2022. https:// 11 News, October 12, 2022. Accessed October

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 394
16, 2022. https://www.kmvt.com/2022/10/13/ Hamm. The cause of death has not yet been
identity-2014-jane-doe-twin-falls-has-finally- determined. Hamm was from Michigan and
been-uncovered/. had worked in economic development for
municipalities.
Twin Falls County Sheriff’s Office. “Woman
Found Deceased in Snake River Eight Years Sources:
Ago Identified Using Forensic Genetic
Genealogy.” Big Country News, October 12, DNA Doe Project. “Lee County John Doe.”
2022. Accessed October 16, 2022. https:// DNA Doe Project. June 6, 2019. Accessed
www.bigcountrynewsconnection.com/idaho/ December 30, 2020. https://
woman-found-deceased-in-snake-river-eight- dnadoeproject.org/case/lee-county-john-
years-ago-identified-using-forensic-genetic- doe-1984/.
genealogy/ Forensic Magazine. “DNA Doe Project IDs
article_46a2ec6a-4a7c-11ed-9c0f-8371094c3 1984 John Doe.” Forensic Magazine. October
e91.html. 28, 2020. Accessed December 30, 2020.
https://www.forensicmag.com/569621-DNA-
Vogen, Michael. “Idaho State Police Forensic Doe-Project-IDs-1984-John-Doe/.
Services and Twin Falls County Sheriff’s and
Coroner’s Office Team With Othram to Lee County Sheriff’s Office (Texas).
Identify a 2014 Jane Doe.” DNASolves.com, “Confirmed Sibling of Skeletal Remains.”
October 12, 2022. Accessed October 16, Lee County Sheriff’s Office (Press, Release).
2022. https://dnasolves.com/articles/twin- October 21, 2020. Accessed December 30,
falls-cynthia-gunnerson/. 2020. https://www.leecountysherifftx.org/
press_view.php?id=56.

Case ID 1418: Hamm, James: Lee County

John Doe Case ID 1602: Hammonds, Meresa:
Yonkers Jane Doe
The remains of 35-year-old James Hamm
were found on November 17, 1984 in The body of 31-year-old Meresa Hammonds
Giddings, Texas. Locals hunting in a rural was found on June 27, 1992, in a dumpster
area came across skeletal remains. behind a pizza parlour in Yonkers, New York.
Investigators were able to find only four She had been dismembered, and her body
bones, one of which was his cranium. Facial placed in black trash bags.
reconstructions and radioisotope analysis
were performed. It is estimated that he died The FGG investigation was conducted by the
about 6 months to a year before he was found. FBI. The final confirmation was made to
He became known as the Lee County John Hammonds’ sister and two brothers, as well
Doe. as an adult son.

The FGG analysis was conducted by Kevin Hammonds is known to have been a victim of
Lord of the DNA Doe Project. The serial killer Robert Schulman, who was
confirmation was made to his brother, Eugene convicted of killing and dismembering 5

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 395
women in the 1990s. He preyed on sex Murphy, Mary. “Serial Killer’s ‘Yonkers Jane
workers. He would take them back to his Doe’ ID’d Nearly 30 Years After Body Found
apartment in Patachogue, New York, in Dumpster.” PIX11 News. December 13,
bludgeon them to death, dismember them, 2021. Accessed December 22, 2021. https://
and then dispose of their bodies in dumpsters pix11.com/news/themissing/serial-killers-
in and around Long Island. He died in prison yonkers-jane-doe-idd-nearly-30-years-after-
in 2006. body-found-in-dumpster/.

Schulman’s brother, Barry Schulman, was

convicted and sentenced to two years for Case ID 1738: Harrison, Dorothy: Upham
helping dispose of the bodies. As reported by Girl
Miller, he stated, “My brother begged me to
do it. What could I do?” said Barry Shulman The skeletal remains of 16-year-old Dorothy
in his confession. “Anyone would do it for Harrison were found on March 10, 1985 near
their brother.” Upham, Doña Ana County, New Mexico.
Local hunters had found the remains of a
Hammonds’ son, Jason Di Tripani, was only a young woman in a shallow grave in the
toddler when his mother disappeared in 1992. desert, just off the Interstate-25 highway. She
He did not know his mother, or her family, is thought to have lain there for about 3 to 6
and was under the impression that his mother months before being discovered. She is likely
left him. He told Murphy that, “It was hard the victim of a homicide, but she could not be
growing up, thinking she was out there and identified and the case went cold.
not looking for me,” Jason Di Trapani told
WPIX. He has now learned the truth and has The case was reopened in March of 2021. A
connected with his relatives. DNA profile suitable for FGG was developed
from her femur bone by Astrea Forensics. The
Sources: FGG investigation was conducted by
Innovative Forensic Investigations.
Miller, Jax. “‘Yonkers Jane Doe,’ Victim of
Serial Killer Robert Schulman, ID’d 30 Years Harrison left her home in Wichita, Kansas on
Later.” Oxygen. December 15, 2021. https:// July 25, 1984, with some young female
www.oxygen.com/crime-news/meresa- friends. Her family reported her missing. She
hammonds-identified-as-serial-kiler-robert- would often leave home for periods of time,
shulman-victim. and is described as being vulnerable and
sometimes unhappy at home. She travelled to
Murphy, Mary. “Serial Killer Victim’s Son Los Angeles in about August of 1984, and last
Thought His Mom Didn’t Want to Look for phoned her family in about September of that
Him All These Years.” CBS 42 News. year to tell them she was in El Paso, Texas,
December 19, 2021. Accessed December 22, and that she was coming home. Police
2021. https://www.cbs42.com/news/national/ continue to investigate her murder.
serial-killer-victims-son-thought-his-mom-
didnt-want-to-look-for-him-all-these-years/.

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 396
Sources: cause of death could not be determined, and
the remains could not be identified. It took
Abdo, Ziyne. “Remains of Homicide Victim several years for his cranium and skeleton to
Found in New Mexico 37 Years Ago Has be reassembled.
Been Identified is Kansas Missing Teen.”
Inside Edition, August 11, 2022. Accessed Has Tricks’s remains were exhumed in June
August 12, 2022. https:// of 2011 to obtain DNA samples to try once
www.insideedition.com/remains-of-homicide- again to identify him. He was entered into
victim-found-in-new-mexico-37-years-ago- NamUs. In September of 2018, a DNA profile
has-been-identified-is-kansas-missing. was obtained from his femur bone and
entered into CODIS. In January of 2021,
Rodriguez, Gabriela, and Andra Litton. Othram extracted a DNA profile from his
“Remains of ‘Upham Girl’ Identified as femur bone suitable for FGG. The funding
Kansas Teen.” KTSM News, August 8, 2022. was provided by Audiochuk.
Last modified August 9, 2022. Accessed
August 14, 2022. https://www.ktsm.com/ A great-niece of Has Tricks was located on
news/daso-upham-girl-has-been-identified- GEDMatch. Native American genealogist
after-37-years/. Martha Coleman performed the genealogical
analysis as Has Tricks is a member of the
Taylor, Michelle. “DNA, Genealogy Match Standing Rock Sioux Tribe of South Dakota.
1985 New Mexico Remains to Kansas Teen.” The final confirmation was made to his living
Forensic Magazine, August 12, 2022. relatives.
Accessed August 14, 2022. https://
www.forensicmag.com/589067-DNA- Has Tricks disappeared in 1977 after
Genealogy-Match-1985-New-Mexico- travelling to Seattle with his brother, Clayton
Remains-to-Kansas-Teen/. Ross Has Tricks. Police continue to
investigate his homicide. Has Tricks has been
returned to his tribe in North Dakota.
Case ID 1711: Has Tricks, Blaine:
Marysville Landfill Doe Sources:

The remains of 38-year-old Blaine Has Tricks Lynwood Times Staff. “Homicide Victim,
were found on September 7, 1977, when they 1977 John Doe, Identified 45 Years Later.”
were unearthed by a bulldozer in the Lynwood Times, June 16, 2022. Accessed
Marysville Landfill in Snohomish County, June 19, 2022. https://lynnwoodtimes.com/
Washington. It was estimated that he had 2022/06/16/blaine-has-tricks-220616/.
been deceased for about 2 weeks.
Vogen, Michael. “Snohomish County Sheriff
The trash in which his remains were found and Medical Examiner’s Offices Partner with
had come from a business dumpster in Othram to Identify Marysville Landfill Doe.”
downtown Seattle, which is where police DNASolves.com, June 15, 2022. Accessed
believe he was murdered. Because of post- June 19, 2022. https://dnasolves.com/articles/
mortem trauma inflicted on the body, the blaine_has_tricks_marysville/.

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 397
Today, Adel, and Kristin Goodwillie. “DNA the body of an African American male was
Helps Identify 2 Gold Cases Victims from discovered and pulled from the river.
1977, 2009 in Snohomish County.” King 5
News, June 16, 2022. Accessed June 19, This case was funded by a good Samaritan.
2022. https://www.king5.com/article/news/ Catherine Serbousek had saved up some
local/dna-helps-solve-2-cold-cases- money for her 40th birthday but decided to
snohomish-county/281-89bc6564- spend it funding the identification of Delta
fdda-4807-86eb-71807ac2e1da. Dawn. Serbousek had grown up in nearby
Arkansas and had heard about Delta Dawn’s
murder as a child. They were similar in age,
Case ID 1440: Heinrich, Alisha Ann: Delta Serbousek identified with her. She then began
Dawn Doe to raise money to fund the identification of
the male found with her. This investigation
See also: Simpson, Gary (Moss Point John was also successful, and he is now known to
Doe) be Gary Simpson.

The body of a toddler, about 18 to 24 months Sources:

old, was found on December 3, 1982 in
Jackson County, Mississippi. A truck driver Knowles, Lindsay. “Delta Dawn and Her
had seen the remains of an adult woman in Mother Identified as Missouri Woman, Child
the Escatawpa River off the Interstate-10 Missing Since 1982.” WLBT 3 News.
bridge and had phoned police. Earlier that December 3, 2020, last modified December 4,
evening, a woman in distress was seen 2020. Accessed December 30, 2020. https://
walking down the I-10 with a toddler. The www.wlbt.com/2020/12/04/delta-dawn-
woman has never been found, but the remains authorities-give-update-case-unidentified-
of the little girl were located partially child-found-dead/?
submerged and face up in the weeds. She died fbclid=IwAR0ebRk9BMACKIO22Q7mGwFj
from drowning, but the autopsy revealed that UGp61PN0fr-jYehnDCxkq8aG2v2qE7rog2g.
there may have been an attempt to smother
her first. She was nicknamed Delta Dawn. Othram. “The Jackson Country Sheriff’s
Department Partners with Othram to Identify
The FGG investigation was conducted by Mississippi’s Delta Dawn.” DNA Solves
Othram. They identified the child as the (Press Release). December 4, 2020. Accessed
infant daughter of 23-year-old Gwendolyn December 30, 2020. https://dnasolves.com/
Clemons, who is still missing. Mother and articles/delta_dawn/.
daughter were last seen on Thanksgiving in
1982, when they left Joplin, Missouri with an Tron, Gina. “After Saving for Big Holiday
unidentified man. He later returned to Trip, Woman Instead Uses Money to Fund
Missouri and stated that he left Clemons and DNA Research Giving Young Murder Victim
Heinrich in Florida. Police say that he is now Her Name Back.” Oxygen. December 4,
deceased, but he is a suspect in their deaths. 2020. Accessed December 30, 2020. https://
At the same time that Delta Dawn was found, www.oxygen.com/crime-news/delta-dawn-

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 398
idd-as-alisha-ann-heinrich-thanks-to-dna- years-new-castle-county-homicide-victim-
generosity. identified/6968087002/.

New Castle County Police Department.

Case ID 1471: Heiser, Marie Petry “Police Announce the Identification of a
Homicide Victim from 1977.” New Castle
The naked body of 50-year-old Marie Petry County Police News. March 23, 2021.
Heiser was found on June 27, 1977, in a ditch Accessed March 25, 2021. https://
off a county road in Townsend, Delaware by a nccpdnews.com/2021/03/23/new-castle-
local teenager riding his bicycle. The county-police-announce-the-identification-of-
Delaware medical examiner found that she a-homicide-victim-from-1977/.
had been the victim of a homicide. She had
likely been in the ditch for several weeks Unidentified Wiki. “Marie Heiser.” Wikia.org.
before being located. She may have died from n.d. Accessed March 25, 2021. https://
blunt-force trauma to the head; she may have unidentified.wikia.org/wiki/Marie_Heiser.
fought back against an attacker, as evidenced
by a fractured finger.
Case ID 1452: Hemmy, Jolaine: Pecos Jane
In 2008, a DNA profile was obtained and Doe
entered into CODIS and NAMUS. In 2017,
Parabon Nanolabs performed forensic The body of 17-year-old Jolaine Hemmy was
phenotyping and produced a composite sketch found on July 5, 1966, having drowned in a
of the victim. The FGG investigation was also swimming pool at the Ropers Motel in Pecos,
performed by Parabon, with the assistance of Texas. She had checked into the hotel with a
Montgomery County PD Officer Steven man using the aliases of Mr. and Mrs. Russell
‘Smugs’ Smugersky. The final confirmation Battoun. She died only a few hours later. The
was made to living family members of Heiser. unknown male, who was sleeping in the
motel room, fled and has not been located.
Heiser was a mother of two from Police believe that her death was an accident.
Philadelphia. Heiser’s husband, a former She became known as the Pecos Jane Doe.
police officer, had told their two children that
she had packed her bags and left the family The FGG investigation was conducted by
home. None of her children ever knew what Othram and Innovative Forensic. It was partly
had become of her. funded by the Pecos Police Department, and
partly through crowdfunding raised through
Sources: Othram’s DNASolves. The confirmation of
Hemmy’s identity was made through her
Hughes, Isabel. “For 40 Years, Her Identity sister who provided her DNA.
Was Unknown. Now, a Delaware Homicide
Victim Has Been Identified.” Delaware Hemmy has 13 brothers and sisters, nine of
Online. March 23, 2021. Accessed March 25, whom are still living and who never stopped
2021. https://www.delawareonline.com/story/ looking for her. She has been returned to her
news/crime/2021/03/23/after-more-than-40-

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 399
family in Kansas, and will be laid to rest near locate human remains - located further
her mother and father. skeletal remains on the mountain on the west
side of the lake. Hendricks’ cause of death
Sources: could not be determined, and he could not be
identified.
Hardy, Michael. “Pecos Jane Has a Name.”
Texas Monthly. June 14, 2021. Accessed June The FGG investigation was conducted by
20, 2021. https://www.texasmonthly.com/ Intermountain Forensics in partnership with
news-politics/pecos-jane-identified-forensic- the Carson City Sheriff’s Office. The final
genealogy/. confirmation was made to Hendrick’s living
siblings, who uploaded their DNA to FTDNA
Othram. “Othram and Partners ID Pecos Jane to confirm the relationship.
Doe More than 50 Years Later.” Forensic
Magazine. January 20, 2021. Accessed Hendricks was reported missing from San
January 25, 2021. https:// Francisco in 1992. He was last seen near the
www.forensicmag.com/572381-Othram-and- area where he was found in December of
Partners-ID-Pecos-Jane-Doe-More-Than-50- 1992, in the Spooner Lake parking lot likely
Years-Later/. preparing to snowshoe to Spooner Lake. He is
reported to have been suicidal at the time. A
Pittenger, Todd. “Missing Salina Teen ID’d as search for his remains in July of 1993 did not
‘Pecos Jane Doe.” KSAL News. January 20, turn up any leads.
2021. Accessed January 25, 2021. https://
www.ksal.com/missing-salina-teen-idd-in- Sources:
texas-cold-case/.
Carson City Sheriff’s Office. “After Training,
Tron, Gina. “Police Still Seeking Clues After Investigators ID 2 Missing Persons Using
Teen Found Dead in Texas Motel Pool in Genetic Genealogy.” Forensic Magazine,
1966 Identified with DNA.” Oxygen. January February 17, 2023. Accessed February 18,
20, 2021. Accessed January 25, 2021. https:// 2023. https://www.forensicmag.com/594583-
www.oxygen.com/crime-news/pecos-jane- Nevada-County-Identifies-2-Missing-People-
doe-identified-as-jolaine-hemmy-through- with-the-Help-of-DNA-Doe-Project/.
dna.
Tagulao, Jade. “Carson City Sheriff’s Office
Identifies Pair of Human Remains with New
Case ID 1845: Hendricks, Ronald V. Tool.” NBC News 4, February 16, 2023.
Accessed February 18, 2023. https://
The skull of 39-year-old Ronald V. Hendricks mynews4.com/news/local/2-unsolved-human-
were found on September 20, 2020 at remains-cases-identified-in-carson-city-using-
Marlette Lake in Carson City, Nevada. Bikers new-genetic-genealogy-tool-joyce-rogers-
on the Flume Trail came across his skull, and ronald-hendricks-carson-city-sheriffs-office-
then the Carson City Sheriff’s Office Search dna-technology-lone-mountain-flume-trail-
and Rescue Unit and Professor Mary Cablk marlette-lake.
and K-9 Inca - who is specially trained to

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 400
Timko, Steve. “Carson City Sheriff Uses in June of 2021 to 12 ½ years in prison,
DNA to Identify Two Bodies.” KOLO TV, which is far below the sentencing guidelines
NBC News 8, February 16, 2023. Accessed for second-degree murder. Connie has pled
February 18, 2023. https://www.kolotv.com/ guilty to aiding a homicide after the fact, and
2023/02/17/carson-city-sheriff-uses-dna- was sentenced in January of 2022 to 27
identify-two-bodies/. months in prison.

Sources:
Case ID 1386-1387: Herbst, Gary Albert:
Barron County John Doe Carpenter, Megan. “Woman Pleads Guilty to
Helping Son Hide His Allegedly Abusive
The remains of 63-year-old Gary Herbst were Father’s Corpse After Slaying.” Oxygen.
found on December 3, 2017 in Barron, October 13, 2021. Accessed December 29,
Wisconsin. The search for his remains began 2021. https://www.oxygen.com/crime-news/
when a dog was found chewing on a piece of connie-herbst-pleads-guilty-to-helping-son-
human skull. He may have been deceased for austin-herbst-hide-fathers-corpse.
several years before he was found, and he was
determined to have been killed by a gunshot DNA Doe Project. “Barron Co. John Doe
to the head. He became known as the Barron 2017.” DNA Doe Project. May 11, 2019.
County John Doe. Accessed December 30, 2020. https://
dnadoeproject.org/case/baron-co-john-
The FGG investigation was conducted by the doe-2017/?
DNA Doe Project. The investigation in this fbclid=IwAR1JK7l9XDnkDYhGcAI5gZ0FV
case took about two days. The confirmation ECapAbTm-
of Herbst’s identity was made to a living n9oxWH5R2jOHFsrVL2isREASg.
relative.
Drydenwire.com Staff. “Barron County
Police arrested Herbst’s wife and son, Austin Homicide Victim Identified by Genetic
and Connie Herbst, for his murder on Genealogy.” Drydenwire.com. June 23, 2020.
November 19, 2020. They told police that Accessed December 30, 2020. https://
Herbst had left home in July of 2013, and drydenwire.com/news/second-barron-county-
they had not seen him since. Shortly after homicide-victim-identified-by-genetic-
this, however, neighbours saw them selling genealogy/.
some of Herbst’s personal items. They were
also seen loading a rolled-up carpet into a KSTP News Staff. “Barron County Remains
large truck. Cadaver dogs found traces of Found in 2017 Identified.” KSTP News. June
human decomposition and blood in the 23, 2020. Accessed December 30, 2020.
basement of the home. https://kstp.com/minnesota-news/barron-
county-remains-found-in-2017-identified/
Austin Herbst has indicated to police that his 5769278/.
father had been abusive to his mother. Austin
and Connie Herbst have both entered guilty Nelson, Joe. “Charges: Man Killed by Wife
pleas in Scott County. Austin was sentenced and Son; They Claim He Left in 2013 and

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 401
Never Returned.” Bring Me the News. Sources:
November 19, 2020. Accessed December 30,
2020. https://bringmethenews.com/ Associated Press. “DNA Matches Skull
minnesota-news/charges-man-killed-by-wife- Found in Mid-1980s to 19-Year-Old Woman.”
and-son-they-claimed-he-left-in-2013-and- Forensic Magazine. October 26, 2020.
never-returned. Accessed December 30, 2020. https://
www.forensicmag.com/569506-DNA-
Wasson, Mark. “New Prague Woman Matches-Skull-Found-in-Mid-1980s-to-19-
Sentenced to 27 Months for Aiding Son Year-Old-Woman/.
Following Father's Murder.” SW News Media,
February 24, 2022. Accessed January 8, 2023. Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office.
https://www.swnewsmedia.com/new-prague- “Updated: Decades-Old Skull Identified as
woman-sentenced-to-27-months-for-aiding- Belonging to Young Woman Who Died in
son-following-fathers-murder/ 1970s; Detectives Seek Tips.” Clackamas
article_d31afc2c-94f2-11ec-82e3-3bb2b9738 County Sheriff’s Office. October 22, 2020.
85a.html. Accessed December 30, 2020. Accessed
December 30, 2020. https://
www.clackamas.us/sheriff/2020-10-22-
Case ID 1422: Herr, Wanda Ann CCSOPR-ColdCaseIDWandaHerr.html?
fbclid=IwAR3SCPzSReOlXDXnZh8iuEORg
The body of 19-year-old Wanda Ann Herr 4TsBVEC_oB52KwonP8JHpmHniD-
was found on August 2, 1986 in Mount Hood, fW8b23A.
Oregon. Two forest service workers found a
partial skull and some bone fragments in a Craig, Paul. “What Happened to Wanda Ann
rural area near Government Camp. The Herr? Skull Identified as Oregon Teen in
remains had likely been in the area for several Decades-Old Cold Case.” Fox 12 News
years. Oregon. October 22, 2020. Accessed
December 30, 2020. https://www.kptv.com/
The FGG investigation was conducted by news/what-happened-to-wanda-ann-herr-
Parabon Nanolabs. The investigation was skull-identified-as-oregon-teen-in-decades-
funded by a grant from the National Institute old-cold/article_edac1fe2-148f-11eb-a318-
of Justice to use FGG to identify human bb9856df3406.html.
remains.
Tron, Gina. “After Skull Found in 1986 is
The final confirmation was made with Herr’s Linked to Missing Teen Girl, Investigators
living sisters, who stated that she had not Ask for Help from Public.” Oxygen. October
been seen since June of 1976, at which time 23, 2020. Accessed December 30, 2020.
she may have been living in a group home. https://www.oxygen.com/crime-news/wanda-
Her killer has not yet been identified, and the ann-herr-missing-skull-found-in-1980s-
homicide case remains open. linked-to-disappearance.

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 402
 Case ID 1497: Hine, Nathan Eugene
Case ID 1733: Hickman, Leslie Page
The body of 32-year-old Nathan Eugene Hine
The skeletal remains of Leslie Page Hickman was found on May 9, 2016 on the eastern
were located on October 19, 2004 in shores of Lake Laberge in the Yukon, Canada.
Tillamook County, Oregon. He was found in A passerby found his body when it washed
the Tillamook State Forest near Highway 26. ashore. Despite extensive searches of the
His cause of death in not clear. Originally, it surrounding area, there were no clues as to
was thought that he had been deceased for the decedent’s identity, or his cause of death.
about 2-3 years, but he likely died sometime He was dressed in multiple layers, with work
around 1967. boots and gloves.

The FGG investigation was conducted by The FGG investigation was conducted by
Parabon Nanolabs beginning in July of 2021. Othram. The final confirmation was made
Forensic genetic genealogist CeCe Moore with living relatives in Saskatchewan.
states that she was able to identify him about
10 hours, despite the fact that his top three Hine was originally from Alberta and had
matches were adopted. been living in the Yukon since about May of
2015. The RCMP continue to actively
Hickman was born in Washington County, investigate the circumstances surrounding
Oregon in 1942. He was last seen in near Hine’s death, but his death is not considered
Umatilla, where he may have been working in to be suspicious.
landscaping, in about 1967 or 1968. He was
about 25 when he disappeared. The police Sources:
continue to investigate his death.
CBC News. “Body Found 5 Years Ago in
Sources: Yukon’s Lake Laberge Identified.” CBC
News. June 25, 2021. https://www.cbc.ca/
Lipscomb, Amber. “Oregon State Police Ask news/canada/north/lake-laberge-body-2016-
for Help Solving Cold Case from 1960s.” identified-1.6081237.
MSN, July 28, 2022. Accessed July 31, 2022.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/ DNASolves. “The Royal Canadian Mounted
oregon-state-police-ask-for-help-solving- Police and the Yukon Coroner’s Service
cold-case-from-1960s/ar-AA105xET. Partner with Othram to Identify Lake Laberge
John Doe.” DNASolves.com. June 25, 2021.
Oregon State Police. “The Oregon State Accessed July 2, 2021. https://dnasolves.com/
Police is seeking the public’s assistance in articles/Lake_Laberge_John_Doe/.
helping solve a cold case form the 1960s.”
Facebook (Post), July 28, 2022, 8:00 am. Elliot, Jim. “Man Whose Body Was Found
Accessed July 31, 2022. https:// Near Lake Laberge in 2016 Identified.” Yukon
www.facebook.com/CeCeMooreDNA/posts/ News. June 29, 2021. Accessed July 2, 2021.
654310629395157. https://www.yukon-news.com/news/man-

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 403
whose-body-was-found-near-lake-laberge-
in-2016-identified/. Reyes-Velarde, Alejandra. “A Young Woman
Whose Body Was Found 31 Years Ago is
Unidentified Wiki. “Nathan Hine.” Wikia.org. ID’d in Cold Case as Anaheim Resident.” Los
n.d. Accessed July 2, 2021. https:// Angeles Times. January 17, 2019. Accessed
unidentified.wikia.org/wiki/Nathan_Hine. December 30, 2020. https://
www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-
orange-county-dna-discovery-20190117-
Case ID 1153: Hobson, Tracey Coreen: story.html.
Anaheim Jane Doe

The partially skeletonized remains of 20-year- Case ID 1609: Hodgkinson, Merrybeth

old Tracey Coreen Hobson were found on
August 30, 1987 in Anaheim, California. Her The skeletal remains of 31-year-old
remains were scattered off the Santa Ana Merrybeth Hodgkinson were found on
Canyon Road, where they had likely lain for September 18, 1995, in Bensalem,
about two months. She was nude and likely Pennsylvania by a group of children who
died from stab wounds. Her hands had been came across her skull while playing in the
cut off. She became known as Anaheim Jane woods. Her naked body had been wrapped in
Doe. a plastic tarp and dumped behind a diner.
Investigators estimated that she had lain there
The FGG investigation was conducted by the for about two to three years. It is thought that
DNA Doe Project. The confirmation was she died of strangulation, but this could not be
made with a living family member. Her killer determined conclusively. She was buried in
has not yet been identified, and the case Telford under the name ‘Jane Doe.’
remains open.
Her body was exhumed for DNA testing in
Sources: 2004 (alternatively reported as 2007). The
FGG investigation was conducted by Jennifer
DNA Doe Project. “Anaheim Jane Doe.” Moore of Innovative Forensic Investigations.
DNA Doe Project. August 17, 2018. Accessed The final confirmation was made to
December 30, 2020. https:// Hodkinson’s living siblings.
dnadoeproject.org/case/anaheim-jane-doe/.
Hodgkinson was from Warminster,
Fausto, Alma, and Scott Schwebke. Pennsylvania. She worked as an exotic dancer
“Homicide Victim Whose Remains Were in Bucks County. She was last seen by her
Found 31 Years Ago Identified as Anaheim family in September of 1992. Police continue
Woman.” Orange County Register. January to search for her killer.
17, 2019. Accessed December 30, 2020.
https://www.ocregister.com/2019/01/17/ Sources:
homicide-victim-whose-remains-were-
found-31-years-ago-ided-as-anaheim- 6abc Digital Staff. “Bensalem Police Identify
woman/. Remains of Woman Who Went Missing in

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 404
1992.” 6abc.com. December 21, 2021. techniques in the search for the Golden State
Accessed December 22, 2021. https:// Killer.
6abc.com/bensalem-pa-bucks-county-
remains-womans-body-found-club-house- The body of Marlyse Elizabeth Honeychurch
diner/11365994/. was found on November 11, 1985, when a 55-
gallon steel drum containing human remains
Keller, Aaron. “Authorities Identify Woman was found in Bear Brook State Park near
Wrapped in Plastic, Buried in Shallow Grave Allenstown, New Hampshire. The remains
Behind 24-Hour Diner in 1995.” Law & were of an adult woman and a young girl
Crime. December 22, 2021. Accessed about 8-10. Honeychurch is thought to have
December 22, 2021. https:// been about 26 or 27 years old when she died.
lawandcrime.com/crime/authorities-identify- They had been killed by blunt force trauma to
woman-wrapped-in-plastic-buried-in- the head.
shallow-grave-behind-24-hour-diner-
in-1995/. On May 9, 2000, a second steel drum was
found only about 100 yards from the first. It
Lewis, Siafa. “Police ID Missing Woman contained the remains of two more young
Merrybeth Hodkinson as 1995 Bensalem girls. The younger girl was 1-3 years old and
Cold Case Murder Victim.” CBS Philly. the older was about 2-4 years old. It is
December 20, 2021. Accessed December 22, thought that the four Bear Brook victims were
2021. https://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/ killed sometime between 1978 and 1981.
2021/12/20/merrybeth-hodgkinson-jane-doe-
identified-bensalem-cold-case-murder/. The FGG investigation was conducted by
Barbara Rae-Venter, a Search Angel, who
volunteered at the non-profit organization
Case ID 1217: Honeychurch, Marlyse DNAAdoption.com where she assisted
Elizabeth adopted individuals to identify their birth
families. Rae-Venter has a PhD in
See also: biochemistry, and she worked for many years
as a patent attorney in the biotech industry.
Confidential (Dawn Beaudin/Lisa Jensen) She is a leader in using genetic genealogy to
McWaters, Sarah identify living does.
Rasmussen, Jane Doe
Rasmussen, Terry Peder At first, Rae-Venter was not looking to
Vaughn, Marie identify the Bear Brook victims. She was
attempting to identify Lisa Jensen, a grown
This case is part of a series of murders known woman who had been abducted and
as the Bear Brook Murders, or the Allenstown abandoned by an unknown male when she
Murders. One of the most remarkable cold was about 5 years old. Lisa thought she was
cases in U.S. history, the successful resolution the biological daughter of a man named
of the Bear Brook murders by Barbara Rae- Gordon Jensen. Jensen was a pseudonym for
Venter led detectives to pursue similar a man whose real identity was discovered by
Rae-Venter to be Terry Peder Rasmussen – a

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 405
man who died in prison in California where Sheriff’s Office. Rae-Venter and a team of
he had been sentenced for the murder of his volunteers used genetic genealogy to identify
common-law wife. DNA testing showed that Lisa’s birth family and try to find out where
Rasmussen was not the father of Lisa Jensen, she came from and what had happened to her
but he was the father of the toddler whose mother.
body was found in second barrel at Bear
Brook. Rasmussen was then identified as the In 2016, Rae-Venter identified Lisa as Dawn
lead suspect in the murder of the four Bear Beaudin of New Hampshire. Lisa and her
Brook victims, and the case was cleared by mother, Denise Beaudin, disappeared around
exception. Thanksgiving of 1981 with her boyfriend,
Terry Rasmussen. Family members identified
In 1978, around the time of the Bear Brook her boyfriend at the time as ‘Bob Evans’,
murders, Rasmussen worked in Allenstown as which was the name that Rasmussen was
an electrician and handyman near the using when he was living in New Hampshire.
property where the barrels were found. In
about 1981, another young mother named Rae-Venter wanted to test the remains of the
Denise Beaudin and her 6-month-old Bear Brook victims because she suspected
daughter disappeared from New Hampshire in that the woman in the barrel was Denise
very similar circumstances. Beaudin’s Beaudin, Lisa’s mother. Up until that time, it
boyfriend at the time was Terry Rasmussen. had not been possible to obtain a DNA profile
The little girl was Lisa Jensen. They all from the Bear Brook victims. In 2016, Rae-
moved to California together, but when Venter contacted Dr. Ed Green, a researcher
Rasmussen was next seen in California he in paleo-genomics of the University of
was in the company of only Lisa. Denise was California at Santa-Cruz, as he had developed
never seen again after leaving New a new technique to extract autosomal DNA
Hampshire with Rasmussen, and her body has from rootless hair.
not been located.
This new technique was successful in
Rasmussen and Lisa lived in a trailer park in obtaining DNA profiles of the Bear Brook
Scotts Valley, California in 1986. He then victims, and the investigation was finally able
abandoned Lisa, who was then about 5 years to progress. They discovered that the woman
old, with another family he met there. was not Denise Beaudin, but the middle girl
‘Gordon Jensen’ was not seen again. Lisa was Rasmussen’s biological daughter. She
Jensen was now a living Jane Doe, with no was not related to the other two little girls,
idea of when or where she was born, her who were found to be the daughters of the
parentage, or her name. adult woman.

Lisa Jensen was a grown woman of 32 years Rae-Venter then used FGG to identify the
old and a mother herself when the detectives woman found at Bear Brook as Marlyse
working on her case approached Rae-Venter Elizabeth Honeychurch (b. 1954). The other
to identify her birth family. The lead detective body found in the barrel with her is her eldest
working on Lisa’s abduction was Detective daughter, Marie Vaughan (b. 1971). The
Peter Headley of the San Bernardino County infant girl found in the second barrel is

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 406
Honeychurch’s youngest daughter, Sarah called “Bear Brook,” that tells this story very
McWaters (b. 1977). thoroughly. It can be found at: https://
www.bearbrookpodcast.com/.
Marlyse Honeychurch was last seen on
Thanksgiving Day in 1978, when she got into Sources:
an argument with her family, and left with
Terry Rasmussen, who was her boyfriend at Duckler, Ray. “Officials Identify 3 of 4
the time. She was not seen alive again. Victims Discovered in Barrels Near Bear
Honeychurch and the three girls were likely Brook State Park.” Concord Monitor. June 6,
killed sometime between 1978 and 1981, 2019. Accessed December 26, 2020. https://
before Denise Beaudin and her daughter Lisa www.concordmonitor.com/After-more-than-
Jensen went missing in similar circumstances. three-decades-Bear-Brook-victims-
named-26083251.
Jane Doe Rasmussen, the toddler found in the
second barrel, is the biological daughter of Effron, Lauren, Boaz Halaban, and Marc
Terry Rasmussen. The FGG investigation into Dorian. “How a Jane Doe Child Case
her identity continues, as her mother is Uncovered a Serial Killer, Identified Victims
currently unknown. She has a mixed ancestry, and Changed the Use of DNA Forensics.”
with some African American, Native ABC News. March 19, 2020. Accessed
American, and possibly Asian heritage. Rae- December 26, 2020. https://abcnews.go.com/
Venter is constructing her family tree and US/jane-doe-child-case-uncovered-serial-
believes the girl’s mother may be from near killer-identified/story?id=69648434.
Pearl River County, Mississippi, and possibly
descended from Thomas ‘Deadhorse’ Halaban, Boaz, Marc Dorian, and Enjoli
Mitchell (b. 1836) or William Livings (b. Francis. “Timeline of Serial Killer Terry
1826). Rasmussen’s Terror in New Hampshire,
California.” ABC News. March 18, 2020.
Rasmussen died of lung cancer and Accessed December 26, 2020. https://
emphysema at the High Desert Prison in abcnews.go.com/US/timeline-serial-killer-
Susanville, California in 2010. He had been terry-rasmussens-terror-hampshire-california/
convicted under yet another false name, story?id=69505755.
‘Larry Vanner’, for the 2002 murder of his
common-law spouse, chemist Eunsoon Jun. Help ID Me. “Bear Brook Case Update.”
He has been nicknamed the ‘Chameleon Facebook Post. January 21, 2021. Accessed
Killer’ for the way in which he is able to January 21, 2021. https://www.facebook.com/
move, change his identity, and begin a new 698376120190298/posts/
life with a new family. When DNA testing 4130579286969947/?d=n.
showed that he was not the biological father
of Lisa Jensen, he denied knowing or Liptak, Andrew. “How a Podcast Helped
remembering the little girl at all. Solve a Grisly Cold Case.” The Verge. June 9,
2019. Accessed December 26, 2020. https://
In 2018, journalist Jason Moon and New www.theverge.com/2019/6/9/18656929/bear-
Hampshire Public Radio produced a podcast book-podcast-murders-dna-databases-

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 407
marlyse-elizabeth-honeychurch-marie-vaugh- found as well. An autopsy could not
sarah-mcwaters. determine her cause of death, but police are
investigating it as a homicide. They believe
Moon, Jason. “Three Bear Brook Murder she was killed elsewhere and then moved to
Victims Identified; Citizen Sleuth, Genetic Windy Point.
Genealogy Provide Key Clues.” New
Hampshire Public Radio. June 5, 2019. She was found to have had TMJ
Accessed December 26, 2020. https:// (tempromandibular joint) syndrome and
www.nhpr.org/post/three-bear-brook-murder- scoliosis. Forensic odontology and
victims-identified-citizen-sleuth-genetic- anthropology were performed. A clay
genealogy-provide-key-clues? reconstruction of what she looked like was
utm_medium=social&utm_term=nprnews&ut made, but she could not be identified.
m_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=np
r&fbclid=IwAR0d-ZPVnecFP90- The FGG investigation was conducted by the
teWfZznBM5TlYL9drWk6lQB5QMEIKuL9 Colorado Bureau of Investigation. It has not
scEnGrOlorc#stream/0. been reported if a third party company
assisted in the FGG investigation. Hoppes’
Murphy, Shelley. “‘Missing Half Sister’: How case is one of 100 cases that have been
a Search for a Relative Helped Identify N.H.’s identified by the Colorado Bureau of
Bear Brook Victims.” Boston Globe. June 6, Investigation as being suitable for FGG.
2019. Accessed December 26, 2020. https://
www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2019/06/06/ Hoppes was reported missing on August 9,
missing-half-sister-how-search-for-relative- 1993 from Pierce County, Washington. Police
helped-identify-bear-brook-victims/ continue to investigate her homicide, and
xiMWdamAZqaWRaCDJWJqxJ/story.html. have travelled to Pierce County to investigate
further.
Yang, Allie, and Boaz Halaban. “Serial Killer
Terry Rasmussen’s Victims, Known and Sources:
Unknown.” ABC News. March 17, 2020.
Accessed December 26, 2020. https:// Garrison, Robert. “Colorado Cold Case
abcnews.go.com/US/terry-rasmussens- Solved: Missing Washington Woman ID’s as
victims-unknown/story?id=69585534. Windy Point Jane Doe.” The Denver Channel,
May 11, 2022. Accessed May 14, 2022.
https://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/
Case ID 1696: Hoppes, Susan: Windy Point local-news/colorado-cold-case-solved-
Jane Doe missing-washington-woman-idd-as-windy-
point-jane-doe.
The partial skeletal remains of 45-year-old
Susan Hoppes were found on July 7, 1994 Heidelberg, Katharhynn. “Windy Point Jane
near the Smokehouse Campground, Colorado. Doe Part of CBI’s New Forensic Genetic
Hikers found her skull on the Uncompahgre Genealogy Push.” Montrose Press, November
Plateau at a place called Windy Point. Further 17, 2021. Accessed May 14, 2022. https://
remains, a belt, and some hair were later www.montrosepress.com/news/windy-point-

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 408
jane-doe-part-of-cbis-new-forensic-genetic- Identifies-Remains-of-Young-Woman-
genealogy-push/article_c7ef7550-474d-11ec- Missing-Since-2016/.
a2d2-db23bb2da0cc.html.
Toay, Adel. “‘Truly Remarkable’: Forensic DNA Doe Project. “Evangeline Parish Jane
DNA ID’s Colorado Cold Case Victim as Doe 2018.” DNA Doe Project, August 10,
Missing Pierce County Woman.” King 5 2019. Accessed January 8, 2021. https://
News, May 12, 2022, last modified May 13, dnadoeproject.org/case/evangeline-parish-
2022. Accessed May 14, 2022. https:// jane-doe-2018/.
www.king5.com/article/news/local/pierce-
county-woman-identified-colorado-cold-case/
281-eca3c5c5-72dc-49c8- Case ID 1323: Huskey, Sue Ann: Corona
ac46-6000018151b6. Girl

Unidentified Wiki. “Susan Hoppes.” The body of 17-year-old Sue Ann Huskey
Wiki.org., n.d. Accessed May 14, 2022. was found on September 25, 1989 in
https://unidentified-awareness.fandom.com/ Williamson County, Texas, just off the
wiki/Susan_Hoppes. Interstate-35. She was wearing a fringed
‘Cinco de Corona’ T-shirt, and this is what
gave her the nickname ‘Corona Girl’ by
Case ID 1460: Hunt, Erica Nicole: which she was known for the next 31 years.
Evangeline Parish Jane Doe Huskey was found by two highway workers
who had stopped there to eat lunch. One of
The skeletal remains of Erica Nicole Hunt them saw the body when he went to relieve
were found on December 30, 2018, partially himself near a fence. She had died from
buried in a field near Ville Platte, Louisiana. multiple gunshot wounds and had been
She was last seen near her home in Boudin- deceased for about 1 to 2 weeks.
Opelousas on July 3, 2016, and her family
filed a missing person report on July 6, 2016. The FGG investigation was conducted by the
She is thought to have died sometime in DNA Doe Project under the direction of
2017, and her death is being treated as a Kevin Lord. Bone and tooth samples proved
homicide. difficult to extract from Huskey’s remains,
and they were sent to the International
The FGG investigation was conducted by the Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP) in
DNA Doe Project. The police are continuing The Hague to construct a DNA profile that
with their investigation into Hunt’s murder. was compatible with GEDmatch.

Sources: Huskey has been returned to her family. She

was the youngest of seven siblings, and the
DNA Doe Project. “DDP Identifies Remains local community have raised the funds to
of Young Woman Missing Since 2016.” dedicate a memorial to her. She had gone
Forensic Magazine, February 8, 2021. missing from her home in Sulphur Springs
Accessed February 8, 2021. https:// earlier that summer. Her killer has not been
www.forensicmag.com/573010-DDP-

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 409
found, and the homicide investigation Case ID 1165: Isaacs, Carl Jr.: John
remains open. Clinton Doe/Rock County John Doe

Sources: Known for almost 25 years as the John

Clinton Doe or the Rock County John Doe,
DNA Doe Project. “Corona Girl Jane Doe.” his body was found on November 26, 1995 in
DNA Doe Project. May 11, 2019. Accessed Clinton, Wisconsin, on the banks of Turtle
December 31, 2020. https:// Creek. He was lying face down, and he was
dnadoeproject.org/case/corona-girl-jane-doe/. wearing camo pants, a plaid jacket, and a
band shirt. His death is not considered to be
Nye, Taylor. “Cold Case Detectives Search suspicious.
for Answers in Huskey Case.” Sulphur
Springs News-Telegram. February 10, 2020. The FGG investigation was conducted by the
Accessed December 31, 2020. https:// DNA Doe Project. Bode Technologies
www.ssnewstelegram.com/news/cold- extracted a DNA profile from his femur bone.
casedetectives-search-answers-huskey-case.
John Clinton Doe was about 16 years old
Nye, Taylor. “‘Never Forgotten’.” Sulphur when he died. His identity is being kept
Springs News-Telegram. July 18, 2020. confidential, and police state that they are still
Accessed December 31, 2020. https:// in the process of confirming his identity. It is
www.ssnewstelegram.com/news/never- estimated that he died in about the fall or
forgotten? winter of 1994. He may have passed away
fbclid=IwAR0z37apCB54hNfUzIJUAJgFPj0j from hypothermia, perhaps assisted by
WzozvaIc8_MsftjHux2z2hfnGzoRPc8. intoxication.

Turner, Sammy. “Who Was Sue Ann Huskey, In June of 2022, the identity of John Clinton
Williamson County’s ‘Corona Girl’?” KVUE Doe was announced as Carl Isaacs Jr. His
ABC News. January 15, 2020. Accessed father was exhumed, and his DNA was
December 31, 2020. https://www.kvue.com/ compared with that of his father by the
article/news/crime/corona-girl-williamson- University of North Texas School of
county-cold-case-identified-who-was-she/ Biological Sciences Forensic Unit. Without
269-b6a6659c-3d3b-4f10- the exhumation, there would have been no
bfc1-2a2e1bc6314d. way to confirm the identity of Issacs.

Williamson County. “Sue Ann Huskey – Sources:

‘Corona Girl’.” Williamson County
Government (Press Release). 2020. Accessed DNA Doe Project. “John Clinton Doe.” DNA
December 31, 2020. https://www.wilco.org/ Doe Project. September 24, 2018. Accessed
Elected-Officials/Sheriffs-Office/Cold-Cases/ December 29, 2020. https://
Sue-Ann-Huskey. dnadoeproject.org/case/john-clinton-doe/.

DNA Doe Project. “John Clinton Doe.” DNA

Doe Project. September 24, 2018. Last

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 410
modified June 15, 2022. Accessed June 17, Serial killer Henry Lee Lucas confessed to the
2022. https://dnadoeproject.org/case/john- murder of Orange Socks. He was convicted
clinton-doe/. and sentenced to death in 1984. At that time,
Lucas was confessing to a very large and
Montgomery, Austin. “Body Found in 1995 growing number of murders. He recanted this
Tentatively Identified.” Beloit Daily News. confession shortly after his conviction, along
February 28, 2019. Accessed December 29, with most of his other confessions.
2020. https://www.beloitdailynews.com/
uncategorized/body-found-in-1995- A 1986 Report by Jim Mattix, then Attorney
tentatively-identified/ General for Texas, found that many of Lucas’
article_30db4480-90be-523f-8ad7-6bada0253 confessions – including that for the murder of
867.html. Orange Socks – were unsafe because police
had used unsound interrogations techniques
Montgomery, Austin. “John Clinton Doe Case that were likely to elicit false confessions.
Slow Moving.” Beloit Daily News. August 8, Lucas took police to the place where he had
2019. Accessed December 29, 2020. https:// dumped Jackson’s body off the I-35, but these
www.beloitdailynews.com/uncategorized/ details may have been given to Lucas from
john-clinton-doe-case-slow-moving/ the case file. The Attorney General’s
article_b6010def-0cb3-589c-8f79-4844567eb investigation also found numerous witnesses
6ac.html. who testified that Lucas had been living and
working in Florida at the time of Jackson’s
Unidentified Wiki. “Rock County John Doe murder.
(1995).” Wikia.org. n.d. Accessed December
29, 2020. https://unidentified.wikia.org/wiki/ Lucas’ death sentence was commuted by
Rock_County_John_Doe_(1995). then-Texas Governor George Bush. Lucas is
the only offender on Death Row in Texas
whose death sentence was commuted by
Case ID 1233: Jackson, Debra Louise: Bush. Although the murder conviction has not
Orange Socks been vacated, it is considered unsound and
the police continue to investigate Jackson’s
The body of 23-year-old Debra Louise murder. Therefore, this case has been entered
Jackson was found on October 31, 1979 in here as a wrongful conviction. Lucas passed
Georgetown, Texas. A passerby discovered away in prison in 2001 at the age of 64.
her body in a concrete drainage ditch just off
the Interstate-35. She had been sexually Sources:
assaulted and strangled. She was naked
except for a pair of bright orange socks. DNA Doe Project. “Orange Socks Doe.” DNA
Doe Project. May 5, 2019. Accessed
The FGG investigation was conducted by the December 31, 2020. https://
DNA Doe Project. Confirmation was made to dnadoeproject.org/case/orange-socks-doe/.
a living sister after she had seen DNA Doe’s
publicity about the ongoing investigation. Lineup Staff. “Henry Lee Lucas: The
Confession Killer.” The Lineup. February 17,

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 411
2016. Accessed December 31, 2020. https:// public. The FGG investigation was conducted
the-line-up.com/henry-lee-lucas-confession- by Parabon Nanolabs in partnership with the
killer. Weld County Sheriff’s Office, beginning in
March of 2021. The final confirmation was
Mattox, Jim. Lucas Report. April 1986. made to Jackson’s sister.
Report. Attorney General of Texas.
Police continue to investigate Jackson’s
Knight, Drew, and Hank Cavagnaro. “1979 murder.
‘Orange Socks’ Cold Case Victim Identified
as Debra Jackson of Abilene.” KVUE ABC Sources:
News. August 6, 2019, last modified
September 3, 2019. Accessed December 31, Bitler, Dara. “Skeletal Remains Found in
2020. https://www.kvue.com/article/news/ Weld County in 2018 Identified as Aurora
crime/1979-orange-socks-cold-case-victim- Man.” Fox 31 News 2 Colorado, January 31,
identified-as-debra-jackson-of-abilene/ 2023. Accessed February 1, 2023. https://
269-376d1bed-b35a-49ab- kdvr.com/news/colorado-cold-cases/skeletal-
b3cf-12c73358cb8a. remains-found-in-weld-county-in-2018-
identified-as-aurora-man/.
Spencer, Bridget. “Investigation Continues
into ‘Orange Socks’ Cold Case.” Fox 7 News Isenberg, Sydney. “Remains Found in
Austin. May 24, 2018. Accessed December Unincorporated Weld County in 2018
31, 2020. https://www.fox7austin.com/news/ Identified as Missing Aurora Man.” News 7
investigation-continues-into-orange-socks- Denver, January 30, 2023. Accessed February
cold-case. 1, 2023. https://www.denver7.com/news/
local-news/remains-found-in-unincorporated-
weld-county-in-2018-identified-as-missing-
Case ID 1825: Jackson, Douglas Wayne aurora-man.

The remains of Douglas Wayne Jackson were Twitty, Tamera. “DNA Leads to Identification
found on December 7, 2018 just outside of of Skeletal Remains Found in Colorado.” Out
Fort Lupton, Colorado. A survey crew found There Colorado, January 31, 2023. February
skeletal remains in a rural area of Weld 1, 2023. https://www.outtherecolorado.com/
County. Some clothing, a backpack, and other news/dna-leads-to-identification-of-skeletal-
personal items were also recovered, but the remains-found-in-colorado/article_66fb2f52-
remains could not be identified. a18b-11ed-b658-2b6eb32b8034.html.

Investigators determined that Jackson had

been the victim of a homicide, and that his Case ID 1689: Jager, Ronald Wayne:
remains had likely lain in the area for a Allegan County John Doe 2014
considerable period of time.
Ronald Wayne Jager’s upper jaw bone was
A forensic reconstruction of his face was found on July 31, 2014 on the beach of Lake
completed in July of 2020 and released to the Michigan in Ganges Township, Saugatuck,

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 412
Michigan. The bone had washed up on the DNA Doe Project. “Allegan Co John Doe
beach, and was found by a jogger. The bones 2014.” DNA Doe Project, December 14,
and teeth showed significant weathering, 2019. Last Modified April 22, 2022. Accessed
leading investigators to believe that it had April 23, 2022.
been exposed to the elements for a significant
period of time. Further remains were found Unidentified Wiki. “Ronald Jager.”
later that year in Oceana County, Michigan, Wikia.org., n.d. Accessed April 23, 2022.
and these remains were matched to the jaw https://unidentified-awareness.fandom.com/
bone. wiki/Ronald_Jager.

A DNA profile was extracted from the jaw

bone by the University of North Texas and Case ID 1547: Jarvis, Sherri Ann
uploaded into CODIS, but this produced no
leads. The FGG investigation was conducted The body of 14-year-old Sherri Ann Jarvis
by the DNA Doe Project. The final was found by a truck driver on November 1,
confirmation was made to living relatives. 1980, along Interstate-45 in Walker County,
Texas. She had been beaten, raped, and died
Jager was a fisherman from Fruitland by strangulation. She was found naked, lying
Township who disappeared in August of 2000 face down in a grassy area. A necklace and a
after launching his boat at the municipal boat pair of red leather sandals were found nearby.
launch in Whitehall. His boat was located on She had likely been strangled with a pair of
August 4, 2000, but no trace of Jager could be her own pantyhose. She could not be
found. Jager was 59 years old when he identified, and so for the next 41 years she
disappeared. Investigators believe his death was known only as Walker County Jane Doe.
was due to drowning. His remains will now
be returned to his family. The FGG investigation was performed by
Othram. Her body was exhumed in 1999 for
Sources: modern DNA testing, but this produced no
leads at the time. Bone samples taken at the
Associated Press. “Bone Found on Lake time proved unsuited for autosomal DNA
Michigan Beach IDed with Genetic SNP testing. Samples of brain tissue
Genealogy.” Detroit Free Press, April 23, preserved from Jarvis’ autopsy in 1980 were
2022. Accessed April 23, 2022. https:// eventually located, and a suitable profile was
www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/ obtained after several rounds of testing –
2022/04/23/ronald-wayne-jager-missing-jaw- despite the fact that these were formalin-fixed
bone-lake-michigan/7422508001/. paraffin-embedded samples. The final
confirmation was made by kinship testing
Casiano, Louis. “Remains of Michigan Man with living relatives.
Missing for 22 Years Identified.” Fox News,
April 22, 2022. April 23, 2022. https:// Jarvis had been removed from her family
www.foxnews.com/us/remains-michigan- home in Stillwater, Minnesota for habitual
missing. truancy. After her apprehension by child
welfare authorities, she ran away. She had

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 413
written to her family shortly after she left, in could not be determined, nor could he be
which she told them that she planned to return identified. He became known as D’Iberville
home. Her family reported her missing, and John Doe.
hired a private investigator, but were unable
to locate her. The FGG investigation was performed by
Othram beginning in 2021. The funding for
The police are continuing their investigation the investigation was provided by Carla
into Jarvis’ murder. Davis, who has assisted in the identification
of two other decedents in Mississippi to date.
Sources: Davis performed the genealogical research in
this case as well.
DeMoss, Adrienne, and Clay Falls. “Walker
County Detectives Identify Victim of 41- There is no word on how the final
Year-Old Murder.” KWTX News 10. confirmation was made. Police continue to
November 9, 2021. Accessed November 13, investigate Jeffrey’s death.
2021. https://www.kwtx.com/2021/11/09/
walker-county-detectives-identify-victim-41- Sources:
year-old-murder/.
DNASolves. “Genealogist, Philanthropist
Leffler, David. “How Walker County Jane Carla Davis Teams with Othram to ID Two
Doe Was Identified at Last.” Texas Monthly. Bodies.” Forensic Magazine, April 25, 2022.
November 9, 2021. Accessed November 13, Accessed April 27, 2022. https://
2021. https://www.texasmonthly.com/news- www.forensicmag.com/585421-Genealogist-
politics/walker-county-jane-doe-identified- Philanthropist-Carla-Davis-Teams-With-
sherri-jarvis/. Othram-to-ID-Two-Bodies/.

Vogen, Michael. “Walker County Sheriff’s Vogen, Michael. “Mississippi State Medical
Office and Othram Team to Identify Walker Examiner’s Office and D’Iberville Police
County Jane Doe.” DNASolves.com. Department Team with Othram to Identify
November 9, 2021. Accessed November 13, 2020 John Doe.” DNASolves.com, April 25,
2021. https://dnasolves.com/articles/ 2022. Accessed April 27, 2022. https://
walker_county_jane_doe/. dnasolves.com/articles/
diberville_dean_jeffrey/.

Case ID 1692: Jeffrey, Dean: D’Iberville

John Doe Case ID 1735: Jensen, Mary: Ramsey Co
Jane Doe 1977
The remains of Dean Jeffrey were found in
April of 2020 in D’Iberville, Mississippi. His The remains of Mary Jensen were found in
body was found in the water, about 20 feet the Mississippi River on July 20, 1977 in St.
from the shore. He was wearing a sweatshirt Paul, Minnesota. It is thought that she had
with a cartoon of an alien and the phrase died sometimes earlier in 1977. Her cause of
“Nobody Freakin Cares.” His cause of death death has not been disclosed.

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 414
 The final confirmation was made when James
The FGG investigation was conducted by the Johnson Jr. uploaded his DNA to GEDmatch
DNA Doe Project. The investigation was and was found to be the biological son of the
complex, and took about 850 hours. There decedent.
were limited matches, many of which were
distant, and came from Finland and Italy. The Johnson leaves behind an ex-spouse and three
funds for the investigation were raised by adult children. Johnson was working for
DNA Doe. carnivals, and moving around a good deal at
the time of his disappearance. His family
Sources: often looked for him, and even hired a private
investigator, but could not obtain any news of
DNA Doe Project. “Ramsey Co Jane Doe his whereabouts. The family states that they
1977.” DNA Doe Project, June 3, 2021. Last have now been brought closer together.
Modified August 2, 2022. Accessed August 7,
2022. https://dnadoeproject.org/case/ramsey- News reports state that Johnson may have
co-jane-doe-1977/. died by suicide.

Unidentified Wiki. “Mary Jensen.” Wikia.org. Sources:

n.d. Accessed August 7, 2022. https://
unidentified-awareness.fandom.com/wiki/ Clark County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Mary_Jensen. “Despite 40% Workload Increase, ME’s
Office Uses 1800s Ancestral Link to ID
WCCO Staff. “Nonprofit Cracks 45-Year-Old Victim in Cold Case.” Forensic Magazine,
Cold Case to Name Woman Pulled from September 28, 2022. Accessed September 28,
Mississippi.” CBS News, August 2, 2022. 2022. https://www.forensicmag.com/590397-
Accessed August 7, 2022. https:// Despite-40-Workload-Increase-ME-s-Office-
www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/ Uses-1800s-Ancestral-Link-to-ID-Victim-in-
nonprofit-cracks-45-year-old-cold-case-to- Cold-Case/.
name-woman-pulled-from-mississippi-river-
in-st-paul/. Robbins, Becca. “Remains Identified in 2002
Ridgefield Cold Case.” The Columbian,
September 27, 2022. Last modified
Case ID 1763: Johnson, James Orin Sr. September 28, 2022. Accessed September 28,
2022. https://www.columbian.com/news/
The remains of 32-year-old James Orin 2022/sep/27/remains-identified-in-2002-
Johnson Sr. were found on January 13, 2002 ridgefield-cold-case/.
in Ridgefield, Washington.
Steele, Tim. “The Forensic Trail that
The FGG investigation was conducted by Identified James Orin Johnson.” KOIN News,
Bode Technologies in partnership with the September 27, 2022. Accessed September 28,
Clark County Medical Examiner’s Office. 2022. https://www.koin.com/local/clark-
The family tree was traced back to a pair of county/the-forensic-trail-that-identified-
sisters who lived in the mid-1800s in Oregon. james-orin-johnson/.

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 415
Case ID 1817: Johnson, Michael E. Case ID 1289: Johnson, Peggy Lynn:
Racine County Jane Doe
The remains of 53-year-old Michael E.
Johnson were found on October 26, 1998 The body of 23-year-old Peggy Johnson was
floating in the Columbia River in Vancouver, found on July 21, 1999, in Racine County,
Washington. He died from a gunshot wound Wisconsin. She was found by a man walking
to his head. his dog and his 16-year-old daughter. Johnson
had died of pneumonia and infection, and she
The FGG investigation was conducted by a had been deceased about 12 hours when she
laboratory in Virginia in partnership with the was found. The post-mortem examination
Clark County Medical Examiner’s Office. found that she was a victim of extreme and
Reports did not confirm that the laboratory long-term abuse. Johnson was malnourished,
was Parabon Nanolabs, but stated that had been severely beaten and sexually
forensic phenotypic was used in conjunction assaulted. Before she died, she had suffered
with the FGG investigation. The final burns, as well as blunt force trauma to most
confirmation was made to Johnson’s living of her body, as well as cuts, a battered left ear,
family members. and a fractured nose. The teenage girl who
found her body, Megan Rios, would go on to
Johnson’s brothers reported that he had not college to study criminal justice as a result of
been heard from since since leaving her experience.
California in 1998. Police continue to
investigate his death, and have not confirmed Johnson’s body was exhumed in October of
whether it is a homicide. 2013 for DNA testing and modern forensic
anthropological analysis and isotope testing.
Sources: The FGG investigation was conducted by
Barbara Rae-Venter of Gene By Gene, the
Fox 12 Staff. “Body Found in Columbia parent company of FTDNA.
River in 1998 Identified 24 Years Later Using
Forensic Genealogy.” Fox 12 News, January After identifying Johnson, police arrested 64-
17, 2023. Accessed January 21, 2023. https:// year-old Linda LaRoche and charged her with
www.kptv.com/2023/01/17/body-found- first degree murder and hiding a corpse.
columbia-river-1998-identified-24-years-
later-using-forensic-genealogy/. Johnson had lived with her mother, Diane
Schroeder, in Harvard, Illinois until her
KATU Staff. “Cold Case: Man Found Dead in mother’s death in November of 1994. Her
Columbia River Identified After 24 Years.” father was long deceased. Johnson was now
KATU News 2, January 17, 2023. Accessed alone, and she had significant cognitive
January 21, 2023. https://katu.com/news/ disabilities. She went for help at a local
local/cold-case-solved-man-found-dead-in- medical clinic in McHenry, Illinois, and there
columbia-river-identified-after-24-years-true- she met a nurse named Linda LaRoche. La
crime-dna-genealogy-murder-suicide- Roche took the disabled girl of 18-years into
mystery-washington-oregon. her home.

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 416
A friend of Johnson’s visited her at the Milwaukee. November 7, 2019. Accessed
LaRoche home shortly after she moved in and December 31, 2020. https://
said that Peggy seemed happy to be taking www.fox6now.com/news/racine-co-sheriff-to-
care of the children and to have found such a reveal-id-of-1999-homicide-victim-body-
good home, as she had grown up very poor. found-in-cornfield-in-raymond.
The friend tried to contact her again, but
LaRoche had told her that Peggy had run Gene By Gene. “A Busy Month for Gene By
away. Gene, Dr. Barbara Rae-Venter, and Law
Enforcement.” PR Newswire (Press Release).
LaRoche initially claimed that Johnson had a November 21, 2019. Accessed December 31,
drug overdose and ran away. Johnson had 2020. https://apnews.com/press-release/pr-
been working for LaRoche for 5 years at that prnewswire/
time and had never received any pay beyond 87801e92bb698e450c9c39d4ff33ed1b.
room and board. LaRoche’s ex-husband and
children have confirmed that she abused Marazzo, Amanda. “Ex-McHenry County
Johnson. Johnson was given inadequate food, Woman Found Guilty in ’99 Killing of Live-
made to sleep under a crawl space like an In Nanny Whose Remains Were Found on
animal, and had once been hit in the head Rural Wisconsin Road.” Northwest Herald,
with a pitchfork. March 16, 2022. Accessed March 18, 2022.
https://www.shawlocal.com/northwest-herald/
LaRoche has stated that she dropped Johnson news/2022/03/17/former-mchenry-county-
off that day in a rural area in Wisconsin and woman-found-guilty-in-murder-of-live-in-
never saw her again. The case against her is nanny-whose-remains-were-found-on-side-
pending in Racine County Circuit Court. of-rural-road-in-wisconsin/.

On March 16, 2022, a jury in Racine County Mauk, Alyssa. “‘Between a Rock and a Hard
found LaRoche guilty of first-degree Place:’ Case Against Linda LaRoche at a
intentional homicide and concealing a body. Standstill.” Journal Times. March 17, 2020.
On May 23, 2022, LaRoche was sentenced to Accessed December 31, 2020. https://
life in prison without the possibility of parole. journaltimes.com/news/local/crime-and-
courts/between-a-rock-and-a-hard-place-case-
Sources: against-linda-laroche-at-a-standstill/
article_01d8631f-adce-53f9-a0ec-
Arndt, Jason. “Homicide Suspect Appears at b0148f122bf5.html.
Status Conference.” MyRacineCounty.com.
July 14, 2020. Accessed December 31, 2020. Miston, Bill. “Racine County Cold Case;
http://myracinecounty.com/news/uniongrove/ Linda La Roche Sentenced to Life in Prison.”
2020/laroche-attorney-to-review-voluminous- Fox6 News Milwaukee, May 23, 2022.
evidence/. Accessed January 10, 2023. https://
www.fox6now.com/news/racine-county-cold-
Fox 6 Now Staff. “Racine Co. Sheriff to case-linda-la-roche-sentenced-monday.
Reveal ID of 1999 Homicide Victim, Body
Found in Cornfield in Raymond.” Fox 6 News

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 417
Rogan, Adam. “20 Years, 3 Months, 18 Days. Case ID 1402: Johnson, Rodney Peter:
Here’s How Racine’s Jane Doe Case Was Lake Stickney John Doe
Solved.” Journal Times. November 10, 2019.
Accessed December 31, 2020. https:// The body of 25-year-old Rodney Peter
journaltimes.com/news/local/years-months- Johnson was found on June 11, 2020 in
days-here-s-how-racine-s-jane-doe/ Snohomish County, Washington. He was
article_4f33853d-6b14-58de-9669-0c39a78c6 discovered floating in the lake by a
889.html. fisherman. He had been shot in the head and
had likely remained underwater for several
Rogan, Adam. “Who Was Peggy Johnson? years due to the extent of adipocere – a fatty
And Why Didn’t Anyone Say She Was substance produced during putrefaction when
Missing for 20 Years?” Journal Times. bodies are disposed in anaerobic
December 16, 2019. Accessed December 31, environments, also known as ‘corpse wax.’
2020. https://journaltimes.com/news/local/ Johnson became known as the Lake Stickney
crime-and-courts/who-was-peggy-johnson- John Doe.
and-why-didn-t-anyone-say/
article_830f588f-5fca-5f4a- Johnson was last seen by his family in the late
bafa-892393682de9.html. 1987 when he left home for a camping trip.
Authorities think he was killed in late 1987.
Rogan, Adam, and Ricardo Torres. “Her His family looked for him for several years,
Name is Peggy: The Events that Led to the and made a missing person report sometime
Death of Racine County’s Jane Doe.” Journal in about 1996.
Times. November 8, 2019. Accessed
December 31, 2020. https://journaltimes.com/ The FGG investigation was conducted by
news/local/crime-and-courts/racine-county- Othram and Jane Jorgensen of the Snohomish
sheriff-s-office-identifies-jane-doe-as-peggy/ County Medical Examiner’s Office. The DNA
article_c1b1cd37-15b9-5e1a-95b8- was badly degraded and contaminated, and
b0dd0d258345.html. obtaining a profile was difficult. Investigators
also used mtDNA and Johnson’s unique
Shapiro, Emily. “Horrific Details Emerge in maternal lineage to assist in his identification
‘Barbaric’ Murder of 1999 Jane Doe.” ABC – his is one of the few cases to be identified
News. November 8, 2019. Accessed using this method.
December 31, 2020. https://abcnews.go.com/
US/woman-arrested-1999-murder-jane-doe- It was also difficult for forensic
found-cornfield/story?id=66849268. anthropologists to perform an accurate facial
reconstruction in his case, due to his mixed
race. He was thought to be partly African
American, and perhaps partly Asian. Forensic
sketches depicted him as a younger and an
older African American man, and as a stout
Asian man. Genealogical testing showed that
Johnson has some Native American ancestry,
descended from members of the Lummi tribe

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 418
of the Pacific Northwest. He is otherwise of Case ID 1515: Jones, Kimberly Rena:
European biogeographical ancestry. White Hills Jane Doe

Johnson is thought to be a victim of The body of 18-year-old Kimberly Rena

homicide, and the investigation into his Jones was found on September 28, 2016, in a
murder is ongoing. ravine just off Highway 93 north of Dolan
Springs, Arizona. She was found by a local
Sources: couple hiking in the area. Her body was too
decomposed to determine a cause of death,
Charles, Alfred. “Rodney Peter Johnson ID’d but investigators are treating it as a homicide.
as Victim as Snohomish Sheriff Seeks Clues Because she was found in the White Hills
in Late 1980s Slaying.” MSN News. August area, she became known as the White Hills
13, 2020. Accessed December 31, 2020. Jane Doe.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/
rodney-peter-johnson-id-d-as-victim-as- In February of 2020, the case was transferred
snohomish-sheriff-seeks-clues-in-late-1980s- to the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office
slaying/ar-BB17SvT2. Special Investigations Unit (SIU), who
exhumed Jones’ body in October of 2020 to
Hutton, Caleb. “Another ID Through DNA: extract a new DNA profile through whole
Who Killed Rodney Johnson?” Herald.net. genome sequencing. There is currently no
August 13, 2020. Accessed December 31, information on who performed the laboratory
2020. https://www.heraldnet.com/news/ work or the FGG investigation.
another-id-through-dna-what-happened-to-
rodney-johnson/. Jones was reported missing out of San
Bernardino, California, in 2017. Investigators
Othram. “Snohomish County Sheriff’s and in Arizona were not aware of the missing
Medical Examiner’s Office Partner With person report. The homicide investigation
Othram to Identify Lake Stickney John Doe.” into Jones’ death is ongoing.
DNA Solves. August 12, 2020. Accessed
December 31, 2020. https://dnasolves.com/ Sources:
articles/lake_stickney_john_doe_identified/.
The Bee. “Human Remains Identified/Death
Q13 Fox News. “‘John Doe’ Homicide Investigation.” The Bee. August 17, 2021.
Victim Found Floating in Lake Stickney Accessed August 23, 2021. https://
Identified After 26 Years.” Q13 Fox News. www.thebee.news/human-remains-identified-
August 12, 2020. Accessed December 31, death-investigation/.
2020. https://www.q13fox.com/news/john-
doe-homicide-victim-found-floating-in-lake- CBSLA Staff. “Nearly 5 Years Later, Remains
stickney-identified-after-26-years. are Identified from San Bernardino Teen
Kimberly Jones as Death Investigation
Continues.” CBS Los Angeles. August 17,
2021. https://losangeles.cbslocal.com/
2021/08/17/nearly-5-years-later-remains-are-

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 419
identified-from-san-bernardino-teen- September 4, 2021. https://dnadoeproject.org/
kimberly-jones-as-death-investigation- case/laura-n-layla-phoenix-doe/.
continues-in-arizona/.
Fox 10 Staff. “‘Jane Doe’ Identified After
Klapper, Clayton. “Remains Found Near Being Found Dead in Phoenix 4 Years Ago.”
Dolan Springs in 2016 Identified as Missing Fox 10 News Phoenix. September 2, 2021.
18-Year-Old California Woman.” ABC 15 Accessed September 4, 2021. https://
News Arizona. August 17, 2021. Accessed www.fox10phoenix.com/news/body-of-jane-
August 23, 2021. doe-identified-after-being-found-dead-in-
phoenix-4-years-ago.

Case ID 1518: Jordan, Laura Jean: Laura Unidentified Wiki. “Laura Jordan.”
N Layla Phoenix Doe Wikia.org. n.d. Accessed September 4, 2021.
https://unidentified.wikia.org/wiki/
The body of Laura Jean Jordan was found on Laura_Jordan.
July 9, 2017 in downtown Phoenix, Arizona,
behind a residence near 22nd Place and University of New Haven. “Inaugural Genetic
Garfield Street. She was determined to have Genealogy Program Students Help DDP ID
died from heat exposure. She was wearing a 2017 Doe.” Forensic Magazine. November
white shirt with green dots, and black pants 12, 2021. Accessed November 13, 2021.
that were too large for her. She had no teeth. https://www.forensicmag.com/580888-
She had a tattoo that said ‘Laura N Layla’, Inaugural-Genetic-Genealogy-Program-
and so she became known as Laura N Layla Students-Help-DDP-ID-2017-Doe/.
Phoenix Doe.

The FGG investigation was conducted by the Case ID 1622: Judson, Stephanie Renee:
DNA Doe Project. Although close relatives Ada Bones Jane Doe 1997
were found on FTDNA as well as GEDmatch,
DNA Doe Project stated that the research was The decomposed remains of Stephanie Renee
complicated due to endogamy and the dearth Judson were found on July 31, 1997, in a
of public records. The final confirmation was wooded area in Ada, Michigan. Her body was
made using fingerprints. found by a maintenance worker picking up
trash. Her autopsy found that she was an
The DNA Doe Project was assisted in this African American female, between the age of
case by interns earning their graduate 20 and 30, but she could not be identified.
certificate in Forensic Genetic Genealogy at She is thought to have been killed sometime
the University of New Haven. in the spring or summer of 1996. She became
known for the next 25 years as Ada Bones
Sources: Jane Doe 1997.

DNA Doe Project. “Laura N Layla Phoenix A clay reconstruction of her face was
Doe.” DNA Doe Project. April 16, 2021. Last produced by a forensic artist in 2009. A DNA
Modified September 4, 2021. Accessed profile suitable for FGG analysis was

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 420
obtained in April of 2021. The FGG Case ID 1184: Julie Valentine
investigation was performed by the DNA Doe
Project. They were able to locate a second See also: Baby Boy Doe
cousin, and build up several family trees
going back to Mississippi. The final The body of newborn Julie Valentine was
confirmation was made with a living family found on February 13, 1990 in Greenville,
member of Judson. South Carolina. The baby was placed in a
Sears Kenmore vacuum cleaner box and
Judson was born in Benton Harbour in 1966 disposed of in a rubbish heap in a field. She
and had lived in Grand Rapids since 1980. was found by a man picking flowers for his
She was about 30 years old when she was wife for Valentine’s Day, and this is the
killed. Police continue to investigate her source of her nickname. An autopsy
homicide. determined that she had been born alive.

Sources: The FGG investigation was conducted by

Parabon Nanolabs. Investigators identified
13 On Your Side Staff. “Woman Found Brook Graham as the possible mother. Police
Murdered in Ada Identified Nearly 25 Years approached Graham and asked her to provide
Later.” WZZM 13 News. January 4, 2022. a sample for DNA testing, but she refused,
Accessed January 8, 2022. https:// and a warrant was obtained. This conformed
www.wzzm13.com/article/news/crime/police- she was the mother of Julie Valentine.
identify-remains-of-woman-found-murdered-
in-ada-in-1997/69-d31a5f00-30a9-49ad- Police then arrested Graham and charged her
bff2-5c158cd66b61. the homicide in the death of Julie Valentine.
The charges were upgraded to murder from
DNA Doe Project. “Ada Bones Jane Doe homicide by child abuse, since this offence
1997.” DNA Doe Project. July 9, 2020. Last did not exist at the time of Julie Valentine’s
modified January 7, 2022. Accessed January death.
8, 2022. https://dnadoeproject.org/case/ada-
bones-jane-doe-1997/. Graham would have been about 24 years-old
at the time of Julie Valentine’s birth. She is
Gent, Carter. “Investigators Turn to also charged with homicide by child abuse in
Genealogy Testing to ID ‘Ada Bones.’” Wood connection with the death of Julie Valentine’s
TV. July 15, 2020. Accessed January 8, 2022. older brother, Baby Boy Doe, discussed
https://www.woodtv.com/news/target-8/ above. The father of Julie Valentine alleges
investigators-turn-to-genealogy-testing-to-id- that Graham also tried to kill her first-born
ada-bones/. child by putting it in the toilet, but he found
the baby and obtained medical care. He is not
being charged in connection with the two
deaths. Graham has two living children who
are now grown.

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 421
Graham has a lengthy criminal record for US/wireStory/chief-family-dna-leads-police-
fraud. She wass been released on bond while mother-abandoned-baby-62168787.
awaiting trial in Pitt County Superior Court.
Collins, Jeffrey. “Police: South Carolina Mom
On May 12, 2022, she entered an Alford plea Abandoned 2nd Baby 30 Years Ago.” ABC
to two charges of unlawful neglect of a child News 4. May 17, 2019. Accessed December
and one charge of desecration of human 31, 2020. https://abcnews4.com/news/crime-
remains in connection with Julie Valentine. news/police-south-carolina-mom-
The offence of desecration had not yet been abandoned-2nd-baby-30-years-
passed at the time of Baby Boy Doe’s birth. ago-05-17-2019.
The medical examiner stated that it was not
possible for an autopsy to confirm that the Cox, Robert, and Asia Wilson. “Brooke
two infants were born alive and died Graham Pleads Guilty in ‘Julie Valentine’
thereafter, due to the decomposition of the Death.” WSPA News 7, May 12, 2022. Last
remains. Graham is awaiting a pre-sentence modified May 13, 2022. Accessed November
report for sentencing. 18, 2022. https://www.wspa.com/news/local-
news/brook-graham-pleads-guilty-in-julie-
Julie Valentine became a symbol for abused valentine-death/.
children and child-abuse prevention.
Kalsi, Dal, and Matthew Ablon. “Brook
Sources: Graham, the Woman Charged in Deaths of 2
Babies Found in Greenville in 1989 and 1990,
Cavallaro, Gabe. “Charges Against Julie Released on Bond.” Fox News Carolina. May
Valentine’s Mother are Now Amended to 23, 2019. Accessed December 31, 2020.
Murder.” Greenville News. April 26, 2019. https://www.foxcarolina.com/investigations/
Accessed December 31, 2020. https:// brook-graham-the-woman-charged-in-deaths-
www.greenvilleonline.com/story/news/crime/ of-2-babies-found-in-greenville-in-1989/
2019/04/26/julie-valentine-mother-brook- article_f2818e20-7d6a-11e9-875d-87a60cacc
graham-charges-upgraded-murder-greenville- eec.html.
sc-police/3586810002/.
Mayo, Nikie. “Julie Valentine Cold Case:
Chandler, Alvieann. “Woman Enters Plea Who is Brook Graham, New Suspect in 1990
Deal, Pleads Guilty to Child Neglect in Julie Infant Death Investigation.” Greenville News.
Valentine Case.” Fox News Carolina, May 12, April 4, 2019, last modified April 5, 2019.
2022. Accessed May 14, 2022. https:// Accessed December 31, 2020. https://
www.foxcarolina.com/2022/05/12/solicitor- www.greenvilleonline.com/story/news/local/
murder-charges-dropped-julie-valentine- south-carolina/2019/04/04/brook-graham-
case/. julie-valentine-cold-case-arrest-greenville-sc-
infant-death/3362644002/.
Colins, Jeffrey. “Chief: Family DNA Leads
Police to Mother Who Abandoned Baby.” Philips, Jennifer. “Greenville Police Chief on
ABC News. April 4, 2019. Accessed How Genealogical DNA Technology Helped
December 31, 2020. https://abcnews.go.com/ Solve Julie Valentine Case.” Fox News

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 422
Carolina. April 5, 2019. Accessed December remains were buried and later dug up by
31, 2020. https://www.foxcarolina.com/news/ animals.
greenville-police-chief-on-how-genealogical-
dna-technology-helped-solve-julie-valentine- The FGG investigation was conducted by
case/article_b40fb3cc-57f1-11e9-93ce- Othram on behalf of the RCMP’s Yukon
a3674ba475ec.html. Historic Case Unit. The University of North
Texas Health Science Center assisted in the
Walters, Haley. “‘Julie Valentine’ Mother investigation. The New Jersey State Police
Charged in Case of Another Infant Death and the Oaklyn Police Department matched
After Greenville News Inquiry.” Greenville the remains to Kampf, although it is not stated
News. May 16, 2019. Accessed December 31, if this match was to a living relative or a
2020. https://www.greenvilleonline.com/ sample from Kampf himself.
story/news/2019/05/16/julie-valentine-infant-
death-brook-graham-greenville-sc-cold-case/ Kampf had travelled to Canada on vacation in
3698338002/. July of 1981 from his home in Camden
County, New Jersey. His family had reported
Walters, Haley. “SLED Uses DNA to Confirm him missing in October of 1981.
Woman Charged in Death of Julie Valentine is
her Mother.” Greenville News. April 10, 2019. The RCMP believe that Kampf was murdered
Accessed December 31, 2020. https:// by an unknown person in July of 1981. Their
www.greenvilleonline.com/story/news/ investigation into the homicide is continuing.
2019/04/10/sled-confirms-woman-charged-
death-julie-valentine-her-mother/ Sources:
3424998002/.
Cohen, Noah. “Murder Victim Found 40
WSPA Staff. “New Details in Brook Graham Years Ago in Canada Identified as N.J. Man
Case Revealed in Court, Police Say.” WSPA Police Say.” NJ.com. September 14, 2021.
News 7. May 31, 2019. Accessed December Accessed September 16, 2021. https://
31, 2020. https://www.wspa.com/news/new- www.nj.com/news/2021/09/murder-victim-
details-in-brook-graham-case-revealed-in- found-40-years-ago-in-canada-identified-as-
court-police-say/. nj-man-police-say.html.

RCMP. “Yukon RCMP Historical Case Unit

Case ID 1519: Kampf, Theodore Frederick Identifies Man After 40-Year Wait.” RCMP
(Press Release). September 13, 2021.
The remains of 46-year-old Theodore Accessed September 16, 2021. https://
Frederick Kampf were found on May 21, www.rcmp.gc.ca/en/news/2021/yukon-rcmp-
1983 in Dawson City in the Yukon, Canada. historical-case-unit-identifies-man-40-year-
His remains were initially found by a person wait.
collecting firewood in a wooded area near the
North Fort Dam. His lower torso was later Othram Inc. “The Yukon RCMP Historical
found buried near the road. It is thought that Case Unit and Yukon Coroner’s Service Team
he was the victim of a homicide, and that his with Othram to Identify a Homicide Victim

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 423
from 1981.” DNASolves. September 14, 2021. Menitoff, Rachel. “Genetic Tests Help
Accessed September 16, 2021. https:// Officials Identify Roger Hearne Kelso as
dnasolves.com/articles/yukon_rcmp_kampf/. Victim in 1985 Cold Case.” CBS Baltimore.
March 11, 2020. Accessed December 31,
Unidentified Wiki. “Theodore Kampf.” 2020. https://baltimore.cbslocal.com/
Wikia.org. n.d. Accessed September 16, 2021. 2020/03/11/roger-hearne-kelso-dna-genetics-
https://unidentified.wikia.org/wiki/ test-cold-case/.
Theodore_Kampf

Case ID 1320: King, Kraig Patrick: Barron

Case ID 1224: Kelso, Roger Hearne County John Doe

The body of 19-year-old Roger Hearne Kelso The body of 21-year-old Craig King was
was found on April 23, 1985 in Glen Burnie, found on September 21, 1982 in Barron
Maryland. A trash can was dug up during the County, Wisconsin. His skeletal remains were
construction of the Marley Station Mall and found along Highway 25 by loggers, who at
Kelso’s body was discovered inside. first thought it was a pile of clothing. King
Investigators did not know how long he had had been stabbed at least three times in his
been dead, but the coins in his pockets were upper abdomen – wounds that were so deep
dated 1963. Kelso had died from upper body that they penetrated his spine. He is thought
trauma. to have been killed in April or May of 1982.
He was known for almost four decades only
The FGG investigation was conducted by as the Barron County John Doe.
Parabon Nanolabs.
The FGG investigation was conducted by
Kelso had left home sometime in 1962 or Jenny Lecus of the DNA Doe Project. The
1963, when he was about 20 years old. He homicide investigation into King’s murder
told his family that he had a new job, and he remains open.
would contact them soon. He never returned
home, and his family never knew what Sources:
became of him. The homicide investigation
remains open. Bring Me the News. “Who Killed Kraig
King? Remains Found in Wisconsin in 1982
Sources: Identified as White Bear Lake Man.”
Bringmethenews.com. January 8, 2020.
Massimo, Rick. “Police ID Body Found in Accessed December 31, 2020. https://
1985 as Md. Man Missing Since 1962.” bringmethenews.com/minnesota-news/who-
WTOP News. June 19, 2019. Accessed killed-kraig-king-remains-found-in-
December 31, 2020. https://wtop.com/anne- wisconsin-in-1982-identified-as-white-bear-
arundel-county/2019/06/police-id-body- lake-man.
found-in-1985-as-md-man-missing-
since-1962/. Divine, Mary. “37 Years Later, Remains
Found in Wisconsin Identified as White Bear

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 424
Lake Man.” Twin Cities Pioneer Press. since her autopsy. The FGG investigation was
January 7, 2020. Accessed December 31, conducted by the DNA Doe Project. This was
2020. https://www.twincities.com/ one of the first cases that the DNA Doe
2020/01/07/37-years-later-remains-found-in- Project investigated.
wisconsin-identified-as-white-bear-lake-man/.
Sources:
DNA Doe Project. “Barron County John Doe
1982.” DNA Doe Project. May 17, 2019. Bowman, Nancy. “How They Did It: Ground-
Accessed December 31, 2020. https:// Breaking Technology Reveals ID in 37-Year-
dnadoeproject.org/case/barron-co-john-doe/. Old Cold Case.” Dayton Daily News. April
11, 2018. Accessed December 31, 2020.
Thiede, Dana. “Human Remains Found in https://www.daytondailynews.com/news/
Western Wisconsin in 1982 ID’d as Missing crime--law/how-they-did-groundbreaking-
White Bear Lake Man.” KARE 11 NBC News. technology-reveals-year-old-cold-case/
January 7, 2020. Accessed December 31, wdliYt0agtdpFF4w6U1MiP/.
2020. https://www.kare11.com/article/news/
crime/human-remains-found-in-western- DeBrosse, Jim. “‘Somebody Cares About
wisconsin-in-1982-idd-as-missing-white- Them. We Do.’ Jane Doe Cases Could be
bear-lake-man/ Solved ‘Overnight’ if Database Utilized,
89-7263f6fc-590c-48ae-9f5e-066aaf5745de. Police Say.” Dayton Daily News. August 6,
2007. Accessed December 31, 2020. http://
Unidentified Wiki. “Kraig King.” Wikia.org. www.doenetwork.org/media/news155.html.
n.d. Accessed December 31, 2020. https://
unidentified.wikia.org/wiki/Kraig_King. DNA Doe Project. “Buckskin Girl.” DNA
Doe Project. February 12, 2018. Accessed
December 31, 2020. https://
Case ID 1016: King, Marcia Lenore: dnadoeproject.org/case/buckskin-girl/.
Buckskin Girl
Mullen, Shannon. “Was Strangled ‘Buckskin
The body of Marcia Lenore Sossomon King Girl’ From New Jersey?” APP. April 29,
was found on April 24, 1981 in Miami 2016, last modified April 30, 2016. Accessed
County, Ohio. She had been dead for about December 31, 2020. https://www.app.com/
two days. She had been beaten and strangled story/news/crime/jersey-mayhem/cold-cases/
and her body was left in a ditch. She had 2016/04/29/buckskin-girl-murder-pollen-nj/
pigtails and was wearing a homemade fringed 83707116/.
buckskin leather poncho. Because of this, she
became known as the Buckskin Girl.

Investigators tried a number of methods over

the years to identify the Buckskin Girl,
including isotope testing and pollen analysis.
The DNA profile in this case was obtained
from a blood sample that had been stored

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 425
Case ID 1384: Kirkum, Wanda Dean: last modified June 16, 2020. Accessed
Valentine Jane Doe December 11, 2020. https://
www.miamiherald.com/news/local/
See also: Robert Bradley community/florida-keys/
article243552692.html.
The body of 18-year-old Wanda Dean Kirkum
was found on February 15, 1991 in the Taylor, Michelle. “‘Your DNA Will be the
Florida Keys. She had been raped and Voice for Someone Who Can No Longer
strangled with her bathing suit top. Because Speak’: Genetic Genealogy IDs Victim,
she is thought to have been killed on Suspect From 1991 Cold Case.” Forensic
Valentine’s Day, she became known as Magazine. June 19, 2020. Accessed
‘Valentine Jane Doe.’ December 11, 2020. https://
www.forensicmag.com/565493-Your-DNA-
The FGG investigation was performed by the Will-be-the-Voice-for-Someone-Who-Can-
Florida Department of Law Enforcement No-Longer-Speak-Genetic-Genealogy-IDs-
(FDLE). Victim-Suspect-From-1991-Cold-Case/.

The lead suspect in Kirkum’s homicide, Theisen, Tiffini. “‘Valentine Jaen Doe
Robert Bradley, was also identified by the Homicide’ Cold Case Solved 29 Years After
FDLE, making this one of a small number of Teen Girl Found Dead in Florida.” South
cases in which both the victim and the Florida Sun Sentinel. June 15, 2020.
perpetrator of a homicide were identified Accessed December 11, 2020. https://
using FGG. Bradley himself was murdered in www.sun-sentinel.com/os-ne-florida-keys-
Tarrant County, Texas in April 1992 when he rape-murder-cold-case-solved-dna-
was 31 years old. A DNA sample taken at technology-20200615-
Bradley’s autopsy was used to confirm that cscvcegv7rhylfx5igyuaqvfby-story.html.
his profile was consistent with the sample
recovered from Kirkum’s homicide.
Case ID 1514: Kirov, Michael
Sources:
The body of 30-year-old Michael Kirov was
Bonvillian, Crystal. “‘Valentine Jane Doe’ found on July 28, 1995, at a railway crossing
Rape, Murder Solved Through DNA After 29 in Regina, Saskatchewan. He had been hit by
Years.” Fox 13 News Memphis. June 16, an oncoming CP Rail train, and had no
2020. Accessed December 11, 2020. https:// identification on his person, or in his
www.fox13memphis.com/news/trending/ backpack, although he did have a distinctive
valentine-jane-doe-rape-murder-solved- silver broach shaped like a rose. The train’s
through-dna-after-29-years/ engineer, Bruce Henderson, stated that it
RYE6KJSQTZFXFPBO64CQBQLCOM/. appeared that Kirov did not heed the train’s
horn and whistle and deliberately stepped in
Filosa, Gwen. “A Murder Case in the Keys front of the eastbound train.
Has Been Solved 29 Years Later. No Charges
Will Be Filed.” Miami Herald. June 15, 2020,

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 426
A DNA profile was produced by BCIT in Case ID 1587: Klug, Roland: Winnebego
2007, but generated no hits in law County John Doe
enforcement databases. The FGG
investigation was conducted by Othram Inc. A The remains of 65-year-old Ronald D. Klug
new DNA sample was obtained from Kirov’s were found on April 29, 2015, near a set of
remains in 2019, and Othram produced a railroad tracks in the town of Vinland,
DNA profile suitable for genealogical Illinois. The remains included bone
analysis in December of 2020. Othram fragments, including some from Klug’s skull
identified three first cousins of Kirov. and teeth. The coroner estimated that his
remains may have lain there for up to two
Kirov had gone missing from Winnipeg, years. Authorities have not disclosed a case of
Manitoba sometime in 1991 after the death of death, but they do not believe that it involved
his beloved mother. He changed his name foul play.
from Michael Lewis to Michael Kirov at that
time, and he lost touch with his family. The FGG investigation was conducted by
Investigators have ruled his death a suicide. Othram, who obtained a DNA profile from
fragments of Klug’s skull. The final
Sources: confirmation was made to living relatives.

CBC News. “‘Peace and Closure’: Sask. Klug was originally from Oshkosh, and was a
Coroner Identifies ‘John Doe’ Hit by Train in Vietnam War veteran. He has been returned to
Regina in 1995.” CBC News. August 12, his family.
2021. Accessed August 23, 2021. https://
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/sask- Sources:
coroner-1995-john-doe-identity-
train-1.6137759. Reid, Alice. “Winnebago Co. Authorities:
Man Found Dead in 2015 Finally Identified.”
Kurz, Larissa. “John Doe in 1995 Regina NBC News 26 Green Bay. December 7, 2021.
Cold Case ID’d After Genealogical DNA Last Modified December 8, 2021. Accessed
Research.” Moose Jaw Today. August 12, December 8, 2021. https://www.nbc26.com/
2021. https://www.moosejawtoday.com/local- news/local-news/winnebago-co-authorities-
news/john-doe-in-1995-regina-cold-case-idd- man-found-dead-in-2015-finally-identified.
after-genealogical-dna-research-4218189.
Vogen, Michael. “Winnebago County
Othram Inc. “Saskatchewan Coroners Service Sheriff’s Office Teams with Othram to
and Regina Police Service Team With Othram Identify 2015 Winnebago County John Doe.”
to Identify 1995 Regina John Doe.” DNASolves.com. December 7, 2021.
DNASolves.com. August 12, 2021. Accessed Accessed December 8, 2021. https://
August 23, 2021. https://dnasolves.com/ dnasolves.com/articles/
articles/regina_john_doe/. winnebago_county_john_doe/?
fbclid=IwAR2FfX3DlMl0QTFBWTAKrlIaR
B2jy11FEKraF00Lp7AcQdDmhe6-
nwSMHxg.

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 427
 WBAY News Staff. “Texas Lab Helps Knippers’ family lost contact with her
Winnebago County Detectives Identify John sometime in the early 1980s. Police continue
Doe After 6 Years.” ABC News 2. December to investigate her murder.
7, 2021. Accessed December 8, 2021. https://
www.wbay.com/2021/12/07/winnebago- Sources:
county-john-doe-identified-6-years-after-
remains-were-found/. DNA Doe Project. “Pulaski Co Jane Doe.”
DNA Doe Project, May 6, 2019. Accessed
December 19, 2022. https://
Case ID 1803: Knippers, Karen Kay: dnadoeproject.org/case/pulaski-co-jane-doe/.
Pulaski County Jane Doe
Miller, Joshua Rhett. “Missouri ‘Jane Doe’
The remains of 32-year-old Karen Kay Identified Exactly 40 Years After Body Was
Knippers were found on May 25, 1981 near Found.” New York Post, May 26, 2021.
Dixon, Missouri. Her body was found in a Accessed December 19, 2022. https://
low river crossing near Highway MM north nypost.com/2021/05/26/missouri-homicide-
of Dixon. She had suffered trauma to her victim-identified-40-years-after-body-was-
face, and likely died from being strangled found/.
with a pair of pantyhose. She was found
clothed, but with no shoes. She is thought to Unidentified Wiki. “Karen Knippers.”
have been dead about one day before being Wikia.org, n.d. Accessed December 19, 2022.
found. She could not be identified, and was https://unidentified-awareness.fandom.com/
buried at the Waynesville Cemetery. wiki/Karen_Knippers.

Knippers was exhumed in 2015 for further

investigation, which was performed with the Case ID 1506: Knox, Steven Lee:
assistance of the University of North Texas, Snohomish Jetty Doe
as well as the University of South Florida.
The body of 24-year-old Steven Lee Knox
The FGG investigation was conducted by the was found by boaters on June 1980 floating in
DNA Doe Project in partnership with the the Snohomish River. An autopsy determined
Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office, beginning in that he had died by drowning. Authorities
April of 2019. DNA was uploaded to both could not determine if his death was
GEDmatch and FTDNA. The latter turned up suspicious. The individual had no wallet, and
a second cousin, and Knippers was identified could not be identified.
as a candidate within a few hours. Funding
for the investigation was raised by the Pulaski Knox’s body was exhumed in 2008 for DNA
County Sheriff’s Office and Detective Renno. testing. A profile was obtained, and was
The final confirmation was made to Knippers’ submitted to NamUs (National Missing and
brother in Alexandria, Virginia. Unidentified Persons System), as well as the
FBI’s NCIC (National Crime Information
Center) database. No leads were obtained.

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 428
A new DNA profile was produced in 2019 by dna-lab-sheds-new-light-helps-identify-man-
the University of North Texas Health Science found-in-snohomish-river-in-1980.
Center from a section of Knox’s thigh bone. A
new portrait was also created at this time.
Case ID 1766: Konstantinidis, Kleanthis:
The FGG investigation was conducted by St. Tammany Parish John Doe
Othram. Funding for this project was
provided through a private donation from The remains of 65-year-old Kleanthis
Audiochuk. The final confirmation was made Konstantinidis were found on July 29, 2016,
through dental records on file with the U.S. near White Kitchen, in St. Tammany Parish,
Air Force. Louisiana. His remains were located along the
side of the Interstate-90 and Louisiana 433
Knox was last seen in May of 1980 in Highways in a remote area near Lake
Everett, Washington after his tour of service Pontchartrain. He was badly decomposed, and
in the U.S. Air Force. He was reported had been dismembered - his arms and one of
missing by his family, who state that Knox his legs had been removed at the knee. An
was concerned for his safety shortly before he autopsy concluded that he had died from
disappeared, and they suspect he may have blunt force trauma to the head. There was no
been murdered. evidence of his identity. He had an open-heart
bypass surgery.
Sources:
In April of 2019, police in Biloxi, Mississippi
Othram Inc. “Snohomish County Sheriff and were conducting a search in the home of a
Medical Examiner’s Offices Partner with man named Phillip Pointer who was recently
Othram to Identify Snohomish Jetty Doe.” deceased from natural causes. There, they
DNASolves.com. August 4, 2021. Accessed found a severed foot in a bucket. DNA
August 10, 2021. https://dnasolves.com/ analysis led to the conclusion that the foot
articles/jetty_doe/? belonged to Kleanthis Konstantinidis.
fbclid=IwAR23N3dWxvRc2Bwh9RnXR9RL
_breohB_6yi5HVuPxwVNlLMrZ7ehjwi8XD The FGG investigation was conducted by the
s. DNA Doe Project. The case was challenging,
as there were few close matches, and many of
Snohomish County Medical Examiner’s the documents were located in countries
Office. Facebook (Post). August 5, 2021. where genealogical records are scarce,
Accessed August 10, 2021. https:// including Greece, Turkey, and the Balkans.
www.facebook.com/SnoCoME/posts/ Parabon Nanolabs also performed forensic
837514350303193. phenotyping in the case in 2016 and
determined that he was a white male with fair
LaVoice, Olivia. “‘Jetty Doe’ Case: DNA Lab skin, brown hair, and brown or hazel eyes.
Sheds New Light, Helps Identify Man Found The final confirmation was made to a living
in Snohomish River in 1980.” Q13 Fox News. family member of Konstantinidis.
August 7, 2021. Accessed August 10, 2021.
https://www.q13fox.com/news/jetty-doe-case-

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 429
Police state that Pointer is the lead suspect in found-dumped-in-st-tammany-still-unknown/
the death of Konstantinidis. 326924931.

Sources: Unidentified Wiki. “Kleanthis

Konstantinidis.” Wikia.org., n.d. Accessed
DNA Doe Project. “St. Tammany Parish John October 9, 2022. https://unidentified-
Doe.” DNA Doe Project, October 14, 2018. awareness.fandom.com/wiki/
Last modified May 14, 2021. Accessed Kleanthis_Konstantinidis.
October 9, 2022. https://dnadoeproject.org/
case/st-tammany-parish-john-doe/.
Case ID 1536: Kraicinsky, John: Marion
Howard, Harry. “A Dismembered Body that County Ohio John Doe 1989
was Found in St. Tammany 6 Years Ago Has
Finally Been Identified.” WWL CBS News 4, The decomposed remains of 34-year-old John
October 7, 2022. Accessed October 9, 2022. Kraicinsky were found on July 19, 1989 by
https://www.wwltv.com/article/news/crime/st- children playing at Flat Rock Run Creek near
tammany-parish-sheriffs-office-identifies- Caledonia, Ohio. The children first spied a
victim-in-cold-case/289-5d35ee5d-bf52-4c5a- black running Adidas shoe and, upon further
bf57-c682f85206a8. investigation, Kraicinsky’s body was found
floating in the water along the bank of the
Krail, Jeremy. “Grisly Louisiana Murder Case creek. The coroner ruled his death a
Went Unsolved for Years Until Dismenbered homicide, likely by strangulation as well as a
Foot was Found in Another State.” WBRZ puncture wound made by a gun or arrow.
ABC News 2, October 7, 2022. Accessed
October 9, 2022. https://www.wbrz.com/ The FGG investigation was performed by the
news/grisly-louisiana-murder-case-went- DNA Doe Project using a DNA sample
unsolved-for-years-until-dismembered-foot- extracted from Kraicinsky’s skull. The DNA
was-found-at-mississippi-home/. extraction was performed by DNA Solutions
with additional extraction by the International
Warren, Bob. “Severed Foot in Bucket Helps Commission on Missing Persons (ICCMP) in
ID Dismembered Body Found in Rural St. The Hague. The process was facilitated by
Tammany Parish.” NOLA.com, October 7, finding relatives with an Eastern European
2022. Accessed October 9, 2022. https:// admixture similar to that of Kraicinsky. The
www.nola.com/news/northshore/ final confirmation of his identity was made
article_a71172ae-465f-11ed-8cfc-8b123c1ebe with John’s siblings.
0c.html.
Kraicinsky was last seen by his family when
WWL Staff. “Identity of Homicide Victim he moved out of their home in Galion, Ohio
Found Dumped in St. Tammany Still in the summer of 1989 – about a month
Unknown.” WWL CBS News 4, September before his death. His family states that he had
27, 2016. Accessed October 9, 2022. https:// a mental illness, and would often leave home
www.wwltv.com/article/news/local/ for periods of time. The police continue to
northshore/identity-of-homicide-victim- investigate his homicide.

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 430
Sources: was conducted by Othram in partnership with
the Fairfax County Police Department,
Anderson, Michelle. “‘John Doe’ Identified in beginning in 2022. The FGG investigation
Marion County Closed Case, Sheriff Asking was crowdfunded by Othram. The final
for Tips.” JIO PMID. October 19, 2021. confirmation was made to her brother and
Accessed October 21, 2021. https:// children.
jiopmid.com/john-doe-identified-in-marion-
county-closed-case-sheriff-asking-for-tips/. Lane was last seen by her family in about
1987. Her father is reported to have received
DNA Doe Project. “Marion County Ohio an anonymous phone call about 3-4 years
John Doe.” DNA Doe Project. July 5, 2019. later claiming that Lane was dead. Police
Accessed October 21, 2021. https:// continue to investigate her murder.
dnadoeproject.org/case/marion-county-ohio-
john-doe-1989/. Sources:

Oliver, Emily. “Marion County Sheriff’s Moore, Jack. “Fairfax County Police ID
Office ID’s Homicide Victim After More than Woman Whose Remains Were Found in
30 Years.” WBNS ABC 10 News. October 18, Woods in 1993.” WTOP News, December 2,
2021. Last Modified October 19, 2021. 2022. Accessed December 4, 2022. https://
Accessed October 21, 2021. https:// wtop.com/fairfax-county/2022/12/fairfax-co-
www.10tv.com/article/news/local/victim-in- police-id-woman-whose-remains-were-found-
marion-county-homicide-identified-more- in-woods-in-1993/.
than-30-years-later/530-a1519037-
d456-47f6-9912-bcaf090e5561. More, Maggie, and Darcy Spencer. “Cold
Case: Remains Found in 1993 Identified as
Missing Fairfax County Woman.” NBC News
Case ID 1799: Lane, Sharon Kay Abbott 4 Washington, December 2, 2022. Accessed
December 4, 2022. https://
The skeletal remains of 34-year-old Sharon www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/cold-
Kay Abbott Lane were found on December 6, case-remains-found-in-centreville-in-1993-
1993 in Centreville, Virginia. She was found identified-as-missing-fairfax-county-woman/
by landscapers at the base of a cedar tree. 3224258/.
Police found some items scattered near the
scene that may have belonged to the victim, Vogen, Michael. “Fairfax County Police
including jewelry, a comb, a banana clip, and Department Partners with Othram to Identify
some deteriorated clothing. Her cause of 1993 Jane Doe.” DNASolves.com, December
death was determined to be by stab wounds to 2, 2022. Accessed December 4, 2022. https://
her upper body. She could not be identified. dnasolves.com/articles/fairfax-county-jane-
doe-1993/.
Her remains were exhumed for an
anthropological examination by the
Smithsonian in 2011, and her data was
entered into NamUs. The FGG investigation

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 431
Case ID 1477: Lane, William Everette: then sexually assaulted and killed the female.
John Doe 29 He buried their bodies in the Mojave Desert
south of Highway 66. All he could tell
See also: Pamela Dianne Duffey investigators was that the female had left a
daughter behind in Arkansas, that the male
The bodies of 20-year-old Pamela Dianne was a ‘hippie’, and they were hitchhiking
Duffey and 19-year-old William Everette across the country together.
Lane were found on November 17, 1980
buried in a remote area of the Mojave Desert Investigators still could not identify the
near Ludlow, California. They were found victims. After several attempts, they were
buried in a shallow grave by an archaeologist. able to obtain DNA profiles which were
Their bodies were naked, and autopsies uploaded into CODIS, but this produced no
showed that they had died from a matches. There is currently no information on
combination of blunt force trauma and who conducted the FGG investigation, or
gunshot wounds. when it commenced. On December 11, 2020,
investigators noticed that a close relative of
Investigators could not identify the bodies, Duffey had uploaded her DNA to GEDmatch
but they suspected the couple had been and the results indicated that it was Duffey’s
murdered by a man named Howard Neal. daughter.
Neal had lived in Ludlow at the time of the
murders and had left with his wife and child Duffey’s daughter, 41-year-old Christine
shortly after. He moved to Mississippi, where Marie Salley, had hired a private investigator
he murdered his brother, and raped and in April of 2018 to help her find her birth
murdered his 13-year-old sister and her 12- parents. She would later upload her DNA to
year-old friend. Their remains were found in GEDmatch for this purpose. Investigators
February of 1981. He then left and moved to confirmed the mother-daughter match
Stockton, California, where he was arrested through DNA testing at the California
for petty theft. He was then extradited to Department of Justice laboratory.
Mississippi for the triple murder. He was
convicted in February of 1982 and sentenced Salley told investigators that her mother was
to death. In about 1990, Neal’s attorneys had Pamela Duffey, and that she was travelling
the death sentence commuted as a result of with a man named ‘Digger’ Lane, who had
Neal’s IQ tests, which showed that he was on recently been released from prison in
the borderline of being mentally challenged. Virginia. Through this information and the
assistance of the Virginia State Police,
Investigators were not permitted to interview investigators were able to identify the
Neal until August of 2017. At that time, Neal unknown male as William Everette Lane,
told investigators that he had picked up the from Jacksonville, Florida. His identity was
couple while they were hitchhiking and taken confirmed through DNA testing with his
them back to his residence where he made mother.
sexual advances to the female. An argument
then broke out between Neal and the male, Charges of homicide and sexual assault have
during which Neal shot and killed him. He been brought against Neal. The remains of

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 432
Duffey and Lane have been returned to their Case ID 1751: Langley, Cadence: Artesia
families. Doe

Sources: The remains of 14-year-old Cadence Langley

were located on October 26, 2020 in Safford,
Benson, Grant T. “Adopted Daughter’s DNA Arizona. She had been shot in the back of the
Helps Identify Victims of a 1980 Double head. She had been placed in a box and then
Homicide; Suspect in Custody.” Breaking911. disposed of in a livestock trough in the desert,
April 21, 2021. Accessed April 23, 2021. where she was found by quail hunters. There
https://breaking911.com/adopted-daughters- were some toys near her body. Since she was
dna-helps-identify-victims-of-a-1980-double- found near Artesia Road, she became known
homicide-suspect-in-custody/. as Artesia Doe.

San Bernardino Sheriff’s Office. “Through The FGG investigation was conducted by
Investigation Homicide Cold Case Innovative Forensic Investigations, in
Investigators Identify the Victims in a 1980 partnership with the Graham County Sheriff’s
Double Homicide; Suspect in Custody.” San Office and the FBI. Astrea Forensics in
Bernardino Sheriff’s Office (Press Release). California produced a DNA profile from a
April 21, 2021. Accessed April 23, 2021. tooth and a hair. The FBI also produced a
https://local.nixle.com/alert/8671874/? profile from bone. It was determined that
fbclid=IwAR14PakY610KjOj7FodI7nD6qY Cadence was the daughter of Amber Langley
WG3wtXQX4sAUSVjefz4V1nI7rx6IZIkgk. and John Wesley Langley Jr.

Wilson, Quinn. “1980 Cold Case: Search for Amber Langley was arrested on August 24,
Biological Mother Leads to Bodies Buried in 2022, and charged with theft and fraud as she
San Bernardino County Desert and Link to continued to receive government disability
Mississippi Killer.” San Bernardino Sun. benefits for the two years since her daughter
April 21, 2021. Accessed April 23, 2021. died. She has now been charged with first-
https://www.sbsun.com/2021/04/21/1980- degree murder in the death of her daughter.
cold-case-cracked-after-bodies-buried-in-san-
bernardino-county-desert-are-idd-linked-to- An FBI agent interviewed Amber on June 7,
mississippi-killer/? 2022, at which time Amber reportedly stated
fbclid=IwAR0YJfEnL2jtA1I7Ngw0KSuQjH- that her daughter was alive and living with
ZIiOFFrWzP0Fl1EN087oNGEUBQaOddCk. her in Springfield, Oregon. She is currently
being held on a $2 million bond in Graham
Unidentified Wiki. “Digger Lane.” Wikia.org. County. She had been telling relatives that she
n.d. Accessed April 23, 2021. https:// sent her daughter away to live with other
unidentified.wikia.org/wiki/Digger_Lane. family members. She is a military veteran,
and has two other children in her care.

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 433
Sources: The FGG investigation was conducted by
Othram in partnership with the Moss Point
Kalmbacher, Colin. “Mother Charged with Police Department and the Mississippi Office
Pocketing Government Benefits of 14-Year- of the State Medical Examiner, beginning in
Old Autistic Daughter Who Was Shot in the 2021. Carla Davis provided funding and
Head and Dumped in a Livestock Trough.” conducted the genealogical portion of the
Law & Crime, September 3, 2022. Accessed investigation.
September 9, 2022. https://lawandcrime.com/
crime/mother-charged-with-pocketing- Leech was from Panama City, Florida. Police
government-benefits-of-14-year-old-autistic- continue to investigate his death.
daughter-who-was-shot-in-the-head-and-
dumped-in-a-livestock-trough/. Sources:

News Director. “Mother Charged With First- Unidentified Wiki. “William Leech.”
Degree Murder in 2020 Safford Cold Case Wikia.org, n.d. Accessed October 28, 2022.
Killing of Autistic Daughter.” Gila Herald, https://unidentified-awareness.fandom.com/
September 7, 2022. Accessed September 9, wiki/William_Leech.
2022. https://gilaherald.com/mother-charged-
with-first-degree-murder-in-2020-safford- Vogen, Michael. “MS Office of the State
cold-case-killing-of-autistic-daughter/. Medical Examiner and Moss Point Police
Department Partner with Othram to Identify
Schneider, Laura Jean. “Mother Charged with 1996 John Doe.” DNASolves.com, October
Murder in 2-Year-Old Cold Case.” East 24, 2022. Accessed October 28, 2022. https://
Arizona Courier, September 7, 2022. dnasolves.com/articles/mississippi-william-p-
Accessed September 9, 2022. https:// leech/.
www.eacourier.com/news/mother-charged-
with-murder-in-2-year-old-cold-case/
article_cbda7270-2ee0-11ed-827a-4f978ec09 Case ID 1176: Lehman, Annie
1b2.html.
The body of 16-year-old Anne Marie Lehman
was found on August 18, 1971 in Josephine
Case ID 1776: Leech, William P.: Jackson County, Oregon. Her skeletal remains had
County John Doe 1996 been scattered in the woods and were found
by a father and son who had camped there the
The partial skeletal remains of 47-year-old night before. For nearly five decades, she was
William P. Leech were found on June 16, known only as Annie Doe – a name that
1996 in a wooded area of Moss Point, investigators felt was fitting for her.
Mississippi. Some clothing was found near
the bones, but no identification. A facial Her face was reconstructed in 2004, and
reconstruction was performed, and a clay bust isotope analysis was performed in 2016, but
was produced, but he could not be identified. turned up few leads. The FGG investigation
was conducted by the DNA Doe Project. The

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 434
confirmation was made to Annie’s living Case ID 1835: Leslie, Rickey Allen:
sister. Harden County John Doe 2006

Annie had disappeared from her home in The remains of 63-year-old Rickey Allen
Aberdeen, Washington, a few months earlier. Leslie were found on December 30, 2006 in
It is not known how she went missing. Her Elizabethtown, Kentucky. He was found by
homicide is still under investigation. local hunters along the side of the I-65
highway. The man was thought to have been
Sources: between about 50 to 70 years of age, and was
dressed in a red plaid flannel shirt, a grey
DNA Doe Project. “Annie Doe.” DNA Doe polo top, and jeans. He had no identification,
Project. July 20, 2018. Accessed December and was thought to have lain there for several
31, 2020. https://dnadoeproject.org/case/ weeks before being found. His cause of death
annie-doe/. could not be determined, but he is thought to
have died of natural causes.
Josephine County Sheriff’s Office. “Cold
Case 17-940.” Josephine County Sheriff’s The FGG investigation was conducted by the
Office (Press Release). March 14, 2019. DNA Doe Project in partnership with the
Accessed December 31, 2020. https:// Hardin County Coroner’s Office, beginning in
www.co.josephine.or.us/News.asp? 2021. It took about seven months of
NewsID=543. laboratory work to obtain a DNA profile. The
genealogical investigation was complicated
KOMO Staff. “Human Remains Found in through pedigree collapse, but a large X-
Woods Nearly 50 Years Ago ID’d as Missing match on the paternal side assisted with the
Washington Girl.” KOMO News. March 14, identification. The final confirmation was
2019. Accessed December 31, 2020. https:// made to a living family member.
komonews.com/news/local/human-remains-
found-in-woods-nearly-50-years-ago-idd-as- Leslie was living in a hotel in Elizabethtown
missing-wash-girl. at the time of his death. His sister had left him
there temporarily in December of 2006, and
Shapiro, Emily. “Girl Found Dead Nearly 50 was coming back to take him to live with her
Years Ago, Known as Jane ‘Annie’ Doe, is since he was suffering from mental health
Finally Identified with DNA and Genetic issues. When she returned a few days later, he
Genealogy.” ABC News. March 15, 2019. was gone and she could not locate him.
Accessed December 31, 2020. https://
abcnews.go.com/US/girl-found-dead-50- Sources:
years-ago-jane-annie/story?id=61708041.
DNA Doe Project. “Hardin Co John Doe
2006.” DNA Doe Project, December 16,
2021. Last Modified February 6, 2023.
Accessed February 7, 2023. https://
dnadoeproject.org/case/hardin-co-john-
doe-2006/.

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 435
Dukes, Seth. “Man Identified After More than Convicted serial killer Larry Eyler confessed
16 Years After His Death.” The News in 1994 to killing Lewis, along with 21 other
Enterprise, February 7, 2023. Accessed young men shortly before his execution. Ho
February 7, 2023. https:// told his attorney, Kathleen Zellner, that he
www.thenewsenterprise.com/news/local/man- picked Lewis up on November 20, 1982, near
identified-after-more-than-16-years-after-his- Vincennes and they drove together towards
death/article_1527d9f6-c190-59de- Jasper County. Eyler gave Lewis a beer and a
a10a-0cd0a4b84b1a.html. sleeping pill named ‘Placidyl’.

Unidentified Wiki. “Rickey Leslie.” Eyler died of complications relating to HIV/

Wikia.org, n.d. Accessed February 7, 2023. AIDS in prison on March 6, 1994.
https://unidentified-awareness.fandom.com/
wiki/Rickey_Leslie. Lewis, originally from Peru, Indiana, has
been returned to his family. He will be buried
next to his father.
Case ID 1567: Lewis, William Joseph:
Jasper County John Doe Sources:

See also: Brandenburg, John Ingram Jr.: Brad Keever, Jared. “Peru Man ID’d as Victim in
Doe of Newton County Decades-Old Cold Case.” Peru Tribune.
December 3, 2021. Accessed December 8,
The remains of 19-year-old William Joseph 2021. https://www.perutribune.com/news/
(“Bill”) Lewis were found on October 14, peru-man-idd-as-victim-in-decades-old-cold-
1983, in a field near Rensselaer, Ohio. A man case/article_51b39abb-ec6d-5641-9e9b-
setting fox traps came across scattered human e8fc4154b1e9.html.
bone fragments on his rural property. Several
bones were discovered, including a skull, as Tron, Gina. “‘This Family Really Missed
well as some clothing and a Zippo lighter Him,’ Unidentified Victim of Serial Killer
engraved with the name ‘Arlene.’ The coroner Identified as Missing Football Player.”
could not identify the remains, and he became Oxygen. December 3, 2021. Accessed
known for the next 38 years as the Jasper December 8, 2021. https://www.oxygen.com/
County John Doe. crime-news/serial-killer-larry-eyeler-victim-
identified-as-bill-lewis.
The FGG investigation was led by Bryan
Worters of Redgrave Research Forensic WTHR.com Staff. “Victim of 1982 Serial
Services, along with the Trans Doe Task Killing Found in Jasper Co. Identified as 19-
Force, that assists in the identification of trans Year-Old Peru Man.” WTHR News 13.
and LGBTQ+ individuals. Within about 6 December 1, 2021. Last Modified December
days, they located Lewis’ seven siblings, and 3, 2021. Accessed December 8, 2021. https://
the final confirmation was made to his living www.wthr.com/article/news/crime/
relatives. investigators-to-give-update-on-remains-
found-in-jasper-county-
in-1983/531-5d45aab5-

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 436
ec45-4e60-868f-2000020c7d64? Hall of Fame in 2005. He was born in
fbclid=IwAR0sBwAucdC7lHam- Cleveland in 1943 and served for the U.S.
yO54g_BVj93D_1VgvRz- forces in Vietnam. His former bandmates
B2UhVEldlzXFTvPQHWw_Yw. stated that he left the band to come back to
Cleveland because he was in love. He has a
daughter who has passed away, and a son
Case ID 1604: Little, Frank: Twinsburg whom investigators are looking for, although
John Doe 1982 the last years of his life remain a mystery.

The partial remains of 39-year-old Frank Police continue to search for his killer.
(“Frankie”) Little Jr. were found on February
18, 1982, by the workers at a business on Sources:
Cannon Road in Twinsburg, Ohio. They
located the skull behind the establishment, Associated Press. “Remains Found in 1982
and police then located a garbage bag Are Those of Former O’Jays Guitarist.” AP
containing further remains nearby. Little had News. December 15, 2021. Accessed
been subjected to stabbing and blunt force December 21, 2021. https://apnews.com/
trauma, his remains had been set on fire after article/entertainment-music-arts-and-
his death, and then dismembered and placed entertainment-
in the garbage bag. Investigators believed him ohio-8cd78cb34b110fe6198c9eb2322b1ba0.
to be an African American male, about 5’6’’,
and somewhere between 20 and 35 years old. DNA Doe Project. “Twinsburg John Doe
He had a noticeable forward curvature of the 1982.” DNA Doe Project. June 7, 2019. Last
spine. Investigators were not able to identify modified December 14, 2021. Accessed
him. He became known for nearly 40 years December 21, 2021. https://
only as the Twinsburg John Doe. dnadoeproject.org/case/twinsburg-john-
doe-1982/.
The FGG investigation was conducted by the
DNA Doe Project. Even after uploading Jones, Bob. “Remains Found in 1982
Little’s DNA profile to both GEDmatch and Identified as Guitarist for R&B Group The
FTDNA, few close relatives could be located, O’Jays.” News 5 Cleveland. December 14,
although it appeared that Little had a close 2021. https://www.news5cleveland.com/
connection to Laurens County, South news/local-news/oh-summit/remains-found-
Carolina. Volunteers constructed over 70 in-1982-identified-as-guitarist-for-r-b-group-
family trees to sort through over 4,000 distant the-ojays.
relative matches. Several of the top matches
had an unknown paternity. The final Miller, Joshua Rhett. “Remains Found in
confirmation was made to brother who is Ohio ID’s as Frank Little, Guitarist of the
living in Georgia. O’Jays.” New York Post. December 15, 2021.
Accessed December 21, 2021. https://
Little was a guitarist and songwriter for the nypost.com/2021/12/15/remains-found-in-
popular 1960s R&B band, The O’Jays – ohio-idd-as-guitarist-for-the-ojays/.
which was inducted into the Rock and Roll

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 437
Case ID 1491: Lombard, Gerald (“Jerry”): Daniel Conahan was convicted in 1997 of
Hog Trail John Doe #1 sexually assaulting and strangling to death
Richard Montgomery. He is thought to be
The body of 31-year-old Gerald (“Jerry”) responsible for the murders of all five men,
Lombard was found on February 1, 1994 in a including Jerry Lombard. He is currently on
wooded area of Port Charlotte, Florida, near Death Row at the Union Correctional
Wyandotte Avenue and Tulip Street. The body Institution in Railford, Florida.
was found by a local construction worker.
The victim’s body had been mutilated, and Sources:
the circumstances led authorities to believe
him to have been a victim of a series of Cavallier, Andrea. “Florida Authorities Hope
killings known as the “Hog Trail Murders.” to Turn Up Heat on 1994 Identity Cold Case
He was known only as John Doe #1. with New Artist’s Rendering of John Doe
#1.” NBC News. February 14, 2020. Accessed
Between 1994 and 1997, the bodies of four June 12, 2021. https://www.nbcnews.com/
more men were discovered in similar dateline/florida-authorities-hope-turn-
circumstances. Many of the bodies were heat-1994-identity-cold-case-new-n1135376.
found nude, with mutilations to their genitals.
Many of the victims were young white males, Cavallier, Andrea. “John Doe, Victim in ‘Hog
who may have been homeless and transient Trail Murders,’ Identified Through New DNA
and in need of money. It is thought that the Testing 27 Years After His Body Was Found
killer would offer such men money to go into in Florida Woods.” NBC News. June 10,
the woods to take nude photographs. The men 2021. Accessed June 12, 2021. https://
were then sexually assaulted, mutilated, and www.nbcnews.com/dateline/john-doe-victim-
killed. hog-trail-murders-identified-through-new-
dna-n1270416?
The tooth of John Doe #1 was sent for DNA fbclid=IwAR2thCoEbDIC3EzvCFoojsyiVp7
extraction in 2013, but a profile could not be 0KZfQ8pqNm187pP1Ro8HkDqkJPyYvbdY.
obtained until 2020. A DNA profile suitable
for genealogical searching was obtained by Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office. “27 Years
Fulgent Labs in December of 2020. The FGG Later DNA Confirms Identity of John Doe #1,
investigation was conducted by Mark James Possible Victim of 1990s Serial Killer.”
of the FBI’s Forensic Genetic Genealogy Unit Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office (Blog). June
in Baltimore. 9, 2021. Accessed June 12, 2021. https://
ccsoblog.org/2021/06/09/27-years-later-dna-
The final confirmation was made to confirms-identity-of-john-doe-1-possible-
Lombard’s living relatives, including a sister, victim-of-1990s-serial-killer/?
a brother, and his son. Lombard was from fbclid=IwAR2zoFFkdukpf7HsiTOMgGlATA
Massachusetts and had not been seen by his R-64STe2coKwIMTM3uUfss5Bzm6ARz3zo.
family since 1991 or1992. He came from a
large family of 17 siblings.

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 438
Case ID 1319: Loveless, Joseph Henry: his home in May of 1916 after killing his
Walter Cairns/Buffalo Cave Torso wife, Agnes Caldwell, with an axe. It is not
known what befell him in the Civil Defence
The remains of Joseph Henry Loveless were Caves, or who killed him.
first found August of 1979 in the Civil
Defense Caves in Dubois, Idaho. A family on In an interview with ISHI (the International
an excursion hunting for arrowheads in the Symposium for Human Identification) in
caves found the mummified torso of a male. October of 2020, Margaret Press reminds us
He was wrapped in burlap and wearing a dark that the moral character of the decedent is
red sweater. Investigators searched the cave irrelevant when striving to return someone’s
and found more remains, but not the identity to them. She states, “To quote Harry
decedent’s skull. Further pieces of Loveless Bosch: ‘Everybody matters or nobody
were found over the years. He had been matters.’ We’re neither judge nor jury when
deliberately dismembered below the elbows, we strive to return someone’s name.”
above the knees, and above the shoulders and
hidden in the caves. Sources:

The FGG investigation was conducted by Associated Press. “Headless Torso Found in
Othram and the DNA Doe Project. Margaret Cave Identified as Murderer Who Escaped
Press, Anthony Redgrave, and several other Jail in 1916.” The Guardian. January 1, 2020.
team members worked on this case. Y-STR Accessed December 31, 2020. https://
DNA analysis was performed to assist with www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/jan/01/
developing the male lineage. headless-torso-found-cave-identified-
murderer-escaped-jail-1916.
A criminal investigation was opened when the
remains were first located, since the age of ISHI. “Loveless Lost: The Case of the Oldest
the remains were unknown and it was clear Doe Identified Using Forensic Genetic
that the decedent had been deliberately Genealogy.” ISHI October 27, 2020.
dismembered with a sharp tool. There had Accessed December 31, 2020. https://
been indications that this could be a historical www.ishinews.com/loveless-lost-the-case-of-
case, but it was only after Press and Redgrave the-oldest-doe-identified-using-forensic-
began looking at his relatives that it became genetic-genealogy/?
clear that he was over 100 years old. He was fbclid=IwAR3Iw_EzsJLmzdUR53_UwAeLR
identified through a DNA match to an 87- RXlqNZ1BmBt84iLoVE1dHxmpH0NoPJoK
year-old grandchild. qs.

They identified him as Joseph Henry Koerner, Brendan I. “The Mystery of the
Loveless, who was born in Utah territory in Torso in Buffalo Cave.” Wired. May 26, 2015.
1870, making this one of the oldest cases to Accessed December 31, 2020. https://
be brought to a successful resolution. Known www.wired.com/2015/05/mystery-torso-
as Walter Cairns, among other aliases, he was buffalo-cave/.
a bootlegger who had escaped jail many times
with a small saw he hid in his shoe. He fled

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 439
Michael, Amy R., Samantha H. Blatt, Lowrey.” Q News Hub. August 31, 2020.
Mariyam Issa, Anthony Redgrave, and Accessed December 31, 2020. https://
Douglas H. Ubelaker. “Identification of a qnewshub.com/entertainment/the-jane-doe-
Decedent in a 103-Year-Old Homicide Case shawn-grate-murdered-identified-as-dana-
Using Forensic Anthropology and Genetic nicole-lowrey/.
Genealogy.” Forensic Sciences Research
(2022). DOI: https://doi.org/ Carter, Andrew. “Remains from Serial
10.1080/20961790.2022.2034717. Killer’s Marion Country Victim Returned to
Family in Louisiana.” Marion Star. October
Othram. “Infamous Buffalo Cave Torso 11, 2020. Accessed December 31, 2020.
Identified, One of the Oldest Cases Resolved https://www.marionstar.com/story/news/
Using Forensic Genealogy.” DNA Solves. 2020/10/11/marion-county-murder-victims-
December 31, 2019. Accessed December 31, remains-returned-family-louisiana/
2020. https://dnasolves.com/articles/ 5930707002/.
buffalo_cave_torso/.
DNA Doe Project. “Vicky Dana Doe.” DNA
Doe Project. May 14, 2019. Accessed
Case ID 1210: Lowry, Dana Nicole December 31, 2020. https://
dnadoeproject.org/case/vicky-dana-doe/.
The body of 23-year-old Dana Nicole Lowry
was found on March 10, 2007 in a wooded Scofield, Drew, and Olivia Fecteau. “Marion
area near Marion, Ohio by a man collecting County ‘Jane Doe’ Identified; Convicted
tin cans. She had been strangled, wrapped in a Killer Shawn Grate Confessed to Her
blanket, and her body had been set on fire. Murder.” ABC News 5 Cleveland. June 4,
2019, last modified June 5, 2019. Accessed
The FGG investigation was conducted by the December 31, 2020. https://
DNA Doe Project. www.news5cleveland.com/news/state/
marion-county-jane-doe-identified-convicted-
Shawn Grate confessed to killing Lowry in killer-shawn-grate-confessed-to-her-murder.
2016. Lowry had sold some magazines to his
mother, who never received them. On the
pretext of purchasing some more magazines Case ID 1482: Lucas, Janet Lee: Christy
from her, he coaxed her into his car, and then Crystal Creek
into the basement of his home where he
strangled her. Lowry had two small children. The skeletal remains of 23-year-old Janet Lee
She was Shawn Grate’s first victim. He is Lucas were found by a bear hunter on
currently on death row for murdering 5 September 19, 1985, near Crystal Creek,
women. south of Missoula, Montana. She had been
killed by a gunshot to the head, and shell
Sources: fragments from a .32 caliber firearm were
found nearby. She became known as ‘Jane
Bhatt, Shreya. “The Jane Doe Shawn Grate Doe 3UFMY’, or ‘Christy Crystal Creek,’
Murdered Identified as Diana Nicole after the location where she was found.

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 440
She is thought to have been the victim of www.newsweek.com/serial-killer-wayne-
Wayne Nance, a suspected serial killer known nances-links-womans-death-probed-after-
as the Missoula Mauler. Nance was himself dna-breakthrough-1590490.
killed in 1986 during a violent home invasion
in which he was shot by his victim, Doug DNA Solves/Othram. “The Missoula County
Wells, who managed to break free from his Sheriff’s Office Partners with Othram to
restraints. It is not known if Lucas was the Identify Christy Crystal Creek.”
victim of a sexual assault, but Nance had been DNASolves.com. May 10, 2021. Accessed
known to rape and kill his victims. May 12, 2021. https://dnasolves.com/articles/
christy_crystal_creek/.
A DNA profile was extracted from Lucas’
molar. The FGG investigation was conducted DNA Solves/Othram. “Remains of Suspected
by Othram, who produced a DNA profile Third Victim of Wayne Nance ID’ed After 36
from Lucas’s bones that was suitable for Years.” Forensic Magazine. May 12, 2021.
FGG. The investigation was funded by the Accessed May 12, 2021. https://
Montana Department of Justice’s Sexual www.forensicmag.com/575873-Remains-of-
Assault Kit Initiative. The final confirmation Suspected-Third-Victim-of-Wayne-Nance-ID-
of identity was made with a living relative. ed-after-36-Years/.

Original forensic anthropological analyses of Luperon, Alberto. “Authorities Identify Body

her teeth concluded that she may have been of Found in 1985, Investigate Whether Victim
Asian ancestry, because of the nature of her was Murdered by Serial Killer.” Law &
dental work. The use of screw-in posts were Crime. May 11, 2021. Accessed May 12,
thought to have been more common in 2021. https://lawandcrime.com/crime/
someone who lived in Korea or Japan. This authorities-identify-body-found-in-1985-
influenced forensic reconstructions of the investigate-whether-victim-was-murdered-by-
victim and led the investigation into her serial-killer/.
identity astray.
Murphy, Heather. “Remains Found 36 Years
The case has yet to be cleared, although Ago in Montana Are Identified.” New York
Nance is the leading suspect. Lucas, who was Times. May 13, 3031. Accessed May 21,
from Seattle, was last seen in Sandpoint, 2021. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/13/
Idaho in the summer of 1983. She was killed us/janet-lucas-crystal-creek-montana.html.
sometime between then and September of
1985. The Missoula County Sheriff’s Office
continues to investigate her murder. Case ID 1662: Lund, Susan Hope: Ina Jane
Doe
Sources:
Susan Hope Lund’s skull was found on
Anglesey, Anders. “Serial Killer Wayne January 27, 1993, in the Wayne Fitzgerell
Nance’s Links to Woman’s Death Probed State Recreation Area near Ina, Illinois.
After DNA Breakthrough.” Newsweek. May Lund’s head was found hanging from the
11, 2021. Accessed May 12, 2021. https:// bushes by two young girls, ages 10 and 12. It

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 441
is thought to have been thrown there from the was with them the night their mother
roadway. No further remains have ever been disappeared. Police continue to investigate
found. Investigators believe she had only her homicide.
been dead for a few days.
Sources:
Investigators could not identify her but
determined that she had an unusual condition Bonvillian, Crystal. “DNA Leads to Identity
known as torticollis, or wryneck, which might of ‘Ina Jane Doe’ Found Decapitated in
have given her a tilt to her head. She also had Illinois Park in 1992.” KIRO News 7, March
a healed lesion on her skull, which might 15, 2022. Accessed March 16, 2022. https://
have been from head trauma. Clay www.kiro7.com/news/trending/dna-leads-
reconstructions made at the time may have identity-ina-jane-doe-found-decapitated-
greatly exaggerated the tilt to her head and illinois-park-1992/
her facial asymmetry and this may have made ZWUVQ3L2JFDRVLM46WGY4A66A4/.
identification more difficult.
Connor, Tracy. “Head in Forest Solves Cold
The FGG investigation was conducted by Case of Mom Who Vanished on Christmas
Redgrave Research. The laboratory work was Eve 1992.” MSN News, March 12, 2022.
performed by Astrea Forensics, and artist Carl Accessed March 16, 2022. https://
Koppelman completed a new forensic sketch. www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/head-in-
The final confirmation was made to Lund’s forest-solves-cold-case-of-mom-who-
sister. vanished-on-christmas-eve-1992/ar-
AAUYYOM.
Susan Lund, then 25 years old, was reported
missing on December 24, 1992, after she had Redgrave Research. “Ina Jane Doe Press
left home to go shopping at a local Winn- Conference.” You Tube, March 11, 2022.
Dixie and did not return home. A few weeks Accessed March 16, 2022. https://
later, Lund was apparently sighted in www.youtube.com/watch?
Hopkinsville, Kentucky, and the police v=RNx0drV5qhQ&t=1735s.
discontinued the investigation. It is unknown
if she was with her kidnappers, or whether Unidentified Wiki. “Susan Lund.” Wikia.org.
this was a legitimate sighting. Her husband, n.d. Accessed March 16, 2022. https://
Paul Lund, claimed that she had been seen unidentified-awareness.fandom.com/wiki/
looking pale and distressed, and wearing the Susan_Lund.
same clothes she was in when she went to the
Winn-Dixie. She was pregnant at the time of
her disappearance. Case ID 1368: Mack, Valerie: Manorville
Jane Doe
Lund had three children, aged 6, 4, and 2,
who thought that their mother may have The body of 24-year-old Valerie Mack was
abandoned them. Her husband, Paul Lund, found on November 19, 2000 in Manorville,
was rumoured to have been responsible for New York. Her nude, dismembered torso was
her death, although his children state that he discovered by local hunters when it was

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 442
unearthed by their dogs. Her head, hands and reveal-identity-of-gilgo-victim-previously-
feet were discovered many years later, on known-only-as-jane-doe-6/2436367/.
April 4, 2011 near Gilgo Beach. Known as
the Manorville Jane Doe, her death may be Parpan, Grant, and Tara Smith. “In a First for
part of the Gilgo Beach series of murders. NY, Law Enforcement Uses Genetic
A total of 11 victims have been found in the Genealogy to Identify Woman Whose
area of Gilgo Beach, including a toddler and Remains Were Found in Manorville, Gilgo
her mother. At least some of the women are Beach.” Riverhead News-Review. May 28,
suspected to be the victims of a serial killer 2020. Accessed January 1, 2021. https://
who preys upon sex workers. At present, four riverheadnewsreview.timesreview.com/
of the Gilgo Beach victims remain 2020/05/100516/in-a-first-for-ny-law-
unidentified. enforcement-uses-genetic-genealogy-to-
identify-woman-whose-remains-were-found-
Valerie Mack disappeared while working as in-manorville-gilgo-beach/.
an escort in Philadelphia. She was last seen
on her way to meet a client on Oak Beach, Suffolk County Police Department.
Long Island. “Manorville Jane Doe Has Been Identified as
Valerie Mack.” Gilgo News. 2020. Accessed
Reports indicate that the FGG investigation in December 31, 2020. https://
this case was conducted by the FBI’s www.gilgonews.com/Vics/MJD_Info.
Investigative Genealogy Unit. This is the first
case in New York state to report using FGG Unidentified Wiki. “Valerie Mack.”
as part of an investigation. The homicide Wikia.org. 2020. Accessed December 31,
investigation into Mack’s death is ongoing. 2020. https://unidentified.wikia.org/wiki/
Valerie_Mack.
Sources:

Katersky, Aaron, and Ella Torres. “6th Victim Case ID 1651: Mangum, Timothy Alan
of Long Island Murders Identified Through
Genetic Genealogy.” ABC News. May 28, Timothy Alan Mangum’s skull was found on
2020. Accessed December 31, 2020. https:// September 28, 1990, by a property owner
abcnews.go.com/US/6th-victim-long-island- near Joshua Road in Stafford County,
murders-identified-genetic-genealogy/story? Virginia. Investigators determined that the
id=70931197&cid=clicksource_4380645_7_h skull belonged to a male in his late teens, who
eads_posts_card_hed&fbclid=IwAR2rR4f117 had likely died about 1 to 3 years earlier. No
D27m1_d7oblAoxLOzgycKeUQX4eZoNCW other skeletal remains were located. Since
W_qYE0nL8rHDUCCN8. there was no trauma to the skull, a cause of
death could not be determined.
Millman, Jennifer. “Police Reveal Identity of
Gilgo Victim Previously Known Only as Jane A search of CODIS and forensic facial
Doe #6.” NBC 4 New York. May 28, 2020. recognition did not turn up any leads as to the
Accessed December 31, 2020. https:// identity of the John Doe. The FGG
www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/police- investigation was conducted by Othram

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 443
beginning in November of 2021. The final Case ID 1524: Martin, Kyle: Palisades
confirmation was made to Mangum’s living John Doe
father and brother. The investigation was
funded through a private donation from Justin The partial skull of 24-year-old Kyle Martin
Woo. was found on September 16, 2002 by a man
walking his dog along the Palisades Reservoir
Mangum was from near Norfolk, Virginia. in Bonneville County, Idaho. Further bone
His family states that they had no contact fragments, including a tailbone, a pelvic bone
with him for several years before 1990. Police and human vertebrae, were located scattered
believe he disappeared sometime around along the shoreline. He became known as the
1983-1984. They are continuing to investigate Palisades John Doe, or ‘Palisades Pete’.
his death.
The FGG investigation was conducted by
Sources: Othram. The final conformation was made to
Martin’s mother. Dave Hodges of the Teton
Dasgupta, Sonia. “Human Remains Found 32 County Sheriff’s Office had learned that the
Years Ago in Virginia Identified as Timothy Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office and
Alan Magnum.” ABC News 7. February 18, Othram were conducting an FGG search of an
2022. Accessed February 19, 2022. https:// unidentified decedent in their county, and he
wjla.com/news/local/human-remains-skull- contacted them to see if the remains were
found-32-years-ago-stafford-virginia- those of Kyle Martin.
identified-timothy-alan-mangum-
genealogical-research. Martin had disappeared on May 30, 1995
while kayaking with a friend along the
Fox 5 DC Digital Team. “Human Skull Hoback River, which leads into the Palisades
Discovered 32 Years Ago in Stafford County Reservoir. His body became pinned under
Identified.” Fox 5 News DC. February 18, some fallen trees, and he drowned. Dave
2022. Accessed February 19, 2022. https:// Hodges, then a Teton County Search and
www.fox5dc.com/news/human-skull- Rescue Team member, stated that he saw
discovered-32-years-ago-in-stafford-county- Kyle’s body for a few seconds when his
identified. kayak was freed by a helicopter and his body
floated to the surface. Kyle’s body was about
Vogen, Michael. “Stafford County Sheriff’s a boat length away from Hodges when it sank
Office and NCMEC Team with Othram to back under the water, and was not found
Identify a 1990 John Doe.” DNASolves.com. again.
February 18, 2022. Accessed February 19,
2022. https://dnasolves.com/articles/ Sources:
stafford_sheriff_timothy_mangum/.
Grossarth, Eric. “Officials Identify Remains
Found Along Palisades in 2002 as Missing
Kayaker.” East Idaho News. September 17,
2021. Accessed September 23, 2021. https://
www.eastidahonews.com/2021/09/officials-

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 444
identify-remains-found-along-palisades- Nation. Police continue to investigate her
in-2002-as-missing-kayaker/. murder.

Koshmrl, Mike. “Remains of Kayaker Just Sources:

Identified were Recovered in 2002.” Jackson
Hole News & Guide. September 22, 2021. KOKH Staff. “OSBI Identifies Remains of
Accessed September 23, 2021. https:// Woman Found Partially Buried Near Lake
www.jhnewsandguide.com/news/cops_courts/ Thunderbird in 2008.” KOKH News, August
remains-of-kayaker-just-identified-were- 31, 2022. Accessed September 1, 2022.
recovered-in-2002/ https://okcfox.com/news/local/angela-mason-
article_c9750323-701b-501c-8af5-394911c3b lake-thunderbird-2008-oklahoma-state-
354.html. bureau-investigation-partially-buried-
cherokee-nation-moore-parabon-nanolabs-
Othram Inc. “Bonneville County Sheriff’s forensics-putnam-city-west-high-school-
Office Teams with Othram to Identify aungela-spurlock.
‘Palisades Pete.’” DNASolves.com.
September 23, 2021. Accessed September 23, Raache, Hicham. “OSBI Identifies Oklahoma
2021. https://dnasolves.com/articles/ Woman Found in Shallow Grave 14 Years
palisades_pete/. Ago, Death Investigated as Homicide.”
KFOR News, August 31, 2022. Accessed
Unidentified Wiki. “Kyle Martin.” Wikia.org. September 1, 2022. https://www.msn.com/en-
n.d. Accessed September 23, 2021. https:// us/news/crime/osbi-identifies-oklahoma-
unidentified.wikia.org/wiki/Kyle_Martin. woman-found-in-shallow-grave-14-years-
ago-death-investigated-as-homicide/ar-
AA11kxu7.
Case ID 1747: Mason, Angela
Withrow, Brooke. “OSBI: Forensic
The remains of 25-year-old Angela Mason Genealogy Helps Identify Woman Found
were found on August 31, 2008 in Norman, Near Lake Thunderbird.” KOCO News 5,
Oklahoma. Fishermen found her partially August 31, 2022. Accessed September 1,
decomposed remains in a shallow grave near 2022. https://www.koco.com/article/
Lake Thunderbird. It is thought that she had oklahoma-bureau-investigation-starburst-
lain there for about 3 to 15 months before lake-thunderbird/41044870.
being found.

The FGG investigation was conducted by Case ID 1540: Maxey, Winston Arthur III
Parabon Nanolabs in partnership with the
Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, The body of 15-year-old Winston Arthur
beginning in August of 2021. Maxey III was found on July 29, 1971, in the
Snedden Creek in Coos Bay, Oregon. Both
Mason was married with four children. She the identity of the decedent, as well as the
was last seen by her family in the spring of cause of his death, could not be determined,
2008. She was a member of the Cherokee in part because of decomposition of the body

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 445
and the length of time it had been in the www.koin.com/news/oregon/teen-hitchhiker-
water. idd-50-years-after-body-found-in-coos-bay/.

Maxey’s remains were exhumed in 2017 for Unidentified Wiki. “Winston Maxi.”
further investigation. A DNA sample was Wikia.org. n.d. Accessed October 27, 2021.
obtained and uploaded into NAMUS. This https://unidentified.wikia.org/wiki/
produced no new leads. The FGG Winston_Maxey.
investigation was conducted by Parabon
Nanolabs, who performed a new DNA Wegner, Helena. “Idaho Hitchhiker Vanished
analysis suitable for FGG as well as a 50 Years Ago. DNA Helped His Daughter
forensic phenotype. The final confirmation Find Closure.” Idaho Statesman. October 22,
was made to Maxey’s living sister. 2021. Accessed October 27, 2021. https://
www.idahostatesman.com/news/nation-
Maxey had left his home in Boise, Idaho a world/national/article255217176.html.
short time before his death in search of work,
in the spring of 1971. His family did not hear
from him again. Unknown to Maxey, he had Case ID 1821: McClure, Linda Jean
fathered a daughter before leaving Idaho, who
was placed for adoption. When she turned 18 The remains of 26-year-old Linda Jean
years old, she began a life-long search for her McClure were found on October 22, 1987, in
biological father, whom she learned from her Stoneycreek Township, Pennsylvania.
mother was Winston Maxey. She filed the McClure, along with the other occupant of a
first missing person report for her father, in tractor trailer, were killed on the Pennsylvania
2016. Turnpike when the trailer crashed into the
fuel tank of another semi-trailer and burst into
Maxey’s remains will be returned to his flames. The driver of the vehicle was
family in Idaho. identified as 57-year-old Edward Pratt, who
was on duty and so not permitted to have
Sources: passengers riding with him in his truck.
Investigators believe that he may have picked
Barnhart, Toria. “Hitchhiker who Disappeared up McClure at a truck stop.
50 Years Ago ID’d Using DNA from Child
He Didn’t Know He Had.” Newsweek. The FGG investigation was conducted by
October 22, 2021. Accessed October 27, Othram in partnership with the Pennsylvania
2021. https://www.newsweek.com/hitchhiker- State Police, beginning in August of 2022.
who-disappeared-50-years-ago-idd-using- The investigation was funded by the
dna-child-he-didnt-know-he-had-1641885. Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission.

Caldwell, Camrie, and Jenny Young. “Teen McClure, who was from Indiana,
Hitchhiker ID’d 50 Years After Body Found Pennsylvania, had not been reported missing.
in Coos Bay.” KOIN News 6. October 22, Her family reported that had had no contact
2021. Accessed October 27, 2021. https:// with her since the 1980s.

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 446
Sources: and is the victim of a homicide. His remains
had been in the area for about 1 to 4 years.
Donegan, Michael. “PA Woman Killed in
1987 Turnpike Crash Identified After 35 The FGG investigation was conducted by the
Years Using DNA.” Local 21 News, January DNA Doe Project.
24, 2023. Accessed January 25, 2023. https://
local21news.com/news/local/cold-case- McConn was from Kenosha, Wisconsin. He
solved-pa-woman-dead-from-1987-crash- disappeared in 1977, about a year before his
identified-after-35-years. remains were discovered. His homicide
remains under investigation.
Spirito, Taylor. “Indiana County Woman
Identified as Victim in 1987 Crash on Sources:
Pennsylvania Turnpike.” WPXI News,
January 24, 2023. Accessed January 25, 2023. DNA Doe Project. “Jackson County John Doe
https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/indiana- 1978.” DNA Doe Project. May 17, 2019.
county-woman-identified-victim-1987-fatal- Accessed 3 April 2021. https://
crash-pennsylvania-turnpike/ dnadoeproject.org/case/jackson-county-john-
ZPRMAMXG45HGNKSMCAHHMAO37E/. doe/.

Vogen, Michael. “The Pennsylvania State Fox 6 Wisconsin Staff. “1978 Cold Case:
Police Team With Othram to Identify 1987 Wisconsin Dept. of Justice Needs Your Help
Turnpike Crash Victim.” DNASolves.com, to Identify Murder Victim.” Fox 6 News
January 24, 2023. Accessed January 25, 2023. Milwaukee. July 14, 2015. Accessed February
https://dnasolves.com/articles/pennsylvania- 18, 2021. https://www.fox6now.com/news/
state-linda-jean-mcclure/. 1978-cold-case-wisconsin-dept-of-justice-
needs-your-help-to-identify-murder-victim.

Case ID 1472: McConn, Dennis Regan: Ghost Writer. “Jackson County John Doe.”
Jackson County John Doe 1978 Ghost Writer Grown Up (Blog Post). March
7, n.y. Accessed April 3, 2021. https://
The remains of 29-year-old Dennis Regan www.ghostwritergrownup.com/janejohndoes/
McConn were found by members of a logging jackson-county-john-doe.
crew in a remote area east of Fish Creek, near
the village of Warrens, in Knapp Township, Tighe, Mike. “Decomposed Remains Found
Wisconsin, on 15 August 1978. in Jackson County 42 Years Ago ID’d as
Missing Kenosha Man.” News8000.com.
After a search of the area, investigators March 31, 2021. Accessed April 3, 2021.
recovered McConn’s skull, mandible, and https://www.news8000.com/remains-of-man-
spinal vertebrae. A digital facial found-in-jackson-county-42-years-ago-idd-
reconstruction was performed. He had a as-missing-kenosha-man/.
pierced ear, and a small stud was found.
Anthropological analysis of his remains
shows that John Doe was likely dismembered

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 447
Case ID 1554: McGraw, Aaron: Moss Point WLOX Staff. “Jackson County Skeletal
John Doe Remains Found in 2016 Identified.” WLOX
News 13. November 17, 2021. Accessed
The skeletal remains of 54-year-old Aaron November 18, 2021. https://www.wlox.com/
McGraw were found on October 25, 2016 in a 2021/11/17/jackson-county-skeletal-remains-
wooded area in Moss Point, Mississippi, near found-2016-identified/.
the Escatawpa River. The man had no
identification, and there were few clues as to
his identity. The final confirmation was made Case ID 1732: McNeil, Napoleon
to a living sibling.
The partial skeletal remains of 45-year-old
The FGG investigation was conducted by Napoleon McNeill were found in October,
Othram. The FGG investigation was funded 2010 in uptown Charlotte, North Carolina.
by a private donor. His skull was located in a concrete drainage
ditch. It was determined that the skull likely
McGraw was last seen in May of 2015 in the belonged to an African American man. He
Gulfport area. He was reported missing by his could not be identified, and his cause of death
sister, who states that he was schizophrenic could not be determined.
and in need of his medication. He had been
known to have slept in the woods. His death The FGG investigation was conducted by the
is not considered to be due to homicide. North Carolina Unidentified Project in
partnership with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg
Sources: Police Department. The North Carolina
Unidentified Project has identified 7
Cox, Carey. “Skeletal Remains Found in decedents to date. It was founded in February
Moss Point Identified as Man Missing Since of 2000 by Leslie Kaufman (a forensic
2015.” WKRG News 5. November 17, 2021. genealogist) and Ann Ross (a forensic
Accessed November 18, 2021. https:// anthropologist). The funding was provided by
www.wkrg.com/state-regional/skeletal- the University of North Carolina.
remains-found-in-moss-point-identified-as-
man-missing-since-2015/. In this case, Kaufman needed to go back six
generations to locate a third-cousin match.
Missing Sippi. “Aaron McGraw.” Missing The final confirmation was made to McNeil’s
Sippi: Missing Persons and Cold Cases brother.
(Website). n.d. Accessed November 18, 2021.
https://www.missingsippi.org/aaron-mcgraw. McNeil’s family lost contact with him in
November of 2009, after he became homeless
Vogen, Michael. “Jackson County Sheriff’s somewhere near Raleigh. Police continue to
Office and Othram Identify a John Doe Found investigate his death.
in 2016.” DNASolves.com. November 15,
2021. Accessed November 18, 2021. https://
dnasolves.com/articles/
jackson_county_sheriff_ms/.

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 448
Sources: November 11, 1985, when another 55-gallon
steel drum containing human remains was
Limehouse, Jonathan. “DNA Helps ID a found in Bear Brook State Park. The remains
Missing Raleigh Man Found Dead in were of an adult woman and a young girl
Charlotte Nearly 13 Yers Ago.” News & about 8-10. They had been killed by blunt
Observer, July 28, 2022. Accessed July 30, force trauma to the head. It is thought that the
2022. https://www.newsobserver.com/news/ four Bear Brook victims were killed
local/crime/article263876167.html. sometime between 1978 and 1981.

WCNC News. “12-Year-Old Cold Case The FGG investigation was conducted by
Solved.” WCNC News, July 27, 2022. Barbara Rae-Venter, a Search Angel, who
Accessed July 30, 2022. https:// volunteered at the non-profit organization
www.wcnc.com/video/news/local/12-year- DNAAdoption.com where she assisted
old-cold-case-solved/275- adopted individuals to identify their birth
ac3a0add-8e87-4192-85cf-7fd3c3a89342. families. Rae-Venter has a PhD in
biochemistry, and she worked for many years
as a patent attorney in the biotech industry.
Case ID 1215: McWaters, Sarah She is a leader in using genetic genealogy to
identify living does.
See also:
At first, Rae-Venter was not looking to
Confidential (Dawn Beaudin/Lisa Jensen) identify the Bear Brook victims. She was
Honeychurch, Marlyse Elizabeth attempting to identify Lisa Jensen, a grown
Rasmussen, Jane Doe woman who had been abducted and
Rasmussen, Terry Peder abandoned by an unknown male when she
Vaughn, Marie was about 5 years old. Lisa thought she was
the biological daughter of a man named
This case is part of a series of murders known Gordon Jensen. Jensen was a pseudonym for
as the Bear Brook Murders, or the Allenstown a man whose real identity was discovered by
Murders. One of the most remarkable cold Rae-Venter to be Terry Peder Rasmussen – a
cases in U.S. history, the successful resolution man who died in prison in California where
of the Bear Brook murders by Barbara Rae- he had been sentenced for the murder of his
Venter led detectives to pursue similar common-law wife. DNA testing showed that
techniques in the search for the Golden State Rasmussen was not the father of Lisa Jensen,
Killer. but he was the father of the toddler whose
body was found in second barrel at Bear
The body of Sarah McWaters was found on Brook with McWaters. Rasmussen was then
May 9, 2000 in a 55-gallon steel drum in Bear identified as the lead suspect in the murder of
Brook State Park in Allenstown, New the four Bear Brook victims, and the case was
Hampshire. McWaters was then about was cleared by exception.
1-3 years old, and she was found in the barrel
with an older girl who was about 2-4 years In 1978, at the time of the Bear Brook
old. The case began 15 years earlier, on murders, Rasmussen worked in Allenstown as

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 449
an electrician and handyman near the which was the name that Rasmussen was
property where the barrels were found. In using when he was living in New Hampshire.
around 1981, another young mother named
Denise Beaudin and her 6-month-old Rae-Venter wanted to test the remains of the
daughter disappeared from New Hampshire in Bear Brook victims because she suspected
very similar circumstances. Beaudin’s that the woman in the barrel was Denise
boyfriend at the time was Terry Rasmussen. Beaudin, Lisa’s mother. Up until that time, it
The little girl was Lisa Jensen. They all had not been possible to obtain a DNA profile
moved to California together, but when from the Bear Brook victims. In 2016, Rae-
Rasmussen was next seen in California he Venter contacted Dr. Ed Green, a researcher
was in the company of only Lisa. Denise was in paleo-genomics, of the University of
never seen again after leaving New California at Santa-Cruz as he had developed
Hampshire with Rasmussen, and her body has a new technique to extract autosomal DNA
not been located. from rootless hair.

Rasmussen and Lisa lived in a trailer park in This new technique was successful in
Scotts Valley, California in 1986. He then obtaining DNA profiles of the Bear Brook
abandoned Lisa, who was then about 5 years victims, and the investigation was finally able
old, with another family he met there. to progress. They discovered that the woman
‘Gordon Jensen’ was not seen again. Lisa was not Denise Beaudin, but the middle girl
Jensen was a living Jane Doe, with no idea of was Rasmussen’s biological daughter. She
when or where she was born, her parentage, was not related to the other two little girls,
or her name. who were found to be the daughters of the
adult woman.
Lisa Jensen was now a grown woman of 32
years old and a mother herself when the Rae-Venter then used FGG to identify the
detectives working on her case approached woman found at Bear Brook as Marlyse
Rae-Venter to identify her birth family. The Elizabeth Honeychurch (b. 1954). The other
lead detective working on Lisa’s abduction body found in the barrel with her is her eldest
was Detective Peter Headley of the San daughter, Marie Vaughan (b. 1971). The
Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office. Rae- infant girl found in the second barrel is
Venter and a team of volunteers used genetic Honeychurch’s youngest daughter, Sarah
genealogy to identify Lisa’s birth family and McWaters (b. 1977).
try to find out where she came from and what
had happened to her mother. Marlyse Honeychurch was last seen on
Thanksgiving Day in 1978, when she got into
In 2016, Rae-Venter identified Lisa as Dawn an argument with her family, and left with
Beaudin of New Hampshire. Lisa and her Terry Rasmussen, who was her boyfriend at
mother, Denise Beaudin, disappeared around the time. She was never seen alive again.
Thanksgiving of 1981 with her boyfriend, Honeychurch and the three girls were likely
Terry Rasmussen. Family members identified killed sometime between 1978 and 1981,
her boyfriend at the time as ‘Bob Evans’, before Denise Beaudin and her daughter Lisa
Jensen went missing in similar circumstances.

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 450
 Jane Doe Rasmussen, the toddler found in Effron, Lauren, Boaz Halaban, and Marc
the second barrel, is the biological daughter Dorian. “How a Jane Doe Child Case
of Terry Rasmussen. The FGG investigation Uncovered a Serial Killer, Identified Victims
into her identity continues, as her mother is and Changed the Use of DNA Forensics.”
currently unknown. She has a mixed ancestry, ABC News. March 19, 2020. Accessed
with some African American, Native December 26, 2020. https://abcnews.go.com/
American, and possibly Asian heritage. Rae- US/jane-doe-child-case-uncovered-serial-
Venter is constructing her family tree and killer-identified/story?id=69648434.
believes the girl’s mother may be from near
Pearl River County, Mississippi, and possibly Halaban, Boaz, Marc Dorian, and Enjoli
descended from Thomas ‘Deadhorse’ Francis. “Timeline of Serial Killer Terry
Mitchell (b. 1836) or William Livings (b. Rasmussen’s Terror in New Hampshire,
1826). California.” ABC News. March 18, 2020.
Accessed December 26, 2020. https://
Rasmussen died of lung cancer and abcnews.go.com/US/timeline-serial-killer-
emphysema at the High Desert Prison in terry-rasmussens-terror-hampshire-california/
Susanville, California in 2010. He had been story?id=69505755.
convicted under yet another false name,
‘Larry Vanner’, for the 2002 murder of his Help ID Me. “Bear Brook Case Update.”
common-law spouse, chemist Eunsoon Jun. Facebook (Post). January 21, 2021. Accessed
He has been nicknamed the ‘Chameleon January 21, 2021. https://www.facebook.com/
Killer’ for the way in which he is able to 698376120190298/posts/
move, change his identity, and begin a new 4130579286969947/?d=n.
life with a new family. When DNA testing
showed that he was not the biological father Liptak, Andrew. “How a Podcast Helped
of Lisa Jensen, he denied knowing or Solve a Grisly Cold Case.” The Verge. June 9,
remembering the little girl at all. 2019. Accessed December 26, 2020. https://
www.theverge.com/2019/6/9/18656929/bear-
In 2018, journalist Jason Moon and New book-podcast-murders-dna-databases-
Hampshire Public Radio produced a podcast marlyse-elizabeth-honeychurch-marie-vaugh-
called “Bear Brook,” that tells this story very sarah-mcwaters.
thoroughly. It can be found at: https://
www.bearbrookpodcast.com/. Moon, Jason. “Three Bear Brook Murder
Victims Identified; Citizen Sleuth, Genetic
Sources: Genealogy Provide Key Clues.” New
Hampshire Public Radio. June 5, 2019.
Duckler, Ray. “Officials Identify 3 of 4 Accessed December 26, 2020. https://
Victims Discovered in Barrels Near Bear www.nhpr.org/post/three-bear-brook-murder-
Brook State Park.” Concord Monitor. June 6, victims-identified-citizen-sleuth-genetic-
2019. Accessed December 26, 2020. https:// genealogy-provide-key-clues?
www.concordmonitor.com/After-more-than- utm_medium=social&utm_term=nprnews&ut
three-decades-Bear-Brook-victims- m_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=np
named-26083251. r&fbclid=IwAR0d-ZPVnecFP90-

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 451
teWfZznBM5TlYL9drWk6lQB5QMEIKuL9 hired a private investigator to try to find her
scEnGrOlorc#stream/0. brother.

Murphy, Shelley. “‘Missing Half Sister’: How Sources:

a Search for a Relative Helped Identify N.H.’s
Bear Brook Victims.” Boston Globe. June 6, Associated Press. “Investigation Identifies
2019. Accessed December 26, 2020. https:// Remains of Dallas Man Found in Montana
www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2019/06/06/ Wilderness.” NBC News 5 Dallas Fort Worth.
missing-half-sister-how-search-for-relative- September 2, 2021. Accessed September 4,
helped-identify-bear-brook-victims/ 2021. https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/
xiMWdamAZqaWRaCDJWJqxJ/story.html. investigation-identifies-remains-of-dallas-
man-found-in-montana-
Yang, Allie, and Boaz Halaban. “Serial Killer wilderness-2/2733103/.
Terry Rasmussen’s Victims, Known and
Unknown.” ABC News. March 17, 2020. Montana Right Now. “Human Remains
Accessed December 26, 2020. https:// Found in Lolo National Forest in 2014
abcnews.go.com/US/terry-rasmussens- Identified.” Montana Right Now. September
victims-unknown/story?id=69585534. 1, 2021. Accessed September 4, 2021. https://
www.montanarightnow.com/butte/human-
remains-found-in-lolo-national-forest-
Case ID 1517: Milek, David Jon: Granite in-2014-identified/
County John Doe article_411adeb2-0b47-11ec-82e7-0b42dd18c
7b0.html.
The skeletal remains of 32-year-old David
Jon Milek were found on August 11, 2014 in Othram Inc. “Granite County Sheriff’s Office
the Bidwell Gulch area of the Welcome Creek Partners with Othram to Identify a Man
Wilderness Area of the Lolo National Forest, Found in the Welcome Creek Wilderness.”
about 25 miles southeast of Missoula, DNASolves.com. September 1, 2021.
Montana. He had a sleeping bag, a cap, boots, Accessed September 4, 2021. https://
and a hunting knife with him when he was dnasolves.com/articles/
found by hikers. The cause of death could not granite_county_john_doe/.
be determined, but police do not think that his
death was a homicide. Smith, Mike. “Name Put to Remains Found
in Granite County Wilderness Area in 2014.”
The FGG investigation was conducted by Montana Standard. September 1, 2021.
Othram. The finding for the investigation was Accessed September 4, 2021. https://
raised through crowdfunding by DNASolves mtstandard.com/news/local/name-put-to-
and Audiochuk. The final confirmation was remains-found-in-granite-county-wilderness-
made to Milek’s living parents. area-in-2014/article_98005d02-cefc-597a-
b641-ece46bd9ddf0.html.
Milek, who was from Dallas, was last seen by
his parents in 2011. His sister had earlier

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 452
Case ID 1286: Morden, Sandra Renee: Fly Homicide Victim.” The Columbian. October
Creek Jane Doe: 29, 2019. Accessed January 1, 2021. https://
www.columbian.com/news/2019/oct/29/
The body of 15-year-old Sandra Renee clark-county-deputies-use-dna-genealogy-to-
Morden was found on February 24, 1980 in id-decades-old-homicide-victim/.
Amboy, Washington. Her partially
skeletonized remains were found in a remote Tilkin, Dan. “Family of ID’d Jane Doe Hope
area near Fly Creek by two men panning for for Clues in 1980 Cold Case.” KOIN 6 News.
gold. She was known for the next four November 26, 2019. Accessed January 1,
decades only as the Fly Creek Jane Doe. 2021. https://www.koin.com/news/special-
reports/family-of-idd-jane-doe-hope-for-
The FGG investigation was performed by clues-in-1980-cold-case/.
Parabon Nanolabs. Investigators at the time
thought she was of Native American or
Hispanic descent, and sketches of her at the Case ID 1588: Moudy, Carolyn Dunn
time reflect that. Forensic phenotyping
showed that Morden was of European The body of 21-year-old Carolyn Dunn
biogeographical ancestry. Moudy was found on December 23, 1975, in
a canal in Davie, Florida. She could not be
Morden lived in a trailer with her father, and identified and was buried in the Forest Lawn
he was often away working on tugboats. In Cemetery. The medical examiner found that
May of 1977, he came home to find the dog she had died from drowning, and that her
had destroyed the trailer, possibly trying to death was likely a homicide.
get out, and his daughter was gone. She was
never seen again. The investigation into her Her body was exhumed in 2019 by Broward
murder remains open. County for DNA testing in an attempt to
finally identify her. The FGG investigation
Sources: was conducted by Parabon Nanolabs. The
final confirmation was made to her daughter,
Perry, Douglas. “‘Fly Creek Jane Doe’ Edna Moudy.
Identified After 40 Years, Opening Up
Potential New Clues That Could Lead to Teen Moudy, who was from Indianola, Mississippi,
Girl’s Murderer.” The Oregonian. October 30, was last seen in July of 1974. Edna Moudy
2019, last modified October 31, 2019. was only a year old when Moudy
Accessed January 1, 2021. https:// disappeared, and she has been searching for
www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest- her mother all her life. Police continue to
news/2019/10/fly-creek-jane-doe-identified- investigate her homicide.
after-40-years-opening-up-potential-new-
clues-that-could-lead-to-teen-girls- Sources:
murderer.html.
Margol, Ian. “Woman Found Dead in
Shedlock, Jerzy. “Clark County Deputies Use Broward in 1975 Finally Identified.”
DNA, Genealogy to ID Decades-Old Local10.com. December 7, 2021. https://

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www.local10.com/news/local/2021/12/08/ initially believed to be those of a woman
woman-found-dead-in-broward-in-1975- about 25 years in age, and between 5’1 and
finally-identified/. 5’4 in height. The skull was reportedly never
recovered, and the remains could not be
Nadeau, Barbie Latza. “Murdered Woman identified.
Identified 46 Years After her Body was Found
Floating in a River.” Daily Beast. December In 2012, DNA was extracted by the
8, 2021. Accessed December 10, 2021. University of North Texas, who determined
https://www.thedailybeast.com/murdered- that the individual was male and likely had
woman-identified-46-years-after-her-body- recent ancestry from the Indian Subcontinent.
was-found-floating-in-a-river. The FGG investigation was conducted by
Advance DNA in partnership with the
NBC 6. “Slain Woman Whose Body was Pickaway County Sheriff’s Office and the
Found in Davie Canal in 1975 Identified.” Pickaway County Coroner’s Office,
NBC 6 South Florida. December 7, 2021. beginning in January of 2022. Early results
Last modified December 8, 2021. Accessed showed that the individual likely had a father
December 8, 2021. https:// with roots in Virginia, and a mother who was
www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/slain- of English and Indian ancestry and who
woman-whose-body-was-found-in-davie- immigrated to the US recently. The final
canal-in-1975-identified/2636494/. confirmation was made to living relatives.

Quynh, Jacqueline. “Davie Police Give Mullins’ family last saw him in about late
Missing Woman’s Daughter Some Closure 1988 or early 1989. Police continue to
After 46 Years.” CBS 4 Miami. December 8, investigate his murder.
2021. https://miami.cbslocal.com/2021/12/08/
davie-police-give-missing-womans-daughter- Sources:
some-closure-after-46-years/.
Czachor, Emily Mae. “Ohio Authorities Solve
‘Mystery of 31-Year-Old Remains’ Found by
Case ID 1804: Mullins, Robert A. Hunters in 1991.” CBS News, December 14,
2022. Accessed December 19, 2022. https://
The partial skeletal remains of 21-year-old www.cbsnews.com/news/robert-a-mullins-
Robert A. Mullins were found on November columbus-ohio-investigators-31-year-old-
1, 1991, in a rural area of Pickaway County, remains-found-hunters-1991/.
Ohio. Hunters found his remains in a shallow
grave dug along the roadside near State Miller, Jax. “Human Remains Found in
Routes 56 and 159. Shallow Grave Identified 31 Years Later as
Missing Ohio Man.” Oxygen, December 14,
Investigators were initially uncertain how old 2022. Accessed December 19, 2022. https://
the remains were, as historical Indigenous www.oxygen.com/crime-news/ohio-john-doe-
remains had been located in the area. found-1991-identified-robert-a-mullins.
However, the remains were found to have
been only three years old. The remains were

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 454
Pickaway County Sheriff’s Office. “Genetic Sources:
Genealogy IDs 1991 John Doe Once Thought
to be a Jane Doe.” Forensic Magazine, McNulty, Matt. “Married North Carolina
December 14, 2022. Accessed December 19, Couple is Charged in 1991 Death of Baby
2022. https://www.forensicmag.com/592877- Found in Dumpster That Was So
Genetic-Genealogy-IDs-1991-John-Doe- Decomposed Investigators Were Able to
Once-Thought-to-be-a-Jane-Doe/. Identify its Gender.” Daily Mail. October 27,
2021. Accessed October 28, 2021. https://
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10137179/
Case ID 1537-1538: Nags Head Baby Doe Couple-charged-1991-death-baby-
decomposed-cops-unable-identify-
The decomposed remains of a newborn infant gender.html.
were found on April 4, 1991, in the town of
Nags Head, North Carolina. The infant was OBX Today. “Police: DNA Links Parents to
found in a trash can rack near the 8600 block Baby Found Dead in Nags Head 30 Years
of East Tides Drive. Investigators were unable Ago.” OBX Today. October 25, 2021.
to determine the sex of the baby. An autopsy Accessed October 28, 2021. https://
found that the child died of asphyxiation and www.obxtoday.com/police-dna-links-parents-
blunt force trauma to the face. to-baby-found-dead-in-nags-head-30-years-
ago/.
A DNA profile was obtained from the infant’s
rib. The FGG investigation was performed by Sullivan, Ali. “DNA Links N.C. Couple to
Othram. 30-Year-Old Cold Case of Infant Remains
Found in Nags Head Dumpster.” Daily Press.
Police arrested a married couple from October 25, 2021. Accessed October 28,
Taylorsville, North Carolina – 54-year-old 2021. https://www.dailypress.com/news/
Scott Gordon Poole and 51-year-old Robin crime/vp-nw-couple-arrested-baby-
Lynn Byrum – on October 21, 2021, for remains-20211025-56ygtfscwvcyhcyfqpqwdv
concealing the death of a child after police 3pz4-story.html.
determined that they were the biological
parents of the infant. Police continue to Vogen, Michael. “Nags Head Police
investigate, and have not yet determined if Department Teams with Othram to Identify a
homicide charges will also be laid against Baby Boy Found in 1991.” DNA Solves.
them. October 25, 2021. Accessed October 28,
Poole has a previous arrest for an assault on a 2021. https://dnasolves.com/articles/
female in 2018. The two are currently being nags_head_police_department/.
held on a $250,000 bond at the Dare County
Detention Center. Their case is pending in the
Dare County Court, Criminal Division.

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Case ID 1779: Nelton, Donna Sue: Bone suspect in several drug-related homicides. But
Woman was never charged. He passed away in
Federal prison in 2008.
The remains of 28-year-old Donna Sue
Nelton were found on May 7, 1990, in a Sources:
remote area of Maysville, in Benton County,
Arkansas. Investigators sought to complete a McCandless, C.C., and Macy Davis. “Benton
facial reconstruction in January of 1995, but County IDs Three Cold Case Homicide
her remains were too damaged. In December Victims.” KNWA Fox News 24, October 25,
of 2008, the University of North Texas 2022. Accessed October 29, 2022. https://
obtained a mitochondrial DNA profile, and www.nwahomepage.com/news/benton-
the data was entered into NamUS. county-ids-three-cold-case-homicide-victims/.

The FGG investigation was conducted by Neal, Tracy. “Detectives Now Have IDs for
Othram, in partnership with the Benton Murder Victims Known for Decades as Bone
County Sheriff’s Office, beginning in April of Woman, Lake Man, and John Doe in Benton
2021. The final confirmation was made to a County.” Northwest Arkansas Democrat
living family member. Gazette, October 26, 2022. Accessed October
29, 2022. https://www.nwaonline.com/news/
Nelton was last seen in the fall of 1989 in the 2022/oct/26/detectives-now-have-ids-for-
company of her boyfriend, George Alvin murder-victims-known/.
Brunton. Brunton had been paroled in 1988
for bank robbery, burglary, and a hostage- New York Times. “FBI Captures a ‘Most
taking in Utah in which he shot and wounded Wanted’.” New York Times, December 16,
two police officers. He was placed on the 1979. Accessed October 29, 2022. https://
FBIs most-wanted list for these offences in www.nytimes.com/1979/12/16/archives/fbi-
1979. captures-a-most-wanted.html.

While under surveillance by the FBI in 1989, Vogen, Michael. “Benton County Sheriff’s
Bruton was seen disposing of black trash bags Office Teams with Othram to Identify a 1990
in a dumpster in North Kansas City. The FBI Homicide Victim.” DNASolves.com, October
discovered that these bags contained Nelton’s 25, 2022. Accessed October 29, 2022. https://
personal effects. Her vehicle was later found dnasolves.com/articles/benton-county-donna-
in a storage unit belonging to Bruton. In sue-nelton/.
1990, Bruton confessed to an associate that he
had killed a woman named Donna and buried
her on land he owned in Ozark County, Case ID 1094: Nichols, Robert Ivan
Missouri. The FBI searched the land for four
days, but they could find nothing. The murder The body of 75-year-old Robert Ivan Nichols
investigation then went cold. was found on July 31, 2002 in his apartment
in Eastlake, Ohio. He had committed suicide
Bruton was then sentenced to life in prison on July 24, 2002. He had been planning his
for drug trafficking offences. He was a death for some time, having purchased a gun

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 456
and marked the days off on a calendar. He Cengel, Katya. “The Man Without a Name.”
had $82,000 in a bank account, and Vox. August 19, 2020. Accessed January 1,
investigators went looking for his next-of-kin. 2021. https://www.vox.com/the-highlight/
21361536/dna-true-crime-robert-ivan-
They discovered that he had been living under nichols-zodiac-killer.
the false name of Joseph Newton Chandler III
for the last 24 years of his life. Chandler was Cass, Andrew. “A Year After Joseph Newton
the name he took from an 8-year-old boy who Chandler’s True Identity Revealed, the ‘Why’
had been killed in an automobile accident in Remains Unanswered.” News-Herald. June
Texas in 1945. 15, 2019. Accessed January 1, 2021. https://
www.news-herald.com/news/a-year-after-
The FGG investigation was conducted by the joseph-newton-chandlers-true-identity-
DNA Doe Project. Since his body had been revealed-the-why-remains-unanswered/
cremated, the DNA sample was taken from a article_8912de16-8d1f-11e9-
tissue sample that had been stored after he b6c3-9feabd99603d.html.
had surgery for colon cancer. Investigators
first contact Colleen Fitzpatrick in 2016, and Cass, Andrew. “Joseph Newton Chandler III’s
she performed a Y-STR analysis at that time. True Identity is Robert Ivan Nichols, but
This search turned up the surname Nichols or Authorities Still Don’t Know Why.” News-
Nicholas. DNA Doe was founded the Herald. June 21, 2018, last modified October
following year, and Elliot’s case was one of 2, 2018. Accessed January 1, 2021. https://
the first they took on. www.news-herald.com/news/ohio/joseph-
newton-chandler-iii-s-true-identity-is-robert-
It is not known why Nichols was living under ivan/article_9f6b7fce-a3e5-5565-
an assumed name. A number of conspiracy ac2c-858cae577f84.html.
theories grew up around him. He appears to
have lived a blameless life, and he may have
been suffering from a mental illness. He is Case ID 1172: Norcross, Darlene Wilson:
also reported to have suffered from PTSD Butler County Jane Doe
symptoms after his service in World War II.
He left his family in 1965 and had not heard The body of 61-year-old Darlene Norcross
from him in many years. was found on March 7, 2015 in West Chester,
Ohio. Teenagers playing in a wooded area
Sources: behind a home on Gregory Creek Lane found
skeletal remains scattered around the area.
Caniglia, John. “Authorities Solve Cold Case She became known as the Butler County Jane
of War Hero Who Hid Behind Dead Boy’s Doe.
Identity.” Cleveland.com. June 21, 2018, last
modified January 30, 2019. Accessed January The FGG investigation was conducted by the
1, 2021. https://www.cleveland.com/metro/ DNA Doe Project. She has been returned to
2018/06/authorities_solve_cold_case_of.html. her family, who assisted in the investigation.
Investigators do not know how Norcross died,
and the case remains open.

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 457
Sources: first unidentified crime victim entered by the
FBI into the National Crime Information
DNA Doe Project. “Butler Counter Jane Doe, Center (NCIC) in 1983.
Cincinnati, OH.” DNA Doe Project. May 22,
2018. Accessed January 1, 2021. https:// A DNA profile was first obtained in 2007 by
dnadoeproject.org/case/butler-county-doe/. the North Texas Center for Human
Identification. A DNA profile suitable for
Hanford-Ostmann, Emily. “After Four Years FGG was developed by Astrea Forensics in
of Searching, West Chester Police Identify 2020 or 2021. The FGG investigation was
Woman’s Remains.” WCPO Cincinnati. conducted by Innovative Forensic
March 7, 2019, last modified March 8, 2019. Investigations. The final confirmation was
Accessed January 1, 2021. https:// made to her brother and sister.
www.wcpo.com/news/local-news/butler-
county/west-chester/woman-found-dead- Arthur Kinlaw, 68, has now been charged
in-2015-identified-as-west-chester-twp- with one count of first degree murder in the
resident. death of Olanick. He first confessed to killing
Olanick in a written letter which he sent on
Pack, Lauren. “‘Jane Doe’ Whose Remains May 5, 2005 from the Sullivan Correctional
Were Found in 2015 ID’d as a 61-Year-Old Facility where he is serving a life sentence for
Butler County Woman.” Butler County two counts of second-degree murder. Charges
Journal-News. March 7, 2019. Accessed could not be laid until now, because the
January 1, 2021. https://www.journal- decedent could not be identified.
news.com/news/jane-doe-year-old-butler-
county-woman/ Olanick had been asked to leave her mother’s
H0Hjo84wwIMTGg61yYb0CK/. home in Bohemia, Long Island the she was
about 16 to 17 years old. Police believe that
Kinlaw tried to lure her into prostitution, and
Case ID 1724: Olanick, Dawn: Princess killed her when she refused.
Doe
Sources:
The remains of 17-year-old Dawn Olanick
were found on July 15, 1982 in Blaristown Liguori, Priscilla. “Convicted Murderer
Township, Warren County, New Jersey. She Charged in Decades-Old ‘Princess Doe’ NJ
had been found by a worker at the Cedar Homicide.” WFMZ News, July 15, 2022.
Ridge Cemetery. She had been killed by blunt Accessed July 17, 2022. https://
force trauma to her face and head. While she www.wfmz.com/news/area/western-
was wearing a skirt and short-sleeved t-shirt, newjersey/convicted-murderer-charged-in-
she had no underwear, socks, shoes, or decades-old-princess-doe-nj-homicide/
stockings. She had no identification, and article_a6ff78ca-03dd-11ed-9406-
could not be identified due to the extent of her eb3f6193eded.html.
facial injuries. She was nicknamed ‘Princess
Doe’ and buried in the cemetery by the local Luperon, Alberto. “After Four Decades,
community. She is reported to have been the Prosecutors Identify Murder Victim ‘Princess

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Doe’ and Name Her Alleged Killer.” Law &
Crime, July 15, 2022. Accessed July 17, Police identified her on May 26, 2022,
2022. https://lawandcrime.com/crime/after- although the announcement was not made
four-decades-prosecutors-identify-murder- until September of 2022.
victim-princess-doe-and-name-her-alleged- Papalardo-Blake was last seen on March 18,
killer/. 1980, leaving a Vidal Sassoon on Fifth
Avenue, New York, where she was employed
Novak, Steve. “N.J.’s Princess Doe is as a receptionist. She had been reported
Identified, Alleged Killer Charged: Cold Case missing. Police continue to investigate her
Cracked on 40th Anniversary.” NJ.com, July murder.
15, 2022. Accessed July 17, 2022. https://
www.nj.com/news/2022/07/njs-princess-doe- Sources:
is-identified-alleged-killer-charged-cold-case-
cracked-on-40th-anniversary.html. Hurley, Bevan. “Headless Body Found 42
Years Ago in New York’s Hudson Valley
Rhodin, Tony. “Homicide Victim Princess Identified.” Independent, September 26,
Doe to be Identified During Morning News 2022. Accessed September 27, 2022. https://
Conference in Warren County.” Leigh Valley www.independent.co.uk/news/world/
Live, July 15, 2022. Accessed July 17, 2022. americas/crime/headless-body-identified-
https://www.lehighvalleylive.com/news/ hudson-valley-anna-papalardo-blake-
2022/07/homicide-victim-princess-doe-to-be- b2175795.html.
identified-during-morning-news-conference-
in-warren-county.html? Miller, Jax. “Woman’s Body Found in Trunk
_sp=c4ebcecc-5096-4602- with Missing Head, Hands in 1980 ID’d as
b114-8561365a92d9.1658124995841. Missing NYC Woman.” Oxygen, September
26, 2022. Accessed September 27, 2022.
https://www.oxygen.com/crime-news/
Case ID 1759: Papalardo-Blake, Anne: dutchess-county-jane-doe-anne-papalardo-
Duchess County Jane Doe blake.

The remains of 44-year-old Anne Papalardo- Vogen, Michael. “The New York State Police,
Blake were four on March 20, 1980 in FBI and Othram Partner to Identify a 1980
Fishkill, New York. Her body was found in a Jane Doe from Dutchess County.”
trunk that had been left beside a dumpster at DNASolves.com, September 23, 2022. https://
the Hudson View apartments. She had been dnasolves.com/articles/dutchess-county-jane-
decapitated and her hands had been removed. doe-1980/.
She could not be identified, and she became
known as “Duchess County Jane Doe.”
Case ID 1539: Pelkey, Robin: Horseshoe
She was entered into NAMUS in 2011. The Harriet
FGG investigation was conducted by Othram
in partnership with the FBI and the New York The skeletal remains of 19-year-old Robin
State Police, beginning in 2022. Pelkey were found on April 25, 1984, near

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 459
Horseshoe Lake, just north of Anchorage, The Alaska BI CCIU is also using genetic
Alaska. Since she could not be identified, she genealogy to identify the last remaining
became known only as Horseshoe Harriet. unidentified victim of Hansen, known only as
Serial killer Richard Hansen confessed to the Eklunta Annie.
murder of Pelkey in 1984. He told police that
she was a sex worker whom he picked up Hansen died in prison in 2014 at the age of
sometime in the winter of 1983. He took her 75.
in his plane to the lake, where he murdered
her and disposed of her body. He did not Sources:
know her name.
Alaska Department of Public Safety. “Victim
Pelkey was exhumed in 2014 for further of Serial Killer Robert Hansen Identified 37
investigation. A DNA profile was entered into Years After She Was Discovered.” Alaska
NAMUS in 2015. A DNA profile was created Department of Public Safety (Press Release).
through whole genome sequencing after the October 22, 2021. Accessed October 26,
case was reopened in September of 2020. The 2021. https://dps.alaska.gov/AST/PIO/
FGG investigation was performed by Parabon PressReleases/Victim-of-Serial-Killer-Robert-
Nanolabs. The final confirmation was made Hansen-Identified-3.
to a close relative. Pelkey had relatives in
Alaska, as well as Arkansas. Associated Press, CBS. “Serial Killer’s
Victim Identified After 37 Years Through
Pelkey was born in Colorado in 1963. Police Genetic Genealogy and a DNA Match.” CBS
state that Pelkey was homeless and working News. October 23, 2021. https://
in the sex trade on the streets of Anchorage www.cbsnews.com/news/serial-killer-robert-
when she was killed. She had not been hansen-victim-identified-robin-pelkey/.
reported missing. The Alaska Department of
Public Safety has purchased a new marker for Matt McNulty. “Victim of Serial Killer
Pelkey’s grave in the Anchorage Memorial Robert Hansen Who’s Been Known only as
Park Cemetery. ‘Horseshoe Harriet’ Since Her Body was
Discovered in Alaska 37 Years Ago is Finally
Richard Hansen killed women, many sex Identified as Homeless 19-Year-Old
workers, in and around Anchorage in the ‘Prostitute’ Robin Pelkey.” Daily Mail.
1980s. He preferred to target sex workers October 24, 2021. Accessed October 26,
who would – especially in the boom times 2021. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/
when the pipeline was being built – travel article-10126807/Horseshoe-Harriets-
from place to place and not be missed. He remains-37-years-ago-identified-Alaska-
pled guilty in February of 1984 to the deaths victim-serial-killer.html.
of four women, but confessed to killing a total
of 17. He showed police their grave sites in a Thiessen, Mark. “DNA Match IDs Alaska
helicopter as part of his plea bargain. Twelve Serial Killer’s Victim After 37 Years.” ABC
bodies were later found; all but one has been News. October 22, 2021. Accessed October
identified. 26, 2021. https://abcnews.go.com/

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Technology/wireStory/dna-match-ids-alaska- father’s side. The final confirmation was
serial-killers-victim-37-80735201. made to Peterson’s living brother.

Unidentified Wiki. “Robin Pelkey.” Peterson was an engineer who lost much of
Wikia.org. n.d. Accessed October 26, 2021. his wealth in the financial crisis of 2008.
https://unidentified.wikia.org/wiki/ Although he was from Virginia, he is reported
Robin_Pelkey. to have loved hiking in the Colorado
mountains. His family had not heard from
him since 2012, when he told them that he
Case ID 1754: Peterson, Jeffery Lee: was leaving to begin a new life in Belize.
Summit County John Doe 2016
Sources:
The skeletal remains of 57-year-old Jeffery
Lee Peterson were found on July 10, 2016 in Butzer, Stephanie. “Investigative Genetic
the White River National Forest near Genealogy Leads to Identification of John
Breckenridge, Colorado. A hiker found his Doe Found Near Copper Mountain in 2016.”
skull on the western face of Copper ABC News 7 Denver, September 12, 2022.
Mountain. On August 3, 2016, the rest of his Accessed September 13, 2022. https://
remains were located, along with his www.denver7.com/news/local-news/
belongings, at the base of the ‘Y’ section of investigative-genetic-genealogy-leads-to-
the Sky Chutes. It was determined that he had identification-of-john-doe-found-near-copper-
died of a self-inflicted gun shot wound mountain-in-2016.
sometime in 2012. A Glock .45 calibre
handgun was located (with the serial number DNA Doe Project. “Summit Co John Doe
destroyed) - along with some high-end hiking 2016.” DNA Doe Project, September 26,
gear - but no identification. 2019. Last modified September 13, 2022.
Accessed September 13, 2022. https://
A forensic anthropological analysis of his dnadoeproject.org/case/summit-co-john-
remains was conducted by the University of doe-2016/.
North Texas Center for Human Identification,
and a DNA profile was entered into NamUS. Vidic, Luke. “A John Doe Who Died in 2012
A three-dimensional facial reconstruction was and Was Found in 2016 on the Tenmile Range
completed in 2017. has, at last, been identified.” Summit Daily,
September 12, 2022. Accessed September 13,
The FGG investigation was conducted by the 2022. https://www.summitdaily.com/news/a-
DNA Doe Project in partnership with the john-doe-who-died-in-2012-and-was-found-
Summit County Coroner’s Office and the in-2016-on-the-tenmile-range-has-at-last-
Park County Sheriff’s Office. His father had been-identified/.
Scandinavian ancestry from Norway and
Sweden, and his mother had Slavic ancestry
from Poland. A Y-STR analysis helped
genealogists to build his family tree on his

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 461
Case ID 1230: Peterson Flesher, Louise DNA Doe Project. “Belle in the Well.” DNA
Virginia: Belle in the Well Doe Project. February 12, 2018. Accessed
January 1, 2021. https://dnadoeproject.org/
The body of 65-year-old Louise Virginia case/belle-in-the-well/.
Peterson Flesher was found on April 22, 1981
in Windsor Township, Ohio. She had been Hessler, Courtney. “Update: ‘Belle in the
weighted down with a cinderblock tied to a Well’ ID’d: Questions About Death Remain.”
rope wrapped around her neck her body Herald Dispatch. July 29, 2019, last modified
hidden in a water cistern. She became known July 30, 2019. Accessed January 1, 2021.
as the Belle in the Well. https://www.herald-dispatch.com/_zapp/
update-belle-in-the-well-id-d-questions-
The FGG investigation was performed by the about-death/article_fa58a7c8-
DNA Doe Project, led by Lee and Anthony b203-11e9-8d92-571b6263d819.html.
Redgrave. The identification was challenging
because of high amounts of endogamy. A Zhang, Sarah. “She Was Found Strangled in a
Canadian with German ancestry uploaded Well, and Now She Has a Name.” The
their DNA to GEDmatch, and this provided Atlantic. July 29, 2019. Accessed January 1,
an important break in the case. The final 2021. https://www.theatlantic.com/science/
confirmation was made with one of Flesher’s archive/2019/07/belle-well-dna/594976/.
living daughters.

Several years earlier, an officer had attempted Case ID 1394: Piteau, Anita Louise
to trace Flesher’s maternal ancestry using
mitochondrial DNA matches on public See also: Johnny Chrisco
databases, but the matches were too distant.
This was in 2014, before Ancestry purchased The body of 26-year-old Anita Louise Piteau
these databases and took them offline. was found on March 14, 1968 in Huntington
Beach, California by three young boys
One of DNA Doe’s first cases, its resolution playing in a field. She had been raped and
took about 30 volunteers more than 10,000 beaten, and her throat was cut. She could not
hours. be identified, becoming Orange County’s
oldest Jane Doe, and the case went cold.
Sources:
A male DNA profile was developed in 2001
Bivens, Brittany. “Update: Ohio Woman’s from the sexual assault kit taken at Piteau’s
Remains Identified After Decades Through autopsy. No workable leads were generated
New DNA Technology.” Cleveland 19 News. from law enforcement databases to identify
August 13, 2019. Accessed January 1, 2021. either Piteau or her killer. Permission was
https://www.cleveland19.com/2019/08/13/ obtained for familial searching to be
update-ohio-womans-remains-identified- performed in the California state DNA
after-decades-through-new-dna-technology/. database, but this also produced no leads.

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 462
The FGG was undertaken by Colleeen authorities-identify-victim-suspect-in-1968-
Fitzpatrick of Identifinders, who identified huntington-beach-rape-murder/.
both Piteau and the suspect in her murder.
Li, Johanna. “Orange County’s Oldest Jane
Piteau had left Maine in February of 1968 to Doe, Found 52 Years Ago, Identified as Anita
work as a waitress in California. She was Louise Piteau.” Inside Edition. July 26, 2020.
supposed to come home, but her family never Accessed December 12, 2020. https://
heard from her again. She still has two living www.insideedition.com/orange-countys-
sisters and a brother, and her family never oldest-jane-doe-found-52-years-ago-
stopped searching for her these 52 years. Her identified-as-anita-louise-piteau-60886.
remains were taken from an unmarked grave
and delivered to them back in Maine. OC Tribune Staff. “After 53 Years, Cold Case
is Solved.” Orange County Tribune. July 23,
Chrisco had served in the Army, but he was 2020. Accessed December 12, 2020. https://
discharged due to failing a psychological orangecountytribune.com/2020/07/23/
exam that showed he had aggression, anger, after-52-years-cold-case-is-solved/.
and impulsivity. He was charged with a
number of violent offences over the years, Shalby, Colleen. “DNA Solves Orange
including domestic violence, as well as County’s Oldest Cold Case, Identifying Jane
statutory rape and child molestation, making Doe and Suspected Killer.” Los Angeles
him a serial sexual offender. He killed one of Times. July 23, 2020. Accessed December 12,
his young sons in a drunk driving accident. 2020.https://www.latimes.com/california/
Another infant son died in suspicious story/2020-07-23/dna-solves-orange-countys-
circumstances. He passed away in 2015 in oldest-cold-case-identifying-jane-doe-and-
Washington state. suspected-killer.

Sources:
Case ID 1816: Pizzoferrato, Earl
Binion, Andrew. “Murderer in 1968 Cold
Case Never Saw Justice, Living and Dying in The remains of 28-year-old Earl Pizzoferrato
Bremerton.” Kitsap Sun. July 29, 2020. were found on March 10, 2019, in Dandridge,
Accessed December 12, 2020. https:// Tennessee. A local resident found his remains
www.kitsapsun.com/story/news/ in a golf bag that was left along the shore of
2020/07/29/1968-cold-case-unsolved-murder- Douglas Lake. He was wearing a Walking
rape-suspect-california-washington/ Dead t-shirt, and had a leather belt stamped
5529511002/. with the name “Gerald”, but he could not be
identified. Investigators could not determine
CBSLA Staff. “Authorities Identify Victim, his case of death, or how long he had been
Suspect in 1968 Huntington Beach Rape, deceased.
Murder.” CBS Los Angeles. 22 July 2020.
Accessed December 12, 2020. https:// The FGG investigation was conducted by the
losangeles.cbslocal.com/2020/07/22/ DNA Doe Project, in partnership with the
Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, beginning

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 463
in 2020. The case was particularly Case ID 1626: Ponders, Jean Turner:
challenging, since Pizzoferrato had been Lincoln Jane Doe
adopted. His biological parents were
identified, and relatives provided information The body of 67-year-old Jean Turner Ponders
that the children had been adopted. was found on May 4, 2012, in an abandoned
house in Lincoln, Alabama. Her body was
Pizzoferrato was from Knoxville, Tennessee. found by a deputy near the Talladega
Police believe he has the victim of a Superspeedway during a weekend where it
homicide, and they continue to investigate his was hosting a race event. The deputy saw the
murder. door of the house was open and entered to
investigate. Ponders’ remains were found
Sources: behind the home. An autopsy showed that she
died of lung cancer.
DNA Doe Project. “Jefferson Co John Doe
2019.” DNA Doe Project, March 3, 2020. The FGG investigation was conducted by
Last Modified January 9, 2023. Accessed Othram. The funds for the investigation were
January 14, 2023. https://dnadoeproject.org/ provided by Othram’s crowdfunding, the
case/jefferson-co-john-doe-2019/. Lincoln Police Department, and a donation
from philanthropist and genetic genealogist
Raucoules, Gregory. “Remains Found in Golf Carla Davis.
Bag at Douglas Lake Identified Through
DNA Doe Project.” WATE News, January 9, Ponders was from Roswell, Georgia. Her
2023. Accessed January 14, 2023. https:// sister had reported her missing in 2015.
www.wate.com/news/crime/human-remains-
found-in-bag-along-douglas-lake-in-2019- A friend of Ponders, Tameka Dionne Jackson,
identified/. took about $100,000 from Ponder’s account
using her ATM card in the years following her
Unidentified Wiki. “Earl Pizzoferrato.” disappearance. Police suspect that an
Wikia.org, n.d. Accessed January 14, 2023. unknown individual was with Ponders when
https://unidentified-awareness.fandom.com/ she died, and placed her body where it would
wiki/Earl_Pizzoferrato. not be immediately discovered.

WVLT News. “TBI Requests Public’s Help to Shortly before Ponders was identified, in May
Identify Body Found in Jefferson County.” of 2021, Jackson pled guilty to the theft. She
WVLT News, March 12, 2019. Accessed was ordered to complete 8 months of
January 14, 2023. https://www.wvlt.tv/ probation and 500 hours of community
content/news/JCSO-Homicide-investigation- service after which she will have her record
opened-after-body- expunged. She was not ordered to pay back
discovered-507045551.html. any of the money she stole. Police continue to
investigate her role in the desecration and
improper disposal of Ponders’ remains.

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 464
Sources: 2022. Accessed January 14, 2022. https://
dnasolves.com/articles/lincoln_jane_doe/.
Associated Press. “Remains Found in
Alabama in 2012 Identified as Georgia
Woman.” Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Case ID 1740: Pool, Tommy Gayle Jr.:
January 13, 2022. Accessed January 14, 2022. Valencia Road John Doe 2019
https://www.ajc.com/news/georgia-news/
remains-found-in-alabama-in-2012- The remains of 61-year-old Tommy Gayle
identified-as-georgia-woman/ Pool Jr. were found on February 26, 2019 in a
7TKOA6TE7VFFVJI7J4MJFE3M2Y/? homeless encampment in Tucson, Arizona.
outputType=amp. He had no ID among his few belongings, and
could not be identified.
Keefe, Brendan. “Thief Spared Prison After
Stealing Missing Grandmother’s Pension.” 11 The FGG investigation was conducted by the
Alive News, May 17, 2022. Last modified DNA Doe Project in partnership with the
May 19, 2022. Accessed May 28, 2022. Pima County Medical Examiner’s Office,
https://www.11alive.com/article/news/ including forensic anthropologist Bruce
investigations/thief-spared-prison-stealing- Anderson.
missing-grandmothers-pension/85-4a35dcd7-
b329-40a8-9cf6-0bed8ecbb0a6. A blood sample taken at his autopsy was used
to produce a DNA profile that was then
Kenney, Tanasia. “Body Found Near uploaded to GEDmatch. Two second cousins
Talladega Racetrack Identified 10 Years Later, were found to be relative matches, and Pool
Alabama Official Say.” Miami Herald. was identified in 18 hours. The funding for
January 14, 2022. Accessed January 14, 2022. the investigation was raised through public
https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation- donations.
world/national/article257328282.html.
The method of final confirmation is not
Robinson, Carol. “Georgia Woman ID’d as known, but was not made through living
Remains Found Behind Abandoned East family members. Pool’s family has not been
Alabama Home Nearly 10 Years Ago.” located, and his remains remain unclaimed.
Birmingham Real-Time News. January 13,
2022. January 14, 2022. https://www.al.com/ Sources:
news/birmingham/2022/01/67-year-old-
georgia-woman-idd-as-remains-found- DNA Doe Project. “Valencia Road John Doe
behind-abandoned-east-alabama-home- 2019.” DNA Doe Project, June 22, 2022. Last
nearly-10-years-ago.html. Modified August 17, 2022. Accessed August
25, 2022. https://dnadoeproject.org/case/
Vogen, Michael. “The Lincoln Police valencia-road-john-doe-2019/.
Department Teams with Othram to Identify a
Woman Found Behind Abandoned House Unidentified Wiki. “Tommy Pool Jr.”
Near Talladega.” DNASolves. January 13, Wikia.org, n.d. Accessed August 25, 2022.

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 465
https://unidentified-awareness.fandom.com/ Place. He unofficially claimed to have
wiki/Tommy_Pool_Jr.. murdered as many as 30 young girls. A local
mangrove tree where Schaefer is thought to
Villarreal, Phil. “DNA Doe Project Identifies have tortured and murdered his victims is
Two Men Who Died in Ruston in 2019.” known as the “Devil’s Tree.” Police have
KGUN 9 News Tucson, August 17, 2022. stated that they will continue to search for a
Accessed August 25, 2022. https:// link between Poole and Schaefer, and their
www.kgun9.com/news/local-news/dna-doe- investigation will remain open.
project-identifies-two-men-who-died-in-
tucson-in-2019. Poole was last seen by her family around
Christmas of 1972. She had left school, and
was living part-time at her family’s mobile
Case ID 1707: Poole, Susan home near Fort Lauderdale and with a nearby
friend. Many of her personal belongings,
The skeletal remains of 15-year-old Susan including her wallet, were left at her friend’s
Gail Poole were found in June, 1974 in Palm apartment.
Beach County, Florida. She had been tied up
to a tree with wire in a remote location in the Sources:
mangrove swamps on northern Singer Island.
She was thought to have lain there for about a Associated Press. “DNA Identifies Remains
year and a half. of Florida Teen Who Disappeared in 1972.
Detectives Now Say She May Have Been
Poole’s body was exhumed in 2014 for Killed by a Serial Killer Cop.” CBS News,
further investigation. A DNA profile was June 3, 2022. Accessed June 4, 2022. https://
developed and submitted to CODIS in 2015, www.cbsnews.com/news/susan-poole-
but this did not turn up any new leads. The missing-1972-remains-identified-link-serial-
FGG investigation was performed by Othram killer-gerard-schaefer/.
beginning in December of 2021. The final
confirmation was made to Poole’s mother. CBS12 News Staff. “PBSO Identifies
She also has living siblings, who were glad to Remains Found as Teen who Vanished
finally learn what happened to her. Around Christmas in 1972.” CBS 12 News,
June 1, 2022. Accessed June 4, 2022. https://
Investigator’s believe that Poole may be the cbs12.com/news/local/pbso-announces-
victim of Gerard Schaefer, a serial killer who skeletal-remains-from-1974-mystery-
preyed on young women in the area. Schaefer identified.
- a former police officer in Wilton Manors,
Fort Lauderdale and a Martin County Papaycik, Matt. “Skeletal Remains Found in
Sheriff’s Deputy at the time of Poole’s 1974 Identified as Missing Teen, Possible
murder - was murdered by a fellow prison Victim of Serial Killer.” WPTV News 5, June
inmate in 1995 while incarcerated in the 2, 2022. Accessed June 4, 2022. https://
Florida State Prison. He was serving a life www.wptv.com/news/palm-beach-county/
sentence for the similar murders of 16-year- skeletal-remains-found-in-1974-identified-as-
old Georgia Jessup and 17-year-old Susan missing-teen-possible-victim-of-serial-killer.

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 466
Treadway, Tyler. “Former Martin County dnadoeproject.org/case/butler-county-john-
Deputy’s Killing Spree in 19070s Still One of doe-1997/.
Most Gruesome Murders in St. Lucie.” TC
Palm, November 28, 2010. Accessed June 4, Pack, Lauren. “Remains of Dayton Man
2022. https://archive.tcpalm.com/news/ Found in 1997 in the Great Miami River
former-martin-county-deputys-killing-spree- Identified.” Dayton Daily News. September
in-1970s-still-one-of-most-gruesome- 14, 2020. Accessed January 1, 2021. https://
murders-in-st-lucie-e-345577182.html. www.daytondailynews.com/news/remains-of-
man-found-in-1997-now-identified/
Vogen, Michael. “Palm Beach County WIQYBBREONC7LESKJZ3BSUAO7Y/.
Sheriff’s Office Teams with Othram to
Identify a 1974 Teen Homicide Victim.” WKRC News. “Man Found Dead in Butler
DNASolves.com, June 2, 2022. Accessed June County Identified After 23 Years.” WKRC
4, 2022. Local 12 News. September 14, 2020.
https://dnasolves.com/articles/susan_poole/. Accessed January 1, 2021. https://
local12.com/news/local/man-found-dead-in-
butler-county-identified-after-23-years-
Case ID 1410: Porter, Larry Joe cincinnati?
fbclid=IwAR1LPVulF_gm56k1R1Ru4drD8
The body of 44-year-old Larry Joe Porter was WPpyBU53P5umCIL8YmeWmx3kGPAAuIn
found on May 18, 1997 in Butler County, QKU.
Ohio. He had been found floating in the
Miami River. He became known as the Butler
County John Doe. He is thought to have been Case ID 1484: Potter, Laurie Diane
struck by a motor vehicle and killed in about
April or May of 1997. The severed legs of 54-year-old Laurie Diane
Potter were found on October 5, 2003, in a
The FGG investigation was conducted by the dumpster outside an apartment complex in
DNA Doe Project. He has been returned to his Rancho San Diego. Police were not able to
family, and the investigation into his death identify the person to whom they belonged.
continues.
A DNA profile was obtained by the Medical
Sources: Examiner’s Office and the local crime lab.
News reports indicate that San Diego PD
Butler County Coroner’s Office. “1997 ‘John Detectives performed the genealogical
Doe’ Case Solved.” Butler County Coroner’s analysis themselves. They performed targeted
Office (Press Release). n.d. Accessed January kinship testing on about 20 family members
1, 2021. http://butlercountycoroner.org/ who agreed to take part in the identification.
news_detail_T40_R18.php. Police located Potter’s adult son in December
of 2020. This confirmed her identity.
DNA Doe Project. “Butler County John Doe
1997.” DNA Doe Project. June 7, 2019. Once Potter was identified, police were able
Accessed January 1, 2021. https:// to continue their murder investigation. On

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 467
May 13, 2021, investigators arrested Jack When his remains were exhumed,
Dennis Potter, the former spouse of Potter, investigators had found the name ‘Prescott
and charged him with her murder. He is Horace’ marked on his shirt, but they did not
currently 68 years old and is facing homicide know who he was. His skull and mandible
charges in San Diego County Superior Court. were not reburied with the rest of his remains,
and they were kept in a bucket at the
Sources: Snohomish County Coroner’s Office. They
were found again in 2009, and the case was
Figueroa, Teri. “Legs Found in 2003 ID’d as reopened.
Temecula Woman; Husband Arrested on
Suspicion of Murder.” San Diego Union The FGG investigation was conducted by
Tribune. May 14, 2021. Accessed May 16, Deb Stone of Kin Forensics.
2021. https://
www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/public- Prescott was a disabled Marine Veteran who
safety/story/2021-05-14/legs-found-in-2003- had served in WWII where he received a
idd-as-temecula-woman-husband-arrested-on- serious head injury. He worked as a letter
suspicion-of-murder. carrier. He had been diagnosed with a
Gregorczyk, Kasia. “Arrest Made, Victim cognitive disability, and he would sometimes
ID’d in 2003 East County Cold Case.” Fox 5 wander off. He had last been seen leaving a
News San Diego. May 13, 2021, last modified Seattle area hotel in 1976. He has now been
May 14, 2021. Accessed May 16, 2021. reburied, in full, and with military honors.
https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/
arrest-made-victim-idd-in-2003-east-county- Sources:
cold-case/.
Snohomish County. “Horace Jack Prescott,
Meyer, Matt, and Kasia Gregorczyk. Jr.,” Snohomish County Washington
“Husband Arrested in Woman’s Murder Government. n.d. Accessed January 1, 2021.
Nearly 20 Years Later.” Fox 5 News San https://www.snohomishcountywa.gov/5506/
Diego. May 14, 2021. Accessed May 16, Horace-Prescott.
2021. https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-
news/husband-arrested-in-womans-murder- Hutton, Caleb. “Who Am I? Mystery of a
nearly-20-years-later/. 1978 Lynnwood John Doe is Solved.”
Herald.net. November 25, 2019. Accessed
January 1, 2021. https://www.heraldnet.com/
Case ID 1285: Prescott, Horace Jack news/who-am-i-mystery-of-a-1978-
(Dany) Jr.: Lynnwood John Doe lynnwood-john-doe-is-solved/.

The body of 49-year-old Horace Prescott was

found on January 4, 1978 in Lynnwood,
Washington when his skull was unearthed by
a dog. Further remains and clothing were
found nearby.

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 468
Case ID 1188: Prudhomme, Donna: The Murders Using Genetic Genealogy.” ABC
‘Calder Road Murders’ Janet Doe News. 15 April, 2019. Accessed December
30, 2020. https://abcnews.go.com/US/texas-
The body of 34-year-old Donna Prudhomme authorities-identify-victims-decades-killing-
was found on September 8, 1991 by a fields-murders/story?id=62408999.
horseback rider off of Calder Road in an area
of Texas known as the Texas Killing Fields. League City Police. “Audrey Cook – Cold
She had been beaten to death about four Case #86-216.” League City Police. n.d.
months prior. She showed many healed Accessed December 30, 2020. https://
injuries and fractures to her spine from past www.leaguecity.com/3279/Audrey-Cook---
episodes of abuse. Cold-Case-86-216.

The Texas Killing Fields is a 25-acers area of Powell, Nick. “Can DNA Provide Answers in
bog land off the I-45 where about thirty Deaths of 2 Women in ‘Texas Killing
bodies have been located since the early Fields’?” Chron. December 12, 2018.
1970s, mainly of young women. Accessed December 30, 2020. https://
www.chron.com/local/article/League-City-
The FGG investigation in this case was Police-need-help-identifying-
conducted by Parabon Nanolabs. Other women-13456369.php.
reports state that FTDNA was also contacted
by officers for assistance. Rogalski, Jeremy. “Confessed Killer Details
Murder of Texas Killing Fields Victim.” USA
Mark Roland Stallings has confessed to the Today. February 16, 2016. Accessed
murder of Prudhomme, stating that she was a December 30, 2020. https://
prostitute and drug addict whom he picked up www.usatoday.com/story/news/
at a low budget motel and later strangled with investigations/2016/02/16/-team-exclusive-
a seat belt. He has since recanted, and the confessed-killer-details-murder-texas-killing-
case remains open, although his conviction fields-victim/80400214/.
has not been overturned. Prudhomme had
been trying to escape an abusive relationship
when she went missing. Case ID 1213: Rasmussen, Jane Doe

Sources: See also:

Aradillas, Elaine. “2 Women Found Dead in Confidential (Dawn Beaudin/Lisa Jensen)

‘Texas Killing Fields’ Are ID’d, as Police Honeychurch, Marlyse Elizabeth
Investigate Decades-Old Murders.” People. McWaters, Sarah
April 15, 2019. Accessed December 30, 2020. Rasmussen, Terry Peder
https://people.com/crime/texas-killing- Vaughn, Marie
fields-2-women-bodies-identified/.
This case is part of a series of murders known
Jacobo, Julia. “Texas Authorities Identify 2 as the Bear Brook Murders, or the Allenstown
Victims in Decades-Old ‘Killing Fields’ Murders. One of the most remarkable cold

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 469
cases in U.S. history, the successful resolution a man whose real identity was discovered by
of the Bear Brook murders by Barbara Rae- Rae-Venter to be Terry Peder Rasmussen – a
Venter led detectives to pursue similar man who died in prison in California where
techniques in the search for the Golden State he had been sentenced for the murder of his
Killer. common-law wife. DNA testing showed that
Rasmussen was not the father of Lisa Jensen,
The body of Jane Doe Rasmussen was found but he was the father of Jane Doe, the toddler
on May 9, 2000 in a 55-gallon steel drum in whose body was found in second barrel at
Bear Brook State Park in Allenstown, New Bear Brook. Terry Rasmussen was then
Hampshire. Rasmussen was then about was identified as the lead suspect in the murder of
2-4 years old, and she was found in the barrel the four Bear Brook victims, and the case was
with a younger girl who was about 1-3 years cleared by exception.
old.
In 1978, at the time of the Bear Brook
The case began 15 years earlier, on November murders, Rasmussen worked in Allenstown as
11, 1985, when another 55-gallon steel drum an electrician and handyman near the
containing human remains was found in Bear property where the barrels were found. In
Brook State Park. The remains were of an around 1981, another young mother named
adult woman and a young girl about 8-10. Denise Beaudin and her 6-month-old
They had been killed by blunt force trauma to daughter disappeared from New Hampshire in
the head. It is thought that the four Bear very similar circumstances. Beaudin’s
Brook victims were killed sometime between boyfriend at the time was Terry Rasmussen.
1978 and 1981. The little girl was Lisa Jensen. They all
moved to California together, but when
The FGG investigation was conducted by Rasmussen was next seen in California he
Barbara Rae-Venter, a Search Angel, who was in the company of only Lisa. Denise was
volunteered at the non-profit organization never seen again after leaving New
DNA Adoption.com where she assisted Hampshire with Rasmussen, and her body has
adopted individuals to identify their birth not been located.
families. Rae-Venter has a PhD in
biochemistry, and she worked for many years Rasmussen and Lisa lived in a trailer park in
as a patent attorney in the biotech industry. Scotts Valley, California in 1986. He then
She is a leader in using genetic genealogy to abandoned Lisa, who was then about 5 years
identify living does. old, with another family he met there.
‘Gordon Jensen’ was not seen again. Lisa
At first, Rae-Venter was not looking to Jensen was a living Jane Doe, with no idea of
identify the Bear Brook victims. She was when or where she was born, her parentage,
attempting to identify Lisa Jensen, a grown or her name.
woman who had been abducted and
abandoned by an unknown male when she Lisa Jensen was now a grown woman of 32
was about 5 years old. Lisa thought she was years old and a mother herself when the
the biological daughter of a man named detectives working on her case approached
Gordon Jensen. Jensen was a pseudonym for Rae-Venter to identify her birth family. The

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 470
lead detective working on Lisa’s abduction daughter, Marie Vaughan (b. 1971). The
was Detective Peter Headley of the San infant girl found in the second barrel is
Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office. Rae- Honeychurch’s youngest daughter, Sarah
Venter and a team of volunteers used genetic McWaters (b. 1977).
genealogy to identify Lisa’s birth family and
try to find out where she came from and what Marlyse Honeychurch was last seen on
had happened to her mother. Thanksgiving Day in 1978, when she got into
an argument with her family, and left with
In 2016, Rae-Venter identified Lisa as Dawn Terry Rasmussen, who was her boyfriend at
Beaudin of New Hampshire. Lisa and her the time. She was never seen alive again.
mother, Denise Beaudin, disappeared around Honeychurch and the three girls were likely
Thanksgiving of 1981 with her boyfriend, killed sometime between 1978 and 1981,
Terry Rasmussen. Family members identified before Denise Beaudin and her daughter Lisa
her boyfriend at the time as ‘Bob Evans’, Jensen went missing in similar circumstances.
which was the name that Rasmussen was
using when he was living in New Hampshire. Jane Doe Rasmussen is the biological
daughter of Terry Rasmussen. The FGG
Rae-Venter wanted to test the remains of the investigation into her identity continues, as
Bear Brook victims because she suspected her mother is currently unknown. She has a
that the woman in the barrel was Denise mixed ancestry, with some African American,
Beaudin, Lisa’s mother. Up until that time, it Native American, and possibly Asian
had not been possible to obtain a DNA profile heritage. Rae-Venter is constructing her
from the Bear Brook victims. In 2016, Rae- family tree and believes the girl’s mother may
Venter contacted Dr. Ed Green, a researcher be from near Pearl River County, Mississippi,
in paleo-genomics, of the University of and possibly descended from Thomas
California at Santa-Cruz as he had developed ‘Deadhorse’ Mitchell (b. 1836) or William
a new technique to extract autosomal DNA Livings (b. 1826).
from rootless hair.
Rasmussen died of lung cancer and
This new technique was successful in emphysema at the High Desert Prison in
obtaining DNA profiles of the Bear Brook Susanville, California in 2010. He had been
victims, and the investigation was finally able convicted under yet another false name,
to progress. They discovered that the woman ‘Larry Vanner’, for the 2002 murder of his
was not Denise Beaudin, but the middle girl common-law spouse, chemist Eunsoon Jun.
was Rasmussen’s biological daughter. She He has been nicknamed the ‘Chameleon
was not related to the other two little girls, Killer’ for the way in which he is able to
who were found to be the daughters of the move, change his identity, and begin a new
adult woman. life with a new family. When DNA testing
showed that he was not the biological father
Rae-Venter then used FGG to identify the of Lisa Jensen, he denied knowing or
woman found at Bear Brook as Marlyse remembering the little girl at all.
Elizabeth Honeychurch (b. 1954). The other
body found in the barrel with her is her eldest

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 471
In 2018, journalist Jason Moon and New www.theverge.com/2019/6/9/18656929/bear-
Hampshire Public Radio produced a podcast book-podcast-murders-dna-databases-
called “Bear Brook,” that tells this story very marlyse-elizabeth-honeychurch-marie-vaugh-
thoroughly. It can be found at: https:// sarah-mcwaters.
www.bearbrookpodcast.com/.
Moon, Jason. “Three Bear Brook Murder
Sources: Victims Identified; Citizen Sleuth, Genetic
Genealogy Provide Key Clues.” New
Duckler, Ray. “Officials Identify 3 of 4 Hampshire Public Radio. June 5, 2019.
Victims Discovered in Barrels Near Bear Accessed December 26, 2020. https://
Brook State Park.” Concord Monitor. June 6, www.nhpr.org/post/three-bear-brook-murder-
2019. Accessed December 26, 2020. https:// victims-identified-citizen-sleuth-genetic-
www.concordmonitor.com/After-more-than- genealogy-provide-key-clues?
three-decades-Bear-Brook-victims- utm_medium=social&utm_term=nprnews&ut
named-26083251. m_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=np
r&fbclid=IwAR0d-ZPVnecFP90-
Effron, Lauren, Boaz Halaban, and Marc teWfZznBM5TlYL9drWk6lQB5QMEIKuL9
Dorian. “How a Jane Doe Child Case scEnGrOlorc#stream/0.
Uncovered a Serial Killer, Identified Victims
and Changed the Use of DNA Forensics.” Murphy, Shelley. “‘Missing Half Sister’: How
ABC News. March 19, 2020. Accessed a Search for a Relative Helped Identify N.H.’s
December 26, 2020. https://abcnews.go.com/ Bear Brook Victims.” Boston Globe. June 6,
US/jane-doe-child-case-uncovered-serial- 2019. Accessed December 26, 2020. https://
killer-identified/story?id=69648434. www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2019/06/06/
missing-half-sister-how-search-for-relative-
Halaban, Boaz, Marc Dorian, and Enjoli helped-identify-bear-brook-victims/
Francis. “Timeline of Serial Killer Terry xiMWdamAZqaWRaCDJWJqxJ/story.html.
Rasmussen’s Terror in New Hampshire,
California.” ABC News. March 18, 2020. Yang, Allie, and Boaz Halaban. “Serial Killer
Accessed December 26, 2020. https:// Terry Rasmussen’s Victims, Known and
abcnews.go.com/US/timeline-serial-killer- Unknown.” ABC News. March 17, 2020.
terry-rasmussens-terror-hampshire-california/ Accessed December 26, 2020. https://
story?id=69505755. abcnews.go.com/US/terry-rasmussens-
victims-unknown/story?id=69585534.
Help ID Me. “Bear Brook Case Update.”
Facebook (Post). January 21, 2021. Accessed
January 21, 2021. https://www.facebook.com/ Case ID 1403: Redeker, Rebecca Ann:
698376120190298/posts/ Rainbow Falls Jane Doe
4130579286969947/?d=n.
The body of 20-year-old Rebecca Redeker
Liptak, Andrew. “How a Podcast Helped was found on June 5, 1993 in Rainbow Creek
Solve a Grisly Cold Case.” The Verge. June 9, Falls, Colorado. She was found in the Pike
2019. Accessed December 26, 2020. https:// San Isabel National Forest at a makeshift

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 472
campsite. Investigators determined that she The FGG investigation was conducted by
had probably died by homicide within the last Othram, beginning in 2021. Othram extracted
72 hours. She may have been homeless at the a DNA profile suitable for FGG from Reed’s
time she was killed. She became known as the skeletal remains. There is no information on
Rainbow Falls Jane Doe. how the final confirmation was made.
Funding for the investigation was provided by
The FGG investigation was conducted by Carla Davis, who has raised money for the
United Data Connect. The investigation into identification of other decedents in
Redeker’s homicide is ongoing. Mississippi.

Sources: Reed is a Navy veteran who was born in

1951. Police continue to investigate Reed’s
Butzer, Stephanie. “‘She is Someone, She is death.
No Longer Our Jane Doe’: Douglas County
Authorities ID Woman Killed in 1993 Cold Sources:
Case.” The Denver Channel. August 13,
2020, last modified August 14, 2020. Vogen, Michael. “Mississippi State Medical
Accessed January 1, 2021. https:// Examiner’s Office and Mississippi Bureau of
www.thedenverchannel.com/news/local- Investigation Team with Othram to Identify
news/she-is-someone-she-is-no-longer-our- 2018 John Doe.” DNASolves.com, April 21,
jane-doe-douglas-county-authorities-id- 2022. Accessed April 23, 2022. https://
woman-killed-in-1993-cold-case. dnasolves.com/articles/
david_e_reed_mississippi_bureau_investigati
Stimson, Brie. “Colorado Woman from 1993 on/.
Cold Case Identified Through DNA.” Fox
News. August 14, 2020. Accessed January 1,
2021. https://www.foxnews.com/us/colorado- Case ID 1395: Rein, Richard Jayson
woman-20-from-1993-cold-case-identified- Terrance: Baby Joe Doe
through-dna?
fbclid=IwAR0RoLMCuMWoMuWdHoBeG The body of newborn Richard Jayson
V0Oh0vpE6O1OiVAQAAWGya9- Terrance Rein was found on May 15, 1988 in
Xz53AxMCviLyKQ. Castro Valley, California. Two children found
him in a paper bag on the bank of a creek in a
wooded area. He was known at first as Baby
Case ID 1688: Reed, David E.: Meridian Joe Doe, but the priests at St. Leander’s
John Doe Church in San Leandro buried him and named
him after the vicars and priests at the church.
The skeletal remains of David E. Reed were An autopsy determined that the baby had
found in May of 2018, scattered in the woods been born alive and was deliberately killed.
just off Highway 145 outside of Meridian,
Mississippi. He could not be identified, and The FGG investigation was conducted with
he became known only as Meridian John the assistance of the FBI and Gene By Gene.
Doe.

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 473
Police arrested Lesa Lopez and charged with performed the work at a reduced rate. DNA
homicide and desecration of human remains. Doe quickly narrowed his family down to a
She would have been about 20 years old at number of common ancestors in West
the time of Rein’s birth. Lopez admitted Virginia. The final confirmation was made to
killing the baby and hiding its remains. Her Rexrode’s son.
case is pending in the Alameda County
Superior Court. Rexrode was known to be homeless, and his
family had reported him missing in 1998.
Sources:
Sources:
Associated Press. “Mother Arrested in Her
Baby’s 1988 Killing Thanks to DNA.” New 11Alive.com. “New Technology Helps Police
York Post. August 3, 2020. Accessed January Identify John Doe.” 11 Alive News. February
1, 2021. https://nypost.com/2020/08/03/ 2, 2022. Accessed February 7, 2022. https://
mother-arrested-in-her-babys-1988-killing- www.11alive.com/video/news/investigations/
thanks-to-dna/? new-technology-helps-police-identify-john-
fbclid=IwAR1LaQmToi1pmj0VOVeMKHdt doe/85-
Yb-- c6dc6f30-0615-4843-9e94-9456bdd3334d.
yu_8PvynY_qrIWArYK1JuC0zX0WbpGM.
DNA Doe Project. “Gwinnett Co John Doe
Helling, Steve. “DNA Leads to Arrest of 2003.” DNA Doe Project. July 22, 2021. Last
Woman Who Allegedly Killed Newborn Modified February 3, 2022. Accessed
Baby, Left Body in Paper Bag in 1988.” February 7, 2022. https://dnadoeproject.org/
People. August 5, 2020. Accessed January 1, case/gwinnett-co-john-doe-2003/.
2021. https://people.com/crime/dna-arrest-
woman-baby-death-bag/. Yeomans, Curt. “Gwinnett County Medical
Examiner’s Office, DNA Doe Project Identify
Remains Found in 2003.” Gwinnett Daily
Case ID 1643: Rexrode, Gordon: Gwinnett Post. February 5, 2022. Accessed February 7,
County John Doe 2003 2022. https://www.gwinnettdailypost.com/
local/gwinnett-county-medical-examiners-
The skeletal remains of 70-year-old Gordon office-dna-doe-project-identify-remains-
Rexrode were found on June 20, 2003, in found-in-2003/
Lawrenceville, Georgia. He was located when article_bcd01400-8662-11ec-8081-
workers opened up a manhole to clean out a e372a2a44a85.html.
storm drain. Some items of clothing, along
with a pipe used for smoking crack cocaine,
were found near the body, but he could not be Case ID 1820: Rice, Colleen Audrey:
identified. A cause of death could not be Mohave Jane Doe
determined.
The remains of 40-year-old Colleen Audrey
The FGG investigation was begun by the Rice were found on January 23, 1971 in a
DNA Doe Project in May of 2021, who remote desert area of Mohave County,

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 474
Arizona. She was located about 30 miles true-crime/Mohave-Jane-Doe-Identified-
south of Kingman, Arizona, just off a small After-More-Than-50-Years-as-Colleen-Rice.
dirt road named Hackberry Road. She was
found in a white cotton canvas sack that had KTNV Staff. “Woman Found in Sack
been tied up with white cotton rope. On the Identified with DNA in 1971 Cold Case,
sack was printed “Deer-Pak Ames Harris Mohave County Sheriff’s Office Says.”
Neville Co.” in green lettering. She had been KTNV Action News 13, January 24, 2023.
strangled to death. She is thought to have Accessed January 25, 2023. https://
been killed sometime in December of 1970. www.ktnv.com/news/victim-found-in-sack-
identified-with-dna-in-1971-cold-case-
A sketch was made form her remains by an mohave-county-sheriffs-office-says.
artist at the Museum of Northern Arizona.
She had high quality dental work which was Vogen, Michael. “Mohave County Sheriff’s
reported in several dental magazines in hopes Office and Othram Team to Identify 1971
that dentists would check their files and Jane Doe.” DNASolves.com, January 24,
recognize her, but no leads were obtained. 2023. Accessed January 25, 2023. https://
Her case was entered into NamUS in dnasolves.com/articles/mohave-county-jane-
November of 2021. doe-1971/.

The FGG investigation was conducted by Case ID 1815: Ricker, Dorothy Lynn
Othram in partnership with the Mohave Thyng: Lake Michigan Jane Doe 1997
County Sheriff’s Office Special Investigation
Unit, beginning in 2022. The Mohave County The remains of 26-year-old Dorothy Lynn
Sheriff’s Office contributed $1,000 in Thyng Ricker were found on October 24,
funding. Crowdfunding by DNASolves raised 1997 in Manistee, Michigan. She was found
the remaining $6500 needed to perform the on the shore of Lake Michigan, along the
laboratory work and conduct the break wall near Fox Farm Road. An autopsy
investigation. The final confirmation was determined that she had died from asphyxia
made to living family members. due to accidental drowning. She could not be
identified.
Rice was from Portsmouth, Ohio. She was
married in 1946 in Ohio to William Davis, but The case was reopened in 2020 when
she was estranged from her family so little is Ricker’s remains were exhumed. The FGG
known at this time of her life or why she was investigation was conducted by the DNA Doe
in Arizona. Police continue to investigate her Project, in partnership with the Michigan
murder. State Police and Astrea Forensics. The
remains were badly degraded, but a DNA
Sources: sample suitable for confirmation of her
identification was obtained by Intermountain
Bertetto, Alyssa. “‘Mohave Jane Doe’ Forensics. The final confirmation was made
Identified After 50+ Years as Colleen Rice.” to her brother, in Maine, and her daughter, in
The Crime Wire, January 25, 2023. Accessed Chicago.
January 25, 2023. https://thecrimewire.com/

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 475
Ricker was reported missing from her home several years to several decades. His DNA
in Chicago. She was last seen on October 2, profile and dental records were obtained, and
1997 on a beach in Wisconsin, when she a facial reconstruction was performed.
spoke briefly to officers from the St. Francis
PD. She told them at the time that she was It was difficult to obtain a DNA sample
fine, and was enjoying the waterfront. Her suitable for FGG due to the age and condition
vehicle was found abandoned the next day. of the remains. The laboratory work and FGG
By that time she had been reported as missing investigation was performed by Othram and
and endangered by the Chicago Police Barbara Rae-Venter respectively. Rae-Venter
Department. was able to locate two siblings of Rindahl,
who confirmed that their brother was missing.
Sources: The final confirmation was made to his living
siblings.
Associated Press. “Remains Found in 1997 in
Lake Michigan ID’d as Chicago Woman.” Rindahl disappeared in the summer of 1970.
ABC News 7, January 9, 2023. Accessed His family stated that the FBI may have been
January 9, 2023. https://abc7chicago.com/ looking for him due to his involvement in
body-found-in-lake-michigan-chicago- drugs. His death is thought to have been a
manistee-dorothy-ricker/12681121/. homicide. Police are continuing to investigate
Chew, Brandon. “Remains of Woman Who his murder.
Washed Up on Lake Michigan Shoreline
Identified 25 Years Later.” Up North Live, Sources:
January 9, 2023. Accessed January 9, 2023.
https://upnorthlive.com/news/local/remains- Vogen, Michael. “Isanti County Sheriff’s
of-woman-who-washed-up-on-lake- Office Leverages Othram’s Genetic Testing
michigan-shoreline-identified-25-years-later. Platform to Identify a 2003 Homicide
Victim.” DNASolves. January 12, 2022.
DNA Doe Project. “Lake Michigan Jane Doe Accessed January 14, 2022. https://
1997.” DNA Doe Project, November 20, dnasolves.com/articles/
2020. Last Modified January 9, 2023. Isanti_County_Donald_Rindahl/.
Accessed January 2023. https://
dnadoeproject.org/case/lake-michigan-jane- Thiede, Dana, and Jennifer Hoff. “Human
doe-1997/. Remains Found in Isanti County ID’d, Linked
to Suspected Cold Case Homicide.” KARE
NBC News 11. January 12, 2022. Accessed
Case ID 1625: Rindhal, Donald: January 14, 2022. https://www.kare11.com/
article/news/crime/isanti-county-cold-case-
The skeletal remains of 22-year-old Donald human-remains-identified-donald-rindahl/89-
Rindhal were found on August 17, 2003, fe6983c8-2d73-48a8-a34a-910fef8daccf.
alongside the highway in Bradford Township,
Minnesota, while the landowner was Turtinen, Melissa. “Remains Found in 2003
completing an excavation project. It is Identified as Ramsey County Man Missing
thought that he had been buried there for Since 1970.” Bring Me the News. January 12,

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 476
2022. Accessed January 14, 2022. https:// some beer together near the lake. Roth had
bringmethenews.com/minnesota-news/ some peacock feathers that he had tried to
remains-found-in-2003-idd-as-ramsey- give her as a gift. She declined to have sex
county-man-missing-since-1970. with him, and he then assaulted, strangled,
and then shot her when she fought back.
Unidentified Wiki. “Donald Rindahl.” Upon his release, he assisted investigators
Wikia.org. n.d. Accessed January 14, 2022. with reconstructing the crime and identifying
https://unidentified-awareness.fandom.com/ the victim.
wiki/Donald_Rindahl.
Roberts had run away from home in about
July of 1977 after a disagreement with her
Case ID 1385: Roberts, Elizabeth Ann: family. She later phoned them and told them
Precious Jane Doe she was fine, but they did not hear from her
again nor did she pick up some money they
The body of 18-year-old Elizabeth Roberts had sent her.
was found on August 14, 1977 in Everett,
Washington by local residents picking Sources:
blackberries. She had been strangled with a
bungee cord and shot several times in the Hefley, Diana. “Long After Body Was Found,
head. She had likely been dead for several Detectives Search for ‘Jane Doe’.”
days. She became known as Precious Jane Herald.net. September 11, 2010. https://
Doe. www.heraldnet.com/news/long-after-body-
was-found-detectives-search-for-jane-doe/.
The FGG investigation was conducted by
Barbara Rae Venter. After unsuccessful Hutton, Caleb. “Solved: For 43 Years, She
attempts to get a full profile from Precious Was ‘Precious’ Jane Doe.” Herald.net. June
Jane Doe, Barbara Rae-Venter reached out to 26, 2020. Accessed August 23, 2021. https://
Dr. Richard Green, who works in paleo- www.heraldnet.com/news/solved-for-43-
genomics at the UC Santa Cruz. Dr. Green years-she-was-precious-jane-doe/.
was able to use new techniques to get a full
profile using rootless hair. This was a O’Rourke, Ciara. “Solving a Murder with
breakthrough in DNA analysis, and it is one Ancestry Websites.” The Atlantic. August 16,
striking example of how the science of 2017. https://www.theatlantic.com/science/
ancient DNA/paleo-genomics is generating archive/2017/08/jane-doe-murder-ancestry/
advances in forensic analysis as well. 536916/.

David Roth had confessed to her murder in Snohomish County. “Elizabeth ‘Lisa’ Ann
1979, but he did not know her name. He was Roberts AKA Precious Jane Doe.” Snohomish
convicted at trial of first-degree murder in County Washington Government. n.d. https://
November 1979. He was released in 2005. www.snohomishcountywa.gov/5650/
Elizabeth-Lisa-Ann-Roberts-AKA-Precious-.
Roberts was hitchhiking when Roth picked
her up on the highway. They sat and drank

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 477
Case ID 1534: Robinson, Janet: Fort DNASolves.com. October 6, 2021. Accessed
Sumter Jane Doe October 8, 2021. https://dnasolves.com/
articles/charleston_county_fort_sumter/.
The partial remains of 57-year-old Janet
Robinson were located in October of 2020 in
Fort Sumter, South Carolina. A single human Case ID 1846: Rodgers Annis, Joyce A.
foot washed up on the shore, wearing a black
and green ‘On Cloud’ sneaker. Five months The remains of 72-year-old Joyce A. Rodgers
later, the other foot washed up on a different were found on March 17, 2015 in Carson
beach in the area, without a shoe. City, Nevada. She had been buried in a
shallow grave on Lone Mountain, near the
The FGG investigation was performed by Lone Mountain Cemetery. A passerby had
Othram. Othram was able to locate a seen a tennis shoe sticking up from the
biological sibling of Robinson to make the ground. The Washoe County Medical
final confirmation of her identity. Examiner’s Office was not able to determine
a cause of death for her.
Robinson was last seen on August 3, 2020 in
Charleston. She was originally from The FGG investigation was conducted by the
Mississippi. Her cause of death cannot be DNA Doe Project in partnership with the
determined, and police continue to investigate Carson City Sheriff’s Office, beginning in
her death. May of 2019. The genealogical work, which
began in May of 2020, had to go back to
Sources: 18th-century England due to the distance of
the matches.
Ardary, Steven. “Foot Found Near Fort
Sumter Belonged to Woman Last Seen in After identifying Rodgers, police located her
August of 2020.” MSN. October 6, 2021. husband, Edward Barton. Barton, who is
Accessed October 8, 2021. https:// reported to be transient, told officers that
www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/foot-found- Rogers died of an illness, and he buried her
near-fort-sumter-belonged-to-woman-last- up on the mountain. It is unknown at the time
seen-in-august-of-2020/ar-AAPeYfR. of writing whether any charges will be
brought against Barton.
Berlin, Samantha. “Coroner Identifies
Missing Person Whose Two Feet Washed Up Sources:
on Coast Months Apart.” Newsweek. October
7, 2021. Accessed October 8, 2021. https:// Carson City Sheriff’s Office. “After Training,
www.newsweek.com/coroner-identifies- Investigators ID 2 Missing Persons Using
missing-person-whose-two-feet-washed- Genetic Genealogy.” Forensic Magazine,
coast-months-apart-1636695. February 17, 2023. Accessed February 18,
2023. https://www.forensicmag.com/594583-
Othram Inc. “Charleston County Coroner’s Nevada-County-Identifies-2-Missing-People-
Office Teams with Othram to Identify Human with-the-Help-of-DNA-Doe-Project/.
Remains Found Near Fort Sumter.”

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DNA Doe Project. “Carson City Jane Doe by the Mercer County District Attorney’s
2015.” DNA Doe Project, May 5, 2019. Last Office.
Modified February 17, 2023. Accessed
February 18, 2023. https://dnadoeproject.org/ Police identified Nestor Quintanal as the lead
case/carson-city-jane-doe-2015/. suspect in Rodriguez’s homicide. Quintanal
passed away in Florida in 2002 at the age of
Tagulao, Jade. “Carson City Sheriff’s Office 71. Rodriguez and Quintanal were friends,
Identifies Pair of Human Remains with New and had left Chicago to go to Florida together
Tool.” NBC News 4, February 16, 2023. shortly before Rodriguez’s death.
Accessed February 18, 2023. https://
mynews4.com/news/local/2-unsolved-human- Rodriguez’s remains have now been returned
remains-cases-identified-in-carson-city-using- to his family in Chicago.
new-genetic-genealogy-tool-joyce-rogers-
ronald-hendricks-carson-city-sheriffs-office- Sources:
dna-technology-lone-mountain-flume-trail-
marlette-lake. Associated Press. “DNA Testing, Genealogy
Tools Help Solve Cold Case Murder.” AP
Timko, Steve. “Carson City Sheriff Uses News, May 26, 2022. Accessed May 28,
DNA to Identify Two Bodies.” KOLO TV, 2022. https://apnews.com/article/
NBC News 8, February 16, 2023. Accessed pennsylvania-edwin-rodriguez-
February 18, 2023. https://www.kolotv.com/ f0d223178612d9e62fc07b8def26a405.
2023/02/17/carson-city-sheriff-uses-dna-
identify-two-bodies/. Pryts, Monica. “State Police Solve 1980
Homicide Using DNA, Genealogy.” The
Herald, May 25, 2022. Accessed May 28,
Case ID 1702: Rodriguez, Edwin 2022. https://www.sharonherald.com/news/
state-police-solve-1980-homicide-using-dna-
The burned remains of Edwin Rodriguez genealogy/article_2e305ab6-dc48-11ec-
were found near Interstate-80 on November 6, b254-470f65d3a691.html.
1980 in Wolf Creek Township, Pennsylvania.
The autopsy found that the remains belonged Reiner, Michael. “Troopers Solve 40-Year-
to a young man, likely between the ages of 16 Old Homicide Case.” WKBN 27 News, May
and 19, about 5’ 8’’ and who weighed only 25, 2022. Accessed May 28, 2022. https://
115 pounds. He had third degree burns on www.wkbn.com/news/local-news/troopers-
70% of his body, and he could not be solve-40-year-old-homicide-cold-case/.
identified.

A DNA sample was developed in January of Case ID 1450: Rodriguez, Vance John:
2019 from tissues taken at his autopsy. The Mostly Harmless
FGG investigation was performed by Parabon
Nanolabs, who also performed forensic The body of 42-year-old Vance John
phenotyping. The investigation was funded Rodriguez was found on July 23, 2018 at a
campsite in the Big Cyprus National Preserve

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in Ochopee, Florida by two hikers. Vance had January 13, 2021. Accessed January 25, 2021.
been hiking along the Appalachian Trail for https://www.forensicmag.com/572196-
over a year, where he was known by the trail Public-Social-Media-Genealogy-Crucial-in-
name of ‘Mostly Harmless.’ He used only Identification-of-Deceased-Hiker/.
cash, and he had no identification or contact
information. It was determined that he died of Thompson, Nicholas. “The Unsettling Truth
natural causes. About the ‘Mostly Harmless’ Hiker.” Wired.
January 12, 2021. Accessed January 25, 2021.
The FGG investigation was conducted by https://www.wired.com/story/unsettling-truth-
Othram, who obtained a DNA profile from a mostly-harmless-hiker/?utm_source=pocket-
bone sample. Othram and the Collier County newtab.
Sheriff’s Office publicized the case, and
several family members of Vance came
forward and provided their DNA for Case ID 1777: Rollins, John Douglas Jr.:
comparison. Benton County John Doe (1996) (“Lake
Man”)
Rodriguez’s case generated a good deal of
publicity and online speculation about his The remains of 31-year-old John Douglas
origins. He had been well-liked along the Rollins Jr. were found on about October 25,
hiking trails. It was discovered that he was 1996, in Beaver Lake, Benton County,
from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and he worked Arkansas. His body was in a sleeping bag,
in IT. A former girlfriend has alleged that he floating in the lake. The bag had once been
was emotionally abusive towards her. He weighted down, and investigators estimate
reportedly suffered from bouts of severe that he had been in the water for about three
depression, and in 2017 he left his life as a to twelve months.
computer programmer in New York to live
and hike along the Appalachian Trails. A facial reconstruction was performed in
April of 1998. He was entered into NamUS in
Sources: December of 2008 when the University of
North Texas managed to develop a
Othram. “Mostly Harmless has Been mitochondria DNA profile. The case was
Identified as Vance Rodriguez, Formerly of reopened again in 2016, and dental records
Lafayette Parish, Louisiana.” Othram. were searched, but he could not be identified.
January 12, 2021. Accessed 25 January 2021.
https://dnasolves.com/articles/ The FGG investigation was conducted by
big_cypress_remains/? Othram in partnership with the Benton
fbclid=IwAR0RV3x_WiF10- County Sheriff’s Office, beginning in April of
zg91ycKvwhfn2pjaWzpOUeBRfJitE1BR5_b 2021. The funding for the investigation was
Pbi4bvTgS4. provided by the Benton County Prosecutor’s
Office. The final confirmation was made to
Taylor, Michelle. “Public, Social Media, his father, living in nearby Springdale,
Genealogy Crucial in Identification of Arkansas.
Deceased Hiker.” Forensic Magazine.

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Rollins was last seen by his family in 1995, The FGG investigation was conducted by
but no missing person report was filed. Police Othram in partnership with the Will County
continue to investigate Rollins’ death. Coroner’s Office, beginning in June of 2021.
The final confirmation was made to a living
Sources: nephew. The investigation was crowdfunded
through DNASolves.
McCandless, C.C., and Macy Davis. “Benton
County IDs Three Cold Case Homicide Rozek was an Army veteran from Chicago,
Victims.” KNWA Fox News 24, October 25, and had not been seen since the early 1970s.
2022. Accessed October 29, 2022. https:// He was about 26 to 30 years old when he
www.nwahomepage.com/news/benton- vanished. Police continue their investigation
county-ids-three-cold-case-homicide-victims/. into the circumstances surrounding his death.

Neal, Tracy. “Detectives Now Have IDs for Sources:

Murder Victims Known for Decades as Bone
Woman, Lake Man, and John Doe in Benton Associated Press. “Remains Found in 1974
County.” Northwest Arkansas Democrat Identified as Missing Harvey Man.” AP
Gazette, October 26, 2022. Accessed October News, October 13, 2022. Accessed October
29, 2022. https://www.nwaonline.com/news/ 13, 2022. https://apnews.com/article/chicago-
2022/oct/26/detectives-now-have-ids-for- illinois-forensics-
murder-victims-known/. joliet-26954b82e034d881d311c860edddf754.

Vogen, Michael. “Benton County Sheriff’s Unidentified Wiki. “Donald Rozek.”

Office Teams With Othram to Identify a 1996 Wikia.org, n.d. Accessed October 16, 2022.
Homicide Victim.” DNASolves.com, October https://unidentified-awareness.fandom.com/
25, 2022. Accessed October 29, 2022. https:// wiki/Donald_Rozek.
dnasolves.com/articles/benton-county-john-d-
rollins/. Vogen, Michael. “Will County Coroner’s
Office Teams Up With Othram to Identify a
1974 John Doe.” DNASolves.com, October
Case ID 1769: Rozek, Donald 13, 2022. Accessed October 16, 2022. https://
dnasolves.com/articles/will-county-john-
The remains of Donald M. Rozek were found doe-1974-donald-rozek/.
on November 9, 1974, in the village of
Channahon, Illinois. He was located by local
hunters in a rural area near a creek bed. He Case ID 1658: Sanchez Bernal, Isabel:
was thought to have lain there for about 2 Mammoth Lakes Jane Doe
years before being discovered. His cause of
death could not be determined. His remains The skeletal remains of 30-year-old Isabel
were exhumed for further investigation in Sanchez Bernal were found in a shallow
1993, and a facial reconstruction was grave on May 25, 2003, in a campground in
performed, but he could not be identified. the Mammoth Lakes National Forest, in
Mono County, California. Her remains were

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 481
found scattered by a hiker walking in the area. 2022 to 11 years in prison by the Mono
Someone had tried to wrap her body in plastic County Superior Court.
bags. Puncture marks on her bones were
consistent with her having receive knife Sources:
wounds, and her death was ruled a homicide.
Investigators believe her remains lay in the Carpentier, Megan. “Man Arrested for 2003
area for about 6 to 9 months before being Cold Case Murder of Woman in California
discovered. After DNA Breakthrough.” Oxygen, August
18, 2021. https://www.oxygen.com/crime-
The FGG investigation was conducted by news/diego-santiago-hernandez-antonia-
Othram, beginning in 2020. A sample of arrested-in-2003-murder-cold-case.
Bernal’s bone to develop a DNA profile
suitable for genealogical analysis. The final Mammoth Lakes Police Department. “11
confirmation was made to a living relative. Years in State Prison for 2002 Voluntary
Relatives had seen a composite of Bernal in Manslaughter.” Crime Voice, May 1, 2022.
the media, and had come forward for DNA https://www.crimevoice.com/2022/05/01/
testing. Her case was solved in early August voluntary-manslaughter/.
of 2021, but the fact that FGG was used was
not officially announced until after her killer Times Staff Report. “Murder Case Solved
pled guilty. After 18 Years; Mammoth Man in Custody.”
Mammoth Times, August 14, 2021. Accessed
Diego Santiago Hernandez-Antonia, 47, was May 8, 2022. https://
arrested for her murder on August 13, 2021. www.mammothtimes.com/news/murder-case-
Hernandez-Antonia was Bernal’s partner. She solved-after-18-years-mammoth-man-in-
had come to Mammoth Lakes from Puebla, custody/article_051afff0-fd28-11eb-
Mexico in 2002 to work as a housekeeper. a6b2-7f3e56345398.html.
Hernandez-Antonia followed soon after. That
fall, both partners went for a walk in the Unidentified Wiki. “Isabel Sanchez Bernal.”
Shady Rest Park, but Bernal did not return. Wikia.org., n.d. Accessed May 8, 2022.
Hernandez-Antonia forged a note purporting https://unidentified-awareness.fandom.com/
to be from Bernal telling her family not to wiki/Isabel_Sanchez_Bernal.
look for her.
Vogen, Michael. “Mono County Shariff’s
Under police questioning, Hernandez-Antonia Office Teams with Othram to Identify a 2003
gave several different stories, beginning with Homicide Victim.” DNASolves.com, May 2,
denying ever having known Bernal. 2022. Accessed May 8, 2022. https://
Eventually, he told police that she fell off a dnasolves.com/articles/
swing and hit her head and he buried her body mono_county_isabel_sanchez_bernal/.
in a panic. This did not explain the deep knife
wounds found on her skeleton.

Hernandez-Antonia pled guilty to voluntary

manslaughter, and was sentenced on April 5,

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 482
Case ID 1498: Sanderson, Gordon: Septic June 30, 2021. Accessed July 1, 2021. https://
Tank Sam edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/1977-
homicide-victim-cold-case-identified-
The body of 26-year-old Gordon (‘Gordie’) edmonton.
Edwin Sanderson was found on April 13,
1977 on Mavis and Charlie McLeod’s farm Harding, Katherine. “Death of Alberta’s
outside of Tofield, Alberta. The McLeods ‘Septic Tank Sam’ is Still a Cold Case.”
found a leg wearing a brown shoe in the tank Globe & Mail. April 12, 2007. Accessed July
while searching for a pump. Police then 1, 2021. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/
drained the septic tank with buckets to news/national/death-of-albertas-septic-tank-
recover Sanderson’s badly decomposed body. sam-is-still-a-cold-case/article1354167/.
Sanderson had been sexually assaulted and
mutilated, as well as beaten, tortured, and Syed, Ronna. “Man Whose Body Was Found
burned. His body was encased in limestone, in Septic Tank on Alberta Farm in 1977 Was
possibly in an attempt to hasten Sixties Scoop Survivor, RCMP Say.” CBC
decomposition. Sanderson was an Indigenous News. June 30, 2021. Accessed July 1, 2021.
man from Manitoba who was living in https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/
Edmonton at the time of his murder. He had man-found-burned-body-septic-tank-
been a survivor of the Sixties Scoop when he identified-1.6086082.
was removed from his family as a child.
Wakefield, Jonny. “Could New National DNA
In 2018, the RCMP submitted Sanderson’s Database Provide a Break in One of Alberta’s
DNA profile to Canada’s new national Most Gruesome Cold Cases?” Edmonton
database for missing persons. Relatives of Journal. October 8, 2021. Accessed July 1,
missing persons can voluntarily submit their 2021. https://edmontonjournal.com/news/
DNA to the database to identify possible local-news/could-new-national-dna-database-
matches with unidentified remains. This provide-a-break-in-one-of-albertas-most-
produced no new leads. The RCMP also spent gruesome-cold-cases.
about $1,000,000 CAD sending Sanderson’s
dental records to dentists across Canada,
which also produced no leads. Case ID 1556: Scott, John Lindbergh:
Delafield John Doe
The FGG investigation was performed by
Othram, who extracted a new DNA profile Twenty-seven-year-old John Lindberg Scott
from Sanderson’s bones. The final was killed in a car accident on September 14,
confirmation was made to a living sister of 1977, just outside of Delafield, Wisconsin. He
Sanderson. was fleeing from a Waukesha County
Sheriff’s Department Deputy when he lost
Sources: control and was ejected from the vehicle. He
had no identification, and the vehicle he was
Boothby, Lauren. “Cold Case Murder Victim driving was stolen.
‘Septic Tank Sam’ Identified as Edmonton
Man After Genetic Tests.” Edmonton Journal.

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 483
The FGG investigation was performed by the The body had been dismembered at the neck,
DNA Doe Project, beginning in October of shoulder, and hips. Police also found Seitz’s
2019. It proved to be a difficult case, but dismembered pelvis and torso under concrete
eventually investigators confirmed his that had been poured along a wood fence.
identity through his living sister, Jean Dunn.
The FGG investigation was performed by
He had been reported missing from Bristol, Othram and NYC FBI special agents,
Tennessee. Adrienne Corson and Laurie Giordano. The
FBI stepped in to assist with the investigation,
Sources: since state law at the time prohibited using
FGG to identify a homicide victim. Othram
CBS 58 Newsroom. “Waukesha Co. Sheriff’s was able to obtain a DNA profile from Seitz’s
Office Identifies Man Involved in Cold Case skeletal remains.
Dating Back to 1977.” CBS 58 Milwaukee.
November 17, 2021. Accessed November 18, Seitz was a veteran of WWII who went
2021. https://www.cbs58.com/news/ missing on about December 10, 1976. He is
waukesha-co-sheriffs-office-identifies-man- reported to have been reclusive, and to have
involved-in-cold-case-dating-back-to-1977. been suffering from PTSD. He was last seen
leaving his home in Jamaica, NY, to get a
DNA Doe Project. “Delafield John Doe haircut.
1977.” DNA Doe Project. February 17, 2020.
Accessed November 18, 2021. https:// After discovering Setiz’s identity, they were
dnadoeproject.org/case/delafield-john- able to indict Martin Motta for his homicide.
doe-1977/. At the time of the homicide, Motta owned not
only the house where Seitz was found, but
Unidentified Wiki. “John Scott.” Wikia.org. also the barbershop he visited, Haircutters.
n.d. Accessed November 18, 2021. https:// Seitz would only carry cash with him, as he
unidentified.wikia.org/wiki/John_Scott. had PTSD. Police think that Motta killed him
for his money.

Case ID 1545: Seitz, George Motta pled guilty on October 18, 2022 to
charges of manslaughter and dismemberment
The remains of 81-year-old George Seitz in Queens, New York. On November 7, 2022,
were found on March 12, 2019, buried in he was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Motta
plastic bags in the backyard of a home near is currently 75 years old. He is currently
115th Street and Jamaica Avenue in Queens, being held at Rikers Island.
New York. A woman had phoned in a tip that
a body was buried at that location. She told Sources:
officers that when she was just 10 years old,
she had seen her mother’s boyfriend cut up a Daly, Michael. “A Phone Call and Bones in a
man and bury him in the backyard. Backyard Crack 45-Year-Old Case.” The
Daily Beast. November 4, 2021. Last
Modified November 5, 2021. Accessed

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 484
November 6, 2021. https:// She was thought to have been in the river for
www.thedailybeast.com/martin-motta- several weeks before being found, resulting in
arrested-for-1976-murder-of-george-seitz. significant decomposition of her remains. Her
cause of death has not been disclosed. She
Griffin, Allie. “Queens Man Pleads Guilty to could not be identified and became known for
Cold-Case Slay of WWI Vet Missing Since the next 45 years only as the Lilydale Jane
1976.” NY Post, October 19, 2022. Accessed Doe.
October 23, 2022. https://nypost.com/
2022/10/19/queens-man-martin-motta-pleads- For unknown reasons, a facial reconstruction
guilty-to-wwi-vet-cold-case-slaying/. was not performed. It has been speculated
that sufficient remains of her skull were not
Katz, Melinda. “Queens Man Sentenced to 20 available. Seyfert’s body was exhumed in
Years in Prison for Killing WWI Vet.” 2017 as part of efforts to use modern methods
Melinda Katz, District Attorney (Press of DNA analysis to identify decedents in
Release), November 7, 2022. Accessed Minnesota. Seyfert did not match any
November 11, 2022. https://queensda.org/ relatives in the missing persons databases.
queens-man-sentenced-to-20-years-in-prison- The FGG investigation was conducted by the
for-killing-wwi-vet/. DNA Doe Project. The sample source is
unspecified, and it was reported to have been
Vogen, Michael. “Queen’s DA’s Office and taken from her remains sometime prior. The
the NYC FBI Use Othram’s Genetic Testing FGG investigation was difficult, due to the
Platform to Identify Murdered World War I distance of the relative matches to Seyfert.
Veteran.” DNASolves.com. November 3, DNA Doe volunteer researchers traced her
2021. Accessed November 6, 2021. https:// ancestral line back to Luxembourg in the 18th
dnasolves.com/articles/ century, locating an ancestor who immigrated
Queens_DA_FBI_george_seitz/. to America in the mid-1840s.

Watkins, Ali, and Nate Schweber. “Bones in The FGG investigation was paid for through
the Backyard: How Police Cracked a Grisly the DNA Doe Project’s fundraising efforts,
Cold Case.” New York Times. November 4, which raised $2700 USD for the laboratory
2021. Accessed November 6, 2021. https:// work.
www.nytimes.com/2021/11/04/nyregion/
bones-cold-case-nyc.html. Seyfert was born in Tucson, Arizona in 1954.
Police have not stated if they believe her
death was due to homicide, or if they are
Case ID 1644: Seyfert, Roberta: Lilydale continuing to investigate.
Jane Doe 1976
Sources:
The body of 22-year-old Roberta Seyfert was
found floating in the Mississippi River on DNA Doe Project. “Lilydale Jane Doe 1976.”
June 11, 1976, near the town of Lilydale, DNA Doe Project. June 3, 2021. Last
Minnesota. She was dressed in blue shorts Modified February 4, 2022. Accessed
and was still wearing her shoes and socks.

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 485
February 7, 2022. https://dnadoeproject.org/ databases. The FGG investigation was
case/lilydale-jane-doe-1976/. conducted by the DNA Doe Project as well as
Identifinders, who identified both the victim
Mullins, Natasha. “Finding the Lost Identity and the killer. This project was led by Colleen
of Lilydale Jane Doe.” Medium. November 7, Fitzpatrick, and involved more than 2,000
2021. Accessed February 7, 2022. https:// hours of research by her team. This
medium.com/cold-case-cas-project-2021-22/ investigation was an especial challenge
finding-the-lost-identity-of-lilydale-jane-doe- because Curry had been born out of wedlock
dcc481bd2a1b. and raised under a different name. Curry’s
living children provided the DNA samples
Ramsey County Medical Examiner’s Office. that confirmed his match to the semen found
“DDP Traces Jane Doe’s Line Back to the at the Tahoe crime scene.
1700s.” Forensic Magazine. February 7,
2022. Accessed February 7, 2022. https:// James Richard Curry was identified as the
www.forensicmag.com/583254-DDP-Traces- lead suspect in Silvani’s murder. The case
Jane-Doe-s-Line-Back-to-1700s/. was cleared by exception due to the death of
Curry.

Case ID 1206: Silvani, Mary Edith James Curry has a past criminal record. On
February 3, 1983, Curry confessed to three
See also: James Richard Curry murders in California: Gerald Novoselatz, his
wife Sharon, and a man named Richard
The body of 34-year-old Mary Edith Silvani Lemmon. Sharon had been sexually assaulted
was found on July 17, 1982 by hikers on a and her body was dumped off a highway.
popular trail near Incline Village, Lake Tahoe. Police found Lemmon’s body in a storage
She was wearing a bathing suit, a powder locker where they were directed by Curry.
blue t-shirt, blue jeans and yellow tennis Curry was arrested the next day, and the day
shoes. Her long hair was arranged in a bun. after that he died by suicide in his cell.
She had been sexually assaulted, and it
appears as though she was shot in the back of Mary Edith Silvani was born on September
the head while bending over to tie her shoe 29, 1948 in Detroit. Her fingerprints were on
while getting dressed. She had likely been file from a misdemeanor arrest in 1974,
dead for less than 24 hours when she was which assisted in confirming her identity. She
found. She had received some unique and was buried, alone, at Our Mother of Sorrows
high-quality dental work, but she could not be Cemetery near Reno.
identified. Because she was found near an
area known as ‘Sheep Flat’, she became Sources:
known only as the ‘Sheep’s Flat Jane Doe’ for
the next four decades. Associated Press. “Genealogy Site, DNA
Help Solve Decades-Old Murder of Mary
A DNA profile was obtained from semen Silvani.” New York Post. May 8, 2019.
found at the crime scene, but over the years Accessed December 13, 2020. https://
there were no hits in law enforcement nypost.com/2019/05/08/genealogy-site-dna-

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 486
help-solve-decades-old-murder-of-mary- unidentified toddler, and there were reports
silvani/. that she went into the river with a woman
who may have been her mother. Divers did
Find a Grave. “James Richard Curry.” Find a not find the woman’s body – she has never
Grave. Memorial No. 119434705. Accessed yet been found – but they located the remains
December 13, 2020. https:// of a young African American man. His death
www.findagrave.com/memorial/119434705/ was ruled a homicide.
james-richard-curry. Neither he nor the toddler could be identified,
and for nearly 40 years they became known
Hernández, Lauren. “Suspect in 37-Year-Old only as Moss Point John Doe and Delta
Unsolved Lake Tahoe Homicide Linked to Dawn. The little girl was identified in
Bay Area.” San Francisco Chronicle. May 8, December of 2020 as Alisha Ann Heinrich.
2019. Accessed December 13, 2020. https://
www.sfchronicle.com/crime/article/Suspect- It was difficult to obtain a usable DNA profile
in-37-year-old-unsolved-Lake- from Simpson’s remains because the DNA
Tahoe-13827776.php. was degraded. The FGG investigation was
conducted by Othram. The final confirmation
McGinness, Brett, Sam Gross, and Marcella was made to Simpson’s living relatives, who
Corona. “Sheep’s Flat Jane Doe: DNA provided DNA samples to aid in the
Identifies Victim, Suspect in 1982 Killing.” investigation. The investigation was assisted
Reno Gazette Journal. May 7, 2019. Accessed by funding from Carla Davis, who had earlier
December 13, 2020. https://www.rgj.com/ funded the FGG investigation to identify
story/news/2019/05/07/sheeps-flat-jane-doe- Heinrich.
sheriff-announce-major-breakthrough/
1130650001/. Police continue to investigate Simpson’s
homicide. Simpson was born in 1962.
Reno Gazette Journal Archives. “Sheep’s Flat
Jane Doe: What We Know.” Reno Gazette Sources:
Journal. May 7, 2019. Accessed December
13, 2020. https://www.rgj.com/story/news/ Vogen, Michael. “Jackson County Sheriff’s
2019/05/06/sheep-flat-jane-doe-timeline- Office Teams With Othram to Identify Moss
investigation/1123726001/. Point John Doe.” DNASolves.com, March 22,
2022. Accessed March 22, 2022. https://
dnasolves.com/articles/
Case ID 1670: Simpson, Gary: Moss Point gary_simpson_jackson_county/.
John Doe
WLOX Staff. “Moss Point John Doe Found
See also: Alisha Ann Heinrich (Delta Dawn) During Delta Dawn Search Identified.”
WLOX News 13 Biloxi-Gulfport, March 22,
The remains of Gary Simpson were found on 2022. Accessed March 22, 2022. https://
December 8, 1982, in the Escatawpa River, in www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/moss-point-
a rural area of Jackson County, Mississippi. john-doe-found-during-delta-dawn-search-
Authorities had earlier located the body of an identified/ar-AAVo2O9.

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 487
Case ID 1687: Skiple, Patricia: Blue to police and the media – all of which were
Pacheco Jane Doe signed with a happy face. Jesperson was
sentenced to four life sentences without
The body of 45-year-old Patricia (Patty) parole, which he is currently serving in the
Skiple was found on June 3, 1993 along State Oregon State Penitentiary.
Route 152 outside of Gilroy, California. A
trucker stopped along the Pacheco Pass to Skipal’s family last saw her in 1992. She was
relieve himself when he saw her remains. She from Molalla, Oregon.
had been strangled to death and dumped
along the highway, likely within a week or Sources:
two of being found. She was wearing clothing
that suggests she may have been transient at DNA Doe Project. “Blue Pacheco Jane Doe
the time of her death. 1993.” DNA Doe Project, April 18, 2022.
Accessed April 21, 2022. https://
Keith Hunter Jesperson confessed in 2006 to dnadoeproject.org/case/blue-pacheco-
killing Skiple, along with the murders of 7 jane_doe-1983/.
other women. However, he did not know
Skiple’s name at the time he murdered her. He McCarthy, Connor. “Missing Molalla Woman
thought she may have been called ‘Carla’, or Identified as a Victim of the ‘Happy Face
‘Cindy.’ Skiple became known as Blue Serial Killer.’” Fox 12 News, April 18, 2022.
Pacheco Jane Doe, because of the location Accessed April 21, 2022. https://
where she was found and the colour of her www.kptv.com/2022/04/19/missing-molalla-
clothing. woman-identified-victim-happy-face-serial-
killer/.
The FGG investigation was conducted by the
DNA Doe Project, beginning in December of Tron, Gina. “‘Happy Face’ Serial Killer
2019. Since she only had very distant relative Victim Identified Nearly 30 Years After Her
matches on GEDmatch and FTDNA, Murder.” Oxygen, April 19, 2022. Accessed
researchers had to construct a family tree April 21, 2022. https://www.oxygen.com/
going all the way back to Norway in the crime-news/serial-killer-keith-jesperson-
1700s. Investigators located family members victim-identified-patricia-skiple.
in Oregon, and a nephew provided the DNA
that helped investigators make the final
confirmation of Skiple’s identity. Case ID 1714: Smith, Sylvia Nicole

Jesperson confessed to almost two hundred The partial remains of 16-year-old Sylvia
murders, but is thought to have been Nicole Smith were found on August 1, 2013
responsible for the killing of 8 women along the roadside outside of Midland, Texas.
between 1990 and 1995, all of whom were Oil workers surveying a well site located her,
killed in similar circumstances. His victims and the area was searched. She is thought to
were sexually assaulted, tortured, and have died by homicide, but she could not be
strangled to death. He was known as the identified.
‘Happy Face Killer’ as he sent several letters

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The University of North Texas Center for Case ID 1683: Sniegowski, Margaret Ann
Human Identification extracted a DNA Jr.: Boone County Jane Doe
sample which was uploaded to CODIS, but
she could not be identified. The FGG The remains of 17-year-old Margaret Ann
investigation was conducted by Paragon Sniegowski Jr. were found on May 3, 1992,
Nanolabs, beginning in 2020. The final along the Interstate-65 highway in Boone
confirmation was made to living relatives. County, Indiana. She was face down in a
drainage ditch. She had likely lain there for a
Smith’s mother told investigators that she few days to a week before being found. An
filed a missing persons report on February 18, autopsy could not confirm her cause of death,
2000, a few days after her daughter was last but it was suspected that she was strangled.
seen, on February 14, 2000. Police continue She was buried by the community in a
to investigate her murder. pauper’s grave close to the Boone County
Sheriff’s office investigating her homicide,
Sources: marked only as ‘Unidentified Female’.

Farberov, Snejana. “Human Remains Her body was exhumed for a modern forensic
Identified as Texas Teen Who Vanished in anthropological analysis, and an STR DNA
2000.” NY Post, June 28, 2022. Accessed July profile was obtained in 2012. News reports
4, 2022. https://nypost.com/2022/06/28/ are inconsistent about when her body was
remains-found-in-2013-identified-as-sylvia- exhumed. The information was submitted to
nicole-smith/. NamUs. A new facial reconstruction was
performed in 2018. Othram states that an
FGG investigation was attempted in 2019
Miller, Jax. “Texas Authorities Identify 2013 without success at that time.
Jane Doe Cold Case as Black teen Missing
Since 2000.” Oxygen, June 28, 2022. A DNA profile suitable for FGG was obtained
Accessed July 4, 2022. https:// in 2021. The FGG investigation was
www.oxygen.com/crime-news/missing- performed by Othram, beginning in
sylvia-nicole-smith-2013-texas-jane-doe. September of 2021. Reports state that a sister
of hers had uploaded her profile to a genetic
genealogy site (Albeck-Ripka reported in the
Texas Department of Public Safety. “DPS New York Times that the website was
Identifies Human Remains as 2013 Missing ancestry.com, although this is likely to be
Person from Midland County.” Texas incorrect given Ancestry’s terms and
Department of Public Safety (Press Release), conditions). The final confirmation was made
June 27, 2022. Accessed June 4, 2022. https:// to living relatives in Texas.
www.dps.texas.gov/news/dps-identifies-
human-remains-2013-missing-person- Lenny Sniegowski, Margaret’s brother, stated
midland-county. that it was a relief to know what had become
of his sister. He stated, “There’s hope out
there for people who don’t know where their

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 489
family members might be. I’m living proof.” victims. Together, they are known as the “Fort
Margaret was originally from Toledo, Ohio. Myers Eight.” Soden was known as “Victim
H”.
Because Sniegowski’s body was found along
the I-65 highway, investigators are inquiring Soden is thought to be a victim of serial killer
into whether she was a victim of the ‘I-65 Daniel Owen Conahan Jr. who is thought to
Killer’. FGG was recently used to identify have murdered the 8 young men in south
Harry Edward Greenwell as the I-65 Killer, Florida. Conahan, known as the Hog Trail
but it is not yet known if she was another of Killer, is thought to have killed up to a dozen
his victims. young men in similar circumstances, and
attempted to kill a further victim. Many of his
Sources: victims were transient, and some are thought
to have been homosexual.
Albeck-Ripka, Livia. “‘She Was Not Trash’:
Body Found in Indiana is Identified After 30 The FGG investigation was conducted by
Years.” Yahoo News, April 15, 2022. Parabon Nanolabs in partnership with the
Accessed April 15, 2022. https:// Florida Department of Law Enforcement
news.yahoo.com/she-not-trash-body- (FDLE), the University of North Texas Center
found-113935308.html. for Human Identification (UNTCHI), and the
Fort Myers Police Department. The final
Burbrink, Jacob. “Boone County Jane Doe confirmation was made to living relatives.
Identified as 17-Year-Old Girl.” WTWO 2
ABC News, April 13, 2022. Accessed April Soden was the fourth victim out of the eight
15, 2022. https://www.mywabashvalley.com/ to be identified, and the first to be identified
news/regional-news/boone-county-jane-doe- through FGG. The other three victims are
identified-as-17-year-old-girl/. Jonathan Tihay, Erric Kohler, and John
Blevins. The Fort Myers PD states that they
Vogen, Michael. “Boone County Sheriff’s are linking into using FGG to identify the
Office Partners with Othram to Identify a remaining four victims.
1992 Jane Doe.” DNASolves.com, April 13,
2022. Accessed April 15, 2022. https:// Conahan is currently on death row in Florida
dnasolves.com/articles/ for the 1996 murder of Richard Allen
Boone_County_Margaret_Ann_Sniegowski/. Montgomery. He was convicted in 1999.

Sources:
Case ID 1749: Soden, Robert (“Bobbie”)
Ronald: Victim H Henson, Stacey. “Serial Killer’s Victim
Identified as Bobbie Soden, Fort Myers
The skeletal remains of 30-year-old Robert Police Report.” Fort Myers News-Press,
(“Bobbie”) Ronald Soden were found on September 6, 2022. Accessed September 7,
March 23, 2007 in Fort Myers, Florida. His 2022. https://www.news-press.com/story/
remains were unearthed in a wooded area news/crime/2022/09/06/fort-myers-florida-
near Fort Myers along with seven other

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serial-killers-victim-identified-1-of-8-found- The FGG investigation was performed by
in-in-2007/8001526001/. Othram, beginning on January of 2022. The
source of the sample used to develop the
Hudak, Michael, and Paul Dolan. “Police DNA profile is not stated. The funding was
Identify Another Possible Victim of a SWFL raised through crowdfunding, as well as a
Serial Killer.” Wink News, September 6, 2022. substantial private donation. The final
Accessed September 7, 2022. https:// confirmation was made to her brother and
www.winknews.com/2022/09/06/police- sister.
identify-another-possible-victim-of-swfl-
serial-killer/. Sommers was estranged from her family in
Davenport, Iowa. She is said to have moved
NBC-2 News. “Fourth Victim of Notorious to California in the 1960s, and to have been
Southwest Florida Serial Killer Identified.” very smart and artistic. In the 1980s, she was
NBC-2 News, September 6, 2022. Accessed twice divorced and living in a trailer park in
September 7, 2022. https://nbc-2.com/news/ Tucson, Arizona. She asked her siblings to
investigators/2022/09/06/fourth-body- help build her a house at their last visit with
identified-in-the-hog-trail-serial-killer-case/. her, and when they told her they couldn’t she
had no further contact with them. Her siblings
Unidentified Wiki. “Fort Myers John Doe report that tried very hard to find her, and
(Victim H).” Wikia.org. n.d. Accessed even hired a private detective, with no
September 7, 2022. https://unidentified- success.
awareness.fandom.com/wiki/
Fort_Myers_John_Doe_(Victim_H). Sources:

Jackman, Tom. “She Died and Became the

Case ID 1719: Sommers, Joyce Marilyn ‘Christmas Tree Lady.’ Now We Know Her
Meyer: Christmas Tree Lady Name.” Washington Post, July 7, 2022.
Accessed July 7, 2022. https://
The remains of 69-year-old Joyce Marilyn www.washingtonpost.com/crime-law/
Meyer Sommers were found on December 18, 2022/07/07/christmas-tree-lady-identified/.
1996, in a cemetery in Annandale, Virginia.
She was found by a groundskeeper at the Keicher, Natasha. “‘Christmas Tree Lady’
Pleasant Valley Memorial Park, in the Identified as Iowa Woman 25 Years After Her
children’s section. The cause of death was Death.” WHO 13 News, July 7, 2022.
suicide by suffocation. She had left a note, Accessed July 7, 2022. https://who13.com/
which stated, “Deceased by own hand. Prefer news/christmas-tree-lady-identified-as-iowa-
no autopsy. Please order cremation, with woman-25-years-after-her-death/.
funds provided. Thank you, Jane Doe.” She
had left two $50 bills for the cremation, and Vogen, Michael. “Fairfax County Police
had placed a small Christmas Tree on the Department Partners With Othram to Identify
blanket next to her. ‘Christmas Tree Lady.” DNASolves.com, July
7, 2022. Accessed July 7, 2022. https://

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dnasolves.com/articles/ A close family member – Violet Soosay, a
christmas_tree_lady_joyce_sommers/. niece of Soosay – saw the campaign and
uploaded her DNA to GEDmatch, hoping to
identify her missing Aunt. Soosay’s identity
Case ID 1478: Soosay, Shirley Ann: Kern was confirmed with the assistance of her
County Jane Doe niece. Soosay was a member of the Samson
Cree First Nation from Canada. Violet had
The body of Shirley Ann Soosay was found promised her grandmother, who passed away
on July 14, 1980 in an almond orchard near in 1991, that she would bring Soosay home.
McFarland, California – close to Bakersfield.
She had been sexually assaulted and had been Wilson Chouest was convicted by a jury of
stabbed about 30 times, and she appears to the rape and murder of Kern County Jane Doe
have fought back against her attacker. She and Visalia Jane Doe in Ventura County in
was between 25 and 35 years old at the time May of 2018. He was 66 years old at the time
she was killed. The body of a pregnant of his conviction, and he was sentenced to life
woman was found in similar circumstances in prison. The key evidence against him was
on July 18, 1980 in Visalia. She had also been semen found on the victims and on their
sexually assaulted and stabbed to death. This clothing, as well as defensive marks on the
Visalia Jane Doe has yet to be identified. Like victims showing they had fought back.
Soosay, Visalia Jane Doe is likely Indigenous. Chouest claimed that the sexual activity with
the victims was consensual. Chouest
Investigators attempted to obtain a DNA allegedly confessed in a letter to a pen pal.
profile from her remains in July of 2018, but
it took nearly a year due to their degradation. Chouest had been convicted of three prior
The FGG investigation commenced in May of rapes and kidnappings, one of which took
2019 by the DNA Doe Project. place in 1977 and another two which took
place in August and September of 1980.
When the DNA Doe Project determined that Chouest was already serving a life sentence
Kern County Jane Doe was an Indigenous for these crimes at the time of his arrest for
woman, they launched a campaign on the two murders. He is presently serving his
Facebook, showing a photo reconstructing sentence in Corcoran, California.
what she looked like and asking for members
of the public who were of Indigenous In May of 2022, Soosay’s remains were
ancestry to upload their DNA to GEDmatch returned home to her family and to the
in an effort to identify her. It is more Samson Cree Nation in Alberta. Violet
challenging to identify persons of interest Soosay, who worked for many years to find
who are Indigenous due to their her Aunt, and then to return her remains
underrepresentation in consumer DNA home, stated that “Now there’s closure.
databases. There are also special issues There’s healing that can start happening.”
involved in the identification of Indigenous
persons, as many of their genealogical
histories are oral.

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Sources: news/how-kern-county-jane-doe-was-
identified-as-shirley-soosay/.
Bakersfield Californian. “KCSO Identifies
Murder Victim from 1980 Cold Case.” KGET News. “Murdered and Forgotten.”
Bakersfield Californian. April 23, 2021. KGET News (Special Report). 2021. Accessed
Accessed April 23, 2021. https:// April 23, 2021. http://
www.bakersfield.com/news/kcso-identifies- murderedandforgotten.com/.
murder-victim-1980-cold-case/
article_07eda476-
a472-11eb-9eaf-238b5f2ff629.html. Case ID 1832: Sotherden, Gary Frank

Demeer, Andrea. “B.C. Genealogist Key to The skull of 25-year-old Gary Frank
Naming Murder Victim in Decades-Old Sotherden was found on July 23, 1997 in a
California Cold Case.” Campbell River remote area of Yukon-Koyukuk in Alaska. A
Monitor. May 5, 2021. Accessed May 21, pair of hunters found the skull along the
2021. https://www.campbellrivermirror.com/ Porcupine River, about 8 miles from the
news/b-c-genealogist-key-to-naming-murder- Canadian border. Alaska State Troopers
victim-in-decades-old-california-cold-case/. investigated, but they could locate no other
remains. On the basis of the size, shape, and
Diskin, Megan. “Man Found Guilty of Two pattern of tooth penetrations in the skull,
Counts of Murder in 1980 Ventura, Kern investigators determined that he had been the
County Stabbing Deaths.” Ventura County victim of a bear mauling. This was
Star. May 31, 2018. Accessed April 23, 2021. determined to be a likely cause of his death.
https://www.vcstar.com/story/news/local/
communities/conejo-valley/2018/05/31/man- The FGG investigation was conducted by the
found-guilty-murder-1980-ventura-kern- Alaska State Troopers, beginning in April of
county-slayings/661081002/. 2022. It had not been reported if a private
laboratory or forensic organization was
DNA Doe Project. “Kern Co Jane Doe.” DNA involved in the investigation. The final
Doe Project. May 5, 2019. Accessed April 23, confirmation was made to Sotherden’s
2021. https://dnadoeproject.org/case/kern-co- brother.
jane-doe/.
Sotherden was from upstate New York. He
Hobson, Brittany. “Remains of Cree Woman went missing sometime in the late 1970s, and
Sent Home to Alberta Decades After the area near where his body was found is his
Disappearance.” Global News, May 27, 2022. last known whereabouts. He had been
https://globalnews.ca/news/8874312/alberta- dropped off there to go hunting, and was not
missing-cree-woman-remains-sent-home/. seen again.

KGET News. “How ‘Kern County Jane Doe’ Sources:

Was Identified as Shirley Soosay.” KGET
News. April 23, 2021. Accessed April 23, Alaska Department of Public Safety. “Daily
2021. https://www.kget.com/news/local- Dispatch: AK97065153.” Alaska Department

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of Public Safety, State Troopers Public Case ID 1423: Splett, Darrell: Rush Creek
Information Office (Press Release), February Trails John Doe/McHenry County John
2, 2023. Accessed February 4, 2023. https:// Doe
alaskapublic.org/2023/02/01/dna-ids-1997-
skull-found-near-canadian-border-as-missing- The body of a middle-aged man was
new-york-man/. discovered in May of 2019 by hikers on the
Rush Creek Trails in the Rush Creek
Bohrer, Becky. “Skull Found in ’97 in Conservation Area near Harvard, Illinois. He
Remote Alaska Belongs to New York Man.” was wearing winter clothing, including a
ABC News, February 3, 2023. Accessed hand-knitted scarf. He was found suspended
February 4, 2023. https://abcnews.go.com/ in a tree. The cause of death was determined
US/wireStory/skull-found-97-remote-alaska- to be suicide by hanging. Traditional methods
belongs-new-york-96881326. of identification were unsuccessful, including
a digital facial reconstruction.
Bross, Dan. “Skull Found Near Canadian
Border Belonged to a Man Who was Likely The FGG investigation was conducted by
Killed by a Bear in the 1970s.” Alaska Public Othram and the McHenry County Coroner’s
Media, February 1, 2023. Accessed February Office. He has been identified and returned to
4, 2023. https://alaskapublic.org/2023/02/01/ his family.
dna-ids-1997-skull-found-near-canadian-
border-as-missing-new-york-man/. Sources:
Goodyear, Sheena. “He Disappeared 46 Years
Ago. Thanks to Forensic Genealogy, His ISHI News. “The Missing Piece: Darrell
Family Finally Knows What Happened.” Splett (McHenry County John Doe).” You
CBC News, February 7, 2023. Accessed Tube. September 23, 2021. Accessed October
February 11, 2023. https://www.cbc.ca/radio/ 21, 2021. https://www.youtube.com/watch?
asithappens/gary-frank-sotherden-1.6740097. v=am8QmytZHeM.

Rockey, Tim. “Remains Found in 1997 Near Othram. “The McHenry County Coroner’s
the Canadian Border Identified as Hunter Last Office and Othram Identify a John Doe Found
Seen in the 70s.” Alaska News Source, in Harvard, Illinois.” DNA Solves. 23 October
February 2, 2023. Accessed February 4, 2023. 2020. Accessed December 29, 2020. https://
https://www.alaskasnewssource.com/ dnasolves.com/articles/
2023/02/03/50-year-old-remains-new-york- mchenry_county_john_doe/.
hunter-found-near-canadian-border/.

Sotherden, Stephen. “Gary Sotherden.” Daily Case ID 1463: St. Peters, James Edward
News-Miner, February 3, 2023. Accessed
February 4, 2023. https:// On October 7, 2016, kayakers found the body
www.newsminer.com/gary-sotherden/ of 78-year-old James Edward St. Peters in the
image_ef3470bc-a420-11ed- Bear Branch Reservoir in The Woodlands,
bc7b-8f87d5a7c5d5.html. Texas. The man had no identity, and no leads
were generated through CODIS.

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 The FGG investigation was conducted by skull and a few bones were located in a
Othram, which began work in late 2020. They wooded area. The remains were thought to
found relatives of the man beyond the second have lain there for several years. A nylon rope
cousin range which they were able to use to that had been used to bind her body was also
discover his identity. In this case, many of St. found nearby, along with some shoes, a
Peters’ relatives are of Mennonite and blouse, and other items of clothing.
French-Canadian descent, and so the Laboratory reports from state crime lab
investigation also needed to take account of during the initial investigation in 1982 had
endogamy. tentatively identified the victim as an African
American, and facial reconstructions were
James St. Peters has now been returned to his made showing the victim as an African
family. It is though that he died of suicide. American woman.

Sources: The FGG investigation was conducted by

Othram. The final match was made to her
DNA Solves/Othram. “Othram, Montgomery daughter, Janis Adams, who had uploaded her
County Forensics ID Body Found in Texas DNA for law enforcement searching in an
Reservoir in 2016.” Reprinted in Forensic effort to find what had happened to her
Magazine (Press Release). February 12, 2021. mother. The final match was confirmed
Accessed February 12, 2021. https:// through kinship testing with Adams.
www.forensicmag.com/573194-Othram-
Montgomery-County-ID-Body-Found-in- Standridge went missing in the early 1970s,
Texas-Reservoir-in-2016/. when her daughter, Janis Adams, was an
infant. Family members told Adams that she
Gonzalez, Jose R. “Elderly Man Identified 4 and her 2-year-old brother were found alone
Years After Body Was Found in Woodlands in Piedmont Park the day her mother went
Reservoir.” Chron. February 12, 2021. missing. Police suspect she was kidnapped
Accessed February 12, 2021. https:// from the park when playing there with her
www.chron.com/neighborhood/moco/news/ young children.
article/Elderly-man-identified-4-years-after-
body-was-15946349.php. Police also suspected that her death might be
linked to the deaths of two other women who
Unidentified Wiki. “James St. Peters.” were found murdered in that area in the
Wikia.org. n.d. Accessed February 12, 2021. 1970s. Serial killer James Willie Brown was
https://unidentified.wikia.org/wiki/ executed in 2003 for the murder of one of
James_St._Peters. these women, Brenda Watson.

Sources:
Case ID 1522: Standridge, Marlene
Lupiani, Joyce. “Skull Found Near Stone
The remains of Marlene Standridge were Mountain Finally Identified.” CBS News 46.
found on December 9, 1982 near Stone September 16, 2021. Accessed September 16,
Mountain in Gwinnett County, Georgia. A 2021. https://www.cbs46.com/news/skull-

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found-in-1982-near-stone-mountain-finally- Case ID 1456: Stephens, Wendy
identified/article_87a6bdec-1718-11ec-
b0ac-2752fa8e0b05.html. The body of 14-year-old Wendy Stephens was
found on March 21, 1984 in a wooded area
Othram Inc. “Gwinnett Police Department near a Little League baseball field in Seattle,
Teams with Othram to Identify a Young Washington. Serial killer Gary Leon
Woman Murdered in 1982.” DNASolves. Ridgway, known as the Green River Killer,
September 16, 2021. Accessed September 16, confessed to killing her, along with 48 other
2021. https://dnasolves.com/articles/ women and girls. Ridgeway pled guilty to this
Marlene_standridge/? offence in 2004, but the girl could not be
fbclid=IwAR2ndfjOPM72p88O6Kt9ZP__FN identified. She had been strangled and had
CXStXt4pwrSi1G38DJ-tzjU-RDa3CvDxU. been lying in the trees for about a year. She
was one of four of Ridgeway’s victims who
Silva, Caroline. “Daughter Gets Closure as remained unidentified, as well as his youngest
Gwinnett Police ID Missing Mother’s victim.
Remains After 50 Years.” Atlanta Journal-
Constitution. September 16, 2021. Accessed The FGG investigation was conducted by the
September 16, 2021. https://www.ajc.com/ DNA Doe Project under the leadership of
news/daughter-gets-closure-as-gwinnett- Cairenn Binder. HudsonAlpha Discovery
police-id-missing-mothers-remains-after-50- obtained a DNA profile from a bone sample,
years/ and Kevin Lord of Saber Investigations
MVOVL6O5O5BDJCJG7RO3I5PYUE/. performed the bioinformatics analysis.

Yeomans, Curt. “DNA Test Helps Gwinnett One of Stephens’ parents had uploaded their
Police Identify Remains of Woman Missing DNA to GEDmatch hoping to learn
Since Early 1970s.” Gwinnett Daily Post. something about the whereabouts of their
September 16, 2021. Accessed September 16, daughter, but they uploaded in May of 2019
2021. https://www.gwinnettdailypost.com/ after GEDmatch changed its terms of service.
local/dna-test-helps-gwinnett-police-identify- The parent was not aware that they now had
remains-of-woman-missing-since- to specifically opt-in to law enforcement
early-1970s/ matching. Volunteers were able to solve this
article_74e0551e-171e-11ec-8d4b-335717621 case by uploading the DNA to FTDNA. If
b92.html. DNA Doe volunteers had been able to see this
DNA profile the case would have been solved
Unidentified. “Marlene Standridge.” in September or 2020.
Wikia.org. n.d. Accessed September 16, 2021.
https://unidentified.wikia.org/wiki/ Stephens came from Denver, Colorado. Her
Marlene_Standridge. family reported her missing in 1983 after she
ran away from home.

Gary Ridgeway is serving a life sentence at

Washington State Penitentiary. He is thought

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to be the second most prolific serial killer in killer-victim/73-
U.S. history. cb7652ba-31b9-49e1-89f8-34448ac2760c.

Over the years, there were numerous other

suspects in the Green River Killer’s murders. Case ID 1287: Sullivan, Tyler R.
William Stephens, long a suspect, was
arrested in January of 1989. Police released The skull of 26-year-old Tyler Sullivan was
him because he had an alibi, but he remained found on May 16, 2016 in a wooded area on
under suspicion until the arrest of Ridgeway the Tulalip Indian Reservation in Washington.
in 2001. There are reports that Melvin Wayne
Foster was also arrested and had his DNA The FGG investigation was conducted by
taken. He was released when further victims Barbara Rae-Venter. His cause of death
turned up while he was in custody. cannot be determined, but authorities think
his remains were moved to that location from
Sources: elsewhere. He was last seen alive on October
19, 2013 in the area of the Tulalip Resort
DNA Doe Project. “Bones 10 84-054800 Jane Casino. The investigation into Sullivan’s
Doe.” DNA Doe Project. June 12, 2020. death is ongoing.
Accessed January 25, 2021. https://
dnadoeproject.org/case/bones-10-84-054800- Sources:
jane-doe-1984/?
fbclid=IwAR1jJ9tk0l4nuYlgqjXM35GuJAyL Snohomish County Medical Examiner’s
HzC0j-a-JvKvgPGPwXGk2dPNia-VVRs. Office. “Media Release,” December 6, 2019.

Tron, Gina. “Youngest Victim of the ‘Green Snohomish County Medical Examiner’s
River Killer’ Identified as 14-Year-Old Office. “Tyler Ronald Sullivan.” Snohomish
Colorado Runaway.” Oxygen. January 25, County Medical Examiner (Website). n.d.
2021. Accessed January 25, 2021. https:// Accessed January 1, 2021. https://
www.oxygen.com/crime-news/green-river- www.snohomishcountywa.gov/5511/Tyler-
killer-gary-ridgway-victim-idd-as-wendy- Sullivan.
stephens.
Stevick, Eric. “Police Investigating Skull
Unsolved Mysteries Wiki. “Green River Found on Tulalip Reservation.” Herald.net.
Killer.” Unsolved Mysteries Wiki. n.d. May 18, 2016. Accessed January 1, 2021.
Accessed January 25, 2021. https:// https://www.heraldnet.com/news/police-
unsolvedmysteries.fandom.com/wiki/ investigating-skull-found-on-tulalip-
Green_River_Killer/. reservation/.

Whitehead, Darren. “Denver Girl ID’d as Unidentified Wiki. “Tyler Sullivan.”

Green River Killer Victim.” NBC 9 News. Wikia.org. n.d. Accessed January 1, 2021.
January 25, 2021. Accessed January 25, 2021. https://unidentified.wikia.org/wiki/
https://www.9news.com/article/news/crime/ Tyler_Sullivan.
denver-girl-wendy-stephens-green-river-

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Case ID 1608: Swindon, Donna Lee KATU Staff. “DNA Helps Identify Woman
Whose Remains Were Found in Clark County
The badly decomposed remains of 57-year- 17 Years Ago.” KATU 2 ABC. December 17,
old Donna Lee Swindon were found on 2021. Accessed December 22, 2021. https://
November 6, 2004, in Hazel Dell, an katu.com/news/local/dna-helps-identify-
unincorporated area just north of Vancouver, woman-whose-remains-were-found-in-clark-
Washington. Two youths came across county-17-years-ago.
Swindon’s body in a wooded area near a
Goodwill store. Investigators estimated that
she had lain at the site for several months. A Case ID 1812: Tallman, Daisy Mae:
cause of death could not be determined. Yakama County Jane Doe 2008

The FGG investigation was conducted by The remains of 29-year-old Daisy Mae
Parabon Nanolabs. The final confirmation Tallman were found on November 26, 2008
was made to living relatives. Randon Walker in a remote area of Yakama County, near
was a homicide detective with the Clark White Swan, Washington. White Swan is part
County Sheriff’s Office when Swindon’s of the Yakama Indian Reservation belonging
body was first discovered, and he was to the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the
assigned to her case again in 2020 after Yakama Nation.
transferring to the Clark County Medical
Examiner’s office. The FGG investigation was conducted by
Othram, in partnership with the Yakima
Swindon has now been returned to her Nation Tribal Police and the Yakima County
family. Coroner’s Office, beginning in 2022. The
final confirmation was made through kinship
Sources: testing with a close living relative. Funding
for the investigation was provided by the
Bowder, Mark. “Technology, Detective Work Washington State Attorney General’s Office.
Crack Washington Cold Case.” Lewiston
Tribune. December 19, 2021. https:// Tallman is a member of the Confederated
lmtribune.com/northwest/technology- Tribes and Bands of Yakama Nation. At the
detective-work-crack-washington-cold-case/ time of her disappearance, she was in a
article_5b424e61-4b3d-5d63-99c7-857ead25 process to legally change her last name to
59a8.html. Heath, the surname of her father, from
Tallman, the surname of her mother. She is
Clark County. “Medical Examiner’s Office sometimes referred to in reports as Daisy Mae
Determines Identity of Woman in 2004 Cold Heath.
Case.” Clark County (Press Release).
December 17, 2021. Accessed December 22, Tallman was staying with her family in White
2021. https://clark.wa.gov/public-health/ Swan at the time of her disappearance, in
medical-examiners-office-determines- about August of 1987. She was reported
identity-woman-2004-cold-case. missing on October 29, 1987. Her family

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describe her as sometimes living in the estimated that she died about 24-36 hours
mountains for days or weeks at a time and before being found.
living through hunting, foraging, and fishing.
She was highly skilled in the traditional arts The FGG investigation was conducted by
of beading, pipe-making, and beading. Parabon Nanolabs in partnership with the
Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office. Forensic
Some personal items, including a backpack, phenotyping showed that she had Hispanic, as
keys, and a ring, were found in a remote area well as South Asian and Middle Eastern
of Soda Springs that is closed to non-tribal ancestry, typical of persons from Latin
citizens. She is described as being America. She was identified through her son.
emotionally fragile due to the recent deaths of
her infant daughter and grandmother. The Telles-Gonzalez was from Kissimmee,
cause of Tallman’s death is not determined. Florida. She was last seen by her family in
May of 1995 just after her three children had
Sources: left for school. She was never reported
missing. Police continue to investigate her
Charley Project. “Daisy Mae Tallman.” murder.
Charlie Project, October 12, 2004. Last
modified May 5, 2021. Accessed January 7, Sources:
2023. https://charleyproject.org/case/daisy-
mae-tallman. Argueta, Brenda. “36-Year-Old Found Dead
in South Carolina in 1995 ID’d as Florida
Vogen, Michael. “Yakima County Coroner’s Woman.” Click Orlando, December 2, 2022.
office Teams with Othram to Identify 2008 Accessed December 4, 2022. https://
Jane Doe.” DNASolves.com, January 4, 2023. www.clickorlando.com/news/local/
Accessed January 7, 2023. https:// 2022/12/02/36-year-old-found-dead-in-south-
dnasolves.com/articles/yakima-daisy-mae- carolina-in-1995-idd-as-florida-woman/.
tallman/.
Litterst, Isabel, and Parker Fluke. “Beaufort
Unidentified Wiki. “Daisy Heath.” Wikia.org., Co. Sheriff’s Office Identifies Woman Found
n.d. Accessed January 7, 2023. https:// Dead in Ditch in 1995.” ABC News 4,
unidentified-awareness.fandom.com/wiki/ December 1, 2022. Accessed December 4,
Daisy_Heath. 2022. https://abcnews4.com/news/local/
beaufort-county-sheriffs-office-maria-telles-
gonzalez-missing-woman-ditch-yemassee-
Case ID 1798: Telles-Gonzalez, Maria south-carolina.

The remains of 36-year-old Maria Telles- Robinson, Chelsea, and Michelle Meredith.
Gonzalez were found on May 24, 1995 in “Murder Victim Found in Drainage Ditch in
Yemassee, South Carolina. She was found 1995 Identified as Missing Florida Mom.”
clad only in her underwear in a drainage ditch WESH News, December 4, 2022. Accessed
by a South Carolina Highway Department December 4, 2022. https://www.wesh.com/
employee. She died by strangulation. It is

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article/yemassee-murder-victim-identified- Hunter, Brad. “Victim of 1980 Nevada
florida-woman/42133189. Homicide Finally Identified as Girl, 17.”
Toronto Sun. December 7, 2021. Accessed
December 7, 2021. https://torontosun.com/
Case ID 1570: Terrell, Tammy Corrine: news/world/victim-of-1980-nevada-
Arroyo Grande Jane Doe homicide-finally-identified-as-girl-17.

The remains of 17-year-old Tammy Corrine Lundeberg, Cyndi. “Jane Arroyo Grande
Terrell were found on October 5, 1980, in Doe’s Identity Key in Solving Her Killing.”
Henderson, Nevada. Her body was nude, and Fox 5 News Los Vegas. November 14, 2016.
part of a shower curtain was found near her Accessed December 7, 2021. https://
body. She had been bludgeoned in the back of web.archive.org/web/20161222020024/http://
her head, and the autopsy found that she had www.fox5vegas.com/story/33708261/jane-
died from blunt force trauma. She had also arroyo-grande-does-identity-key-in-solving-
been stabbed seven times in the back, and her-killing# (archived).
several of her teeth were missing. She could
not be identified and became known for the
next 41 years as Arroyo Grande Jane Doe. Case ID 1782: Terry, Ruth Marie: Lady of
the Dunes
Her body was exhumed for DNA testing in
2016. The FGG investigation was performed The remains of 37-year-old Ruth Marie Terry
by Barbara Rae-Venter. The final were found on July 26, 1974 in
confirmation was made to two of her living Provincetown, Massachusetts. She was
sisters. located in the dunes of the Cape Cod National
Seashore, about a mile east of the Race Point
Terrell’s funeral expenses were paid by John Ranger Station. She was nude, and her hands
Williams, a Henderson Police Department had been deliberately removed, perhaps to
detective who was involved in the initial hinder her identification. She was lying on a
discovery of Terrell’s body. Terrell was from beach towel, with a pair of folded jeans under
Roswell, New Mexico. She went missing on her head. Her cause of death was from a blow
September 28, 1980. After being dropped off to the head, which crushed the left side of her
to attend the state fair, she was last seen skull. She had been nearly decapitated. It was
leaving a restaurant with an unknown man estimated that she had lain there for several
and woman. Police continue to investigate weeks before being found.
Terrell’s homicide.
The FGG investigation was conducted by
Sources: Othram in partnership with the Provincetown
PD and the Massachusetts State Police,
Bleakley, Caroline. “Henderson Police beginning in 2022. In this case, the DNA in
Identify Teen Murdered in 1980.” CBS 8 Terry’s skeletal remains was degraded and
News Now Los Vegas. December 2, 2021. had been mixed with formaldehyde and other
Accessed December 7, 2021. chemical fixatives, making the development
of a usable profile highly challenging. The

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 500
genealogical research was performed by the www.nbcboston.com/investigations/lady-
FBI. The final confirmation was made to a dunes-ruth-marie-terry-husband-guy-
close living relative. muldavin/2891059/.

Investigators have stated that Terry was the McCoy, Tracey Harrington. “The Mysterious
oldest unidentified homicide victim in the Murder Victim Known as the ‘Lady of the
state of Massachusetts. Dunes’ Identified After Nearly 50 Years.”
People, October 31, 2022. Accessed
Shortly after identifying Terry, Massachusetts November 1, 2022. https://people.com/crime/
State Police announced that they have mysterious-lady-of-the-dunes-murder-victim-
identified a lead suspect in her murder. Guy ided-after-nearly-50-years/.
Muldavin was Terry’s husband. They were
married in Nevada only a few months before Planas, Antonio. “‘Lady of the Dunes’ is
her murder. Identified Nearly 50 Years After Her
Mutilated Body was Found in
Muldavin is described as being charismatic Massachusetts.” NBC News, October 31,
and charming, and at one time an antiques- 2022. Accessed November 1, 2022. https://
dealer. He used several aliases, including www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/lady-
Raul Rockwell. He was a suspect in the dunes-identified-nearly-50-years-mutilated-
similarly brutal murders of a previous wife body-was-found-massach-rcna54817.
and stepdaughter in Seattle in 1960, but there
was not enough evidence to charge him. Vogen, Michael. “Boston FBI, Massachusetts
Muldavin fled from Seattle to New York, State Police, Provincetown PD, and Cape
where he was arrested for not giving Islands District Attorney’s Office Partner with
testimony about the discovery and mutilation Othram to Identify the Lady of the Dunes.”
of his wife and step-daughter’s remains. DNASolves.com, October 31, 2022. Accessed
Police are currently investigating whether he November 1, 2022. https://dnasolves.com/
may be a serial killer. articles/ruth-marie-terry-lady-of-the-dunes/.

Sources:
Case ID 1768: Tiedman, Doreen: Hancock
Associated Press. “Victim in Infamous ‘Lady County Jane Doe
of the Dunes’ Case Out of Massachusetts
Identified 48 Years After Killing.” Associated The remains of 34-year-old Doreen Tiedman
Press, October 31, 2022. Accessed November were located on October 18, 1994, in
1, 2022. https://www.wmur.com/article/lady- Greenfield, Indiana. She was found in a
of-the-dunes-ruth-marie-terry-unsolved/ wooded area under a bridge. It is likely that
41821432. she lay there for several months before being
located. A clay reconstruction of her bust was
Curran, Kathy. “Man Eyed in Lady of the created. She was entered into NamUs in 2009.
Dunes Murder Had a Dark Side.” NBC
Boston, November 11, 2022. Accessed The FGG investigation was conducted by
January 10, 2023. https:// Othram in partnership with the Hancock

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 501
County Sheriff’s Office, beginning in March DNASolves.com, October 12, 2022. Accessed
of 2022. Detective Ted Munden performed October 16, 2022. https://dnasolves.com/
much of the genealogical work, and found a articles/doreen-tiedman-hancock-jane-doe/.
distant relative in Florida who was
knowledgeable about genealogy, and then a
sister of Tiedman in Cleveland. Case ID 1327: Tigard, Tamara Lee: Lime
Lady
Tiedman was from Cleveland, but she was
known to hitchhike widely throughout the The body of 21-year-old Tamara Lee Tigard
United States. Her family last had contact was found on April 18, 1980 in Eastern
with her in about January of 1994. She was Oklahoma County, Oklahoma. She was found
listed as missing in May of 1996. by fishermen on the banks of the North
Canadian River outside of Oklahoma City.
Police continue to investigate the death of She was nude and had been shot in the chest
Tiedman. While they have little information, and her body covered in quicklime. The lime
they consider her death to be suspicious. mummified and preserved her body. She
became known for the next four decades as
Sources: the Lime Lady.

Associated Press. “Remains Found in Indiana The FGG investigation was conducted by
in 1994 Identified as Missing Cleveland Cairenn Binder of the DNA Doe Project.
Woman.” WKYC, October 13, 2022. Accessed Tigard was a member of the U.S. military,
October 16, 2022. https://www.wkyc.com/ and so military and dental records were used
article/news/crime/cold-cases/remains-found- to help make the final confirmation of her
indiana-1994-identified-cleveland-woman/95- identity.
f77e54ae-598f-4424-ba0d-df1339571915.
Tigard had been reported missing, but she
Deer, Kristy. “Hancock County Jane Doe was later found living in Ohio. However, this
Identified Through DNA After Nearly Three was not Tigard but a woman who had stolen
Decades.” Greenfield Reporter, October 13, her identity. Because of this, Tigard was not
2022. Accessed October 16, 2022. https:// listed as a missing person, or entered into the
www.greenfieldreporter.com/2022/10/13/ NAMUS database.
hancock-county-jane-doe-identified-through-
dna-after-nearly-three-decades/. Sources:

Unidentified Wiki. “Doreen Tiedman.” Carrega, Christina. “Jane Doe Case of ‘Lime
Wikia.org, n.d. Accessed October 16, 2022. Lady’ Solved 40 Years Later Using DNA
https://unidentified-awareness.fandom.com/ Evidence.” ABC News. February 1, 2020.
wiki/Doreen_Tiedman. Accessed January 1, 2021. https://
abcnews.go.com/US/jane-doe-case-lyme-
Vogen, Michael. “Hancock County Sheriff’s lady-solved-40-years/story?id=68689596.
office and the Indiana State Police Partner
with Othram to Identify 1994 Jane Doe.”

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 502
Darrow, Max. “‘Lime Lady’ Cold Case as the Publicker Jane Doe. She was the oldest
Victim Identified as Tamara Lee Tigard.” unidentified decedent in Bensalem.
NBC 3 News Las Vegas. February 5, 2020.
Accessed January 1, 2021. https:// Facial reconstruction was performed in 1994.
news3lv.com/news/local/lime-lady-cold-case- A DNA profile was obtained and uploaded to
victim-identified-as-tamara-lee-tigard. CODIS in 2007. A further CT scan and an
updated 3D digital facial reconstruction was
DNA Doe Project. “Lime Lady Doe.” DNA performed in 2014. DNA was extracted from
Doe Project. February 18, 2019. Accessed the fetus in 2017.
January 1, 2021. https://dnadoeproject.org/
case/lime-lady-doe/. The lab work for the FGG investigation was
conducted by Bode Technology beginning in
Dulaney, Josh. “In Oklahoma a Cold Case 2020. Othram assisted by producing a profile
Heats Up: Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office suitable for genealogical analysis. Published
Says They Have Identified Victim of reports state that Bensalem PD performed the
Homicide 40 Years Ago.” The Oklahoman. genealogical analysis, but this has not been
January 31, 2020. Accessed January 1, 2021. confirmed.
https://oklahoman.com/article/5653702/in-
oklahoman-a-cold-case-heats-up-oklahoma- Todd had been reported missing by her family
county-sheriffs-office-says-they-have- almost 3 years earlier, in October of 1985.
identified-victim-of-homicide-40-years-ago. Her death is considered to be suspicious, and
the investigation is ongoing. She left behind a
Miller, Ken. “Body of ‘Lime Lady’ Found in family and a 2-year-old son.
1980 is Identified as Solider.” Associated
Press, reprinted in Army Times. January 30, Sources:
2020. Accessed January 1, 2021. https://
www.armytimes.com/news/your-army/ Chang, David.”Police ID Missing Pregnant
2020/01/31/body-of-lime-lady-found- Woman 33 Years After Her Skeletal Remains
in-1980-is-identified-as-soldier/. Were Found.” NBC News 10 Philadelphia.
March 9, 2021. Accessed March 11, 2021.
https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/
Case ID 1469: Todd, Lisa: Publicker Jane police-id-missing-pregnant-woman-33-years-
Doe after-her-skeletal-remains-were-found/
2734785/.
The partially-clothed skeletal remains of 17-
year-old Lisa Todd were found on January 24, Johanson, Kristen. “Exclusive: Skeletal
1988 in Bensalem Township, Pennsylvania. A Remains Found in 1988 Identified as Missing
couple out walking their dog discovered her Young Woman From Philadelphia.”
in an underground well shaft on the property MSN.com. March 9, 2021. Accessed March
of the abandoned Publicker Distillery. The 11, 2021. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/
young woman was six-months pregnant at the crime/exclusive-skeletal-remains-found-
time she was murdered. She became known in-1988-identified-as-missing-young-woman-
from-philadelphia/ar-BB1epwuX.

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 Lake County News. “DNA Technology Helps
Katro, Katie. “Remains Discovered in 1988 Authorities Identify Remains of Murdered
Identified as Missing Pregnant Teen from Man Found in 1976.” Lake County News.
Philly.” ABC 6 News. March 10, 2021. October 2, 2021. Accessed October 5, 2021.
Accessed March 11, 2021. https://6abc.com/ https://www.lakeconews.com/news/70526-
bensalem-police-unsolved-murder-jane-doe- dna-technology-helps-authorities-identify-
publicker-distillery/10399251/. remains-of-murdered-man-found-in-1976.

Othram, Inc. “Bensalem PD and Bode Lake County Sheriff’s Office. “After 45 Years
Technology Leverage Othram’s Genetic of Being a John Doe, Genetic Genealogy
Testing Platform to Identify ‘Publicker Girl’.” Identifies Man Found Murdered in Lower
DNASolves.com. March 9, 2021. Accessed Lake.” Mendo Fever. September 29, 2021.
March 11, 2021. https://dnasolves.com/ Accessed October 5, 2021. https://
articles/publicker_girl/. mendofever.com/2021/09/29/after-45-years-
of-being-a-john-doe-genetic-genealogy-
identifies-man-found-murdered-in-lower-
Case ID 1529: Torres Melendez, Leopoldo lake/comment-page-1/.

The skeletal remains of 41-year-old Leopoldo

Torres Melendez were found on November Case ID 1486: Trapp, Vincent Marion:
28, 1976 in a wooded area near Highway 29 Sand Canyon John Doe
in Lower Lake, Lake County, California. It
was determined that he was killed by blunt The partial skeletal remains of 43-year-old
force trauma to the head. Vincent Marion Trapp were found on March
12, 1992 in Sand Canyon, Nevada, near the
A partial DNA profile was obtained in 2007 border with California. An anonymous
and uploaded into CODIS, but produced no individual came across his remains in a
hits. The FGG investigation was performed makeshift grave. Some clothing and personal
by Parabon Nanolabs beginning in August of effects were found at a nearby campsite.
2020. At that time, a new DNA profile was Trapp had been deceased for about one year
obtained from Torres’ skull by the Marshall when he was discovered. He became known
University Forensic Science Center. The final for the next 28 years only as the Sand Canyon
confirmation was made to Torres’ living John Doe.
sister.
The FGG investigation was conducted by
Torres Melendez was born in Puerto Rico. Parabon Nanolabs, and the final confirmation
His family states that he went missing about was made with a living relative.
50 years ago – sometime in the early 1970s.
Police continue to investigate his homicide. Police believe that Trapp was killed sometime
in the spring or summer of 1991. They
Sources: continue to investigate his homicide.

Sources:

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 504
 also found a partial cranium belonging to
Charns, David. “Investigators Identify Travis in April of 1988.
Nevada Murder Victim Nearly 3 Decades
After Death.” 8 News Now. May 26, 2021. Initial attempts to develop a DNA profile
Accessed May 26, 2021. https:// were unsuccessful. A mitochondrial DNA
www.8newsnow.com/news/investigators- profile was able to be developed and the data
identify-nevada-murder-victim-nearly-3- was entered into NamUs.
decades-after-death/.
The case was reopened in August of 2020
Lyon County Sheriff’s Office. “Lyon County under the direction of Dr. Jennifer Bengtson
Murder Victim Identified After Nearly 30 of the Southeast Missouri State University
Years: Investigators Hope New Info Will Anthropology department and her students.
Solve Case.” Carson Now. May 26, 2021. They selected an inner ear bone for DNA
Accessed May 26, 2021. https:// extraction, and the sample was sent to
carsonnow.org/story/05/26/2021/lyon-county- Othram.
murder-victim-identified-after-nearly-30-
years-investigators-hope-new-i. Othram, in partnership with the Southeast
Missouri State University and the Cape
Wilkins, Terell. “LCSO Uses Genetic Girardeau County Sheriff’s Office, extracted
Matching to Identify Man Killed in Sand the DNA profile and conducted the FGG
Canyon 30 Years Ago.” Reno Gazette investigation. The FGG investigation began
Journal. May 26, 2021. Accessed May 26, in March of 2022. They discovered a brother
2021. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/ who matched Travis and who had uploaded
crime/lcso-uses-genetic-matching-to-identify- his DNA to GEDmatch - Dr. Jim Travis, a
man-killed-in-sand-canyon-30-years-ago/ar- retired physician from Texas.
AAKpx2Z.
Travis was from Blytheville, Arkansas. He
Unidentified Wiki. “Vincent Trapp.” had relocated there from Texas after leaving
Wikia.org. n.d. Accessed May 26, 2021. the Air Force. Known to be a good Samaritan,
https://unidentified.wikia.org/wiki/ he was last seen picking up a hitchhiker
Vincent_Trapp. named Kenneth Derring along the I-55 near
Blytheville in June of 1977. Derring was later
seen attempting to sell Travis’ vehicle in
Case ID 1780: Travis, Everette Guy: Cape Sikeston, Missouri. He was then arrested, and
Girardeau John Doe found to be in possession of Travis’ personal
effects as well as a 32-calibre firearm. He
The skeletal remains of 26-year-old Everette confessed, and was convicted of murder,
Guy Travis were found on April 6, 1981 near despite the fact that Travis’ body had not been
Oak Ridge, Missouri. Bill King was gathering found. Derring died in prison in 2012.
mushrooms when he discovered human bones
just off the Interstate-55 highway. Two 32-
caliber slugs were found with his remains, as
well as a rib bone with a bullet hole. King

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 505
Sources: reconstruction was completed by the
University of South Florida in 2015.
Aba, Israel. “Everette Guy Travis Murder
Victim Killed 40 Years Ago ID’d Piece by Efforts to extract a DNA profile began in
Piece.” SNBC 13 News, October 28, 2022. 2018, but initial attempts failed due to the
Accessed October 31, 2022. https:// degradation of the DNA. Othram was finally
snbc13.com/everette-guy-travis-murder- successful in obtaining a DNA profile in
victim-killed-40-years-ago-idd-piece-by- 2021. Volunteer genealogist Misty Nall
piece-death-obituary/. identified Tufano in a matter of hours. The
final confirmation was made to his sister.
Sweeney, Kathy. “Piece by Piece: Murder
Victim’s Remains Identified More than 40 Tufano was from New York. He has a sister
Years Later.” KFVS 12 News, October 27, and two children. Investigators have not yet
2022. Accessed October 31, 2022. https:// determined why Tufano was in North Central
www.kfvs12.com/2022/10/28/piece-by-piece- Florida.
murder-victims-remains-identified-more-
than-40-years-later/. Sources:

Vogen, Michael. “Cape Girardeau County Turbeville, Ryan Wyatt. “Alachua County
Sheriff’s Office and Southeast Missouri State Cold Case Victim Identified After 43 Years.”
University Anthropology Partner with Othram WCJB ABC News 20, September 19, 2022.
to Identify 1981 Homicide Victim.” Accessed September 25, 2022. https://
DNASolves.com, October 26, 2022. Accessed www.wcjb.com/2022/09/19/alachua-county-
October 31, 2022. https://dnasolves.com/ cold-case-victim-identified-after-43-years/.
articles/cape-girardeau-everette-guy-travis/.
Vogen, Michael. “Alachua County Sheriff’s
Office and Othram Team to Identify 1979
Case ID 1758: Tufano, Ralph: Alachua John Doe.” DNASolves.com, September 19,
County John Doe 2022. Accessed September 25, 2022. https://
dnasolves.com/articles/alachua-john-
The skeletal remains of 35-year-old Ralph doe-1979-ralph-tufano/.
Tufano were found on February 13, 1979 near
the Interstate-75 highway and County Road Unidentified Wiki. “Ralph Tufano.”
236. His remains were found by local forestry Wikia.org, n.d. Accessed September 25, 2022.
employees, along with some clothing and a https://unidentified-awareness.fandom.com/
noose. Investigators believe that he may have wiki/Ralph_Tufano.
committed suicide, or been hung.

A forensic anthropological analysis at the

time determined that he was likely a white
male, 5’5’’ tall, with red or blonde hair. A
facial reconstruction was completed by
forensic artist Betty Pat Gatliff. A 3D

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Case ID 1219: Vaughn, Marie biochemistry, and she worked for many years
as a patent attorney in the biotech industry.
See also: She is a leader in using genetic genealogy to
identify living does.
Confidential (Dawn Beaudin/Lisa Jensen)
Honeychurch, Marlyse Elizabeth At first, Rae-Venter was not looking to
McWaters, Sarah identify the Bear Brook victims. She was
Rasmussen, Jane Doe attempting to identify Lisa Jensen, a grown
Rasmussen, Terry Peder woman who had been abducted and
abandoned by an unknown male when she
This case is part of a series of murders was about 5 years old. Lisa thought she was
known as the Bear Brook Murders, or the the biological daughter of a man named
Allenstown Murders. One of the most Gordon Jensen. Jensen was a pseudonym for
remarkable cold cases in U.S. history, the a man whose real identity was discovered by
successful resolution of the Bear Brook Rae-Venter to be Terry Peder Rasmussen – a
murders by Barbara Rae-Venter led detectives man who died in prison in California where
to pursue similar techniques in the search for he had been sentenced for the murder of his
the Golden State Killer. common-law wife. DNA testing showed that
Rasmussen was not the father of Lisa Jensen,
The body of Marie Vaughn was found on but he was the father of the toddler whose
November 11, 1985, when a 55-gallon steel body was found in second barrel at Bear
drum containing human remains was found in Brook. Rasmussen was then identified as the
Bear Brook State Park near Allenstown, New lead suspect in the murder of the four Bear
Hampshire. The remains were of a young girl Brook victims, and the case was cleared by
about 8-10, and she was found in the barrel exception.
with an adult woman who is thought to have
been about 26 or 27 years old. They had been In 1978, at the time of the Bear Brook
killed by blunt force trauma to the head. murders, Rasmussen worked in Allenstown as
an electrician and handyman near the
On May 9, 2000, a second steel drum was property where the barrels were found. In
found only about 100 yards from the first. It around 1981, another young mother named
contained the remains of two more young Denise Beaudin and her 6-month-old
girls. The younger girl was 1-3 years old and daughter disappeared from New Hampshire in
the older was about 2-4 years old. It is very similar circumstances. Beaudin’s
thought that the four Bear Brook victims were boyfriend at the time was Terry Rasmussen.
killed sometime between 1978 and 1981. The little girl was Lisa Jensen. They all
moved to California together, but when
The FGG investigation was conducted by Rasmussen was next seen in California he
Barbara Rae-Venter, a Search Angel, who was in the company of only Lisa. Denise was
volunteered at the non-profit organization never seen again after leaving New
DNA Adoption.com where she assisted Hampshire with Rasmussen, and her body has
adopted individuals to identify their birth not been located.
families. Rae-Venter has a PhD in

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 507
Rasmussen and Lisa lived in a trailer park in This new technique was successful in
Scotts Valley, California in 1986. He then obtaining DNA profiles of the Bear Brook
abandoned Lisa, who was then about 5 years victims, and the investigation was finally able
old, with another family he met there. to progress. They discovered that the woman
‘Gordon Jensen’ was not seen again. Lisa was not Denise Beaudin, but the middle girl
Jensen was a living Jane Doe, with no idea of was Rasmussen’s biological daughter. She
when or where she was born, her parentage, was not related to the other two little girls,
or her name. who were found to be the daughters of the
adult woman.
Lisa Jensen was now a grown woman of 32
years old and a mother herself when the Rae-Venter then used FGG to identify the
detectives working on her case approached woman found at Bear Brook as Marlyse
Rae-Venter to identify her birth family. The Elizabeth Honeychurch (b. 1954). The other
lead detective working on Lisa’s abduction body found in the barrel with her is her eldest
was Detective Peter Headley of the San daughter, Marie Vaughan (b. 1971). The
Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office. Rae- infant girl found in the second barrel is
Venter and a team of volunteers used genetic Honeychurch’s youngest daughter, Sarah
genealogy to identify Lisa’s birth family and McWaters (b. 1977).
try to find out where she came from and what
had happened to her mother. Marlyse Honeychurch was last seen on
Thanksgiving Day in 1978, when she got into
In 2016, Rae-Venter identified Lisa as Dawn an argument with her family, and left with
Beaudin of New Hampshire. Lisa and her Terry Rasmussen, who was her boyfriend at
mother, Denise Beaudin, disappeared around the time. She was never seen alive again.
Thanksgiving of 1981 with her boyfriend, Honeychurch and the three girls were likely
Terry Rasmussen. Family members identified killed sometime between 1978 and 1981,
her boyfriend at the time as ‘Bob Evans’, before Denise Beaudin and her daughter Lisa
which was the name that Rasmussen was Jensen went missing in similar circumstances.
using when he was living in New Hampshire.
Jane Doe Rasmussen, the toddler found in the
Rae-Venter wanted to test the remains of the second barrel, is the biological daughter of
Bear Brook victims because she suspected Terry Rasmussen. The FGG investigation into
that the woman in the barrel was Denise her identity continues, as her mother is
Beaudin, Lisa’s mother. Up until that time, it currently unknown. She has a mixed ancestry,
had not been possible to obtain a DNA profile with some African American, Native
from the Bear Brook victims. In 2016, Rae- American, and possibly Asian heritage. Rae-
Venter contacted Dr. Ed Green, a researcher Venter is constructing her family tree and
in paleo-genomics, of the University of believes the girl’s mother may be from near
California at Santa-Cruz as he had developed Pearl River County, Mississippi, and possibly
a new technique to extract autosomal DNA descended from Thomas ‘Deadhorse’
from rootless hair. Mitchell (b. 1836) or William Livings (b.
1826).

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 508
Rasmussen died of lung cancer and Accessed December 26, 2020. https://
emphysema at the High Desert Prison in abcnews.go.com/US/timeline-serial-killer-
Susanville, California in 2010. He had been terry-rasmussens-terror-hampshire-california/
convicted under yet another false name, story?id=69505755.
‘Larry Vanner’, for the 2002 murder of his
common-law spouse, chemist Eunsoon Jun. Help ID Me. “Bear Brook Case Update.”
He has been nicknamed the ‘Chameleon Facebook Post. January 21, 2021. Accessed
Killer’ for the way in which he is able to January 21, 2021. https://www.facebook.com/
move, change his identity, and begin a new 698376120190298/posts/
life with a new family. When DNA testing 4130579286969947/?d=n.
showed that he was not the biological father
of Lisa Jensen, he denied knowing or Liptak, Andrew. “How a Podcast Helped
remembering the little girl at all. Solve a Grisly Cold Case.” The Verge. June 9,
2019. Accessed December 26, 2020. https://
In 2018, journalist Jason Moon and New www.theverge.com/2019/6/9/18656929/bear-
Hampshire Public Radio produced a podcast book-podcast-murders-dna-databases-
called “Bear Brook,” that tells this story very marlyse-elizabeth-honeychurch-marie-vaugh-
thoroughly. It can be found at: https:// sarah-mcwaters.
www.bearbrookpodcast.com/.
Moon, Jason. “Three Bear Brook Murder
Sources: Victims Identified; Citizen Sleuth, Genetic
Genealogy Provide Key Clues.” New
Duckler, Ray. “Officials Identify 3 of 4 Hampshire Public Radio. June 5, 2019.
Victims Discovered in Barrels Near Bear Accessed December 26, 2020. https://
Brook State Park.” Concord Monitor. June 6, www.nhpr.org/post/three-bear-brook-murder-
2019. Accessed December 26, 2020. https:// victims-identified-citizen-sleuth-genetic-
www.concordmonitor.com/After-more-than- genealogy-provide-key-clues?
three-decades-Bear-Brook-victims- utm_medium=social&utm_term=nprnews&ut
named-26083251. m_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=np
r&fbclid=IwAR0d-ZPVnecFP90-
Effron, Lauren, Boaz Halaban, and Marc teWfZznBM5TlYL9drWk6lQB5QMEIKuL9
Dorian. “How a Jane Doe Child Case scEnGrOlorc#stream/0.
Uncovered a Serial Killer, Identified Victims
and Changed the Use of DNA Forensics.” Murphy, Shelley. “‘Missing Half Sister’: How
ABC News. March 19, 2020. Accessed a Search for a Relative Helped Identify N.H.’s
December 26, 2020. https://abcnews.go.com/ Bear Brook Victims.” Boston Globe. June 6,
US/jane-doe-child-case-uncovered-serial- 2019. Accessed December 26, 2020. https://
killer-identified/story?id=69648434. www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2019/06/06/
missing-half-sister-how-search-for-relative-
Halaban, Boaz, Marc Dorian, and Enjoli helped-identify-bear-brook-victims/
Francis. “Timeline of Serial Killer Terry xiMWdamAZqaWRaCDJWJqxJ/story.html.
Rasmussen’s Terror in New Hampshire,
California.” ABC News. March 18, 2020.

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Yang, Allie, and Boaz Halaban. “Serial Killer 103-77a5e324-c4f5-435c-
Terry Rasmussen’s Victims, Known and a072-82ca65ab7311.
Unknown.” ABC News. March 17, 2020.
Accessed December 26, 2020. https:// Ahumada, Rosalio. “Sacramento County
abcnews.go.com/US/terry-rasmussens- Investigators Use DNA to Identify Transient
victims-unknown/story?id=69585534. Woman Killed 18 Years Ago.” Sacramento
Bee, October 5, 2022. Accessed October 6,
2022. https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/
Case ID 1764: Vielguth, Shannon: Delta crime/article266828021.html.
Jane Doe
Glenn, Cameron. “Remains of ‘Delta Jane
The remains of 39-year-old Shannon Vielguth Doe’ Found in Delta 14 Years Ago Identified
were found on March 29, 2008 in the Through DNA as Shannon Vielguth.” CBS
Georgiana Slough of Tyler Island in News Sacramento, October 5, 2022. Accessed
Sacramento County. It was determined that October 6, 2022. https://www.cbsnews.com/
Vielguth was the victim of a homicide, and sacramento/news/remains-of-delta-jane-doe-
that she had likely been killed in the autumn found-in-delta-14-years-ago-identified-
of 2004. A composite drawing and a facial through-dna-as-shannon-vielguth/.
reconstruction were completed and released
to the public, as were pictures of clothing and Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department.
jewelry found alongside her remains, but she “Delta Jane Doe Homicide Investigation.”
could not be identified. Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department
(Press Release), October 4, 2022. Accessed
There is currently no data on who performed October 6, 2022. https://www.sacsheriff.com/
the FGG investigation, which was begun media/release.php?id=3204.
sometime in 2021. The final confirmation was
made to a living family member.
Vielguth was born in 1969. She was known to Case ID 1746: Walker, Tracy Sue: Baby
have been transient for the last 6 months of Girl
her life. Investigators have found that she was
in the area of Reno, Nevada and Sacramento The skeletal remains of 15-year-old Tracy
sometime in October of 2004, which may Sue Walker were located on April 3, 1985 in
have been around the time that she was killed. Campbell County, Tennessee. She was
They continue to investigate her murder. located in the Big Wheel Gap area of Elk
Valley. She was thought to be a young girl of
Sources: about 10 to 15 years of age, but she could not
be identified and she became known for the
ABC 10 Staff. “2004 Sacramento County next 37 years as ‘Baby Girl’.
Homicide Victim Identified Nearly 20 Years
Later.” ABC News 10, October 4, 2022. A DNA sample was obtained in 2007 by the
Accessed October 6, 2022. https:// University of North Texas Center for Human
www.abc10.com/article/news/local/ Identification and uploaded into CODIS and
sacramento-county-homicide-victim/ NamUS, but there were no results.

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The FGG investigation was conducted by Case ID 1807: Watts, Larry Dean: Mesa
Othram in partnership with the Tennessee County John Doe 2019
Bureau of Investigation and the University of
Tennessee Anthropology Department, The skeletal remains of 48-year-old Larry
beginning in 2022. The FGG investigation Dean Watts were found in December of 2019
was led by genealogist Carla Davis. The final in Gateway, Colorado. A local hunting guide
confirmation was made to Walker’s living found the remains at an overlook. Watts had
siblings. some personal belongings scattered near him,
including a revolver, but he could not be
Walker was from Lafayette, Indiana. She was identified.
reported missing by her family sometime
around 1978 after having last been seen with His information was entered into NamUs, and
a friend at the Tippecanoe Mall. Police his remains were sent to the University of
continue to investigate the circumstances North Texas for forensic analysis. The FGG
surrounding her disappearance and death. At investigation was conducted by Othram in
the same time, the Tippecanoe County partnership with the Mesa County Coroner’s
Sheriff’s Office in Indiana has reopened Office, beginning in 2022.
Walker’s missing person case to assist in the
investigation. Watts was born on March 6, 1949. He was
last seen with his brother on June 16, 1997
Sources: and was reported missing. Investigators are
seeking information on the movements of
Vásquez Russell, Melanie. “After 37 Years, Watts before his death. The cause of death has
Remains of ‘Baby Girl’ Identified as Missing not been released, and it is not stated that his
Indiana Teen.” WATE ABC News 6, August death is considered suspicious.
30, 2022. Accessed September 1, 2022.
https://www.wate.com/news/top-stories/ Sources:
remains-found-in-east-tennessee-37-years-
ago-identified-as-missing-indiana-girl/. Hofmeister, Kaia. “Mesa County Coroner
Identifies Skeletal Remains from 1997 Cold
Vogen, Michael. “Tennessee Bureau of Case.” KJCT News, December 19, 2022.
Investigation Teams with Othram to Identify Accessed December 19, 2022. https://
Elk Valley Jane Doe.” DNASolves.com, www.kjct8.com/2022/12/19/skeletal-
August 30, 2022. Accessed September 1, remains-1997-cold-case-identified/.
2022. https://dnasolves.com/articles/tracy-
sue-walker/. Sebastian, Matt. “Skeletal Remains Found in
Mesa County ID’d as Man Who Vanished in
Wilkins, Ron. “Sheriff’s Office Re-Opens 1997.” Denver Post, December 19, 2022.
Tracy Sue Walker’s 1978 Missing Person Accessed December 19, 2022. https://
Report.” Lafayette Journal & Courier, www.denverpost.com/2022/12/19/larry-dean-
September 1, 2022. Accessed September 1, watts-remains-identified/.
2022. https://news.yahoo.com/sheriffs-office-
opens-tracy-sue-203134646.html.

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Vogen, Michael. “Mesa County Coroner’s May, Natasha. “Mystery of Somerton Man’s
Office Teams with Othram to Identify 2019 Identity Solved After 73 Years, Researchers in
John Doe.” DNASolves, December 16, 2022. Australia Say.” The Guardian, July 27, 2022.
Accessed December 19, 2022. https:// Accessed July 30, 2022. https://
dnasolves.com/articles/mesa-county-2019- www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/
larry-dean-watts/. jul/27/somerton-man-mystery-identity-
solved-identified-australia.

Case ID TBA: Webb, Carl (‘Charles’): Vincent, Peter, and Kylie Stevens. “A ‘Toxic’
Somerton Man Marriage May Explain the Death of Somerton
Man as Intriguing New Details Emerge After
The remains of Carl (‘Charles’) Webb were Australia’s Most Baffling Mystery Was
found on December 1, 1948 on Somerton Solved 74 Years On.” Daily Mail Australia,
Beach in Adelaide, Australia. He could not be July 30, 2022. Accessed July 30, 2022.
identified, and became known as ‘Somerton https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/
Man,’ and this became on elf Australia’s article-11063903/Toxic-marriage-explain-
oldest and most notorious cold cases. death-Somerton-Man-new-details-
emerge-1948-mystery.html.
Webb’s body was exhumed in May of 2021
by the South Australia Police. A DNA profile Whiteman, Hilary. “Somerton Man Mystery
was obtained from rootless hair on a death ‘Solved’ as DNA Points to Man’s Identity
mask made at the time of his death. Professor Claims.” CNN, July 26, 2022.
Accessed July 30, 2022. https://
The FGG investigation was conducted by www.cnn.com/2022/07/26/australia/australia-
Derek Abbott of the University of Adelaide somerton-man-mystery-solved-claim-intl-
and Colleen Fitzpatrick of Identifinders. The hnk-dst/index.html.
South Australian police have yet to confirm
the identification, and so the case remains
open. This case has not yet been added to the Case ID 1531: Weis, Nicole
database, and it may be if police confirm his
identification. The body of 21-year-old Nicole Weis was
found burning in a parking lot on January 24,
Sources: 2000 in San Diego, California. Weis had been
wrapped in cardboard, bound, and set afire in
Debczak, Michele. “The Somerton Man Has the parking lot of the College Avenue Baptist
Been Identified by DNA Researchers 73 Church. The young woman’s hands had been
Years After His Mysterious Death.” MSN, cut off, likely to prevent her identification.
July 27, 2022. Accessed July 30, 2022.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/the- The FGG investigation was performed by
somerton-man-has-been-identified-by-dna- Barbara Rae-Venter. A half-brother of Weis,
researchers-73-years-after-his-mysterious- Glen Stevenson, uploaded his DNA, which
death/ar-AA10298a. assisted in her identification. However,
Stephenson was adopted, and so Rae-Venter

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 512
had to solve the mystery of his biological found-burning-behind-church-with-hands-
family before his sister could be identified. chopped-off.
The final confirmation was made to Weis’
older sister, Kimberly Beach. Saunders, Mark. “San Diego Police Seek Tips
in 22-Year-Old College Area Cold Case
While police announced Weis’ identification Murder.” ABC News 10 San Diego.
on September 30, 2021, they state that she September 30, 2021. Accessed October 1,
was in fact identified sometime in 2020. Weis 2021. https://www.10news.com/news/local-
had lost touch with her family after moving to news/san-diego-news/san-diego-police-seek-
Los Angeles in the late 1990s. Police continue tips-in-22-year-college-area-cold-case-
to investigate her homicide, and they are murder.
seeking the public’s assistance.

Sources: Case ID 1705: Wells, Zachary: Fulton

County John Doe (2022)
City News Service. “San Diego Police ID
Woman in 21-Year Cold Case, Search for The burned remains of 59-year-old Zachary
New Leads.” NBC News 7 San Diego. Wells were found on January 16, 2022 in
September 30, 2021. Accessed October 1, Atlanta, Georgia. A house caught on fire on
2021. https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/ Oak Drive South West that evening, and the
local/san-diego-police-id-woman-in-21-year- badly burned remains of a man were found
cold-case-search-for-new-leads/2732285/. among the debris. There was very little left of
the house or its contents after the fire, and the
Meyer, Matt. “20 Years Later, Police Identify man could not be identified. The house is
Woman Found Buried in Church Parking reported to have had no running water or
Lot.” Fox News 5 San Diego. September 30, power at the time of the fire, and may have
2021. Accessed October 1, 2021. https:// been occupied intermittently be several
fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/over-20- persons.
years-later-police-id-victim-found-burning-
in-church-parking-lot/? The FGG investigation was performed by
fbclid=IwAR3SRquBLq7n6Iihfm7D- Othram, who has achieved some previous
QIC6pFCCIVmcVPvqktO1Bn4xDyvTthmdH successes in obtaining usable DNA profiles
q0zJ0. from degraded or burned remains. The final
confirmation was made to a living relative of
Riggins, Alex. “20 Years Later, San Diego Wells. The FGG investigation was funded by
Police ID Woman’s Body Found Burning Audiochuk.
Behind Church.” San Diego Union-Tribune.
September 30, 2021. Accessed October 1, Sources:
2021. https://
www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/public- 11 Alive Staff. “One Dead Following House
safety/story/2021-09-30/20-years-later-san- Fire in South Atlanta.” 11 Alive News,
diego-police-id-young-woman-nicole-weis- January 16, 2022. Last Modified January 17,
2022. Accessed June 2, 2022. https://

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www.11alive.com/article/news/local/south- did to feed his cattle. His dog was found
atlanta-house-fire-dead/ injured and upset along the riverbank. In
85-68ed30c4-87b7-4bdb-90b5-4cda54a37025 1989, the remains were examined by West’s
Vogen, Michael. “Fulton County Medical dentist, but a conclusive identification could
Examiner’s Office Teams with Othram to not be made from the available information.
Identify an Atlanta Home Fire Victim.”
DNASolves.com, May 27, 2022. https:// Sources:
dnasolves.com/articles/Fulton_County/.
Unidentified Wiki. “David West Jr.”
White, Dawn. “Forensic Genetic Genealogy Wikia.org, n.d. Accessed February 7, 2023.
Identifies Man Killed in January Atlanta https://unidentified-awareness.fandom.com/
House Fire.” 11 Alive News, May 27, 2022, wiki/David_West_Jr.
last modified May 28, 2022. Accessed June 2,
2022. https://www.11alive.com/article/news/ Vogen, Michael. “Oregon State Medical
local/forensic-genetic-genealogy-identifies- Examiner’s Office and Sherman County
man-killed-atlanta-house-fire/85-5239d8da- Sheriff’s Office Partner with Othram to
f7fa-4b46-964b-2bff7a865c5e. Identify a Man Found in 1989.”
DNASolves.com, February 6, 2023. Accessed
February 7, 2023.
Case ID 1834: West, David Jr.

The skeletal remains of 73-year-old David Case ID 1811: West, Michael Len
West Jr. were found on March 28, 1989 in
Moro, Oregon. A group of rafters found some The first recorded discovery of the partial
human remains on the Sherman County side skeletal remains of Michael Len West was on
of the John Day River. A further investigation May 4, 2017, in Pearl, Mississippi. On that
by the Sherman County Sheriff’s Office date, West’s skull arrived at the Mississippi
discovered a skull and a partial skeleton in the State Medical Examiner’s Office. There is
silt along the riverbank. Further searches of currently no information on when and where
the area in March and April of 1989 were able his skull was found, whether other remains
to locate some additional small bones and have been located, or the circumstances
teeth. surrounding his death.

The FGG investigation was conducted by The FGG investigation was conducted by
Othram in partnership with the Sherman Othram, in partnership with the Mississippi
County Sheriff’s office and the Oregon State State Medical Examiner’s Office and the
Medical Examiner’s Office, beginning in Mississippi Bureau of Investigation,
April of 2022. The final confirmation was beginning in August of 2021. Both the
made to living relatives. funding and the genealogical research was
provided by genetic genealogist and
West was from Gilliam County, Oregon. He philanthropist Carla Davis, who has assisted
disappeared in 1964 while trying to cross the with several cases in Mississippi. The final
John Day River during a flood, as he often

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 514
confirmation was made to a living family His case was entered into NamUs in 2021.
member. The FGG investigation was conducted by
Othram, beginning in about August of 2021.
It is known that West was born on March 1, The genealogical research was conducted by
1959 in Wichita County, Texas. His father Carla Davis, who has worked on several cases
was Leonard Lee West, who passed away in of unidentified decedents in Mississippi.
1965, and his mother was Phoebe Jo Custis,
who passed away in 1982. West may have White was originally from Jackson,
been living a transient lifestyle at the time of Mississippi. Police continue to investigate the
his disappearance, and he was not reported circumstances of his death.
missing. Little else is currently known about
the circumstances surrounding his Sources:
disappearance or his death.
Vogen, Michael. “MS Medical Examiner’s
Sources: Office, Biloxi County Coroner’s Office Team
With Othram to Identify 2019 John Doe.”
Unidentified Wiki. “Michael West.” DNASolves.com, July 20, 2022. Accessed
Wikia.org., n.d. Accessed January 2, 2023. July 22, 2022. https://dnasolves.com/articles/
https://unidentified-awareness.fandom.com/ gary-lee-white/.
wiki/Michael_West.
Unidentified Wiki. “Gary White.” Wikia.org,
Vogen, Michael. “MS Office of the State n.d. Accessed July 22, 2022. https://
Medical Examiner and Mississippi Bureau of unidentified-awareness.fandom.com/wiki/
Investigation Team With Othram to Identify Gary_White.
2017 John Doe.” DNASolves.com, December
27, 2022. Accessed January 2, 2023. https://
dnasolves.com/articles/michael-len-west- Case ID 1158: Whitt, Robert Adam
mississippi/.
See also: Myong Hwa Cho

Case ID 1727: White, Gary Lee: Biloxi The body of 10-year-old Robert “Bobby”
John Doe 2019 Adam Whitt was found on September 25,
1998, buried under a billboard in Mebane,
The remains of 67-year-old Gary Lee White North Carolina. Whitt’s skull was unearthed
were located on September 19, 2019 in by a landscaping crew while they were
Biloxi, Mississippi. His remains were found cutting the grass. Forensic reconstruction of
on the roof of a long-abandoned building near his face was performed, and isotope analysis
the 800 block of Barthes Street. He could not indicated that he was likely born and raised in
be identified, and he did not match the the southwestern U.S. He was known for over
description of any known missing person’s 20 years only as the Billboard Boy.
report. His cause of death has not been
reported. The FGG investigation was conducted by
Barbara Rae-Venter. Ancestry results showed

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 515
that the child had half Asian ancestry. This led 2020. https://www.wral.com/father-charged-
investigators for the first time to connect in-death-of-boy-whose-remains-were-found-
Whitt’s body with the body of a woman under-mebane-billboard-in-1998/18383618/.
discovered in South Carolina, and they were
found to be mother and son. Krueger, Sarah. “Orange County Cold Case
From 1998 Solved After Murdered Mother,
The body of Myong Hwa Cho, Whitt’s Son, ID’d.” WRAL News. February 5, 2019,
mother, was found on May 13, 1998, in last modified February 6, 2019. Accessed
Spartanburg County, South Carolina. Both December 29, 2020. https://www.wral.com/
bodies were found hidden a short distance off orange-county-cold-case-from-1998-solved-
the Interstate-85. Cho was naked and her after-murdered-mother-son-id-d/18170524/.
wrists were bound. She had been suffocated.
Neither had been reported missing because
her family had been told that she had returned Case ID 1510: Wiederhold, Veronica
to live in Korea with her son.
The body of 19-year-old Veronica Wiederhold
John Whitt was charged in the deaths of his was found in the late morning of February 14,
wife and son. He pled guilty to charges of 1988 in Mount Vernon, New York. She was
homicide and concealing a death. He was found in a junkyard in an industrial area. Her
already serving time in a federal prison in body was nude, and she had been bound at
Kentucky on robbery charges. her wrists and ankles. Her body appeared to
have been moved to that location after her
Sources: death and posed. She also had ligature marks
on her neck.
ABC 11 News. “Father of Boy Found Dead
Under Mebane Billboard in 1998 Pleads The FGG investigation was conducted by the
Guilty.” ABC 11 News, and WTVD News. FBI’s Investigative Genealogy Unit, after a
January 15, 2020. Accessed December 29, new DNA sample was obtained from
2020. https://abc11.com/father-of-boy-found- Wiederhold’s remains by the Westchester
dead-under-mebane-billboard-in-1998- County forensics laboratory. The final
pleads-guilty/5853339/. confirmation was made with living relatives
of Wiederhold.
Diamond, Diane. “‘Boy Under the Billboard’
Case Haunts After 20 Years.” Albuquerque Wiederhold’s relatives in Brooklyn and
Journal. September 29, 2018. Accessed Queens state that they last saw her near the
December 29, 2020. https:// end of 1987. They state that they tried to file a
www.abqjournal.com/1227261/boy-under- missing person’s report, but no such record
the-billboard-case-haunts-after-20-years.html. has been found.

Sarah Krueger, Sarah. “Father Charged in Sources:

Death of Boy Whose Remains Were Found
Under Mebane Billboard in 1998.” WRAL Bandler, Jonathan. “Mount Vernon Jane Doe
News. May 13, 2019. Accessed December 29, Homicide Victim from 1988 was NYC 19-

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 516
Year-Old.” Rockland/Westchester Journal arrested and charged with failing to report a
News. July 28, 2021. Accessed July 30, 2021. missing child and Lamar is also charged with
https://www.lohud.com/story/news/crime/ felony murder. They are being held in
2021/07/28/dna-veronica-wiederhold-mount- Jacksonville, Florida pending extradition to
vernon-valentines-day-1988-homicide-victim/ Alabama. There is no evidence that they ever
5391426001/. enrolled her in school or provided her with
medical care. Lamar Vickerstaff is a member
Unidentified Wikia. “Ronnie Wiederhold.” of the U.S. Navy.
Wikia.org. n.d. Accessed July 30, 2021.
https://unidentified.wikia.org/wiki/ Her mother is 37-year-old Sherry Wiggins.
Ronnie_Wiederhold. Wiggins lost custody of her daughter to the
Vickerstaffs in 2009, and has not seen her
daughter since. She had also been paying
Case ID 1818-1819: Wiggins, Amore child support to the Vickerstaffs since 2009.
Joveah: Opelika Baby Jane Doe At the present time, there is no information on
the reasons why Wiggins lost custody and
The remains of 4-year-old Amore Joveah was not permitted by the Vickerstaffs to have
Wiggins were found on January 28, 2012 in contact with her daughter. She would have
Opelika, Alabama. Her skull was found in the been about 20 years old when her daughter
yard of a residence in the Brookhaven Trailer was born.
Park. Further skeletal remains were found
behind a trailer in the adjacent lot, along with Sources:
a pink shirt and a bundle of curly hair. She
had multiple fractures to her skull and body, Alabama News Network Staff. “WATCH:
and died from blunt force trauma. She also ‘Baby Jane Doe’ Identified; Father,
had multiple injuries that had healed, Stepmother Face Charges in Her Death.”
indicating that her abuse was ongoing. She Alabama News, January 19, 2023. Accessed
was malnourished and likely blind in her left January 21, 2023. https://
eye due to a partially-healed fracture. She had www.alabamanews.net/2023/01/19/baby-
likely been deceased about 2 years prior to jane-doe-identified-father-stepmother-face-
being located - sometime in 2010 or 2011. charges-in-her-death/.
She could not be identified, and became
known as “Baby Jane Doe.” Lambe, Jerry. “Father Murdered ‘Baby Jane
Doe’ Then Collected Child Support for 13
The FGG investigation was conducted by Years: Police.” Law & Crime, January 19,
Othram in partnership with the Opelika Police 2023. Accessed January 21, 2023. https://
Department and Barbara Rae-Venter of the lawandcrime.com/crime/father-murdered-
Firebird Forensic Group. The final baby-jane-doe-then-collected-child-support-
confirmation was made to her mother, Sherry for-13-years-police/.
Wiggins of Maryland.
Vogen, Michael. “Opelika PD Leverages
Wiggins’ father, Lamar Vickerstaff Jr., and Othram’s Genetic Testing Platform to Identify
her stepmother, Ruth Vickerstaff, have been Opelika Jane Doe.” DNASolves.com, January

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 517
19, 2023. Accessed January 21, 2023. https:// article_a7ab4ee3-4b8f-5d78-8e57-53911e492
dnasolves.com/articles/opelika-jane-doe/. 0ab.html.

WBKO News Staff. “Kentucky State Police

Case ID 1511: Wilkerson, Dawn Clare Identify Cold Case Victim From 2001.”
Plonsky: Kentucky Jane Doe WBKO News. July 29, 2021. https://
www.wbko.com/2021/07/30/kentucky-state-
The body of Dawn Wilkerson was found on police-identify-cold-case-victim-2001/.
October 9, 2021, off the shoulder of the
Interstate 65 a few miles north of Nashville in WNKY Staff. “KSP Identifies Remains
rural Simpson County, Kentucky. Her badly Found in 2001, Non-Profit Talks About
decomposed and partially skeletonized Case.” WNKY NBC News 40. July 30, 2021.
remains were found by a local survey crew. Accessed July 30, 2021. https://
She had no clothing and is thought to have www.wnky.com/ksp-identifies-remains-
died sometime in August of 2001. found-in-2001/.

The FGG investigation was performed by the

DNA Doe Project. Case ID 1712: Williams, Alice Lou: Beckler
River Jane Doe
The investigation into Wilkerson’s death in
ongoing. Her death is thought to be The partial cranium of Alice Lou Williams
suspicious, but a cause of death is not known. was found on October 10, 2009 in a steep
ravine in the forest outside of Skykomish,
Sources: Washington. A search was conducted, but no
other remains, clothing, or other items could
DNA Doe Project. “Kentucky Jane Doe be located. A forensic anthropological
2001.” DNA Doe Project. May 5, 2019. analysis on the partial cranium was conducted
Accessed July 30, 2021. https:// by the late Dr. Kathy Taylor, who determined
dnadoeproject.org/case/kentucky-jane- that the skull belonged to a woman over the
doe-2001/. age of 40 and who had suffered trauma to the
skull which may have killed her. It was
Kentucky State Police. “Kentucky State estimated that her remains had lain in the
Police Identify Cold Case Victim From Beckler River ravine from one year to several
2001.” Kentucky State Police. July 29, 2021. decades. No other identifying information
Accessed July 30, 2021. https:// could be determined.
kentuckystatepolice.org/p3-7-29-2021/.
A DNA profile, as well as a mitochondrial
Story, Justin. “Police Persist in Cold Case DNA profile, was extracted from the cranium
Work.” Daily News. March 7, 2011. Last in July of 2021 and uploaded to CODIS.
Modified March 17, 2012. Accessed July 30, Attempts were made to obtain a DNA SNP
2021. https://www.bgdailynews.com/news/ profile in October of 2017, and again in
police-persistent-in-cold-case-work/ October of 2019, but were not successful. In
March of 2022, a DNA profile suitable for

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 518
genealogical analysis was obtained by Case ID 1805: Williams, Kenneth Nevada:
Othram. Funding for this work was raised by Long Beach John Doe
Audiochuk. The final confirmation was made
to William’s living children at Gene by Gene/ The remains of 15-year-old Kenneth Nevada
FTDNA. Williams were found on June 3, 1978 in Long
Beach, California. He was found lying on the
Williams is reported to have gone missing in pavement on Division Street, near Corona
July of 1981 from a recreational cabin in Avenue. He was believed to have been in his
Lake Loma where she was then staying. late teens. His death was a homicide, but the
Police continue to investigate her homicide. cause of death has not been released.

Alice’s daughter, Donna Roth stated, “It has The FGG investigation was conducted by
been 41 years since she disappeared from my Othram in partnership with the Long Beach
parents’ Lake Loma cabin. The only person Police Department and the FBI’s Los Angeles
who could supply any information to the Field Office. The final confirmation was
investigators was my Father, who was the last made to Williams’ sister, Roxanne Jones.
person to see her. Our family became broken
over her disappearance and that wound has Williams is reported to have run away from
never healed.” his home in La Puente sometime in 1978.
Police continue to investigate his murder.
Sources:
Sources:
Lynwood Times Staff. “Jane Doe Homicide
Victim Missing Since 1981 Identified.” Land, Olivia. “Body of Teen Found in 1978
Lynwood Times, June 16, 2022. Accessed ID’d as Kenneth Nevada Williams.” New
June 19, 2022. https://lynnwoodtimes.com/ York Post, December 16, 2022. Accessed
2022/06/16/alice-lou-williams-220616/. December 19, 2022. https://nypost.com/
2022/12/16/body-of-teen-found-in-1978-idd-
Vogen, Michael. “Snohomish County Sheriff as-kenneth-nevada-williams/.
and Medical Examiner’s Offices Partner with
Othram to Identify 2009 Beckler River Jane Long Beach Police Department. “Homicide
Doe.” DNASolves.com., June 16, 2022. Detectives Identify ‘John Doe’ Victim in 1978
Accessed June 19, 2022. https:// Cold Case Murder and Seek Public’s Help in
dnasolves.com/articles/ Developing Investigative Leads.” Long Beach
snohomish_alice_lou_williams/. Police Department (Press Release),
December 14, 2022. Accessed December 19,
Tracy, Gerald. “Woman Missing for 41 Years 2022. https://www.longbeach.gov/police/
Identified as Remains Found in Ravine Near press-releases/homicide-detectives-identify-
Skykomish.” KOMO News, June 16, 2022. john-doe-victim-in-1978-cold-case-murder-
Accessed June 19, 2022. https:// and-seek-publics-help-in-developing-
komonews.com/news/local/woman-missing- investigative-leads/.
for-41-years-identified-as-remains-found-in-
ravine-near-skykomish.

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 519
Vogen, Michael. “Long Beach Police Vogen, Michael. “MS Office of the State
Department & the Los Angeles FBI Team Medical Examiner and Jackson Police
With Othram to Identify Long Beach John Department Team with Othram to Identify
Doe.” DNASolves.com, December 14, 2022. 2018 John Doe.” DNASolves.com, August 26,
Accessed December 19, 2022. https:// 2022. Accessed September 1, 2022. https://
dnasolves.com/articles/long-beach-kenneth- dnasolves.com/articles/arthur-winters-
nevada-williams/. mississippi/.

Case ID 1745: Winters, Arthur: Hinds Co. Case ID 1421: Wyant, Keri Lyn
John Doe 2018
The body of 23-year-old Keri Lyn Wyant was
The charred remains of 59-year-old Arthur found on May 1, 1995 in Champagne County,
Winters were found in February 2018 in Illinois. Agricultural workers found bones and
Jackson, Mississippi. His body was located in some clothing. She had been dead for some
a rooming house on Capital Street after fire- time, perhaps as many as 11 months. Her
fighters had extinguished a fire. He had died death was ruled a homicide.
of smoke inhalation. No ID or personal
effects were located with his body, and he The FGG investigation was funded by a
could not be identified. television show called the Unknown Doe
Project. There is little information at present
The FGG investigation was conducted by on who has conducted that investigation or
Othram, in partnership with the Jackson when the show is to be broadcast.
Police Department and the Office of the State
Medical Examiner, beginning in April of The final confirmation was made to Wyant’s
2022. The genetic genealogy was performed parents. Wyant had disappeared while
by Carla Davis, who had identified many working for a carnival in the summer of 1994.
decedents in Mississippi. The final She left behind a young son, who was killed
confirmation was made to a living relative of in a car accident when he was 7 years old.
Winters. Her homicide case remains open.

Winters had been reported missing by his Sources:

family after they last saw him sometime in
June of 2017. Cook, Linda. “Remains of Woman with
Galesburg Ties Identified.” WHBF-TV,
Sources: reprinted in the Register-Mail. October 21,
2020. Accessed January 1, 2021. https://
Unidentified Wiki. “Arthur Winters.” www.galesburg.com/story/news/2020/10/21/
Wikia.org. n.d. Accessed September 1, 2022. remains-of-woman-with-galesburg-ties-
https://unidentified-awareness.fandom.com/ identified/42866851/.
wiki/Arthur_Winters.
Tilka, Michael. “Champaign Co. Authorities
Identify Jane Doe as Galva Woman.” KWQC

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 520
NBC TV 6 News. October 20, 2020. Accessed Yeary was from Rockford, Illinois. Officers
January 1, 2021. https://www.kwqc.com/ determined that Yeary was a victim of human
2020/10/21/champaign-co-authorities- sex trafficking. Her mother last heard from
identify-jane-doe-as-galva-woman/? her in 2008, when she phoned needing a ride
fbclid=IwAR3dX0F5e-4qbzuewt39ePm4ZeS home from Beloit, which her mother was
3_FJMS-69BtrXPWNZZag_in1-_CLHAF8. unable to provide at the time due to
extenuating circumstances. Police continue to
WAND Staff. “Jane Doe Identified in 1995 investigate her homicide.
Central IL Cold Case; Help Needed from
Public.” WAND TV News. October 20, 2020, Sources:
last modified October 21, 2020. Accessed
January 1, 2021. https://www.wandtv.com/ Daily Citizen Staff. “Fond du Lac County
news/jane-doe-identified-in-1995-central-il- Jane Doe Identified as Rockford, Illinois
cold-case-help-needed-from-public/ Woman.” Daily Citizen. November 23, 2021.
article_306acd90-1307-11eb- Accessed November 23, 2021. https://
afa4-73f08ef8a405.html? www.wiscnews.com/bdc/news/local/fond-du-
fbclid=IwAR34YjJjNqsBwAs_J5d7d3ZivOig lac-county-jane-doe-identified-as-rockford-
czncM_KeHUHUXU7GmjV1l-fbbPEyxaE. illinois-woman/article_08bff7de-
d813-5084-84c0-0afd5e00e034.html.

Case ID 1563: Yeary, Amy Marie: Fond du Fox 6 News Digital Team. “Fond du Lac Jane
Lac Jane Doe Doe from 2008 Identified as Rockford
Woman.” Fox 32 Chicago. November 23,
The body of 18-year-old Amy Marie Yeary 2021. Accessed November 23, 2021. https://
was found in a shallow creek by hunters on www.fox32chicago.com/news/fond-du-lac-
November 23, 2008, in the town of Ashford, county-jane-doe.
in Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin. She could
not be identified and was buried at the Hurley, Scott. “New Details to be Announced
Cattaraugus Cemetery in December of 2011. in 2008 ‘Jane Doe’ Body Discovery.” Fox 11
News. November 22, 2021. Accessed
Her body was exhumed on April 26, 2008. At November 23, 2021. https://fox11online.com/
that time, an isotope analysis determined that news/local/fond-du-lac-county-jane-doe-
she likely lived most of her life in Arizona, case-2008-new-details-to-be-announced.
but had moved to the region of northern Iowa,
southwest Wisconsin, and southern Minnesota Lopez, Monique. “Fond du Lac County’s
in the year before her death. 2008 ‘Jane Doe’ Identified.” Fox 11 News.
November 23, 2021. Accessed November 23,
The FGG investigation was performed by 2021. https://fox11online.com/news/local/
Barbara Rae-Venter. The final confirmation fond-du-lac-county-jane-doe-body-
was made to her mother and sister, as well as discovered-2008-new-details.
dental records.

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 521
Case ID 1728: Young, Pamela Darlene: 22, 2022. https://www.star-telegram.com/
Gregg County Jane Doe 2002 news/local/arlington/article263692298.html.

The partially skeletonized remains of Pamela DNA Doe Project. “Gregg County Jane Doe
Darlene Young were located on May 21, 2002 2002.” DNA Doe Project, October 8, 2020.
in a field near Gladewater, in Gregg County, Last Modified July 21, 2022. Accessed July
Texas. A skull and bones were found by a 22, 2022. https://dnadoeproject.org/case/
crew taking oil samples in preparation for the gregg-co-jane-doe-2002/.
widening of Highway 135. The Tarrant
County Medical Examiner determined that Roy, Reagan. “DNA Doe Project, Gregg
the remains belonged to a young woman County Officials Identify Body of Woman
between the ages of 16 and 30, of European Last Seen in 1998.” CBS 19 News, July 21,
or Hispanic ancestry, and who had an 2022. Accessed July 22, 2022. https://
unrepaired cleft palate. Her cause of death www.cbs19.tv/article/news/local/gregg-
could not be determined, but she is thought to county-officials-identify-body-of-woman-
have been deceased for about two years last-seen-
before being located. in-1998/501-379f3c58-16bf-479e-9c5b-542b
4bcb2a0a.
The FGG investigation was conducted by the
DNA Doe Project, beginning in early 2020.
Previous DNA samples taken from her Case ID 1801: Zarelli, Joseph Augustus:
remains were no longer usable, and a new The Boy in the Box
profile was developed sometime after
February of 2019. In this case, mitochondrial The remains of 4-year-old Joseph Augustus
DNA was used to narrow down the maternal Zarelli were found on February 25, 1957 in a
lines of descent. The final confirmation was wooded area of northeast Philadelphia,
made to Young’s daughter. Pennsylvania. He was placed in a blanket and
left inside a JC Penny bassinet box. He had
Young, who was from Arlington, was last been beaten to death. He could not be
seen in 1998 - about four years before her identified, and was buried in Philadelphia’s
remains were found - at which time she Ivy Hill Cemetery. He became known for 65
would have been about 27 years old. She had years as the ‘Boy in the Box.”
never been reported missing. Texas Rangers
identified a person of interest in her death, but Zarelli’s remains were exhumed in 2019 for
the suspect died in 2017. further testing. The FGG investigation was
conducted by Colleen Fitzpatrick and the
Sources: Vidocq Society, in partnership with the
Philadelphia Police Department. The final
Browne, Archibald. “Skeletal Remains Found confirmation was made to living siblings of
in Gregg County, Texas, 20 Years Ago Zarelli.
Identified as Arlington Woman.” Fort Worth
Star-Telegram, July 21, 2022. Accessed July Zarelli was born on January 13, 1953, and
would have been 4 years old at the time of his

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 522
murder. No family members came forward to 2022. https://people.com/crime/philadelphias-
claim him. Police state that both of his parents boy-in-the-box-identified-after-65-years/.
are now deceased. Police continue to
investigate his murder, and they state that this Nark, Jason, Wendy Ruderman, and Max
identification has provided them with several Marin. “The Biological Parents of the ‘Boy in
leads. the Box,’ Joseph Augustus Zarelli, have
finally been identified.” Philadelphia
Pitofsky reports that, “Philadelphia Police Inquirer, January 19, 2023. Accessed January
Commissioner Danielle Outlaw told reporters 21, 2023. https://www.inquirer.com/news/
on Thursday that the unsolved death has joseph-augustus-zarelli-parents-
‘haunted this community, the Philadelphia relatives-20230119.html.
police department, our nation, and the
world. When people think about the boy in Pitofsky, Marina. “A 4-Year-Old’s Body Was
the box, a profound sadness is felt, not just Discovered in 1957. Police Just Identified the
because a child was murdered, but because ‘Boy in the Box’.” USA Today, December 8,
his entire identity and his rightful claim to 2022. Last Modified December 9, 2022.
own his existence was taken away,’ she said.” Accessed December 10, 2022. https://
www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/
The parents of Joseph Zarelli have been 2022/12/08/boy-in-the-box-identified-joseph-
tentatively identified as Mary Elizabeth zarelli/10859506002/.
“Betsy” Abel and Augustus J. “Gus” Zarelli
of Philadelphia. Betsy was 21 years old at the Shapiro, Emily. “‘Boy in the Box’: Victim
time of Joseph’s birth, and her family states Finally ID’d in Philadelphia’s Oldest
that she may have given him away for Unsolved Homicide Case.” ABC News,
adoption, as she had done with a daughter December 8, 2022. Accessed December 10,
born previously. Abel and Zarelli were not 2022. https://abcnews.go.com/US/boy-box-
married, and adoptions of this kind would victim-finally-idd-philadelphias-oldest-
have been common at this period of history. homicide/story?id=94687156.
The relatives of Gus Zarelli have no
information that Zarelli knew of the birth of
Joseph. There is no evidence that Abel or
Zarelli are connected with the abuse or death
of Joseph. Joseph’s adoptive parents have not
yet been identified, and the police continue to
investigate.

Sources:

Acosta, Nicole. “Philadelphia’s ‘Boy in the

Box’ Identified After 65 Years in One of
City’s Oldest Unsolved Murders.” People,
December 8, 2022. Accessed December 10,

H U M A N R E M A I N S I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 523
Living Doe Investigations

The following is an annotated bibliography of all Living

Doe Investigations that were solved through Forensic
Genetic Genealogy (FGG).
Attempts were made to include sources that are made
freely available to the public whenever possible.
Information has been con rmed through at least two to
three different sources, whenever possible.

L I V I N G D O E I N V E S T I G AT I O N S
fi
 Living Doe The case began on November 11, 1985, when
a 55-gallon steel drum containing human
Investigations remains was found in Bear Brook State Park
near Allenstown, New Hampshire. The
remains were of an adult woman and a young
Case ID 1221: Confidential: Dawn girl about 8-10. They had been killed by blunt
Beaudin/Lisa Jenson force trauma to the head.

See also: On May 9, 2000 a second steel drum was

found only about 100 yards from the first. It
Honeychurch, Marlyse Elizabeth contained the remains of two more young
McWaters, Sarah girls. The younger girl was 1-3 years old and
Rasmussen, Jane Doe the older was about 2-4 years old. It is
Rasmussen, Terry Peder thought that the four Bear Brook victims were
Vaughn, Marie killed sometime between 1978 and 1981.

The FGG investigation was conducted by

This case is part of a series of murders known Barbara Rae-Venter, a Search Angel, who
as the Bear Brook Murders, or the Allenstown volunteered at the non-profit organization
Murders. One of the most remarkable cold DNAAdoption.com where she assisted
cases in U.S. history, the successful resolution adopted individuals to identify their birth
of the Bear Brook murders by Barbara Rae- families. Rae-Venter has a PhD in
Venter led detectives to pursue similar biochemistry, and she worked for many years
techniques in the search for the Golden State as a patent attorney in the biotech industry.
Killer. She is a leader in using genetic genealogy to
identify living does.
This investigation of this serial killer was
solved through the identification of one of his At first, Rae-Venter was not looking to
survivors – a living Jane Doe. In the summer identify the Bear Brook victims. She was
of 1986, a 5-year-old girl named Lisa Jensen attempting to identify Lisa Jensen, a grown
was abandoned by a man named Gordon woman who had been abducted and
Jensen, who was thought to have been her abandoned by an unknown male when she
father, in San Bernardino, California. It was was about 5 years old. Lisa thought she was
discovered that the little girl was the victim of the biological daughter of a man named
severe torture and sexual molestation at the Gordon Jensen. Jensen was a pseudonym for
hands of Gordon Jensen. Through the course a man whose real identity was discovered by
of the investigation into Lisa Jensen’s case, Rae-Venter to be Terry Peder Rasmussen – a
Gordon Jensen was identified as Terry Peder man who died in prison in California where
Rasmussen. Rasmussen was identified as the he had been sentenced for the murder of his
lead suspect in murders of the four Bear common-law wife. DNA testing showed that
Brook victims, and the cases were cleared by Rasmussen was not the father of Lisa Jensen,
exception. but he was the father of the toddler whose

L I V I N G D O E I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 524
body was found in second barrel at Bear In 2016, Rae-Venter identified Lisa as Dawn
Brook. Rasmussen was then identified as the Beaudin of New Hampshire. Lisa and her
lead suspect in the murder of the four Bear mother, Denise Beaudin, disappeared around
Brook victims, and the case was cleared by Thanksgiving of 1981 with her boyfriend,
exception. Terry Rasmussen. Family members identified
her boyfriend at the time as ‘Bob Evans’,
In 1978, at the time of the Bear Brook which was the name that Rasmussen was
murders, Rasmussen worked in Allenstown as using when he was living in New Hampshire.
an electrician and handyman near the
property where the barrels were found. In Rae-Venter wanted to test the remains of the
around 1981, another young mother named Bear Brook victims because she suspected
Denise Beaudin and her 6-month-old that the woman in the barrel was Denise
daughter disappeared from New Hampshire in Beaudin, Lisa’s mother. Up until that time, it
very similar circumstances. Beaudin’s had not been possible to obtain a DNA profile
boyfriend at the time was Terry Rasmussen. from the Bear Brook victims. In 2016, Rae-
The little girl was Lisa Jensen. They all Venter contacted Dr. Ed Green, a researcher
moved to California together, but when in paleo-genomics, of the University of
Rasmussen was next seen in California he California at Santa-Cruz as he had developed
was in the company of only Lisa. Denise was a new technique to extract autosomal DNA
never seen again after leaving New from rootless hair.
Hampshire with Rasmussen, and her body has
not been located. This new technique was successful in
obtaining DNA profiles of the Bear Brook
Rasmussen and Lisa lived in a trailer park in victims, and the investigation was finally able
Scotts Valley, California in 1986. He then to progress. They discovered that the woman
abandoned Lisa, who was then about 5 years was not Denise Beaudin, but the middle girl
old, with another family he met there. was Rasmussen’s biological daughter. She
‘Gordon Jensen’ was not seen again. Lisa was not related to the other two little girls,
Jensen was now a living Jane Doe, with no who were found to be the daughters of the
idea of when or where she was born, her adult woman.
parentage, or her name.
Rae-Venter then used FGG to identify the
Lisa Jensen was now a grown woman of 32 woman found at Bear Brook as Marlyse
years old and a mother herself when the Elizabeth Honeychurch (b. 1954). The other
detectives working on her case approached body found in the barrel with her is her eldest
Rae-Venter to identify her birth family. The daughter, Marie Vaughan (b. 1971). The
lead detective working on Lisa’s abduction infant girl found in the second barrel is
was Detective Peter Headley of the San Honeychurch’s youngest daughter, Sarah
Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office. Rae- McWaters (b. 1977).
Venter and a team of volunteers used genetic
genealogy to identify Lisa’s birth family and Marlyse Honeychurch was last seen on
try to find out where she came from and what Thanksgiving Day in 1978, when she got into
had happened to her mother. an argument with her family, and left with

L I V I N G D O E I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 525
Terry Rasmussen, who was her boyfriend at Sources:
the time. She was never seen alive again.
Honeychurch and the three girls were likely Duckler, Ray. “Officials Identify 3 of 4
killed sometime between 1978 and 1981, Victims Discovered in Barrels Near Bear
before Denise Beaudin and her daughter Lisa Brook State Park.” Concord Monitor. June 6,
Jensen went missing in similar circumstances. 2019. Accessed December 26, 2020. https://
www.concordmonitor.com/After-more-than-
Jane Doe Rasmussen, the toddler found in the three-decades-Bear-Brook-victims-
second barrel, is the biological daughter of named-26083251.
Terry Rasmussen. The FGG investigation into
her identity continues, as her mother is Effron, Lauren, Boaz Halaban, and Marc
currently unknown. She has a mixed ancestry, Dorian. “How a Jane Doe Child Case
with some African American, Native Uncovered a Serial Killer, Identified Victims
American, and possibly Asian heritage. Rae- and Changed the Use of DNA Forensics.”
Venter is constructing her family tree and ABC News. March 19, 2020. Accessed
believes the girl’s mother may be from near December 26, 2020. https://abcnews.go.com/
Pearl River County, Mississippi, and possibly US/jane-doe-child-case-uncovered-serial-
descended from Thomas ‘Deadhorse’ killer-identified/story?id=69648434.
Mitchell (b. 1836) or William Livings (b.
1826). Halaban, Boaz, Marc Dorian, and Enjoli
Francis. “Timeline of Serial Killer Terry
Rasmussen died of lung cancer and Rasmussen’s Terror in New Hampshire,
emphysema at the High Desert Prison in California.” ABC News. March 18, 2020.
Susanville, California in 2010. He had been Accessed December 26, 2020. https://
convicted under yet another false name, abcnews.go.com/US/timeline-serial-killer-
‘Larry Vanner’, for the 2002 murder of his terry-rasmussens-terror-hampshire-california/
common-law spouse, chemist Eunsoon Jun. story?id=69505755.
He has been nicknamed the ‘Chameleon
Killer’ for the way in which he is able to Help ID Me. “Bear Brook Case Update.”
move, change his identity, and begin a new Facebook Post. January 21, 2021. Accessed
life with a new family. When DNA testing January 21, 2021. https://www.facebook.com/
showed that he was not the biological father 698376120190298/posts/
of Lisa Jensen, he denied knowing or 4130579286969947/?d=n.
remembering the little girl at all.
Liptak, Andrew. “How a Podcast Helped
In 2018, journalist Jason Moon and New Solve a Grisly Cold Case.” The Verge. June 9,
Hampshire Public Radio produced a podcast 2019. Accessed December 26, 2020. https://
called “Bear Brook,” that tells this story very www.theverge.com/2019/6/9/18656929/bear-
thoroughly. It can be found at: https:// book-podcast-murders-dna-databases-
www.bearbrookpodcast.com/. marlyse-elizabeth-honeychurch-marie-vaugh-
sarah-mcwaters.

L I V I N G D O E I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 526
Moon, Jason. “Three Bear Brook Murder The FGG investigation was conducted by
Victims Identified; Citizen Sleuth, Genetic Parabon Nanolabs. The family of Riverside
Genealogy Provide Key Clues.” New Doe was uncooperative and none would come
Hampshire Public Radio. June 5, 2019. forward to assist in the investigation. Officers
Accessed December 26, 2020. https:// suspect that one or more caregivers may have
www.nhpr.org/post/three-bear-brook-murder- been engaged in fraud over his disability and
victims-identified-citizen-sleuth-genetic- medical benefits. He is now living in a long-
genealogy-provide-key-clues? term care facility and is in the permanent care
utm_medium=social&utm_term=nprnews&ut of the public guardian.
m_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=np
r&fbclid=IwAR0d-ZPVnecFP90- Sources:
teWfZznBM5TlYL9drWk6lQB5QMEIKuL9
scEnGrOlorc#stream/0. 247 Headline Staff. “Non-Verbal Found Man
Identified Using DNA.” 247 Headline News.
Murphy, Shelley. “‘Missing Half Sister’: How July 12, 2019. Accessed January 1, 2021.
a Search for a Relative Helped Identify N.H.’s https://247headline.com/non-verbal-found-
Bear Brook Victims.” Boston Globe. June 6, man-identified-using-dna/.
2019. Accessed December 26, 2020. https://
www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2019/06/06/ City News Service, and Brian Rokos. “After
missing-half-sister-how-search-for-relative- Mystery Man Identified, Riverside Police
helped-identify-bear-brook-victims/ Investigating Family’s Motives.” Press-
xiMWdamAZqaWRaCDJWJqxJ/story.html. Enterprise. July 12, 2019. Accessed January
1, 2021. https://www.pe.com/2019/07/12/
Yang, Allie, and Boaz Halaban. “Serial Killer after-mystery-man-identified-riverside-
Terry Rasmussen’s Victims, Known and police-investigating-familys-motives/.
Unknown.” ABC News. March 17, 2020.
Accessed December 26, 2020. https:// City of Riverside. “Non-Verbal Found Adult
abcnews.go.com/US/terry-rasmussens- Finally Identified.” City of Riverside (Press
victims-unknown/story?id=69585534. Release). July 12, 2019. Accessed January 1,
2021. https://www.riversideca.gov/press/non-
verbal-found-adult-finally-identified.
Case ID 1228: Confidential: Riverside
Living Doe
Case ID 1833: Moroney, Mary Agnes
The Riverside Doe was found unconscious on
Christmas Eve of 2018 near a homeless Two-year-old Mary Agnes Moroney was
encampment by the Santa Ana River. He had kidnapped from her home on May 15, 1930
been taken to the hospital, but as a non-verbal in Chicago, Illinois. Moroney lived with her
disabled man he was unable to provide any parents, Michael and Catherine Moroney, and
information about his identity to police and a younger sister on Wentworth Avenue. A
health care workers. notice was posted in the paper seeking
assistance for the family’s poverty and
financial difficulties. A few weeks later, a

L I V I N G D O E I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 527
woman calling herself Julia Otis appeared at The name that Moroney lived by after her
their door, offering assistance and wanting to kidnapping has not been reported so as to
adopt the blue-eyed, blond-haired, Mary. The protect the privacy of her family.
woman was described as cultured and well-
spoken. After being rebuffed by Mary’s Sources:
mother, the woman purchased some gifts of
clothing for the family. She then asked to take Henley, Nicole. “Exploited Young Mother’s
Mary to a nearby shop to purchase her some Baby Stolen by Gracious ‘Social Worker.’”
new clothes and shoes, but never came back Medium, May 26, 2022. Accessed February 7,
with the child. 2023. https://medium.com/crimebeat/
exploited-young-mothers-baby-stolen-by-
The next day, she wrote to the Moroney’s gracious-social-worker-31c465ee9c3a.
saying that she would be taking Mary to
California, but would return with her in two Nash, Robert. “Mary Agnes Moroney.” The
months. A short time later, a woman calling Charlie Project, October 12, 2004. Last
herself Alice Henderson wrote to the modified May 29, 2011. Accessed February 7,
Moroneys to tell them that Julia Otis had 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/
recently lost her husband and child. She 20110623072001/http://charleyproject.org/
desperately wanted a little girl of her own, cases/m/moroney_mary.html.
and would likely return Mary to her family
soon. Police thought that the letters were Suttonrath LLC. “Mary Agnes Moroney
written by the same woman. Kidnapping Cold Case Solved 92 Years
Later.” Suttonrath LLC: Investigative Genetic
The FGG investigation was conducted by Genealogy (Press Release), 2023. Accessed
Suttonrath LLC, in partnership with the Cook February 6, 2023. https://suttonrath.com/
County Sheriff’s Office Cold Case and
Missing Persons Department. The sources of
the DNA sample used in the FGG
investigation has not been disclosed. This is
reported to be the oldest missing persons case
in Illinois to be solved using FGG.

Reports indicate that Moroney lived in

Chicago with the woman who kidnapped her
for four years before moving to moving to
Virginia. A few years later, Moroney settled in
Florida where she remained for much of the
rest of her life - getting married and having
children of her own. She passed away in
2003, when she would have been about 75
years old. She has grandchildren and great-
grandchildren who did not know the story of
Moroney’s notorious kidnapping.

L I V I N G D O E I N V E S T I G AT I O N S 528
P R E PA R E D B Y: D R . T. L . D O W D E S W E L L FORENSIC C O D E B O O K & A N N OTAT E D
DOUGLAS COLLEGE GENETIC B I B L I O G R A P H Y, 2 0 2 2
7 0 0 R OYA L AV E N U E G E N E A LO GY
NEW WESTMINSTER, BC PROJECT
dowdeswellt@douglascollege.ca