Genetic Genealogy – What Does the Future Hold?
Across the United States, and increasingly internationally, detectives are closing cases that have long since grown cold using investigative genealogy. Killers and other predators who have managed to escape justice due to a lack of leads are now finding themselves behind bars. Investigative genealogy relies heavily on open-source DNA databases, such as GEDMatch, […]
Privacy Concerns Don’t Stop People from Putting Their DNA on the Internet to Help Solve Crimes
Sarah Esther Lageson, Rutgers University Americans are embracing the use of DNA databases to solve crimes. Over the past year DNA submitted to ancestry websites have helped police in the United States identify the killers in several unsolved crimes, including the Golden State Killer case – a longtime subject of internet sleuthing. […]
Forensic Genealogy: What Your Second Cousin’s DNA May Say about You
“The DNA people said, ‘That was him. You got him.’ And the whole room just exploded. Some detectives were crying. Some detectives were sitting there with their mouths open, staring into space.” Thanks to Colleen Fitzpatrick, a cold case that had baffled investigators for over two decades finally reached a breakthrough in 2014. She […]
To Catch a Predator – An Interview with Paul Holes
In his keynote address at ISHI 30 this September, Paul Holes will detail how investigative genealogy techniques, determination, and more than a little bit of patience led to the identification and capture of the Golden State Killer. We recently interviewed Paul and asked him what drew him to the Golden State Killer case, how he […]
Ethical Issues Around Investigative Genealogy
Craig Klugman, a Bioethicist at DePaul University details the issues surrounding commercial DNA databases and using these databases for investigative genealogy purposes, and offers some paths forward. Transcript: Laura: Hi, we’re here at ISHI 29 with Craig Klugman. Craig, tell us a little bit about yourself. Craig: Well, I’m a […]
Using Genetic Genealogy to Provide Answers – an Interview with CeCe Moore
Sarah Dingle, an investigative journalist with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation interviews CeCe Moore to discuss how she’s used genetic genealogy to help adoptees and donor conceived individuals find their biological families, and is now applying the same techniques to cold cases. Transcript: Sarah: Hi, I’m Sarah Dingle. I’m an Investigative Journalist […]
Announcing the ISHI 30 Keynote Speaker
He went by many names. In Sacramento, he was known as the East Area Rapist. Southern California called him the Original Night Stalker. Others gave him the name Diamond Knot Killer and Visalia Ransacker. As he progressed to murder, he would become the Golden State Killer. All told, he committed over 100 burglaries, more than […]
Considerations for the Use of Forensic Genetic Genealogy to Assist in Identifying Australia’s Unidentified Human Remains
It has been estimated that Australia has up to 500 unidentified human remains. The use of forensic genetic genealogy could assist in identifying some of these remains. But the ability to access public genetic information and family tree records requires us to consider the legal and ethical approaches, as well as adopting an internationally consistent […]
A Genetic Genealogy Television Show?
Margaret Press and Colleen Fitzpatrick, founders of the DNA Doe Project, discuss the likelihood of staring in a reality television show. WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS? SUBSCRIBE TO THE ISHI BLOG BELOW! SUBSCRIBE NOW!
