Under the Microscope 2024 – Meradeth Snow
After the passage of the 13th Amendment in the United States outlawing slavery, many African American individuals were “convicted” of trumped-up charges and forced into convict leasing camps. Individuals suffering in these scenarios were viewed as entirely replaceable. As demonstrated by the individuals excavated in the Sugar Land 95 project, the first convict leasing labor […]
Under the Microscope 2024 – Ray Wickenheiser
On November 21, 2023, the National Technology Validation Collaborative Forensic Investigative Genetic Genealogy Collaborative (NTVIC) Forensic Investigative Genetic Genealogy (FIGG) Policy and Procedure Committee published Guidelines for establishing FIGG programs in the Forensic Science International: Synergy journal [1]. This version was the second publication of FIGG draft policies and procedures, following feedback and revisions prompted […]
Under the Microscope 2024 – Anjali Ranadive
In September of 2020, Kendra Owen was murdered in her apartment in Watertown, SD. Her body would not be discovered for several days and when it would be noted that she had been decapitated. Jeremiah Peacemaker was arrested and charged with her murder. He remained in jail for 3 ½ years awaiting trial. That […]
Under the Microscope 2024 – Mandi Van Buren
In 2022, one laboratory’s journey from traditional forensic DNA testing methods to next generation sequencing (NGS) was explored. In 2023, that journey concluded with the first successful admissibility hearing of NGS data in the United States. Identity SNP, aSTR and Y-STR DNA profiles obtained from the evidence collected from the crime scene samples of the […]
Keynote Ashley Flowers and SiriusXM Launch Crime Junkie Radio
SiriusXM and Audiochuck to Launch Crime Junkie Radio Along with New Show “Crime Junkie AF,” Hosted by Ashley Flowers. New channel features curated selection of audiochuck’s top shows, including chart-topping “Crime Junkie”. On April 23rd, SiriusXM, in collaboration with independent media and podcast company audiochuck and its founder Ashley Flowers, announced Crime Junkie Radio, […]
Project Prism: Investigating Toronto’s Missing Men
On April 30th, 2017, Selim Esen was reported missing to the Toronto Police. On June 29th, 2017, Andrew Kinsman was reported missing to the Toronto Police. In early July 2017, the need to create a dedicated task force to investigate their disappearances was identified. The mandate of Project PRISM was to investigate these two disappearances […]
Under the Microscope 2023 – Melody Josserand
Due to the increase of global migration, missing person and unidentified, deceased person cases can have a cross-border impact. Often these cases are difficult to resolve in a national DNA database system. Through collaboration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the University of North Texas Center for Human Identification (UNTCHI) have developed the HDID […]
Under the Microscope 2023 – Nicole Novroski and Amy Smuts
In response to the growing demand for genetic genealogy in cold and violent crime cases, forensic practitioners worldwide are exploring the who, what, when, where, and how to implement forensic genetic genealogy alongside their existing workflows. Providing these services via public laboratories democratizes genetic genealogy in such a way that investigators are not reliant solely […]
Under the Microscope 2023 – Natasha Poe
On July 29, 2016, partially unidentified human remains were found in Slidell, Louisiana. The cause of death was determined to be a homicide. A CODIS eligible profile was obtained from a toenail removed from the decedent. A keyboard search was requested from Louisiana State Police and Mississippi State Police due to the remains being found […]
