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Every year, 4,400 unidentified bodies are recovered in the US, according to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs). National databases like CODIS provide a powerful framework for linking repeat crimes and providing leads to the identity of individuals who have left biological evidence at crime scenes. However, the same database is underutilized to identify unidentified human remains (UHRs); only ~1% of cases are resolved. For minority, native and indigenous peoples, particularly women and girls, the statistics are significantly lower because of a combination of database representation and reporting. Despite the advancements in high resolution next generation sequencing (NGS) capabilities and forensic investigative genetic genealogy (FIGG), the vast majority of missing persons cases do not avail of its benefits. As a result, missing persons programs throughout the United States and beyond have relatively low success rates and do not have a cost-effective and standardized approach to address this “silent mass disaster”.
This workshop, consisting of academic experts, forensic practitioners and medical examiners, will review established and emerging methods to associate UHRs to families, discuss considerations and practices for expanding database utility for underserved populations and strategies for operationalizing an end-to-end small, large-scale or national programs for the identification of UHRs.
Every year, 4,400 unidentified bodies are recovered in the US, according to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs). National databases like CODIS provide a powerful framework for linking repeat crimes and providing leads to the identity of individuals who have left biological evidence at crime scenes. However, the same database is underutilized to identify unidentified human remains (UHRs); only ~1% of cases are resolved. For minority, native and indigenous peoples, particularly women and girls, the statistics are significantly lower because of a combination of database representation and reporting. Despite the advancements in high resolution next generation sequencing (NGS) capabilities and forensic investigative genetic genealogy (FIGG), the vast majority of missing persons cases do not avail of its benefits. As a result, missing persons programs throughout the United States and beyond have relatively low success rates and do not have a cost-effective and standardized approach to address this “silent mass disaster”.
This workshop, consisting of academic experts, forensic practitioners and medical examiners, will review established and emerging methods to associate UHRs to families, discuss considerations and practices for expanding database utility for underserved populations and strategies for operationalizing an end-to-end small, large-scale or national programs for the identification of UHRs.
Fee includes lunch and materials.
Workshop currently at capacity. A waitlist is available to join on our registration page.
Retired Coroner, Sacramento County
Kimberly Gin retired from her role as Coroner for Sacramento County in 2022 and now runs her own consultancy, Kim Gin Professional Solutions, LLC. As the First Past President of the California State Coroners' Association and a member of the American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators, she is well-regarded in her field. Her notable achievements include utilizing Rapid DNA to identify disaster victims in the Camp Fire and Santa Barbara Dive Boat Fire and using Investigative Genetic Genealogy to solve multiple cold cases.
Associate Professor, University of Montana
Meradeth Snow is a professor of anthropology specializing in degraded and problematic DNA from forensic and archaeological contexts. She also runs the Forensic Anthropology program at the University of Montana, working with several States in the region for recovery and casework.
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