No one has hours to scour the papers to keep up with the latest news, so we’ve curated the top news stories in the field of Forensic Science for this week. Here’s what you need to know to get out the door!
Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office Teams with Othram to Identify the Suspect in the 1976 Murder of Karen Percifield (DNASolves – 4/03/2025)
On May 28, 1976, deputies were dispatched to the scene of a suspicious death near Aptos Village Park in Santa Cruz County, California. There, they discovered the body of a young woman. The death was quickly ruled a homicide, and the victim was identified as Karen Percifield. She was only 25 years old. At the time, detectives collected forensic evidence from the crime scene and pursued numerous investigative leads, but the case eventually went cold when no suspects could be definitively linked to the crime.
More than forty years later, in 2019, Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s investigators revisited the case and submitted several items of evidence to the California Department of Justice Bureau of Forensic Services for traditional forensic DNA testing. A male DNA profile was successfully developed from the evidence, but the individual was not in any criminal DNA database, leaving investigators without a name.
In the fall of 2023, the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office submitted forensic evidence to Othram in The Woodlands, Texas so that a DNA profile could be developed from the forensic evidence. Othram scientists successfully used Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing® to build a comprehensive DNA profile for the unknown individual. Othram’s in-house forensic genetic genealogy team used the profile to generate new investigative leads in the case.
Through this process, investigators used these new leads to identify Richard Sommerhalder as the person responsible for Karen Percifield’s murder. Back in 1976, Richard Sommerhalder had been considered a person of interest in the case, but there was not enough evidence at the time to pursue charges. Just months after Karen’s murder, in September 1976, Sommerhalder was arrested for two other murders in Santa Cruz County. He served eight and a half years in prison before being paroled and moving out of California. Years later, as detectives sought to revisit his involvement in Karen’s case and attempt to collect a reference DNA sample, they discovered that Sommerhalder had passed away in 1994.
Versaterm Showcases Wellness as Part of Its Forensics Solutions at Annual Crime Lab Directors Symposium (Officer – 4/04/2025)
Versaterm, a global leader in public safety solutions, will showcase its forensic technology and staff wellness solutions at the 52nd American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors (ASCLD) Annual Symposium. From April 4 through April 8, forensic leaders and managers will experience firsthand how Versaterm’s cloud-based solutions simplify crime lab processes and promote mental well-being. At booth #15, Versaterm will introduce its rebranded, industry-leading forensic lab solution:
Versaterm LIMS-plus, designed by forensic scientists for forensic scientists, provides enterprise data management for laboratory casework, offering cloud optionality implementation
Versaterm DNA, which automates forensic DNA sample processing to reduce backlogs
Versaterm Property & Evidence, for seamless evidence item tracking
Versaterm Consumables, which focuses on cost-effective and quality management of replenishable lab materials and reagents
Versaterm Mindbase, data-driven, accessible and confidential tools for employee wellness“The ASCLD Annual Symposium provides a valuable platform for forensic leaders to exchange ideas and explore new developments,” said Scott Ford, President of ASCLD. “We appreciate the longstanding support from Versaterm for this event, which helps create a collaborative environment where professionals can discuss and address the challenges facing our field.”
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department Leverages Othram’s Genetic Testing Platform to Identify a 1996 Homicide Victim (DNASolves – 4/01/2025)
On July 18, 1996, skeletal remains were discovered in a wooded area near the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. An autopsy by the Mecklenburg County Medical Examiner’s Office determined that the remains belonged to a female homicide victim. The case was entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) as case number UP51236. Despite extensive efforts—including forensic anthropology and traditional identification methods—the woman remained unidentified for more than two decades.
In 2024, with support from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Foundation, CMPD submitted the remains to Othram, a forensic laboratory specializing in advanced DNA testing. Due to the condition of the remains, multiple attempts were required to build a suitable DNA profile. Ultimately, Othram scientists used Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing® to successfully develop a comprehensive DNA profile suitable for forensic genetic genealogy.
After receiving the profile, CMPD enlisted the help of an additional team to perform genealogical research. Promising leads were developed and law enforcement investigators ultimately identified the woman as Betty Jean Benton. The identification was confirmed through a DNA sample provided by one of Benton’s relatives.
Betty Benton was born in Louisiana on February 27, 1954, and spent most of her life in Chicago, Illinois. Her family last heard from her in February 1991, when she said she was in North Carolina. She was reported missing in 1992, but no further trace of her was found—until now. The circumstances of her death remain under investigation.
Statistical Method Sheds More Light on Ancestral Roots (Forensic – 4/07/2025)
University of Michigan researchers have developed a statistical method that can be used for such wide-ranging applications as tracing your ancestry, modeling disease spread and studying how animals spread through geographic regions.
One of the method’s applications is to give a more complete sense of human ancestry, says Gideon Bradburd, U-M professor of ecology and evolutionary biology. For example, when you send your DNA off for a personalized ancestry report, the report you get back is only a very small view of your family tree pinned in a specific point and space in time.
These types of genetic reports reflect the amount of a person’s genome that they’ve inherited from individuals living in a specific area at a specific point in the past. If your ancestry report says that you’re 50% Irish, that means you have a lot of second through fourth cousins who currently live in Ireland, says Bradburd. But in reality, your family tree is much more like a movie than this snapshot.
The statistical method developed by Bradburd and fellow U-M researchers Michael Grundler and Jonathan Terhorst can give people a “movie” version of their ancestry, showing where their ancestors originated and how they moved across the globe. The method uses modern genetic sequence samples, estimates all of the locations of an individual’s genetic ancestors, identifies the average location of those individuals based on assumptions about how people move, and tracks it back over centuries.
Grant Funds the Creation of the Central Alabama Shared DNA Technology Project (Forensic – 4/07/2025)
Alabama State University’s Department of Forensic Science is now working in collaboration with the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office (DA), the Montgomery County Commission and other government entities to help solve crimes thanks to a $167,127 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance. The funds will be used to create the Central Alabama Shared DNA Technology Project (The Project).
The scientific area of The Project is led by the university’s Gulnaz Javan, coordinator of ASU’s Forensic Biology Program and a noted national expert in the study of death-related scientific topics and issues.
“Its goal is to adopt best practices of forensic science to help solve and deter violent crime, which is an issue within so many communities both here and elsewhere,” said Javan.
Police Aim to Crack 16-Year-Old Headless Corpse Mystery with Groundbreaking DNA Technology (TVP World – 4/07/2025)
Polish authorities are hoping to crack a 16-year-old murder mystery after an American DNA firm created a facial reconstruction of the victim, whose headless body was discovered in northern Poland.
In April 2009, members of a local tourist club were hiking near the village of Drzewina, about 35 kilometers from Gdańsk, when they came across a black garbage bag partially submerged in a pond and wrapped in a chain.
When they pulled it ashore, they discovered the dismembered body of a woman.
Police quickly launched an investigation, but with no head, arms or legs, and with a patch of skin bearing either a tattoo or birthmark having been removed from the torso, little could be determined beyond the woman’s gender.
Despite numerous investigative efforts, including interviews with potential witnesses and the collection of biological evidence, the case went cold, and by December 2009, the investigation was shelved.
However, in November last year, investigators reopened the case after American company Parabon NanoLabs, which specializes in DNA phenotyping to predict the appearance and origin of a victim based on biological material secured at the crime scene, led to the creation of a portrait of the woman.
Pierce County Sheriff’s Office Teams with Othram to Identify a 1997 Homicide Victim (DNASolves – 4/08/2025)
In October 1997, the skeletal remains of a woman were found by a person walking through the woods in Wilkeson, Washington in Pierce County. Wilkeson is a small town southeast of Seattle. Her remains were located on Gale Creek Rd, approximately 9 miles from Wilkeson School, south of Buckley. It was determined that the remains were that of a woman who was about 5’5″ and was between the ages of 20 and 50. She was wearing a dark blue long-sleeved sweatshirt with a Pacific Lutheran University logo along with a basketball logo and the word “LUTES.” She was also found with size 7 Union Bay blue jeans. She was also found with white Reebok tennis shoes with yellow & green trim, size 4 1/2.
Despite efforts by investigators, the woman could not be identifed and she became known as Piece County Jane Doe. In August 2009, details of Pierce County Jane Doe’s case were entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) as UP5691.
In October 2023, the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office submitted forensic evidence to Othram in The Woodlands, Texas to determine if advanced DNA testing could help identify the woman. Othram scientists successfully developed a DNA extract from the forensic evidence and then used Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing® to build a comprehensive genealogical profile for the unknown woman. Othram’s in-house forensic genetic genealogy team then used this profile to conduct genetic genealogy research, ultimately providing new investigative leads to law enforcement.
Using this new information, a follow-up investigation was conducted leading investigators to potential relatives of Pierce County Jane Doe. Reference DNA samples were collected from the potential relatives and compared to the DNA profile of the unknown woman. The potential relative’s DNA profile was compared to the DNA profile developed for the unknown woman using KinSNP® Rapid Relationship Testing. This investigation led to the identification of the woman as Laurie Kay (Lester) Krage, born December 17, 1959.
Kansas Bureau of Investigation Teams with Othram to Identify a 1973 John Doe (DNASolves – 4/08/2025)
In April 1973, the remains of an unidentified male were located three miles southeast of Garnett, Kansas, off 1550 Road. Garnett is in Anderson County, Kansas and is about 80 miles southwest of Kansas City. He was found wearing a brown corduroy jacket, a green long-sleeved buttoned shirt, jeans, a black leather belt with a large belt buckle, brown hiking boots, and a navy blue stocking cap. He was also wearing two gold rings with crosses, a ring with the number “78” and a silver chain with a large cross. During the autopsy in 1973, the coroner ruled the manner of death a homicide due to signs of trauma. It was determined the man was around 20-years-old and believed to have brown hair and a slender build.
Over the years, many attempts were made to identify the remains and learn what happened to the man. Despite an extensive investigation by law enforcement, the man’s identity could not be determined. The man became known as Garnett John Doe, and has also been referred to as Anderson County John Doe. Details of the case were entered into NamUs as UP2344.
In 2024, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation and the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office teamed with Othram in hopes that advanced forensic DNA testing could help establish an identity for the man. Forensic evidence was submitted to Othram’s laboratory in The Woodlands, Texas where Othram scientists successfully developed a DNA extract and then used Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing® to build a comprehensive DNA profile for the unknown man. Othram’s in-house forensic genetic genealogy team then used the profile in a genetic genealogy search to develop new investigative leads that were returned to investigators.
In early 2025, KBI learned the testing had identified relatives of the unknown man. After further investigation, KBI agents and the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office located the man’s relatives. They conducted interviews and collected DNA from a relative for comparison. The unidentified person was then positively identified as Jimmy Allen Dollison.
Jimmy Dollison had been living in Kansas City, Kansas when he went missing. He disappeared sometime in October or November of 1972, when he was 16-years-old. According to family members, he was reported missing by his parents, but the family never learned what happened to Jimmy.
Charleston Police Department Officially Launches DNA Laboratory (Forensic – 4/09/2025)
The Charleston Police Department proudly announces the official launch of its DNA Laboratory. This historic milestone is a significant advancement of forensic capabilities in the City of Charleston. The lab began accepting evidence in March 2025 following an exceptionally rigorous and multi-year preparation and accreditation process.
Approved by the Mayor and City Council in December 2022, the lab’s development included hiring expert staff, validating specialized equipment, and establishing strict protocols. This effort reflects Charleston’s commitment to science-based policing and public safety innovation.
Report Records Nearly 150 Exonerations in 2024 (Forensic – 4/09/2025)
In 2024, 147 people in the United States were exonerated after losing an average of 13.5 years of their lives to wrongful imprisonment, according to the just-released 2024 Annual Report of The National Registry of Exonerations. In total, the exonerated people lost 1,980 years of life to prison and the states that made the errors are liable for more than $4.6 billion in damages.
Factors leading to the exonerations include:
Perjury or false accusations: 72%
Official misconduct: 71%
Inadequate legal defense: 33%
False or misleading forensic evidence: 29%
Mistaken witness identification: 26%
False confessions: 15%The report shows race continues to play a major role—78% of the exonerees were people of color and 60% of all exonerees were Black.
Forensics Team Identifies Woman Murdered by Dictatorship in 1977 (Buenos Aires Herald – 4/09/2025)
An unidentified body buried in an Avellaneda cemetery has been identified as 21-year-old Virginia Beatriz Tempone, who was murdered by Argentina’s last dictatorship 48 years ago.
The Argentine Forensic Anthropology Team (EAAF, by its Spanish initials) announced that they had identified Tempone on Tuesday afternoon.
Tempone, a law student and political activist, was kidnapped from her second-floor home in Mar del Plata on January 26, 1977. During human rights trials after the dictatorship, witnesses testified that they had seen her at the Batán police station close to Mar del Plata and the ‘Brigada de Investigaciones’ clandestine detention centre in La Plata.
It is assumed she was then taken to Avellaneda and murdered along with two other people on April 5, 1977, at 3 a.m. before being buried on April 19, 1977 in the Avellaneda Municipal Cemetery.
In 1986, the team began exhuming mass and individual graves at the cemetery in Avellaneda that had been used to bury unidentified people between 1976 and 1978.
Decades after three bodies were exhumed from a grave, the EAAF identified two victims: Guillermo Enrique Pérez (2008) and Carlos Alberto Waitz (2012), a spokesperson told the Herald.
Based on information about Pérez and Waitz’s disappearance and bodies found in public at the time, the team developed the hypothesis: the third body could be that of Tempone.
An Exclusive Look Inside the DNA Lab Testing Evidence in the Amy Mihaljevic Case (Cleveland19 – 4/09/2025)
New DNA testing may be happening as soon as this summer on evidence, specifically hair, in the Amy Mihaljevic kidnapping and murder case.
It’s been 35 years since 10-year-old Amy was kidnapped from a shopping plaza in Bay Village.
Her body was found four months later, 50 miles away, in a field in rural Ashland County.
Podcast: Who Killed Amy? New ‘Dark Side’ episode goes inside forensic lab testing DNA evidence from 1989 murder of Bay Village child
Interactive timeline: A closer look at the Amy Mihaljevic murder mystery
About 300 yards away from Amy’s body, investigators found a blanket and a curtain. They believe Amy was wrapped in it when she was dumped in the field.Hair on that curtain and blanket was collected as evidence.Right now, those hairs are at an FBI lab. Bay Village Detective Sgt. Jay Elish says they’re waiting on confirmation the hair is not Amy’s or any of her family members.
