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!
FBI to Discuss Rule Change in National Rapid DNA Webinar (Forensic – 1/02/2025)
A National Rapid DNA webinar is scheduled for Monday, January 13 at 12 pm EST. During the webinar, the FBI, FBINAA, and other notable speakers will discuss a significant FBI rule change to allow local law enforcement officers to test crime scene evidence tested on Rapid DNA and have those results searched quickly against the 20 million plus DNA profiles in CODIS.
The webinar will be hosted by Paul Butler, international law enforcement leadership expert and official master of ceremonies of the FBI National Academy Associates.
Michigan State Police Teams with Othram to Identify a 1979 Homicide Victim (DNASolves – 1/03/2025)
In July 1979, the remains of an unidentified individual were found in a debris pile at a dead end road in Covert Township, a civil township located in Van Buren County, Michigan. It was determined that the remains were that of an adult male whose age was estimated to be between 33 and 69 years. The man’s height was estimated to be between 5’9″ and 6’5″l. The man was found wearing an electric Timex watch and a silver chain that had an anchor/ship’s wheel charm and a gold medallion. On the front of the medallion was the face of Jesus and on the back was a Spanish phrase that translated to “Our Lady of Guadalupe – pray for us.” Without any identifying documents, the man became known as Van Buren John Doe.
Since the discovery of the unknown man’s remains, investigators diligently pursued various leads about his identity. To help visualize the man’s appearance during his life, an artist rendering was created and released to the public in hopes that it would generate new leads about the man’s identity. Details of the case were entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) as UP17351. Despite the exhaustive efforts of law enforcement, the man’s identity could not be determined and the case remained unsolved for 45 years.
In 2022, the Michigan State Police teamed with Othram to leverage advanced DNA testing and genetic genealogy to develop investigative leads in hopes of identifying the man. Forensic evidence was submitted to Othram’s laboratory in The Woodlands, Texas where DNA was extracted and used to build a comprehensive DNA profile using Forensic Grade Genome Sequencing®. Othram genealogists used the profile in a forensic genetic genealogy search to provide new leads to law enforcement.
These new leads fueled a follow-up investigation, leading Michigan State Police investigators to potential relatives of the man. The DNA profile of a potential relative was compared to the John Doe’s profile using KinSNP® rapid relationship testing, allowing investigators to eventually confirm that Van Buren John Doe was, in fact, Robert L McDaniel, who was born in 1930 in Trenton, New Jersey.
Mississippi State Medical Examiner & Mississippi Bureau of Investigation Team with Othram to Identify a 2022 Homicide Victim (DNASolves – 1/05/2025)
In 2022, the remains of an unidentified individual were discovered in Jackson, Mississippi. Located in Hinds County, Jackson is the Mississippi’s capital and most populous city. The partially-skeletonized remains were found in a vacant, overgrown field at the intersection of Thomas Catchings Drive and Dixon Road. The Jackson Fire Department made the discovery while on site to extinguish a brush fire. An investigation to determine the individual’s identity was launched and it was determined that the remains were that of an adult male with likely European ancestry.
The unknown man had suffered a gunshot wound to the head and his death was ruled a homicide. Details of the case were entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) as UP100513. With no match to a known individual, the man became known as Hinds County John Doe.
In 2023, the Mississippi State Medical Examiner’s Office and Mississippi Bureau of Investigation once again teamed with Othram in hopes that advanced DNA testing could help to determine the man’s identity. Forensic evidence was submitted to Othram’s laboratory in The Woodlands, Texas. Othram scientists developed a DNA extract from the evidence so that a DNA profile could be built for the man using Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing®. Once the DNA profile was built, Othram’s in-house forensic genetic genealogy team performed genealogical and records research in order to develop new leads in the case. Funding for this case was provided by Mississippi native and philanthropist, Carla Davis.
These new leads were provided to investigators, and a follow-up investigation was conducted. With the provided information, investigators were able to identify a potential relative of the man. The DNA profile of the potential relative was compared to the unknown man’s DNA profile using KinSNP® Rapid Relationship Testing. This investigation led to the identification of the man as Andrew Bert Coker, born in March of 1986.
NIJ: Anticipated Forensic Research Interests in 2025 (Forensic – 1/06/2025)
NIJ’s current research interests in fiscal year (FY) 2025 are presented. These interests are subject to change and may not result in a funding opportunity, depending on contemporary priorities and available funding.
Woman Identified 33 Years After Homicide; 15 Years After Her Murderer Released from Prison (Forensic – 1/06/2025)
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that a female homicide victim, whose identity remained unknown for more than three decades, has now been identified as Judy Rodriguez by using advanced DNA testing. Rodriguez’s unidentified body, bound at the ankles with a cord and covered with a large wooden board, was discovered on Aug. 25, 1991, in a grassy area at the intersection of Cross Island and Southern State parkways in southeast Queens.
Four men were prosecuted and convicted in 1992 and 1993 for their roles in the killing, but the identity of the victim remained unknown. Rodriguez was reported missing by her family shortly after being last seen on Jan. 23, 1991, at her daughter’s first birthday party.
Genealogy Solves Cold Case Rapes of 11-Year-Old Girls (Forensic – 1/06/2025)
On June 22, 1988, two 11-year-old girls were sexually assaulted during a sleepover in a playhouse attic on a property in Port Angeles, Wash. Early that morning, an unknown male suspect forced entry into the attic, blocked their escape, physically assaulted them, and threatened harm if they resisted. The perpetrator then sexually assaulted both victims prior to fleeing the scene. The girls immediately sought help from a parent, and police were contacted.
Port Angeles Police Department officers and detectives responded promptly, conducting extensive searches, interviews and evidence collection. This included physical evidence such as photographs, latent prints, bedding, and an article of clothing believed to belong to the suspect, as well as biological samples from sexual assault examinations.
Detroit Police Department Teams with Othram to Identify a 2006 Homicide Victim (DNASolves – 1/06/2025)
In June 2006, the body of an unidentified woman was discovered in an abandoned house on the east side of Detroit, Michigan. It was determined that the remains were that of a Black female who was between the ages of 20 and 30 years. The woman’s height was estimated to be 5’0” and no other identifying characteristics could be determined. It was estimated that the woman had died only days prior to the discovery of her remains and her manner of death was ruled as a homicide.
The woman, a confessed victim of Detroit serial killer Shelly Brooks, could not be identified and details of the case were entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) as UP7935. A forensic composite depicting how the woman may have looked during her life was developed and released to the public in hopes that it would assist with her identification. Despite the efforts of investigators, the woman could not be identified and the case was cold for nearly two decades.
In April 2022, the Detroit Police Department teamed with Othram to determine if advanced DNA testing and forensic genetic genealogy could help generate new leads and assist with identifying the unknown woman. Evidence was submitted to Othram’s laboratory in The Woodlands, Texas. Othram scientists successfully developed a DNA extract from the forensic evidence and used Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing® to build a comprehensive DNA profile for the unknown woman. Othram’s in-house forensic genetic genealogy team then used this profile to conduct genealogy research, ultimately providing new investigative leads to law enforcement.
Using these new leads, a follow-up investigation was launched leading to potential family members of the unidentified woman. This investigation led to the identification of Jane Doe, who is now known to be Darylnn Washington, who was born June 15, 1959. Darylnn’s family was notified of her identification. Throughout the course of the investigation, investigators learned that Washington’s family believed their loved one had been murdered by a serial killer, but her remains were never located.
Study: Blowflies Can Retain DNA Evidence from Crime Scenes (Forensic – 1/06/2025)
Experts have long studied and used blowflies as forensic tools given their ability to help estimate time of death. In fact, blowflies are usually the first to arrive at an open-air crime scene—typically just 10 minutes after a murder. They are drawn by body fluids and gasses associated with the decomposition of a corpse.
Over the years, much research has been done on blowflies, including decomposition patterns, the effect of different weather/environments, the impact of clothing, and more. And now, a researcher in England is studying blowflies for an entirely new purpose—to help solve rape cases.
Ontario Provincial Police and Toronto Police Service Leverage Othram’s Genetic Testing Platform to Identify a 2003 John Doe (DNASolves – 1/07/2025)
In May 2003, the remains of an unidentified individual were discovered in the Livingstone Channel of the Detroit River in Amherstburg, Ontario. The Detroit River forms part of the border between the U.S. state of Michigan and the Canadian province of Ontario. It was determined that the remains were that of an adult male, who could not be identified. The man became known as Livingstone Channel John Doe.
Details of the case were entered into Canada’s National Centre for Missing Persons and Unidentified Remains (NCMPUR) as case 2016061103. Despite investigators’ efforts, the case was cold for more than two decades. In 2023, the Ontario Provincial Police, in collaboration with Toronto Police Service, teamed with Othram in The Woodlands, Texas to determine if advanced DNA testing could help identify the man.
Forensic evidence was submitted to Othram’s laboratory and Othram scientists used Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing® to build a comprehensive DNA profile for the unknown man. Upon successfully completing the process, the profile was returned to law enforcement so that a forensic genetic genealogy search could be conducted. This forensic genetic genealogy search, led by the Toronto Police Service genetic genealogy team, generated new leads in the case.
Using this new information, a follow-up investigation was conducted, leading investigators to potential relatives of the man. This investigation led to the positive identification of the man, who is now known to be 48-year-old James Raymond Stewart of Michigan.
Speeding Up the Wheels of Justice: How NIST Resources Can Help Crime Labs Work Faster (NIST – 1/08/2025)
Unlike what you may see on TV or in the movies, forensic analysis of crime evidence takes a long time. And understaffed forensic laboratories around the country often have huge backlogs of evidence to process. The methods typically used to analyze these samples can take tens of minutes to complete, at minimum.
That may not sound like much. But multiply this by the hundreds or thousands of samples a forensic laboratory needs to analyze. This means cases take longer to prosecute, and the justice system moves more slowly than it should.
Toronto Police Service Leverages Othram’s Forensic Sequencing Platform to Identify a 1993 Serial Rapist (DNASolves – 1/09/2025)
In May 1987, a woman was raped at knifepoint by an unknown man in her Toronto apartment. Nearly six years later in 1993, a young woman was attacked by an unknown man while she was on a walking path in Oakville. Oakville is located in Ontario’s Halton Region on Lake Ontario between the cities of Toronto and Hamilton.
The person responsible for the assault of both women was unknown for decades. In 2022, the Toronto Police Service once again teamed with Othram to determine if advanced DNA testing could help to identify the unknown man. Toronto Police Service previously teamed with Othram to solve the 1983 murders of Susan Tice and Erin Gilmour as well as the abduction and murder of Christine Jessop.
Forensic evidence collected from one of the assaults was sent to Othram’s laboratory in The Woodlands, Texas where Othram scientists used Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing® to build a comprehensive DNA profile for the unknown male suspect. The profile was delivered to Toronto Police Service investigators, who then used forensic genetic genealogy to generate investigative leads.
Toronto Police Service investigators worked to develop new leads in the case based on the forensic genetic genealogy search. A follow-up investigation led to the suspect being identified as Bradley Britton. Britton was arrested and in December 2024, he pleaded guilty to sexual assault and sexual assault with a weapon in Superior Court in Milton, Ontario, marking what has been reported as the first convictions for sexual assault using forensic genetic genealogy in Ontario.
How Military Forensic Scientists use DNA to Solve Mysteries (ASBMBToday – 1/10/2025)
In military conflicts during which service members die, they are not always immediately recovered or easily identified. It’s a difficult reality to contend with. This is where forensic biologists come in. These scientists analyze the DNA of the deceased so that investigations can close, remains can be buried and families can grieve.
Military DNA identification happens at the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System, or AFMES, at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. AFMES aims to “(i)nvestigate deaths, identify the fallen (and) improve readiness.”
In addition to DNA identification, staff at AFMES perform forensic pathology, during which they identify the cause and manner of active service member death and investigate crime scenes and aircraft accidents; they also perform forensic toxicology, which encompasses all aircraft, ship and ground accidents as well as DUI investigations and autopsies.
I spoke with two forensic DNA analysts at AFMES in the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory, or AFDIL, Luisa Forger of the Past Accounting Section and Malachi Weaver of Current Day Operations.
The Past Accounting Section identifies the remains of prisoners of war or those missing in action from as far back as World War II and reports their finding to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency. Conversely, the Current Day Operations department identifies the remains of current service members.
Ramapo IGG Center Teams with Retired Investigators Guild to Solve More Crimes (Forensic – 1/13/2025)
The Ramapo College of New Jersey Investigative Genetic Genealogy Center (RCNJ IGG Center) and the Retired Investigators Guild (RIG) are proud to announce a groundbreaking partnership aimed at addressing one of the most pressing challenges in law enforcement: unsolved violent crime. The collaboration, formalized through a memorandum of understanding (MOU), brings together the expertise of the RCNJ IGG Center with the decades of field experience held by members of the RIG.
This partnership leverages the unique strengths of both organizations to pursue justice for victims and provide answers for families affected by unsolved crimes. Under the terms of the MOU, the RCNJ IGG Center will provide pro bono IGG services on RIG cases. The collaboration will also provide hands-on learning opportunities for Ramapo College students studying criminal justice, forensic science, and related fields.
Amber’s Law: Family of Murder Victim Pushing for More Crime Lab Funding (WYMT – 1/13/2025)
The family of Amber Spradlin is hoping to use her case to create change, pushing for legislators to introduce “Amber’s Law” during this year’s legislative session.
Spradlin was murdered June 18, 2023, in the home of Prestonsburg dentist and business owner, Dr. Michael McKinney. Her family waited for answers in the case for more than one year- organizing protests and putting up billboards to spread awareness- before three men were arrested in connection to the murder in July 2023.
Since the murder, representatives for the family and the Commonwealth have cited a backlog at the Kentucky State Police Forensic Laboratory as a reason for the delays, saying the brutality of the case and the many different DNA processing needs at the scene were not easy factors to overcome.
Mark Wohlander, an attorney for the family, said the backlog of evidence at the lab is due to underfunding. He asserted that, though the technicians “work tirelessly every day to process evidence,” he believes more funding would bring in more people to help address the backlog.
Texas Forensic Science Commission Supports NIST Recommendations (NIST – 1/13/2025)
NIST forensic science program leads recommend analysts include alongside their results information about their adherence to an approved method and the performance of that method when tested using samples that are most reflective of the quality or conditions of the evidence in the case at hand. The Texas Forensic Science Commission (TFSC) reviewed the NIST authors’ recommendations and established a collaborative working group focused on understanding and implementing them in Texas labs.
Accelerating a Career in Forensics (Twin Cities UMN – 1/13/2025)
Sophie Leaf’s favorite subject in high school was genetics. She was amazed that such a small thing like DNA could create our unique human characteristics. It inspired her to study biology as an undergraduate at the University of Minnesota Duluth, where she gained valuable research experience in a plant evolution lab.
After graduation, Leaf found a job as an evidence processor in a forensics lab. “I thought it was really important to help people and our criminal justice system,” she says.
Not long after, Leaf decided to pursue a master’s degree to develop the knowledge and skills to help her advance to the role of DNA analyst. Ultimately, she chose the Master of Biological Sciences program through the University of Minnesota’s College of Continuing & Professional Studies because of its flexibility for working adults (students can attend part-time and have five years to complete their degree) and its wide variety of courses.
To complement her work in the lab, Leaf took advanced courses in genetics, genomics, and molecular biology. She also took courses in computational biology and bioinformatics that explore new technologies and how they can be applied to forensic science.
As an evidence processor, Leaf would take evidence collected from crime scenes and search for any bodily fluids or fingerprints and photograph them. This work generated the materials that DNA analysts or latent print examiners could use to make comparisons.
Now, as a DNA analyst with the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office Forensic Science Lab, Leaf takes swabbings or cuttings from items of evidence and attempts to develop a DNA profile from them. “I’ll extract any DNA from the items, quantify how much DNA is present, amplify the fragments, and generate a profile which I can then compare to suspects, victims, or anyone who may be relevant to the case,” says Leaf.
Measuring DNA Shedding: A New Tool in Forensic Science (MSN – 1/13/2025)
DNA’s long-term stability and its ability to precisely confirm the identity of a potential suspect in criminal cases have supported its continuous use for forensic analyses.
Recent advancements in molecular biology techniques have allowed scientists to determine an individual’s ‘DNA shedding’ status, which can improve forensic investigations and, more precisely, determine the role of an individual’s presence during a crime.
Mississippi State Medical Examiner & Mississippi Bureau of Investigation Team with Othram to Identify a 1991 John Doe (DNASolves – 1/14/2025)
In February 1991, the skeletal remains of an unidentified individual were discovered in Picayune, a small town in southwest Mississippi. The discovery was made in a wooded area near a public recreation facility in Pearl River County. It was determined that the remains were that of an adult male likely between the ages of 55 and 65 years, whose ancestry could not be definitively determined. The man’s height and weight were estimated to be 5’10” and 190 pounds, respectively. With no clues about the man’s identity, he became known as Pearl River County John Doe and details of the case were entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) as UP4766.
In 2022, the man’s remains were transferred to the Mississippi State Medical Examiner’s Office so that an anthropological analysis could be developed in hopes that the individual could be identified. Pearl River John Doe’s identity being a mystery for nearly thirty years, when in 2023, the Mississippi Office of the State Medical Examiner & Mississippi Bureau of Investigation submitted evidence to Othram’s laboratory in The Woodlands, Texas in hopes that advanced DNA testing could help to identify the man. Funding for Othram’s casework was provided by Mississippi native and philanthropist, Carla Davis.
At Othram, scientists successfully developed a DNA extract from the evidence and then used Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing® to build a DNA profile for the John Doe. An initial biogeographical analysis definitively determined the individual’s ancestry to be of African descent, and Othram’s in-house forensic genetic genealogy team worked to develop new leads in the case, hoping to identify the John Doe.
These leads were returned to investigators who conducted a follow-up investigation that led to potential relatives of the man. The unknown man’s DNA profile was compared to the DNA profile of a potential relative. This investigation led to the identification of the man as Warner Washington, born December 29, 1908. It was determined during the initial investigation that Washington’s death was not due to foul play.
Advancing Justice for the Missing and Unidentified Through Research (NIJ – 1/15/2025)
One of the highlights of the 2024 NIJ Research Conference was the plenary panel, Advancing Justice for the Missing and Unidentified Through Research. Lucas Zarwell, director of NIJ’s Office of Investigative and Forensic Sciences, moderated a lively discussion among four experts about the complex issue of resolving long-term missing and unidentified person cases while finding dignified and legal outcomes for the deceased.
How to Handle Inconclusive Decisions and Error Rates (Forensic – 1/15/2025)
There is one answer forensic scientists sometimes provide after analyzing evidence that confounds lawyers and judges: inconclusive. When referring to evidence that requires comparing patterns, such as with firearm examinations, an inconclusive result means that the analyst was not able to offer a more definitive opinion regarding whether the patterns were made by the same source, such as two bullets being fired from the same gun. The resulting inconclusive opinion can be a legitimate answer, but one that courts around the country have struggled to deal with because it raises even more questions about how to interpret the opinion. When are inconclusive results appropriate? How do inconclusive results impact assessments of error rates? Do inconclusive results carry inculpatory or exculpatory implications? These questions have become a point of debate and disagreement among forensic, legal, and academic commentators.
In an article published in Forensic Science International: Synergy, several NIST authors reviewed the literature relating to these different viewpoints. Ultimately, they suggested that an inconclusive opinion, or any opinion for that matter, is appropriate so long as the analyst properly followed the specifications of an approved method. Further, the authors agreed with and expanded on perspectives that error rates, despite their historical use, are not a suitable metric for representing the validity and reliability of analytical methods that can result in more than two outcomes. This is especially the case with firearm examinations and other forensic science disciplines where an inconclusive opinion may be the appropriate option given the information available to the scientist. In these situations, the use of error rates alone provides an incomplete and potentially misleading representation of reliability for courts to consider. As a way forward, the NIST authors recommended more complete summaries of the empirical validation data relating to the methods used, including information about the extent to which the analysts adhered to those methods in a particular case.
Trenton Police Department and FBI Leverage Othram’s Forensic Sequencing Platform to Identify a 2011 Homicide Victim (DNASolves – 1/15/2025)
In September 2011, the body of an unidentified woman were discovered in the Detroit River in Trenton, a city in Wayne County, Michigan. Investigators determined that the remains were that of a Black woman who was likely 20 to 37 years old. The woman weighed 168 pounds. She could not be identified and she eventually became known as Wayne County Jane Doe.
Details of the case were entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) as UP9922. A forensic sketch depicting how the woman may have looked during her life was developed and released to the public. Despite law enforcement investigators’ extensive efforts to identify the woman, no matches were found, and her identity was a mystery.
In 2022, the Trenton Police Department, working with Lori Bruski at NamUs, submitted forensic evidence to Othram’s laboratory in The Woodlands, Texas. In an effort to use advanced DNA testing to identify the woman, Othram scientists successfully developed a DNA extract from the evidence and then used Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing® to build a comprehensive DNA profile for the woman. Upon completion of the process, the profile was delivered to the FBI’s forensic genetic genealogy team so that genealogy research could be performed.
A follow-up investigation was launched leading investigators to potential relatives of the woman. This investigation led to the identification of Wayne County Jane Doe as 36-year-old Tannisha Marie Edison, who lived in the Plymouth and Greenfield area of Detroit. Edison’s death is being investigated as a homicide and investigators.
Hong Kong Police Launch First Mobile Forensics Lab to Solve Crimes Faster (SCMP – 1/16/2025)
Hong Kong police have launched their first mobile forensics laboratory, equipped with advanced technology to speed up response times to crime scenes and evidence testing results.
The HK$1.4 million (US$179,815) van turned lab was introduced in the final quarter of last year and used for the first time in a murder case earlier this month, according to the force.
“The time frame from the moment we arrive at the crime scene until all results are obtained has been shortened from half a day to one hour or more,” said Tan Tung-fai, chief inspector of the Identification Bureau’s advanced technology section.
Tan said an average of seven cases required his section’s help every year, adding he expected his team would be called to survey more crime scenes now that the lab had been launched.“The mobile lab is particularly used for serious crimes such as murder cases,” he said.
The lab has three sections: a fingerprint examination workstation; storage space for instruments and tools; and an area to keep support equipment for outdoor operations.
