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!
Remains Identified as 1 of 2 Roommates Missing Since 2020 (Forensic – 3/24/2025)
Familial reference standards have confirmed that remains found in August 2024 in Howell County (Missouri) are those of Ira Briscoe, a 25-year-old man who went missing in December 2020 under suspicious circumstances.
Additional skeletal remains were found at the same site as Briscoe but have not yet been identified. The Howell County Sheriff’s Office said the second set of remains will be submitted to a private laboratory for further DNA testing. Many in the community anticipate the identification will confirm the remains belong to Limon Little, Briscoe’s roommate.
New DNA Technology Helps Identify Missing WWII Aviator (Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency – 3/21/2025)
In a groundbreaking achievement, scientists at the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency have successfully identified a missing U.S. service member with the aid of an advanced DNA capture method on March 6, 2025.
This method, called Single Nucleotide Polymorphism, also known as SNP capture, has been advanced by the scientists within the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory, part of the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System, and marks a significant step forward in efforts to bring closure to families of those lost in past conflicts.
“Bringing answers to families who have long awaited news of their missing loved ones fills me with immense pride,” said Kelly McKeague, DPAA director. “This new process, with its enhanced identification capabilities, empowers us to more efficiently identify those we seek and provide answers to the families.”
The first individual identified using this cutting-edge technology was U.S. Navy Ensign Eugene Esmond Mandeberg, who went missing during World War II. His remains were matched to his family through a combination of mitochondrial DNA, Y-chromosome DNA, and nuclear SNP testing. The tests were conducted at the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory in Dover, Delaware.
Mandeberg was part of a U.S. Navy formation returning from a mission near Atsugi Airfield, Japan, on Aug. 15, 1945 – coincidentally, the day Japan announced its surrender. His squadron came under attack by enemy fighters, and four of the six aircraft failed to return to the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown (CV-5). Mandeberg was reported as Missing in Action, and his remains were never recovered – until now.
Historians at DPAA, after years of research, identified Mandeberg as a likely candidate for remains found near Totsuka, Japan. This led to SNP testing on bones recovered from the site, including a left femur and right tibia. The results matched the DNA profiles of Mandeberg’s paternal nephew and maternal cousin, confirming his identity.
Georgia Bureau of Investigation Teams with Othram to Identify a 1986 Homicide Victim (DNASolves – 3/24/2025)
In August 1986, hunters found the remains of an unidentified man in a wooded area off of a Gilmer County stretch of the Appalachian Highway. The discovery was made five miles southwest of Ellijay, Georgia. The man’s body was found with clothing, although his remains were scattered, suggesting animal activity. The Gilmer County Sheriff’s Office asked the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) for assistance. The GBI’s medical examiner conducted an autopsy and ruled the manner of death as a homicide. The GBI and the Gilmer County Sheriff’s Office investigated numerous leads to identify the remains, but to no avail. Details of the case were entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) as UP11115.
In 2024, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Cold Case Unit teamed with Othram for the use of advanced DNA testing. Othram used Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing® to build a comprehensive genealogy profile from the unidentified victim’s aged and degraded skeletal remains. The profile was then used in a forensic genetic genealogy search to provide new leads for a follow-up investigation, which took investigators from the GBI along with the FBI across the country. This collaborative effort included officials from GBI intelligence analysts, FBI Atlanta, and FBI Atlanta’s Gainesville Resident Agency.
After contacting and testing possible relatives, KinSNP® Rapid Relationship Testing was used to confirm the identity of the homicide victim as David Clary, who was in his late 20s when he was killed. Clary grew up in the Charlotte, North Carolina area. At the time of his death, he made frequent trips to Metro Atlanta and North Georgia. His last known location was in Gwinnett County, Georgia.
Detroit Police Department Teams with Othram to Identify a 2018 Jane Doe (DNASolves – 3/24/2025)
In September 2018, the remains of an unidentified individual were discovered in Detroit, Michigan. The skeletal remains, including a skull and bones, were found by an AT&T worker behind a vacant home in the 14200 block of Camden on the east side of Detroit. It was estimated that the remains were that of a Black female between the ages of 17 and 22 years. The woman was estimated to be between 5’8” and 6’1” tall. The woman could not be identified and details of the cases were entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) as UP52302.
In 2023, 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 where casework costs were paid by the Action Now Initiative, an advocacy network that supports the mission of Arnold Ventures to maximize opportunity and minimize injustice through evidence-based policy reform.
Othram scientists successfully developed a DNA extract 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. The follow-up investigation led to a potential relative of the woman, who provided a reference DNA sample. The potential relative’s DNA profile was compared to the DNA profile developed for the unknown woman using KinsSNP® Rapid Relationship Testing. This investigation led to the identification of the woman as Tiffany Tillmon, born February 8, 1992.
Santa Cruz County Sheriff-Coroner and California DOJ Team with Othram to Identify a 1995 Jane Doe (DNASolves – 3/25/2025)
On March 22, 1995, partial skeletal remains were discovered in a riverbed east of Rogge Lane on Highway 129 in Santa Cruz County, California. Initially, investigators believed the remains belonged to a homestead burial and were of historical origin rather than being linked to a modern missing persons case. Investigators later conducted radiocarbon dating on the remains. The results indicated that the individual was likely born between 1964 and 1967, with an estimated date of death between 1977 and 1984.
This finding reclassified the case as an active forensic investigation, shifting focus toward identifying the young woman. The unidentified young woman was estimated to have been between 13 and 17 years old at the time of her death, standing between 5’1” and 5’7”, with brown hair and possible European ancestry. Details of the case were entered into NamUs as UP14233.
Recognizing the potential for forensic genetic genealogy to resolve the case, the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office and the California Departmemnt of Justice teamed with Othram in 2022 to conduct advanced forensic DNA testing. Using Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing®, Othram’s scientists were able to sequence DNA from the degraded remains, generating a comprehensive DNA profile. Othram’s in-house forensic genetic genealogy team used the profile to generate new investigative leads in the case.
Investigators used the leads in a follow up investigation to track down living relatives of the unknown woman and eventually confirmed her identity as Laura Ann O’Malley. Laura went missing from New York at the age of 13 in August of 1975. Although the circumstances of her disappearance remain unclear, her identification marks a crucial step in resolving her case. Investigators are now working to piece together the details of her life and the events that led to her discovery in the Santa Cruz County riverbed. Anyone with information related to this case is urged to call Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office dispatch at 831-471-1121.
University Launches One of Canada’s First Forensic Anthropology Degrees (Forensic – 3/26/2025)
Trent University has launched a new Bachelor of Science in Forensic Anthropology, one of the first standalone programs of its kind in Canada, helping address the demand for professionals trained in the field for a range of career applications, including criminal investigations, disaster response, and human rights inquiries.
There is a growing need for specialists who can recover and analyze human remains. Coroners’ offices, forensic units within police services, and medical examiners are facing shortages of trained personnel who can interpret skeletal evidence and assist in death investigations. Around the world, these skills are needed by organizations such as the Red Cross for mass grave recovery and disaster victim identification.
This program offers students a unique opportunity to study human remains in a medico-legal context.
Second of Two Roommates Identified from Remains (Forensic – 3/26/2025)
DNA analysis and a familial reference sample has confirmed the second set of remains found in August 2024 alongside just-identified Ira Briscoe are in fact Limon Little, Briscoe’s missing roommate.
On March 18, familial reference standards confirmed one set of remains found wrapped and dumped in a cistern in rural Lanton, Miss., to be those of Ira Briscoe, a 25-year-old man who went missing in December 2020 under suspicious circumstances.
A second set of remains were found with Briscoe’s but remained unidentified until March 25, 2025. On Tuesday, the Howell County Sheriff’s Office received an official report from an outside laboratory that identified the second set of remains as Little. This conclusion was made after comparing a profile generated from the remains to a reference standard provided by Little’s sister. The probability was determined to be 99.33%.
Little went missing on Dec. 15, 2020—just two days before Briscoe. Investigators were initially hesitant to connect Briscoe and Little, unsure if they and their cases were connected. Still today, a Missouri State Highway Patrol missing flyer refers to Little as a “possible roommate” of Briscoe—although there have seen been multiple confirmations that the two men were indeed roommates at the time of their respective disappearances.
Howell County Sheriff Matt Roberts made contact with Little’s next-of-kin last week to update her on Briscoe’s identification. Yesterday, Roberts made the notification of Little’s confirmed identity, as well.
Ramapo College’s Investigative Genetic Genealogy Center Helps Solve 2014 Cold Case (News12 New Jersey – 3/26/2025)
Students at Ramapo College’s Investigative Genetic Genealogy Center are gaining a reputation for solving cold cases.
Most recently, they solved the case of a woman reported missing in 2014. When the students started investigating the case, police had only evidence of a foot found inside a Reebok sneaker. The foot bone was found in 2017 on the banks of the Delaware River in Pohatcong. To find out who the foot belonged to, investigators at the New Jersey State Police’s Cold Case Unit turned to students at Ramapo College.The Investigative Genetic Genealogy Center has solved 20 cold cases in two years’ worth of work. Students took DNA profiles from the bone, put it through genealogy databases and started to build multiple family trees. They then made a match with a woman named Maria Quinones Garcia.
Baltimore County Police Identify “Falls Road Jane Doe” (Baltimore County Police Department – 3/27/2025)
More than 29 years after her remains were found, a woman known only as “Falls Road Jane Doe” has been identified. Through a partnership established with DNA Labs International (DLI), the Baltimore County Police Department now knows that Leoria Smith was last seen twelve years before her body was discovered. At the time of her disappearance, Leoria was 20 years old and the mother of an infant daughter. Leoria’s disappearance was unknown to detectives due to it never being reported to authorities
It wasn’t until March 1996 when human remains were found in a wooded area off Falls Road that detectives became involved. The woman was found wearing blue jeans, a light colored blouse with dark pinstripes and pearl buttons, a leather jacket, and high-top style shoes. Additionally, two gold hoop earrings were also recovered at the scene. Despite extensive investigative efforts, the identity of the woman’s remains could not be determined and the woman became known as “Falls Road Jane Doe.”
In April 2021, knowing that DNA Labs International utilized the latest forensic technology available, the Baltimore County Police Department enlisted DLI to use the latest technology available on this case. Through DLI’s ForenSeq Kintelligence System, the private forensic DNA laboratory applied the newest Forensic Investigative Genetic Genealogy (FIGG) technology which was available and designed specifically for challenging forensic samples. The testing enabled the development of a DNA profile. That profile was then used by DLI’s genealogists to generate new investigative leads for the Department. Based on those leads, detectives conducted numerous interviews and obtained samples for additional testing. This collaboration led to the identity of “Falls Road Jane Doe” becoming known.
The Baltimore County Police Department extends its gratitude to DNA Labs International and its commitment to this case. DLI, which is a private forensic DNA laboratory with over 20 years of experience, was founded uniquely to support law enforcement across the U.S., Canada, and the Caribbean.
While detectives now know Leoria’s identity, the search for answers surrounding her suspicious death continues. Anyone who knew Leoria Smith, or may have photographs of her, is being asked to contact Baltimore County detectives at 410-887-3943. Information may also be provided through the Baltimore County iWATCH program.
iWATCH Link: https://iwatch.baltimorecountymd.gov/We know that in the late 1970s, into 1980, she attended Gywnns Falls Park Junior High School. Just prior to her death, she also frequented the club “Underground”, which was located in the 2100 block of Edmondson Avenue in Baltimore City. Detectives received information that Leoria was possibly last seen alive at the club “Underground” celebrating her birthday in November of 1984.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department & NC Unidentified Project Team with Othram to Identify a 1987 John Doe (DNASolves – 3/27/2025)
In 1987, the skeletal remains of an unknown individual were discovered in the soil by backhoe operator while excavating a muddy creek bed in Mecklenberg County, North Carolina. The heavy machine operator found a human skull but no jaw bone or any other remains were recovered. Investigators believe it was an adult male who was under 40 years-old. Despite the efforts of law enforcement and investigators, the man’s identity could not be determined, and details of the case were entered into NamUs as UP79088.
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department and the North Carolina Unidentified Project partnered with Othram to determine if advanced DNA testing could help identify the John Doe. The NC Unidentified Project is an initiative that was co-founded by Board Certified Forensic Anthropologist and Director of the NC Human Identification & Forensics Analysis Lab at NC State University in Raleigh, Dr. Ann Ross and Leslie Kaufman, Forensic Genetic Genealogist with First Genes, LLC, and member of the Carolinas Cold Case Coalition, created to raise and provide funding or assistance with unidentified person cases.
In 2022, forensic evidence was submitted to Othram’s laboratory in The Woodlands, Texas where DNA was extracted. Using Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing®, a comprehensive DNA profile was developed for the unknown man. The DNA profile was then returned to the NC Unidentified Project, which conducted the genetic genealogy to develop investigative leads pointing to the unknown man’s identity. The leads were confirmed through additional testing, which established his identity. Investigators will not released the man’s name to the public at this time. Advanced DNA testing for this case was funded by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.
