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!
Body Was Found in the Water in 2001, California Deputies Say. Now, It’s Identified (MSN – 8/30/2024)
More than two decades after a body was found in the water near an island, it has been identified, California deputies say.
With the help of DNA testing, the body was identified as Craig William Ott, of Sacramento, the Solano County Sheriff’s Office said in an Aug. 28 news release shared on Facebook.
The sheriff’s office said it responded to a call about a body found in the water at Miner Slough off of Ryer Island near Rio Vista on March 11, 2001.
Over the next year, investigators tried to determine the man’s identity; however, he was eventually buried without a name, deputies said.
Then, decades later, investigators reopened the case in 2023 and had the man’s body exhumed, deputies said.
The sheriff’s office turned its sights toward forensic genetic genealogy.
Johnson County Coroner’s Office & Greenwood Police Department Team with Othram to Identify a 1993 John Doe (DNASolves – 9/01/2024)
In April 1993, the skeletal remains of an unidentified individual were discovered by children in Greenwood, Indiana. Greenwood is located just south of Indianan’s capital city, Indianapolis. The children made the discovery in a field near Interstate 65 in what is now the Otte Golf Course. The Greenwood Police Department responded to the scene. The individual’s remains were transported to the University of North Texas for further examination where it was determined that the remains were that of a man between the ages of 14 and 30 years old who stood between 4’10” and 5’4”.
In May 2008, details of the case were entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) as UP1828. Despite extensive efforts by law enforcement investigators to identify the man, no matches were found, and the case went cold due to a lack of investigative leads. The Johnson County Coroner’s Office, in collaboration with the Greenwood Police Department, the University of Indiana, and the Indiana State Police, teamed with Othram to determine if advanced DNA testing could help to identify the man.
In 2023, forensic 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 man. Othram’s casework costs for the case were generously provided by Audiochuck. 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 this new information, a follow-up investigation was conducted leading investigators to potential relatives of the man. Reference DNA samples were collected from a potential relative and compared to the DNA profile of the unknown man. This investigation led to the positive identification of the man, who is now known to be Michael Benjamin Davis. Born in Richland County, South Carolina on December 16th, 1965, Davis would have been in his mid-20s at the time of his death. An investigation into his death continues.
This Young Edmonton Entrepreneur is Helping to Reunite Families with DNA Genealogy (CBC – 9/01/2024)
A 25-year-old Edmonton entrepreneur is using genetic genealogy technology to track the DNA of unidentified victims in cold cases.
Bradley Pierson started his company Trouvay in 2022 to help people identify their families and is now expanding his work to help law enforcement services solve crimes.
“I realized there was a huge crisis of unidentified human remains and unsolved violent crime cases, and this technology had emerged that allowed us to solve them finally,” Pierson told CBC in an interview.
Toronto forensic genealogist James Atkinson said investigative genetic genealogy is a technology that uses DNA testing in combination with research methods and historical records to determine biological relationships.
He says genetic genealogy has become a growing tool for many people looking to learn more about their heritage, solve family mysteries, or connect with distant relatives.
IMPD Unsolved Homicide Unit Arrests Suspect 31 Years After Murder of Carmen Van Huss (Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department – 9/03/2024)
On Friday August 20, 2024, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department and Boone County Sheriff’s Office (Missouri) arrested 52-year-old Dana Shepherd in Columbia Missouri for the 1993 murder of Carmen Van Huss.
“This arrest, more than 30 years after the senseless murder of Carmen Van Huss, demonstrates the dedication and perseverance of IMPD detectives, the Marion County Forensic Services Agency, and the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office. It also is a testament to the power of genetic genealogy and analytic capability,” said Deputy Chief Kendale Adams of the Criminal Investigations Division of IMPD.
“For 31 years, the family of Carmen Van Huss has been searching for answers and justice. While nothing can ever replace their loved one, we hope that today’s arrest brings them some measure of peace. We remain dedicated to bringing justice to all victims and will continue to pursue every lead, no matter how much time has passed,” Adams said.
On March 24, 1993, Marion County Sheriff Deputies responded to an apartment in the 8200 block of Harcourt Road in Indianapolis, where they found Van Huss deceased. Her cause of death was later determined to be a homicide from stab wounds.Over the years, detectives interviewed dozens of individuals and followed up on hundreds of leads, however, eventually the case went cold.
In 2018, an IMPD detective submitted a DNA sample from evidence to Parabon, a DNA technology company. Parabon conducted a Snapshot Advanced DNA Analysis, which included DNA phenotyping and genetic genealogy, which are technologies used for lead generation purposes.
In the summer of 2023, detectives used various investigative methods and lead information from the genetic genealogy analysis and were able to identify Shepherd as a suspect. After obtaining DNA samples for traditional forensic testing in June of 2024, the Marion County Forensic Services Agency notified Unsolved Homicide Unit detectives that Shepherd’s DNA profile matched DNA samples found at the scene and on the victim’s body.
When told about the recent developments in this case, Dr. Ellen Greytak, Parabon’s scientific leader for the Snapshot division said, “IMPD’s efforts to bring justice for Carmen and her family are truly commendable. Their proactive approach in utilizing advanced technologies for lead generation reflects their dedication and innovative mindset. We’re pleased our work was able to support their investigative efforts,” said Greytak.
On Thursday, August 29, 2024, detectives sought and were granted an arrest warrant for Shepherd for criminal charges of murder, felony murder, and rape. IMPD detectives coordinated with the Boone County Sheriff’s Office in Missouri to apprehend the suspect on the morning of Friday, August 30, 2024.
IMPD detectives traveled to Boone County, Missouri to speak with the suspect, but he invoked his constitutional right to legal representation without speaking with detectives.
A hearing will be scheduled for Shepherd to be extradited back to Indianapolis in the coming days.Funding for the testing in this case was provided by Season of Justice, a nonprofit dedicated to providing financial support to investigative agencies through grant funding for advanced DNA testing and analysis in cold cases. Seasons of Justice was founded in 2020 by Ashley Flowers.
“Season of Justice would like to extend our deepest gratitude to the IMPD detectives who never gave up on this investigation,” said Season of Justice Founder Ashley Flowers. “Their dedication is admirable and we’re humbled Season of Justice was able to support IMPD’s efforts in bringing Carmen’s murderer to justice. This outcome demonstrates how the power of persistence, evolving forensic technology, and collaboration can impact long-standing cold cases like Carmen’s. We hope this news brings some measure of peace to those who love and miss her,” said Flowers.
Shepherd should be considered innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
NIST Report Outlines Strategic Opportunities to Advance Forensic Science in the U.S. (NIST – 8/27/2024)
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has published Strategic Opportunities to Advance Forensic Science in the United States: A Path Forward Through Research and Standards, which identifies four “grand challenges” facing the forensic science community in the United States.
The report provides a strategic roadmap for addressing these challenges through scientific research and standards. It also assesses the state of the field 15 years after a landmark report from the National Academy of Sciences identified critical gaps in the scientific foundations of several forensic disciplines.
New Research has Potential to Speed Up Forensic Analysis in Sexual Assault Cases (University of Toronto – 9/04/2024)
A team of researchers has developed a radical new technique for analyzing evidence in sexual assault cases. The new approach could streamline the forensics pipeline and reduce delays in the processing of DNA evidence.
There are almost half a million sexual assaults in Canada every year with many more going unreported. The new approach could mitigate one of the reasons victims are reluctant to report assaults: the perception that analysis of forensic evidence is too slow.
“For this research, we read reports and surveys that asked victims why they weren’t reporting assaults,” says Mohamed Elsayed. “And the most common answer was that they didn’t have confidence in the justice system — and that lack of confidence was partly because of how long the process takes.”
The research is described in a paper published in the journal Advanced Science. The lead author is Elsayed, who worked on this project as part of his PhD in Biomedical Engineering and who is now a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Chemistry in the Faculty of Arts & Science. His U of T co-authors include Leticia Bodo, a master’s student in the Department of Chemistry; and Professor Aaron Wheeler from the Department of Chemistry, the Institute of Biomedical Engineering at U of T, and the Centre for Research and Applications in Fluidic Technologies. All three are also affiliated with the Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research.
Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office & Sacramento Police Department Team with Othram to Identify a 1980 Homicide Victim (DNASolves – 9/04/2024)
In January 1980, the body of an unidentified man was discovered in Sacramento, California. Sacramento is the capital city of California. The man was found sitting on the bleachers of a local softball diamond. He had been shot once in the head. The man had dark brown hair, a goatee, and a mustache. It was estimated that the John Doe was 20-30 years old. He stood 5’8” to 5’10” tall and weighed 147 pounds. At the time of the man’s discovery, he was wearing a blue denim cap with a short bill, a “LeChevron Collection” jacket, a navy blue “Sigallo” sweater with a gray collar, prescription eyeglasses, and royal blue Adidas shoes with bright yellow stripes.
A forensic sketch depicting the man’s likeness was developed and released to the public in hopes that it would generate new leads in the case. Details of the case were entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) as UP2410. With few leads to go on, the man’s identity could not be determined for more than forty years.
In an effort to finally identify the man, the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office & Sacramento Police Department submitted forensic evidence to Othram in The Woodlands, Texas to determine if advanced DNA testing could help identify the man. With funding assistance from the Roads to Justice (RTJ) program, Othram scientists used Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing® to build a comprehensive DNA profile for the unknown man. Once the process was complete, the profile was delivered to investigators with the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office so that a forensic genetic genealogy search could be conducted.
With new leads available as a result of the genetic genealogy research, a follow-up investigation was conducted leading investigators to potential relatives of the man. This investigation led to the positive identification of the homicide victim as William “Billy” Suttle, originally from Chelsea, Manhattan, New York. Detectives traced his movements to a Burger King located in an old Greyhound bus station at Seventh and L streets. According to earlier reports, fast food employees recalled serving him a drink around 8:00 pm. An investigation into his death continues.
