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!
QIAGEN and Bode Technology Partner to Advance Use of GEDmatch PRO Forensic Genetic Genealogy Database (Yahoo – 9/23/2024)
QIAGEN chooses Bode Technology as its exclusive global commercial partner to accelerate use of GEDmatch PRO genealogy database in law enforcement and identification of human remains // Collaboration ensures GEDmatch PRO development remains focused on the needs of forensic genealogists and investigators in the U.S. and other countries worldwide // Partnership builds on QIAGEN’s leading global position in providing extensive portfolio for use in human identification and forensics
DNA Test Helps Identify Sailor from Doomed Arctic Expedition (BBC – 9/24/2024)
A second member of a doomed 1845 expedition through the Canadian Arctic has been identified by researchers using a DNA sample from a living descendant.
The bones recovered from a remote Arctic cairn are believed to be those of James Fitzjames, a19th-century explorer.
Fitzjames was one of the captains of British explorer Sir John Franklin’s two ships that went missing in the summer of 1845.
The expedition was meant to find a Northwest Passage through the Canadian Arctic but ended up becoming a story of starvation and death. The commander and his 128 men never returned.
Promega Engineers New Enzyme to Significantly Reduce Stutter in Forensic DNA Analysis (Businesswire – 9/25/2024)
novel enzyme developed by research scientists at Promega Corporation will virtually eliminate confounding stutter artifacts in forensic DNA analysis. The reduced stutter polymerase dramatically simplifies mixed sample deconvolution and allows forensic analysts to generate accurate profiles of multiple contributors. This is the first enzyme to solve one of the biggest challenges in DNA forensics.
“By eliminating stutter artifacts, an analyst can more accurately identify low-level contributors and better determine the number of contributors in highly complex mixtures,” says Michael Coble, Executive Director of the Center for Human Identification at the University of North Texas Health Science Center.
Stutter has been a major pain point for the forensics community for decades. The naturally occurring errors may cause analysts and software to discard potentially useful pieces of data. Using the new polymerase developed by Promega, analysts will no longer have to sort through small peaks to separate useful data from noise.
“Because they don’t have to worry about stutter peaks anymore, forensic DNA analysts will be able to get more valuable information out of each sample,” says Bob McLaren, Director of Research at Promega. “Hopefully, that will lead to solving more cases, and doing it all much faster.”
This innovation was first announced at the International Symposium on Human Identification. Promega has applied for a patent covering this novel enzyme for use in STR analysis.
DNA Analysis Exonerates Bintz Brothers of 1987 Green Bay Murder of Sandra Lison (WBAY – 9/25/2024)
A pair of Green Bay brothers have been exonerated for a 1987 murder after DNA identified a different suspect.
Sandra Lison was found dead on August 4th, 1987 after she disappeared from the Good Times Bar in downtown Green Bay. Evidence suggested she had been beaten, strangled, and sexually assaulted. Her murder went unsolved for 11 years.
No physical evidence tied the brothers to the crime. DNA that was extracted from semen and blood found on Sandra’s remains excluded both David and Robert.
Based on the physical evidence pointing to another man, the Great North Innocence Project took on Robert’s case and began searching for the true perpetrator.
“We were trying to get testing done because there was all this physical evidence, none of it connecting either to the crime, and we were looking for a break in the case to figure out what happened,” said James Mayer, a managing attorney at the Great North Innocence Project.
That break came in the form of a special kind of DNA profile from the blood and bodily fluids found at the scene and still preserved in Brown County. The profile was like those often submitted to genealogical databases.
Police Scotland Turn to Familial DNA to Solve 1983 Murder (Forensic – 9/30/2024)
Officers investigating the murder of George Murdoch in Aberdeen 41 years ago have announced a significant development in the case.
The 58-year-old taxi driver was murdered as he turned into the Pitfoldels Station Road area of the city on the evening of September, 29, 1983. A cheese wire was used in the attack.
In a public appeal last year, Police Scotland revealed that advancements in forensic science had led to a DNA profile from the scene being identified. Police can now confirm this profile has been further enhanced to allow officers to search for anyone related to the DNA sample, a process known as familial DNA.
This involves a search of the National DNA Database to identify potential close relatives of an individual when their DNA profile is not on the database.
Working with partners at the National Crime Agency, an initial list of 200 possible genetic matches to the profile from the scene have been compiled. Officers will now attempt to contact these people to establish any family link.
DNA Ties Man Who Fled the UK to 3 Separate Rapes (Forensic – 9/30/2024)
A man who fled the UK after being charged with rape over 25 years ago has been jailed for the offenses, as well as a further count of rape that came to light after a forensics breakthrough.
Maboob Bostan used a false passport to leave the country while on bail after being charged with sex offenses in 1998. He faced charges of rape in connection with an incident involving a teenage female in Batley in January 1997 as well as a woman in her 20s in February 1998.
In 2006, a review was undertaken by Operation Recall, West Yorkshire Police’s specialist investigation team looking into forensic evidence developments in relation to sexual offenses.
A breakthrough in DNA evidence linked Bostan to a further rape involving a female victim aged in her 30s in Manningham Park, Bradford, which took place in September 1997.
Attempts were made to extradite Bostan from Pakistan, where he was found to be living.
Knox County Regional Forensic Center Teams with Othram to Identify a 2021 John Doe (DNASolves – 9/30/2024)
In September 2021, the skeletal remains of an unidentified individual were discovered in a tent located in an unhoused encampment in Knoxville, Tennessee. The Knoxville Police Department responded to the scene. The remains were taken to the Knox County Regional Forensic Center, where it was determined that the man was between the ages of 25 and 55 years old and stood between 5’4″ and 5’7″. Anthropologists concluded that both the cause and manner of death could not be definitively determined.
At the time of the man’s discovery, he was wearing a plastic-faced Elgin watch, a blue Norelco drawstring bag, a beige fang pendant, a black glove, sunglasses with a purple frame and reading glasses. Among his belongings were black headphones, a red, white, and blue tent, deodorant, and numerous other items that ultimately provided no clues to his identity.
In October 2021, details of the case were entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) as UP85070. The case later became known as “The Old Man” or Knox County John Doe. 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.
In 2023, the Knox County Regional Forensic Center submitted forensic evidence to Othram in The Woodlands, Texas, to determine if advanced DNA testing could help identify the man. Othram scientists used Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing® to build a comprehensive DNA profile for the unknown man. They successfully developed a DNA extract from the forensic evidence and used Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing® to create a detailed genealogical profile. 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 the man. Reference DNA samples were collected from the potential relatives 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 Dennis Lowe, born September 16, 1965.
Alma Police Department & Arkansas State Police Team with Othram to Solve the 1995 Child Abduction of Morgan Nick (DNASolves – 10/01/2024)
In June 1995, in Alma, Arkansas, six-year-old Morgan Nick was abducted from a Little League baseball game by an unidentified man. Alma is located in western Arkansas at the edge of the Ozark Mountains. Witnesses spotted a red pickup truck with a white camper shell parked nearby the game that vanished around the same time Morgan disappeared. Several witnesses reported seeing a man watching Morgan as she played with other children. The man driving the truck was described as a White male between 23 and 38 years old, approximately 6 feet tall, with a medium to solid build, a mustache, and a short beard. An extensive search to find Morgan Nick was launched, but she was never found.
In August of 1995, in an unrelated incident, an 11-year-old girl in Van Buren, located just ten minutes from Alma, was approached by a man who was driving a red pickup truck. The man attempted to lure her into his truck by offering to take her to his house. The girl ran to safety and police were notified. A witness was able to provide police investigators with the truck’s license plate number. The license plate number was traced to a man named Billy Jack Lincks. In 2020, Lincks’ truck was examined for evidence, which was collected for future analysis. While a direct link to Lincks could not be confirmed at the time, in November 2021, Billy Jack Lincks was identified as a person of interest in Morgan Nick’s abduction based on available evidence. Over 10,000 leads were worked in the case.
In their efforts to determine if a link existed between the evidence collected from Lincks’ red pickup truck and disappearance of Morgan Nick, the Alma Police Department, in collaboration with the Arkansas State Police, submitted forensic evidence to Othram in The Woodlands, Texas. In December 2023, the evidence from the truck arrived at Othram’s laboratory. Othram scientists developed a DNA extract from the forensic evidence, and then used Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing® to build a comprehensive DNA profile for the forensic evidence.
Morgan Nick’s mother submitted a reference DNA sample so that a comparison could be made between her DNA profile and the DNA profile developed from the evidence recovered in the truck that belonged to Lincks. Othram used KinSNP® Rapid Relationship Testing to evaluate the relationship and was able to provide supporting evidence of a first degree relationship between the forensic evidence and the reference DNA from the mother. While Lincks was previously named a person of interest in the case, the comparison provided by Othram provided direct evidence that the evidence in the truck was, in fact, from Morgan Nick. Unfortunately, Lincks died in prison in 2000, while incarcerated for an unrelated crime.
Morgan’s mother, Colleen Nick, founded the Morgan Nick Foundation with a mission to educate children and teenagers about personal and online safety, aiming to prevent child abductions. The foundation plays an important role in supporting families and local law enforcement in missing person cases involving both children and adults.
Netherlands DNA Database Hits New Milestone (Forensic – 10/02/2024)
The Netherlands Forensic Institute (NFI) is able to do more and more with minimal and complex trace evidence, and the technological possibilities in the area of DNA continue to grow. The NFI has now developed new software that makes comparisons with the DNA database even faster and more detailed.
“This is a new milestone,” says scientific researcher Jerry Hoogenboom. “The program is going to produce results in even more cases. The new search method also has potential for cold cases in which DNA has been preserved.”
The new program is called ProbRank. It uses a new way of calculating that is even more accurate than previous programs, in part because it includes more data in its computations. A DNA profile obtained from a forensic trace is represented by a series of peaks, with each peak corresponding to a characteristic of the DNA. ProbRank goes beyond previous methods by including not only the position of the peaks but also the height of the peaks in its calculations.
“This will help when analysing and comparing complex trace evidence that is lacking certain characteristics, or trace evidence containing the DNA of multiple individuals,” says Hoogenboom.
New Orleans Police Department and FBI Team with Othram to Identify a 2002 Homicide Victim (DNASolves – 10/02/2024)
In February 2002, the remains of an unidentified individual were discovered in a vacant, overgrown lot in New Orleans, Louisiana. The New Orleans Police Department responded to the scene. It was determined that the remains were that of a White female with green eyes and shoulder-length, dyed blonde hair, showing visible gray roots. The woman’s remains were transported to the Orleans Parish Coroner’s Office, where it was determined that she was between 32 and 45 years old, approximately 5’3″ tall, and weighed around 110 pounds. No other identifying characteristics could be determined.
In an attempt to generate new leads in the case, the LSU Forensic Anthropology and Computer Enhancement Services (FACES) Laboratory developed a forensic sketch depicting how the woman may have looked during her life. Details of the case were entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) as UP848. Despite investigators’ work to identify the woman, her identity remained a mystery for more than two decades.
In November 2023, forensic evidence was sent to Othram’s laboratory in The Woodlands, Texas to determine if advanced DNA testing could help to identify the woman. Othram scientists successfully developed a DNA extract from the remains and used Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing® to build a comprehensive DNA profile for the unknown woman. After successfully completing the process, the DNA profile was delivered to the FBI’s forensic genetic genealogy team, who performed the necessary genealogical research to generate new investigative leads in the case.
Using this new information, a follow-up investigation was conducted leading investigators to potential relatives of the Jane Doe. This investigation led to the positive identification of the Jane Doe, who is now known to be 49-year-old Lelia Ann May Malley, of Long Beach, Mississippi. Malley had last seen her family in 2000.
Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office & FBI Team with Othram to Identify a 1977 Homicide Victim (DNASolves – 10/02/2024)
In October 1977, the partial skeletal remains of an unidentified individual were discovered by workers clearing brush from a property lot near Highway 52 in Goose Creek, South Carolina. Goose Creek is just north of Charleston in Berkeley County. Investigators arrived at the scene to find the remains scattered along the wooded area. It was determined that the remains were that of a black female. The woman was estimated to be between 5’ 2” and 5’ 8” tall and anywhere from 20 to 75 years old. Due to the condition of her remains, the woman’s weight as well as her hair and eye color could not be determined. Neither the woman’s identity nor her cause of death could be determined. The woman became known as Berkeley County Jane Doe.
In 2020, in a renewed effort to identify Berkeley County Jane Doe, the woman’s remains were transferred to the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office. This prompted the opening of a death investigation to identify the victim and to determine whether a crime had been committed. Details of the case were entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) as UP70316. A forensic sketch depicting how the woman appeared during her life was developed and released to the public in hopes that it would generate new leads about her identity. An STR profile was developed and entered into CODIS in hopes of identifying a match to the woman or a close relative. Additionally, dental records were examined. Efforts to identify the woman were unsuccessful. In 2022, officials with the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office sought the assistance of Othram in hopes that advanced DNA testing could help to identify the woman.
In July 2022, the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office submitted forensic evidence to Othram in The Woodlands, Texas. Othram scientists used Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing® to build a comprehensive DNA profile for the unknown woman. After successfully completing the process, the DNA profile was delivered to the FBI’s forensic genetic genealogy team and the FBI team performed the necessary genealogical research to generate new investigative leads in the case.
Using these new leads, a follow-up investigation was conducted leading investigators to potential relatives of the woman. During the course of the investigation, it was learned that serial killer Samuel “Sam” Little confessed that he strangled an unidentified woman after meeting her at a nightclub in North Charleston. He admitted to leaving the woman’s body somewhere on the side of Highway 52.
This investigation led to the positive identification of Berkley County Jane Doe, who is now known to be Leola Etta Bryant, born February 5th, 1923. Bryant went missing in March 1974. She was last seen at the Midway Bar on Reynold’s Avenue, the same location Little stated he met the victim prior to killing her. Bryant, who was 51 years old at the time of her death, was reported missing to the North Charleston Police Department. Leola Etta Bryant was the 65th confirmed victim of Samuel Little.
How a Georgetown, UMD Serial Rape Suspect was Found by Police using Genealogy (NBC Washington – 10/03/2024)
A Northern Virginia man could get up to life in prison if he’s convicted of a string of sexual assaults dating back more than a decade. Police say he targeted students at two D.C.-area universities. He was arrested due to new technology and the work of a special unit working with the U.S. Attorney and others to close sex assault cases.
Ernesto Ramon Mercado, 54, of Arlington, is charged with first- and second-degree sexual abuse in connection with a series of home invasion rapes. He’s linked to a total of six assaults between 2008 and 2012.
Kinston Police Department, NCSBI, & FBI Leverage Othram’s Forensic Sequencing Platform to Identify a 1985 Homicide & Sex Assault Suspect (DNASolves – 10/03/2024)
On Tuesday, January 8th, 1985, 62-year-old Hokie Shepherd, a retired school teacher who lived alone at 1100 E. Caswell St. in Kinston, North Carolina, was found murdered in her home by a friend. The Kinston Police Department responded to the scene and determined that Shepherd had died from an apparent gunshot wound and assault. Her 1983 burgundy Cadillac had also been stolen, which was eventually found at a local elementary school. Despite countless hours of investigations, the person responsible for Hokie’s brutal attack and murder could not be identified.
While forensic DNA testing was in its infancy at the time of Shepherd’s murder, investigators did successfully collect evidence that could be used in future testing. Over the years, the investigation was revisited as advancements in forensic science were made. An STR profile was eventually developed from evidence collected at the crime scene and entered into CODIS. The CODIS search did not yield a match, and Hokie’s assault and murder went unsolved for decades.
In 2023, the Kinston Police Department, in collaboration with the FBI and NCSBI, submitted forensic evidence to Othram in The Woodlands, Texas in hopes that advanced DNA testing could help to identify the male suspect in the case. Othram scientists used Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing® to build a comprehensive DNA profile for the unknown suspect. After successfully completing the process, the DNA profile was delivered to the FBI’s forensic genetic genealogy team and the FBI team performed the necessary work to generate new investigative leads in the case.
Using this new information, a follow-up investigation was conducted, leading investigators to potential relatives of the man. This investigation allowed investigators to narrow in on the suspect, who was identified as Thomas Williams Wade Jr. At the time of the offense, Thomas was 28 years old and was initially interviewed as a potential person of interest. Shortly after the crime, he relocated from the Kinston area and lived the rest of his life in Granville County, where he passed away in 2007. If Thomas was alive today, he would have been charged with 1st degree murder as well as larceny for the theft of Shepherd’s car.
