DNA and Cold Cases

I'm sure most of you have been hearing or reading about DNA being used to solve cold cases.

Genealogists are being called in to help trace family trees using the DNA taken from forensic evidence. They then look for matches using GedMatch which is a free tool where anyone can upload their DNA results.

Once a match is found, detectives can focus on family members connected to that match or matches.

There are two opposing opinions on this somewhat controversial new tool of course. I think it's a fascinating use of DNA and so helpful to law enforcement.

Imagine taking a killer off the streets and putting him/her somewhere where he/she can't hurt anyone else. Imagine the relief and feeling of closure of family members who finally know who hurt or murdered a love one.

Some think this is an intrusion and disagree with the blind searching which ends up matching people who are not suspects but are connected to them through DNA.  In other words you could find that you match a criminal - a distant cousin, someone you don't know, someone you do know.....

Because of the controversy, GedMatch now has a warning when a user logs in.

"April 28, 2018 While the database was created for genealogical research, it is important that GEDmatch participants understand the possible uses of their DNA, including identification of relatives that have committed crimes or were victims of crimes. If you are concerned about non-genealogical uses of your DNA, you should not upload your DNA to the database and/or you should remove DNA that has already been uploaded. Users may delete their registration/profile and associated DNA and GEDCOM resources."

Personally my opinion is if someone I'm related to commits a crime, they deserve to face whatever our justice system deals out. I would be glad if my DNA helped bring them to justice, and gave closure to a family.

In any case, here's an interesting article talking about five cold cases that were solved using DNA.

Genealogists Turn to Cousins’ DNA and Family Trees to Crack Five More Cold Cases

Another Cold Case Solved Using DNA

GEDmatch, the free site that provides DNA and genealogical analysis tools for amateur and professional researchers and genealogists, has come to the rescue once again, helping to crack another very old double murder.

In 1987 a young Canadian couple, Tanya Van Cuylenborg and Jay Cook, were on their way to take the ferry from British Columbia to Seattle Washington. Their bodies were found several days later.

Their killer was never found, but his DNA was gathered from a blanket wrapped around Tanya's body. Hundreds of tips came in over the years but nothing panned out and the case grew cold.


Intrigued by the recent finding of the Golden State Killer using the DNA matching website GEDmatch, the killer's DNA was run through the public sharing site and his DNA was matched to two second cousins.

55-year-old Earl Talbott was charged with murder, as his DNA profile matched to those cousins matches the DNA left behind at the crime scene 31 years ago.

“It’s the genetic genealogy that was the key tool that got this case resolved,” Detective Jim Scharf of the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office, who sought out the DNA technology and has spent 13 years studying this case, said at a Friday news conference. 



Read the full story at A genealogy website helps crack another cold case, police say, this one a 1987 double homicide

Newspaper Clipping:  Morning Olympian, Friday, Nov 27, 1987, Olympia, WA, Page: 15

Familial DNA Testing Used to Solve Cold Cases

Genealogists love DNA. Many, if not most, of us have tested with more than one DNA company. Why? Because DNA not only allows us to learn about our early ethnic origins, it also allows us to match with other genealogists who share a common ancestor. Like crowdsourcing, this permits us to help each other, to share information that may help us in our ancestral quest.

Familial DNA is now being used by police to hopefully solve cold cases. Familial DNA  is defined as

"A familial DNA search is a search by law enforcement in DNA databases for genetic information indicating a relative of a person they seek to identify."

Rockne Harmon, a forensic cold case specialist, defines familial DNA as "a two-phase process to develop investigative leads to potentially identify close biological relatives of the source of a DNA sample that carries an unknown forensic profile."

Familial DNA is being used in UK and some states in the USA, and Harmon hopes to apply familial DNA to solve some Canadian cold cases. There are legal obstacles regarding current laws governing Canada’s DNA databank which would have to be studied first.



The Ottawa Citizen has the full story at  Familial DNA searches could help crack Canadian cold cases

Image: http://www.slideshare.net/ThermoFisher/familial-dna-searching-technology-to-provide-investigative-leads-51740417