DNA Doe Project: Identifying Missing Persons Using Genetic Genealogies. Cases of a Native American Woman, a Man and an Indian Subcontinent

At first, authorities believed they were of a Native American woman, about 25 years old, because of the small stature and where they were found, but further investigation revealed the remains had been buried in the shallow grave for no more than three years, according to the Pickaway County Sheriff’s Office.

In 2012 the scientists at North Texas University were able to find a piece of information when analyzing the bones. It told investigators that the remains were of a man, and may have been related to the Indian Subcontinent.

The only thing that was readily available was criminal databases for genetic material, according to Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost.

If you have an unknown person who committed acrime, they might be in the database, he said. If not, DNA is not good at all.

Reno said that they built an expansive family tree containing over 4,000 people. She said that their research spanned from Virginia to Canada and England.

“We’re all going to die at some point – it’s the one thing that’s certain about our lives on this earth, but what a tragedy to die unknown – to not have a name to put on a memorial,” Yost said.

The nature of the crime scene led Yost to believe it may have been a homicide. And now the detectives have the new information that’s going to allow them to go out and do what they do best: Hit the streets.”

It was the first instance where genetic genealogy was used to identify a violent criminal. The technique has solved more than 500 murders and rapes in the years since. Those are only some of the announcements by law enforcement agencies. Police recently used genetic genealogy to arrest a man accused of killing four college students at the University of Idaho. It hasn’t yet been entered a plea by Kochberger who has been charged.

Both of them believe that genetic data is a powerful resource. Moore is the lead genealogist at Parabon NanoLabs, a company that provides genetic genealogy and other DNA services for law enforcement agencies. She says her team’s work has led to more than 250 positive identifications in criminal cases. Press is a co-comissioner with the DNA Doe Project, a nonprofit organization that uses genetic genealogy to put names to missing persons and crime victims. More than 100 sets of remains were identified by the group.

GEDmatch, started by an amateur genealogist in 2010, was acquired by San Diego-based forensics company Verogen in December 2019. In January, Verogen was bought by Qiagen, a Dutch genomics firm. FamilyTreeDNA, meanwhile, is a division of Texas-based Gene by Gene, which merged with Australian company myDNA in 2021. “In each case, the database was the crown jewel for that company. The data is what is so valuable,” says Press.

That these databases keep changing hands made Moore and Press nervous about what would happen to all that data and how it could be used by the new owners. If these companies were to suddenly shut down, restrict access to their databases, raise their prices for law enforcement use, they might lose a crucial tool. The alternative was desired as an option, Moore says.