Category
Interesting Cases
Raised as Paul Fronczak, Genetic Genealogy Uncovers His True Identity
Paul Fronczak spent his life wondering if he was a baby who’d been kidnapped from a Chicago hospital. As an adult, DNA tests confirmed that detectives had gotten it wrong. C...
Solving the Phoenix Canal Murders
Colleen Fitzpatrick, founder of Identifinders International, describes how she used forensic genealogy to narrow a list of 2,000 suspects to just 5 and helped the Phoenix PD c...
When Medical Conditions Muddle Forensic Casework
Picture yourself relaxing at home watching your favorite television show. Your feet are up, all of your chores are done, and the house is quiet. Maybe you’ve got your favori...
Analyzing History – Putting the Pieces Together One Run at a Time
Dr. Angie Ambers is a full-time forensic geneticist for the UNT Center for Human Identification, specializing in characterization and identification of contemporary, historica...
A Mystery from the 1800’s and Justice for Jennifer – Interesting Cases from ISHI 24
The Interesting Cases section during the 24th International Symposium on Human Identification in Atlanta, GA showcased the power of DNA in two different ways. First, through a...
DNA Reveals the Identity of Jack the Ripper?
In the late 1800s, Victorian England was mesmerized and horrified by a series of brutal killings in the crowded and impoverished Whitechapel district. The serial killer, who b...
An “Angel”, the “Killer Clown”, and the “Cleveland Strangler” – Interesting Cases from ISHI
Last time, we explored Interesting Cases that were presented at the 26th International Symposium on Human Identification. This time, we’re going back in time to ISHI 23, whi...
Identifying a Legend vs A Legendary Fail – Interesting Cases from ISHI
Each year, nearly one thousand people attend the International Symposium on Human Identification. Their titles vary from criminalists and analysts to research and sales profes...
Evaluating the Statistical Power of DNA-Based Identification Exemplified by the ‘Missing Grandchildren of Argentina’
The missing grandchildren of Argentina are a well-known collection of missing person cases. From 1976 to 1983, Argentina suffered a military civic dictatorship. It is estimate...