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!
Lydia de Castro ’91, ’10: Using Forensic Science to Identify 9/11 Victims (John Jay College of Criminal Justice – 8/17/2026)
“Having worked at the New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner (NYC OCME) during 9/11 and its aftermath, I lived that history. I witnessed the tragedy and its profound impact—the depth of loss, the uncertainty in the days that followed, and the many ways people showed up for one another,” says Lydia de Castro ’91, ’10, current Director, Division of Forensic Sciences, Westchester County Department of Laboratories & Research and former Assistant Director of NYC OCME’s Forensic Biology Department. “At OCME, we did what needed to be done, day after day, for years, quietly and without fanfare, but with an unwavering determination to help families find their loved ones and bring some measure of closure.”
20 Years Later, the Search Continues in the ‘Marion Murders’ (Forensic – 8/17/2026)
Two murders. Two women. Two miles apart. Two decades unsolved, but detectives refuse to give up.
Last week marked 20 years since the homicide of Marion Marshall in 2006. Then, about three months later, Marion Newman was killed in the same manner.
The Franconia (Virginia) Cold Case Squad has persistently worked on these cases since they happened and believe someone out there holds the crucial piece of information needed to bring the victims’ families the answers they deserve.
Marshall was last seen on Aug. 14, 2006. Surveillance video showed she visited a grocery store in the Bradlick Shopping Center in Annandale at approximately 11 a.m. that day. Detectives believe she drove home and was unloading groceries when she encountered her killer. The circumstances of the encounter are unknown, but detectives found no signs of forced entry into her home. Marshall was found dead by a friend later that evening.
Newman was last seen on Nov. 19, 2006 when she visited her mother at a senior living community in Springfield. She was scheduled to return to see her mother the next day but never arrived. She was found dead by a friend inside of her home in the 7100 block of Reservoir Road in Springfield two days later.
Although detectives do not believe the victims knew each other, they had a lot in common. Most notably, both women were named Marion, and both in their 70s. Neither woman had children or was married at the time of their death. They lived alone—only two miles apart from each other.
Genealogy IDs Remains Likely Dating Back to 1990s, Investigators Seek Leads (Forensic – 8/17/2026)
The Niagara Regional Police Service (NRPS) Homicide Unit is seeking the public’s assistance following the identification of human remains discovered during the demolition of a former residential property in Niagara Falls.
In November 2023, human remains were located during the demolition of a vacant home at 7081 Stanley Avenue in Niagara Falls.
The property had been vacant for several years prior to its demolition and had previously operated as a multi-unit rental residence from the late 1970s until approximately 2018. Since 2018 it was frequently unlawfully entered and used by unhoused individuals.
Following the discovery, investigators with the Homicide Unit, working alongside forensic experts, conducted an extensive investigation. A forensic and anthropological examination determined the remains belonged to an adult female and indicated that they had likely been at the property for many years, potentially dating back to the mid-1990s.
Despite exhaustive investigative efforts, the identity of the deceased remained unknown.
Carmen’s Law Opens New Funding Path for Indiana Cold Cases (Forensic – 8/17/2026)
Indiana’s new Carmen’s Law took effect last month, creating a legal framework for nonprofit organizations to help fund advanced DNA testing in long-stalled criminal cases.
House Enrolled Act 1248 allows law enforcement agencies to partner with tax-exempt nonprofits to raise private money for testing conducted by outside laboratories. Advanced testing can cost $20,000 to $60,000 per case, potentially limiting access for agencies with tight budgets.
The law defines a cold case as one that has remained open for more than five years without pending charges. It also covers county coroner investigations involving unidentified human remains. Eligible cases include homicides, sex offenses, high-risk missing-person cases and unidentified remains.
Carmen’s Law also gives victims and certain close family members the statutory right to request a formal review of a case. Family eligibility extends to relationships established through blood, marriage, adoption or cohabitation.
The law specifically recognizes DNA forensics, DNA analytics and forensic investigative genetic genealogy as advanced testing methods.
University’s Science Week: Discoveries from the Bush to the Lab (Forensic – 8/17/26)
The theme for National Science Week 2026, August 15-23, is Seeds of Science: Nurturing knowledge for all, celebrating curiosity, shared learning, and the many ways scientific understanding grows.
From wombat conservation and citizen science to invisible microbial worlds and forensic investigations, Western Sydney University researchers from the School of Science are revealing new insights about the world around us.
For Associate Professor Julie Old, curiosity has led to a career spent understanding and protecting one of Australia’s most recognisable marsupials.
“Wombats are iconic Australian marsupials and important ecosystem engineers that help maintain habitat and support biodiversity,” said Old. “The most pressing issues include sarcoptic mange, road mortality, habitat loss and fragmentation, and there is a real need for better long-term monitoring across wombat populations.”
But these challenges cannot be solved by scientific research alone.
Volusia County Medical Examiner’s Office and Daytona Beach Police Department Team with Othram to Identify a 2013 John Doe (DNASolves – 8/18/26)
On October 28, 2013, skeletal remains belonging to an unidentified man were discovered in a wooded area of Daytona Beach, Florida. A woman and her husband found a human skull and bones approximately 15 feet into the woods from the grass shoulder of the roadway near Mason Avenue and Clyde Morris Boulevard. The Daytona Beach Police Department responded and began collecting evidence and investigating.
Investigators determined that the remains were near-complete and belonged to a white male estimated to be between 40 and 60 years old. A pants waistband with a Wrangler patch and a blue hospital-type shoe with two Velcro straps were recovered with the remains. No signs of trauma indicating foul play were found, and the cause of death could not be determined.
Despite investigative efforts, the man could not be identified and became known as Volusia County John Doe. Details of the case were entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) as UP12822.
The Daytona Beach Police Department submitted forensic evidence to Othram’s laboratory in The Woodlands, Texas. At Othram, scientists worked to develop a DNA extract from the provided evidence, then used Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing® to build a comprehensive DNA profile for the man. Othram’s forensic genetic genealogy team used the profile in a genetic genealogy search to develop new investigative leads that were returned 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 potential relatives and compared to the DNA profile of the unknown man using KinSNP® Rapid Relationship Testing. This investigation led to the positive identification of the man, who is now known to be Mark Addison Hasbrouck, born on October 11, 1947.
Orlando Police Department & Districts 9 and 25 Medical Examiners Office Team with Othram to Identify a 1982 Orlando John Doe (DNASolves – 8/18/26)
In June 1982, an unidentified male was found deceased at the bottom of an elevator shaft inside the Atlantic Bank building, which was under construction at 20 N. Orange Avenue in Orlando, Florida. A construction worker had entered the building to retrieve equipment when he made the discovery and notified law enforcement. The Orlando Police Department responded and began collecting evidence and investigating. Investigators determined the man was a white male who could not be identified. Officials later stated there were no apparent signs of foul play, and the cause of death was listed as undetermined.
Investigators determined that the man was stopped by police in October 1981 and June 1982. At the time, the man identified himself as Adam Kadmon, claimed to be homeless, and told police he recently moved to Orlando from Melbourne Beach, Florida.
Despite a lengthy investigation, the man could not be identified and became known as Elevator Shaft John Doe (1982). Prior to his death, he had reportedly used the name “Adam Kadmon” during contacts with police. Details of the case were entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) as UP612.
In 2023, detectives with the Orlando Police Department Cold Case Unit, working with the Districts 9 and 25 Medical Examiners Office, submitted evidence to Othram’s laboratory in The Woodlands, Texas. At Othram, scientists worked to develop a DNA extract from the provided remains, then used Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing® to build a comprehensive DNA profile for the man. Othram’s forensic genetic genealogy team used the profile in a genetic genealogy search to develop new investigative leads that were returned 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 potential relatives and compared to the DNA profile of the unknown man using KinSNP® Rapid Relationship Testing. This investigation led to the positive identification of the man, who is now known to be Vincent Todd Peterson. Peterson’s family made many attempts to locate him after losing touch with him.
37th International Symposium on Human Identification (ISHI) Highlights Impact of Forensic DNA Science on Real Casework Examples (Biospace – 8/18/26)
The 37th annual International Symposium on Human Identification (ISHI) will take place October 26—29 in Providence, Rhode Island. ISHI is the largest annual meeting of forensic DNA experts and law enforcement professionals from around the world. Promega Corporation, a developer and manufacturer of products for DNA-based human identification, has sponsored ISHI since its inception.
The 2026 symposium will feature two keynote addresses on the theme “From Evidence to Impact.” The first, titled “Forensic Firsts in the Courtroom,” centers on two forensic DNA cases involving technologies never before admitted as evidence in a U.S. criminal courtroom. Dr. Janet Cady, Senior Bioinformatics Scientist at Parabon NanoLabs, will present on a Virginia case in which identical twin suspects were distinguished using ultra-deep whole-genome sequencing to identify somatic mutations unique to each twin. Dr. Cristina Valencia, Laboratory Director at Astrea Forensics, will present a California cold case that was resolved with whole-genome sequencing from a single rootless hair shaft.
The second keynote address, “When DNA Changes Everything: The Impact of One Identification,” tells the story of Robert Eugene Brashers, who committed violent crimes across multiple states between 1985 and 1998, then died in 2002 without ever being identified as the perpetrator. The cases sat unconnected across separate jurisdictions for over two decades until Brashers was finally identified through STR analysis, forensic investigative genetic genealogy, ballistic evidence and persistent interagency collaboration. The session is presented in three parts by Shena Latcham, Forensic Scientist Supervisor, DNA Casework at the Missouri State Highway Patrol Crime Laboratory, CeCe Moore, internationally recognized DNA and true crime expert, and Deborah Brashers, daughter of Robert Eugene Brashers.
Lake County Sheriff’s Office & Districts 5 and 24 Medical Examiners Office Team with Othram to Identify a 1988 John Doe (DNASolves – 8/18/26)
On May 15, 1988, the decomposed remains of an unidentified man were found floating in a canal off Grass Lake on the Lykes Citrus Management property in Minneola, Florida. The Districts 5 and 24 Medical Examiners Office responded along with the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and began collecting evidence and investigating. Investigators determined the man was a white male estimated to be between 50 and 70 years old and approximately 5 feet 5 inches tall. Because of the condition of the remains, the man could not be identified.
Despite investigative efforts, the man could not be identified and became known as Lake County John Doe (1988). Details of the case were entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) as UP6295.
Working with the Districts 5 and 24 Medical Examiners Office, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office submitted forensic evidence to Othram’s laboratory in The Woodlands, Texas. At Othram, scientists worked to develop a DNA extract from the provided evidence, then used Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing® to build a comprehensive DNA profile for the man. Othram’s forensic genetic genealogy team used the profile in a genetic genealogy search to develop new investigative leads that were returned to law enforcement.
Using this new information, a follow-up investigation was conducted leading investigators to potential relatives of the man. This investigation led to the positive identification of the man, who is now known to be Roy Arthur Torvik, born on November 22, 1929. The Lake County Sheriff’s Office maintained the case and pursued advanced DNA testing on older unidentified remains cases through its Cold Case Team.
Lake County Sheriff’s Office Teams with Othram to Identify a 1991 Lake County Jane Doe (DNASolves – 8/18/26)
On December 7, 1991, the remains of an unidentified woman were discovered in Sorrento, Florida. A hiker found the woman beneath a pile of tree branches along a hiking trail about 75 yards north of Ethel Drive in a wooded area near Sorrento. The Lake County Sheriff’s Office responded and began collecting evidence and investigating.
Investigators estimated the woman was between 25 and 40 years old, approximately 5 feet 4 inches tall, and weighed about 124 pounds. She had brown hair with blonde tips and hazel eyes. Investigators determined that she had been strangled and sexually assaulted prior to her death. While the woman could not be identified, Joseph A. Rolle, Jr. was charged with her rape and murder. A jury convicted Joseph A. Rolle, Jr. for the woman’s rape, but not her murder. Rolle, Jr. denied knowing the woman’s identity.
Despite extensive investigative efforts, including fingerprint analysis and follow-up on numerous leads, the woman could not be identified. The case remained unresolved for more than three decades. Details of the case were entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) as UP6031.
In 2024, investigators with the Lake County Sheriff’s Office submitted evidence to Othram’s laboratory in The Woodlands, Texas. At Othram, scientists worked to develop a DNA extract from the provided evidence, then used Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing® to build a comprehensive DNA profile for the woman. Othram’s forensic genetic genealogy team used the profile in a genetic genealogy search to develop new investigative leads that were returned to law enforcement.
Using this new information, a follow-up investigation was conducted leading investigators to potential relatives of the woman. This investigation led to the positive identification of the woman, who is now known to be Leslie Shaw, born in 1958. Shaw was missing from the central Florida area since approximately 1991.
University’s Forensic Program Earns Nationally Elite Accreditation (Forensic – 8/19/26)
The University of Wisconsin-Platteville announced that its Department of Criminal Justice and Forensic Investigation has earned accreditation from the Forensic Science Education Programs Accreditation Commission (FEPAC), a body of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS). The accreditation covers all three emphases of the Forensic Investigation major: Crime Scene Investigation, Medicolegal Death Investigation and Laboratory. UW-Platteville is among a very small number of forensic science programs nationwide to hold this accreditation.
This recognition also places UW-Platteville among just 32 bachelor’s degree programs in the country to hold FEPAC accreditation. Five of those programs are accredited in Crime Scene Investigation. UW-Platteville is the only university in the Upper Midwest with that distinction. UW-Platteville is also the only program in the country with an accredited Medicolegal Death Investigation emphasis. This accreditation reflects the depth, breadth and exceptional quality of the forensic science education offered through UW-Platteville.
100 U.S. Forensic Labs Are Now Using STRmix™ (STRmix – 8/19/26)
One hundred local, state, federal, and private forensic laboratories in the United States are now using STRmix™ probabilistic genotyping software to resolve mixed DNA profiles previously regarded as too complex or degraded to interpret crime scene evidence.
Since it was first adopted for use in 2014 by the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Laboratory (USACIL), STRmix™ has proven to be a highly effective tool in producing usable, interpretable, and legally admissible DNA results for U.S. forensic labs stretching from New York (e.g., the New York City Office of the Chief Medical Examiner) to California (e.g., the California Department of Justice).
Federal agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Forearms, and Explosives (ATF), and private companies such as Bode Technology and Pure Gold Forensics also regularly use STRmix™ to resolve DNA profiles.
“The popularity of STRmix™ is due in no small measure to its ability to interpret DNA results faster than the previous binary interpretation method and use more of the information in a DNA profile,” explains STRmix™ co-developer Dr. Jo-Anne Bright, a Senior Science Leader within the STRmix team at the New Zealand Institute for Public Health and Forensic Science Limited (PHF Science).
Unlike previous methods of DNA analysis, which are more subjective and depend entirely on the application of fixed stochastic thresholds and other biological parameters to manually analyze DNA samples, STRmix™ uses a fully continuous model that makes better use of the information available within a DNA profile. It proposes hundreds of thousands of different profiles, assesses and weighs how closely these resemble the observed DNA mixture, and then assigns a likelihood ratio (LR) – the widely accepted standard statistical approach for conveying weight of evidence information – should a person of interest’s sample be available.
STRmix™ was originally developed to be used by all nine state and territory forensic labs in New Zealand and Australia. Inquiries from USACIL, NicheVision Forensics (which now distributes STRmix™ in North, South, and Central America), the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and the California Department of Justice, however, led to the 2014 decision to release STRmix™ for use globally.Since that time, STRmix™ has produced DNA results in more than 700,000 criminal cases worldwide. It has been particularly effective in helping to resolve violent crime and sexual assault cases, as well as cold cases in which evidence was originally dismissed as inconclusive.
The latest version of STRmix™, released in fall 2025, adds significant new features to previous versions of the software, including new functionality in the Batch Maker module which allows forensic analysts to set up replicate inputs for interpretations in a batch.
STRmix™ 2.13 also expands the visualization features first introduced in STRmix™ 2.12 by introducing a Visualize Evidence function to review and ignore any peak or locus in an electropherogram-style representation of the evidence input file. In addition, 2.13 enables forensic laboratories to set up multiple PDF report templates and choose to automatically generate more than one report at a time for a given calculation.
The worldwide success of STRmix™ has led the team behind its development to create and regularly update three related software applications:
FaSTR™ DNA, expert forensic software which seamlessly integrates with STRmix™ (when in use) to rapidly analyze raw DNA data and assign a number of contributors (NOC) estimate;
DBLR™, an application which when used with STRmix™ allows forensic laboratories to undertake extensive kinship analysis, carry out rapid database searches and mixture-to-mixture matches, and visualize the value of their DNA mixture evidence;
STRmix™ NGS, fully continuous mixture interpretation and likelihood ratio generation software for profiles generated using Next Generation Sequencing.In combination with STRmix™, FaSTR™ DNA and DBLR™ complete the full workflow from analysis to interpretation and database matching, while STRmix™ NGS broadens the range of profile types that can be interpreted.
Humboldt County Coroner’s Office Teams with Othram to Identify a 2013 John Doe (DNASolves – 8/19/26)
On March 14, 2013, an unidentified man was found deceased at a homeless encampment near Cooper Gulch in Eureka, California. The Eureka Police Department responded and began collecting evidence and investigating. The man had suffered extensive burns. While investigators believed the man was 70-year-old William Cody Waldron, he could not be positively identified.
A portion of the man’s remains as well as a sample provided from his possible sister were submitted to the California Department of Justice for comparison testing. Due to the extensive damage caused by the fire, the results of the comparison were inconclusive and investigators were unable to confirm the man’s identity.
The Humboldt County Coroner’s Office continued working to identify the remains. As DNA technology advanced, the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office obtained grant funding to use forensic genetic genealogy to help identify unidentified remains cases, providing investigators with another opportunity to resolve the case.
In 2025, the Humboldt County Coroner’s Office submitted evidence to Othram’s laboratory in The Woodlands, Texas. At Othram, scientists successfully developed a DNA extract from the remains. Scientists then used Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing® to build a comprehensive DNA profile for the man. Othram’s forensic genetic genealogy team used the profile in a genetic genealogy search to develop new investigative leads that were returned to law enforcement.
Using this new information, investigators with the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office conducted a follow-up investigation leading them to potential relatives of the man. A reference DNA sample was 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 positively identified as William Cody Waldron, born on September 23, 1942.
DNA Doe Project Helps to Solve Final Mystery of the Tonti Train Wreck (DNA Doe Project – 8/21/26)
Fifty-five years after an Amtrak passenger train crashed in Tonti, Illinois, the DNA Doe Project and their agency partners have solved the final mystery of the disaster. Remains found at the scene of the crash were long thought to belong to an additional, unidentified victim of the derailment. However, it has now been revealed that they belonged to 34-year-old Katherine Adams and 3-year-old Gladys Adams, a mother and daughter from Chicago who were known to have died in the disaster.
On June 10, 1971, an Amtrak passenger train derailed near Tonti, Illinois. Amtrak had only begun operating the month beforehand, so this derailment became the first fatal incident in their history. Eleven people were thought to have been killed in the crash, with one of these victims remaining unidentified.
In the decades that followed, the local community took care of the unknown victim’s grave and became invested in finding answers. But it wasn’t until early 2025 that a local resident, Henry Morton, proposed that investigative genetic genealogy be utilized to identify this final victim. Specifically, he asked the local authorities to bring this case to the DNA Doe Project, a non-profit whose investigative genetic genealogists work to identify John and Jane Does.
The City of Salem, where the unidentified victim had been laid to rest, approved an exhumation of the remains. Funds were provided by both the city and the DNA Doe Project’s donors to cover the costs of the exhumation and the lab work, before the remains were exhumed in June 2025. However, in a surprising development, forensic anthropologists present at the disinterment realised that two sets of remains had been buried in the grave – one belonging to an adult woman and one belonging to a child.
Both sets of remains underwent testing and, by June 2026, DNA profiles had been generated for the two individuals. After these profiles were uploaded to the GEDmatch PRO database, the DNA Doe Project team reviewed the DNA results and made two important discoveries – the child victim was a girl and the adult victim was her mother.
Furthermore, the DNA Doe Project team had carried out some front-end research in advance of the DNA profiles being generated. This research involved building out the family trees of the known victims of the crash, in case any of the remains belonged to a previously identified victim.
Sure enough, within just a few hours, researchers found familial connections between the unknown mother and daughter and one of the families they’d already looked into. Further analysis led the team to conclude that the adult victim was Katherine Adams, a native of New Orleans who had settled in Chicago. The child victim was subsequently identified as Gladys Adams, Katherine’s three year old daughter who died alongside her in the crash.
The DNA Doe Project presented these findings to their agency partners, who then reached out to the surviving relatives of Katherine and Gladys. The identifications were soon confirmed, proving definitively that there was no unknown victim of the Tonti train wreck.
“To solve a case from 1971, we utilized both historical records and modern technology,” said team leader Gwen Knapp. “Thanks to the people of Salem, who never forgot about the victims of the crash, we were finally able to put a 55-year-old mystery to bed.”
While this news came as a shock to all involved, the death toll from the crash is thankfully now known to be one lower than previously thought. Additionally, advocates for the unknown victim no longer need to worry about a family out there searching for a missing relative, while the remains of Katherine and Gladys can finally be returned to their loved ones.
The DNA Doe Project is grateful to the groups and individuals who helped solve this case: the City of Salem and the Marion County Coroner’s Office, for entrusting us with this case; Henry Morton, for his advocacy for this case; the Crouse Funeral Home and the Merz Vault Company, for their assistance during the exhumation; Dr. Amy Michael of the University of New Hampshire and Dr. Jennifer Bengtson of Southeast Missouri State University, for their forensic anthropology work; Astrea Forensics, for the DNA extraction; Azenta Life Sciences, for the sequencing; GEDmatch Pro, for providing their database; our generous donors who joined our mission and contributed to this case; and the DNA Doe Project’s dedicated teams of volunteer investigative genetic genealogists who work tirelessly to bring all our John and Jane Does home.
Scientists Aim to Unravel the Secrets of a Young Woman’s ‘Vampire’ Burial (CNN – 8/21/26)
A 400-year-old grave held the body of a young woman, the rusted blade of a sickle over her throat and a padlock fastened to her foot — the macabre signs of a community terrified the deceased would rise again.
Archaeologists unearthed Zosia, as the skeleton was nicknamed, from an unmarked burial site in 2022 near the village of Pień in northern Poland. The grave’s grisly contents made international headlines, and the 2024 documentary “Field of Vampires” followed researchers as they re-created what her face may have looked like.
Now, some of the same scientists have published the first systematic research on Zosia, using ancient DNA and other cutting-edge analyses in an attempt to understand who the woman was, how she died, and why she, and perhaps others buried in the same field around 400 years ago, appeared to have been feared as vampires or demons.
Genealogy IDs Woman Whose Rapist Died in Jail, Another John Doe from 1988 (Forensic – 8/21/26)
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office has used forensic genetic genealogy to identify the remains of two Does—one homicide victim found in 1991 and another found in 1988 whose cause of death is undetermined.
The identifications of Leslie Shaw and Roy Torvik represent the fourth and fifth identifications Lake County Sheriff’s Office (Florida) has made using genetic genealogy. Five other unidentified person cases are currently undergoing the genetic genealogy process in hopes of bringing closure to additional victims.
DNA Leads to Arrest in 2005 Sexual Assault (Forensic – 8/21/26)
Attorney General Peter F. Neronha and Hopkinton Police Chief Mark J. Carrier today announced that a former Hopkinton man has been charged in Washington County District Court with two counts of first-degree sexual assault following his arrest on August 18, 2026, stemming from a joint investigation by the Office of the Attorney General and the Hopkinton Police Department, with assistance from the Woonsocket Police Department and the Connecticut State Police.
On August 19, 2026, the defendant, Robert Czerwein (age 41), was arraigned and charged with two counts of first-degree sexual assault.
Arrest Made in Cold Case after 2015 Blood Sample is Tested (Forensic – 8/21/26)
A New York man is in custody for sexual battery after a Flagler County Sheriff’s Office (Florida) investigation and additional DNA forensic testing shows the victim had been drugged during an assault in 2015.
On July 3, 2015, FCSO deputies responded to a local hospital to investigate a reported sexual battery. The victim reported having been drugged and sexually assaulted by Kaivan Rahbar, 64, now of Mellville, N.Y. FCSO detectives conducted the initial investigation, which included a controlled phone call and a DNA search warrant. Rahbar’s DNA was submitted to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, which matched DNA collected during the sexual assault examination. At the time, testing to prove the victim had been drugged was inconclusive. However, the victim became unreachable and the case was placed inactive.
In July 2025, the victim contacted FCSO requesting her case file. Detectives re-activated the case and reviewed the original investigation with the State Attorney’s Office. Detectives then submitted the victim’s blood sample from 2015 for additional forensic testing at NMS Labs. In April 2026, NMS Labs confirmed the presence of Zolpidem (Ambien), a powerful sedative in the victim’s blood, confirming the victim’s account that she had been drugged.
On August 3, 2026, detective obtained an arrest warrant for Kaivan Rahbar. Though investigative means, detectives determined Rahbar had relocated to New York and was preparing to leave the country. Based on the circumstances, Rahbar was placed on a no-fly status.
On August 4, detectives with the Suffolk County Police Department’s Criminal Intelligence Command arrested Rahbar on a Flagler County fugitive warrant for sexual battery.
Mayor Mamdani and Office of Chief Medical Examiner Announce New Identification of World Trade Center Victim Using Breakthrough Forensic Technique (NYC Office of the Mayor – 8/24/26)
Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) today announced the identification of a previously unknown victim of the September 11, 2001 terror attacks on the World Trade Center using the breakthrough technique of forensic investigative genetic genealogy (FIGG), in collaboration with the New York City Police Department (NYPD).
The adult woman, whose name is being withheld at the request of her family, is the first 9/11 victim identified using FIGG and the 1,654th victim identified overall through the ongoing analysis of remains recovered from the attacks, which killed 2,753 people in New York City.
“As we approach the 25th anniversary of the horrific September 11 attacks, we honor the nearly 3,000 people whose lives were stolen that day, and we remain committed to the families who have spent 25 years waiting for answers,” said Mayor Mamdani. “The identification of this victim through forensic investigative genetic genealogy is a powerful example of what is possible when we pair cutting-edge technology with an unwavering commitment to those we lost. We will continue to work until every possible answer is found and every family that has been waiting can have the clarity and closure they deserve.”
“A quarter century after the day that forever changed our world, we are keeping the promise to identify those who died at the World Trade Center in 2001 and return them to their loved ones,” said Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Graham. “This sacred commitment is propelled by our dedication to apply the most innovative scientific techniques, and FIGG represents a promising new addition to our toolkit. Thanks to this collaboration with the NYPD Investigative Genetic Genealogy Squad, we are generating identification leads that otherwise might not have been possible.”
Since 2001, OCME has worked to identify the remains of those who died at the World Trade Center using the most advanced forensic science techniques. This latest identification is the result of a new collaboration that combines OCME’s forensic capabilities with NYPD’s genealogical expertise.
FIGG pairs specialized DNA technologies with genealogical investigative techniques to produce identification leads that are then confirmed by OCME through DNA or other forensic methodologies.
In addition to the new 9/11 identification, OCME continues to link remains to previously identified victims so they can be returned to their families. Recent links have been confirmed for three individuals using FIGG, DNA reference samples obtained through renewed family outreach and ongoing retesting of remains recovered since 2001.
The new identification is the latest identification of a World Trade Center victim since August 2025. Some 1,099 victims — 40% of those who died — remain unidentified. The Administration will continue this work in the coming months and years ahead, using every available scientific tool to identify victims and provide answers to the families who have been waiting for them.
Fork DNA Leads to Arrest of Arizona Man in Naples Cold Case (WINK – 8/26/26)
A cold case from 1999 just got cracked wide open thanks to DNA recovered from a fork he used at an Arizona restaurant.
The Collier County Sheriff’s Office announced the arrest of Terry Lynn Denton, 71, on charges connected to the sexual battery of a Naples woman more than 27 years ago.
According to the sheriff’s office, the attack happened on June 2, 1999, after the victim returned alone to her North Naples apartment following an evening at a jazz club in Bonita Springs.
An unknown man grabbed her from behind as she unlocked her door, covered her mouth and carried her inside before leaving.
A sexual assault kit was collected at the hospital, but DNA from the evidence did not match anyone in the national DNA database, and the case eventually went cold.
The breakthrough came in August 2025 when the sheriff’s office sent the DNA evidence to DNA Labs International for forensic genetic genealogy analysis, a method that builds family trees from DNA to identify unknown suspects.
DNA Doe Project identifies John Doe found in Pennsylvania in 2013 (DNA Doe Project – 8/26/26)
Thirteen years after the remains of a homicide victim were found in Pennsylvania, the DNA Doe Project and their agency partners have identified him as 42-year-old David Anthony Queen. Queen was reported missing to the Baltimore PD on 8 December 2006, seven years before his body was discovered across state lines in West Manchester Township.
On November 18, 2013, tree trimmers stumbled upon a human skeleton near an intersection in West Manchester Township, Pennsylvania. The remains were thought to belong to a Caucasian male, and it was estimated that he stood 5’3” to 5’10” tall and was 30-50 years old at the time of his death. Due to evidence of trauma on his bones, officials classified his death as a homicide.
The West Manchester Township Police later brought this case to the DNA Doe Project, whose expert investigative genetic genealogists work pro bono to identify John and Jane Does. Once a DNA profile had been generated, the team made a surprising discovery – the unidentified man was African American, not Caucasian.
Unfortunately, it was apparent that this would be a challenging case, as all the DNA matches to West Manchester John Doe were distant relatives of his. The closest match shared just 1.7% of their DNA with the unidentified man, and all the other matches shared significantly less than that.
For the next five years, DNA Doe Project volunteers spent many hundreds of hours working to identify West Manchester John Doe. It was clear that he had ancestors from North Carolina but, as time went on, more and more evidence also pointed to a connection to Baltimore. The team leaders worked closely with Sgt. Lance Krout of the West Manchester Township Police to identify potential relatives, and these collaborative efforts succeeded in moving the case forward.
Finally, on Christmas Eve 2025, the team came across a man named David Queen. Though he was a native of Baltimore, Queen’s ancestors had moved to Maryland from North Carolina, and he had family ties to multiple DNA matches of the unidentified man. After finding no recent proof of life for him, the team leaders passed on his name to Sgt. Krout. Less than two weeks later, Sgt. Krout received some critical information – David Queen had been missing for twenty years. Further DNA testing later confirmed that David was, in fact, the man formerly known only as West Manchester John Doe.
“After five years of intensive research, it’s an honor to have played a part in restoring David Queen’s name to him,” said team leader Traci Onders. “This identification is a testament to the persistence of our volunteers and the power of collaboration between our team and dedicated investigators like Sgt. Krout.”
The DNA Doe Project is grateful to the groups and individuals who helped solve this case: the West Manchester Township Police, who entrusted us with this case; the Baltimore Police Department, for their assistance in confirming the identification; Astrea Forensics for DNA extraction; HudsonAlpha Discovery for sequencing; Kevin Lord for bioinformatics; GEDmatch Pro and FamilyTreeDNA for providing their databases; our generous donors who joined our mission and contributed to this case; and the DNA Doe Project’s dedicated teams of volunteer investigative genetic genealogists who work tirelessly to bring all our John and Jane Does home.