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!
Union City Police Department Teams with Othram to Identify a 2009 Baby Doe (DNASolves – 7/11/2025)
In May 2009, the remains of an unidentified baby were found in a dumpster behind an apartment building in the 1500 block of Decoto Road in Union City, California, an Alameda County city in the San Francisco Bay Area. The newborn Baby Jane Doe was named Matea Esperanza by UCPD officers—a name meaning “Gift from God” in Hebrew and “Hope” in Spanish—was discovered by a man searching for recyclables. An autopsy revealed that the baby died due to drowning and the investigation revealed that the baby had been in the dumpster for 24 hours or less. The discovery led to an extensive and challenging investigation that remained open and active for more than a decade.
In 2023, the Union City Police Department and Alameda County District Attorney’s Office partnered with Othram in The Woodlands, Texas in hopes that advanced DNA testing could help identify the infant. Forensic evidence was sent to Othram’s laboratory where scientists produced a suitable DNA extract from the remains. A comprehensive DNA profile was then developed for the newborn using Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing®. Othram’s forensic genetic genealogy team then conducted a genealogical search that resulted in new leads, which were provided to law enforcement.
This work ultimately led investigators to identify the infant’s biological parents. Further DNA comparison confirmed the identity of the infant’s mother as being 46-year-old Angela Onduto of Denver, Colorado. In May 2025, around what would have been Matea’s 16th birthday, detectives traveled to Denver to coordinate with local law enforcement and Onduto was arrested. Following weeks of continued investigative work, the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office filed a charge of murder under California Penal Code 187 against Onduto. She was taken into custody by the Denver Police Department late on July 2, 2025. Union City detectives are now working to extradite her to Alameda County, where court proceedings will move forward.
How is DNA Used to Identify Victims of Mass Disasters? (LiveScience – 7/12/2025)
On June 12, 2025, an Air India flight crashed shortly after takeoff, killing 260 people. The plane was carrying over 33,000 gallons (125,000 liters) of fuel, leading to a massive fire, and several bodies were charred beyond recognition, fragmented or otherwise rendered unrecognizable. To identify the bodies, officials sought DNA samples from the victims’ family members. More than two weeks after the disaster, the completed DNA analysis successfully identified every person lost in the crash.
Around the world, DNA analysis is the gold standard for identifying human remains following these kinds of mass disasters, whether they’re transportation accidents like the Air India crash, major natural disasters or terrorist attacks. But how does DNA analysis actually work? And how does it help identify victims in these disastrous events involving mass fatalities?
DNA analysis involves the collection of two types of samples: postmortem and antemortem. The postmortem DNA is collected at the scene as other specialists take photos of the victims’ teeth and police officers collect fingerprints and note specific attributes, such as clothing and personal belongings, said Kerstin Montelius, a molecular biologist with Sweden’s National Board of Forensic Medicine.
Cracking the Code: Using Genetic Genealogy to Unmask Serial Criminals (CBS News – 7/13/2025)
Barbara Rae-Venter, a 76-year-old patent attorney living in Marina, California, thought she’d spend her retirement leisurely playing tennis, traveling, and indulging in her favorite pastime: researching her ancestry and building a family tree. It didn’t quite work out that way. For Rae-Venter, something she started as a hobby led to capturing one of the most notorious criminals in California.
Seven years ago, Rae-Venter, using her genetic research skills, tracked down a fugitive in California who had eluded capture for more than three decades, and remarkably, she did it without ever leaving her home.
The fugitive was the Golden State Killer. In April 2018, the FBI and California law enforcement made headlines with a stunning announcement: “We found the needle in the haystack, and it was right here in Sacramento.”
Since 1974, investigators had sought the man responsible for at least 13 murders and more than 50 rapes in the state of California. But it wasn’t until Rae-Venter joined the investigation that they learned his name: Joseph James DeAngelo. “It’s not that I’m so very special,” said Rae-Venter. “It’s just I happened to be in the right place at the right time.”
Using DNA left by DeAngelo at a crime scene, Rae-Venter identified him by using a technique now known as investigative genetic genealogy. “It’s just basically doing the same as you would do if you’re doing family history research, and augmenting that with DNA to make sure that the relatives that you find are really related to you,” she said
Forensics Study Helps Investigators Draw New Clues From Bloodstains (NC State University – 7/14/2025)
New research offers key insights into how blood stains cotton fabrics, allowing investigators to gather additional information from forensic evidence.
“When blood strikes fabric, it leaves a stain,” says Tiegang Fang, corresponding author of a paper on the work. “But it can be difficult to accurately assess things like how quickly blood was traveling when it struck the fabric. Was it going fast? Slow? Did someone just brush up against the blood? It’s hard to tell, because once the blood comes into contact with the fabric, it wicks across the surface of the fibers in the fabric, spreading out.
“We’ve now done analysis that advances our understanding of how these bloodstains form and can be used to estimate the velocity blood was traveling when it struck cotton fabrics,” says Fang, a professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at North Carolina State University. “This can be used to provide insights for forensic investigations.”
For the study, the researchers evaluated five different fabric surfaces: plain-woven cotton fabric, which has the same surface characteristics on the front and back; the front and back of a cotton twill, which have different characteristics; and the front and back of a jersey knit, which also have different characteristics.
The researchers splashed these fabrics with porcine blood that was treated to ensure it would behave consistently across all of the testing. The blood was applied to the fabric surfaces at 12 different velocities, and the impact of the blood on the fabric was captured using multiple high-speed cameras, with images being captured at a rate of four frames per millisecond. Cameras also captured the way the blood traveled through the fabrics over time.
The researchers were then able to analyze these images to identify patterns in the bloodstains that correlated to the velocity of the blood spatter.
Florida Lab Named Among Top 14 in the Nation (Forensic – 7/14/2025)
The Pinellas County Forensic Laboratory has been named one of the most effective forensic crime labs in the nation, according to a recent award announced by the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors (ASCLD).
ASCLD named the County’s forensic lab among the top 14 in the nation with efficient service that speeds up court cases and supports criminal convictions and exonerations.
Pinellas was the only lab in Florida to receive the Society’s Foresight Maximus Award, which recognizes crime labs that perform above a 90 percent efficiency level as defined by speed and cost of service to the citizens. Only 14 laboratories gained this distinction out of 220 submissions nationwide. The laboratory also maintains accreditation to the highest levels to ensure that appropriate processes are in place to provide quality analysis.
The Pinellas County Medical Examiner operates the lab, which is fully funded and supported by the Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners. The lab provides forensic analysis in seized drugs, DNA, fire debris, and toxicology to the Pinellas County criminal justice community. Additionally, the lab provides post-mortem toxicology analyses for the District Six Medical Examiners Office, serving Pinellas and Pasco Counties to assist in the determinations of cause and manner of death.
2 Men in Prison Since 1994 Exonerated after DNA Testing (Forensic – 7/14/2025)
A Manhattan judge vacated the convictions of Brian Boles and Charles Collins for a 1994 murder after DNA testing on fingernail evidence from the victim excluded the men as the source and pointed to another individual as the perpetrator.
The Honorable Ruth Pickholz dismissed the indictments against Boles and Collins after a joint request from prosecutors and attorneys from the Innocence Project, who represent Boles, and attorneys from Ropes & Gray, who represent Collins.
“Brian Boles was only a teenager when this nightmare began,” said Jane Pucher, a Senior Staff Attorney at the Innocence Project. “We are grateful that the District Attorney’s Office and the court have finally acknowledged what Boles has always maintained – that he was wrongfully convicted. He lost three decades of his life for a crime he had nothing to do with.”
Boles was just 17 when, after two days of extensive questioning by police who threatened and lied to him, he falsely confessed to the murder. He had no attorney, parent, or guardian present. This “confession” was the only evidence against Boles, who, after being found guilty at trial, went on to serve 30 years in prison before being released on parole in 2024. Collins, fearful of also losing at trial, took a plea and served 23 years in prison before being released on parole in 2017.
Nurse Not Heard from Since 1973 Now Identified (Forensic – 7/14/2025)
Attorney General John M. Formella, New Hampshire State Police Colonel Mark B. Hall, Brattleboro, Vermont Police Chief Norma Hardy, and the New Hampshire Cold Case Unit announce that investigators have identified a previously unidentified female discovered in Marlborough, New Hampshire, in 1974. With forensic testing and assistance from the New Hampshire State Police Forensic Laboratory, NamUs, Bode Technology and the University of North Texas Health Science Center, investigators have now identified this young woman as Nancy Gale Erickson (21) of Tampa, Florida and Brattleboro, Vermont.
“After years of work on this case, putting a name to Nancy Gale Erickson is incredibly meaningful. It’s more than solving a mystery — it’s restoring her identity and honoring the life she lived. She was never forgotten,” said New Hampshire State Police Detective Sergeant Kelly LaPointe. “We’re deeply grateful to everyone whose efforts made this possible. Now the focus turns to understanding how and why she died.”
On April 16, 1974, the body of an unidentified woman was discovered in a wooded area off Route 124 in Marlborough, New Hampshire. Forensic analysis indicated she had died in late fall 1973. Investigators determined she was a white female, aged 18–48, between 5’2″ and 5’6″, with reddish-brown hair. She wore a light brown corduroy coat with white fleece lining (size 44, Matt Andrews Sportswear), a blue-gray zippered warm-up jacket, a blue, white, and red plaid flannel shirt (size M, Royal Coach), off-white Carter work trousers, brown low-cut work shoes (size 6 or 7), mismatched socks, and Duofold insulated underwear with a blue and green floral print (sizes B and 18). No identification was found, and the cause and manner of death remain undetermined. Her identity remained a mystery for nearly 50 years.
In 2021, Nancy Gale Erickson was reported missing by her family to the Brattleboro Police Department—marking the first time she had been officially listed as missing. The family had previously reported her missing out of state. From 2022 to 2024, forensic testing confirmed that the unidentified remains found in Marlborough in 1974 matched the DNA of Erickson’s siblings. She was 21 years old when she disappeared in 1973.
Born in Bay Shore, New York, in 1951, Erickson grew up in Elmira, New York, and earned a nursing degree from Corning Community College. In 1972–1973, she moved to Tampa, Florida, to join her mother and siblings and worked as a nurse at Tampa General Hospital. In 1973, she abruptly left Tampa with a duffel bag and no known destination. Her siblings believe the emotional toll of her nursing work may have contributed to her sudden departure.
On October 2, 1973, Erickson was arrested in Bellows Falls, Vermont, for stealing a car in Putney, Vermont. According to a 1973 news article, she told the judge the car had run out of gas and that she was headed to visit friends in White River Junction. She received probation, remained in Brattleboro, and worked at the Brattleboro Retreat while living at the Community House. Her family recalled receiving a call about her arrest but were unaware of whom she may have known in Vermont.
On October 30, 1973, Erickson abruptly left her job and residence and was never heard from again. Investigators have now confirmed that her body was the one found in Marlborough on April 16, 1974.
Investigators would like to thank the many partners who made this identification possible, including but not limited to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner; Dr. Marcella Sorg (University of Maine); Bode Technology; the University of North Texas Health Science Center; the New Hampshire State Police Forensic Laboratory; NamUs; Deputy Chief Jeremy Evans (Brattleboro Police); and Nancy Erickson’s siblings—Michael Erickson, Sandra Eslick, and Kevin Erickson.
DNA Analysis Leads to Arrest in 2009 Death of Newborn (Forensic – 7/14/2025)
The Union City Police Department (UCPD) announces significant developments in a 16-year-old cold case involving the tragic death of a newborn girl found deceased in a dumpster at the Parkside Apartments on May 18, 2009.
The newborn lovingly named Matea Esperanza by UCPD officers—a name meaning “Gift from God” in Hebrew and “Hope” in Spanish—was discovered by a man searching for recyclables. The discovery led to an extensive and challenging investigation that remained open and active for more than a decade.
As part of the long-term investigation, UCPD detectives were able to develop suspect leads through advanced DNA analysis of evidence collected in 2009. This work ultimately led investigators to identify a potential suspect. Further DNA comparison confirmed the identity of 46-year-old Angela Onduto of Denver, Colorado, who had previously been identified as a person of interest during the initial stages of the 2009 investigation.
In May 2025, around what would have been Matea’s 16th birthday, UCPD detectives traveled to Denver to coordinate with local law enforcement. Onduto was arrested at that time, however, charges were initially withheld pending further forensic analysis and a detailed review of the medical examiner’s findings.
Following weeks of continued investigative work, the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office has now filed a charge of murder under California Penal Code 187 against Onduto. She was taken into custody by the Denver Police Department late on July 2, 2025. Union City detectives are now working to extradite her to Alameda County, where court proceedings will move forward.
The UCPD expresses deep gratitude that justice is progressing in Matea’s case after 16 years, reaffirming the department’s commitment to solving cold cases and bringing closure to the community.
Matea’s memory continues to resonate within Union City. In 2017, the Union City Police Officers Association purchased a permanent grave marker in her honor, and a memorial service is held annually by members of the department.
Forensic Genealogy and AI Poised to Transform Cold Case Investigations in Southern Nevada (3News – 7/15/2025)
Science is an essential tool in solving cold cases.
Whether it’s composite sketches, forensic genealogy, or even 3D crime scene mapping, investigative efforts are evolving.
However, Michael Murphy, who was the Clark County coroner from 2002 to 2015, said it all starts with the initial tests. “You want fingerprints, DNA, you want dental identification, dental records, and all types of x-rays,” he said.
Then the focus is on the information before the death, which is where DNA testing comes into play.
New DNA Tools Help Oklahoma Investigators Make Progress on Cold Cases (News9 – 7/15/2025)
Solving decades-old homicides remains one of law enforcement’s most difficult challenges, but new technology is giving renewed hope to Oklahoma families still searching for answers.
Hunter McKee with the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) joined News On 6 to explain how tools like Rapid DNA and genetic genealogy are helping crack cold cases across the state. He also shared the latest update in a homicide investigation in Okmulgee.
Remains of Unknown World War I Soldier Exhumed in Wisconsin for DNA Identification (Wisconsin Public Radio – 7/15/2025)
A grave long marked only as “Unknown Soldier” in a quiet corner of Restlawn Memorial Park in Wausau was opened last month, as part of a statewide effort to identify missing service members through DNA technology.
The exhumation, carried out June 6, is part of the Missing in Action Recovery and Identification Project at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Biotechnology Center. That project works to identify remains of service members declared missing in action, many of whom still have living relatives.
In this case, investigators believe the unidentified man was a World War I veteran who had fallen on hard times and died by suicide.
AI Tool Developed in Israel Predicts Age from a Speck of DNA – 7/15/2025)
Israeli scientists at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have developed a high-precision tool that can determine a person’s biological age using artificial intelligence and just a tiny DNA sample. The new method, unveiled this week, could reshape both medicine and forensic science by offering a clearer picture of how people age at the molecular level—regardless of how many birthdays they’ve celebrated.
The technique, described in the journal Cell Reports, focuses on methylation, a natural chemical process that alters DNA over time. Researchers zeroed in on just two specific regions of DNA to identify markers of biological aging. From there, they used a deep learning model called MAgeNet to estimate a person’s age. For individuals under 50, the tool predicts age with an impressive median error of just 1.36 years.