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!
New Jersey State Police and FBI Leverage Othram’s Identity Inference Platform to Identify the Suspect in the 1982 Murder of William Jenkins (DNASolves – 9/18/2026)
On April 20, 1982, officers with the East Orange Police Department responded to an apartment at 244 Halsted Street in East Orange, New Jersey. Inside, officers found William Jenkins deceased near his bed. His hands and feet were bound, and he had sustained multiple stab wounds.
Despite investigative efforts, including STR testing and upload to CODIS, the person responsible for Jenkins’ death was not identified, and the case remained unsolved for more than four decades.
In 2024, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office contacted the New Jersey State Police Cold Case Unit.
In January 2025, the New Jersey State Police Cold Case Unit, working with the FBI, submitted evidence to Othram’s laboratory in The Woodlands, Texas. At Othram, scientists used Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing® to build a comprehensive SNP profile suitable for a forensic genetic genealogy search. The profile was handed over to law enforcement, who worked to develop new investigative leads to narrow the identity of the unknown DNA suspect.
Further investigation identified Larry Burney, formerly of East Orange, as the likely source of the DNA. A DNA reference sample subsequently confirmed that Burney was the source of the unknown male DNA profile.
Florida Man Gets 25 Years for 2001 Bronx Rape Cracked Through Investigative Genetic Genealogy (CBS News – 9/18/2026)
Santiago is the first person in New York to be convicted following the use of investigative genetic genealogy. DNA recovered from Vicchitto matched DNA from an unsolved Manhattan rape in 2000.
Investigative genetic genealogy “uses commercial DNA databases with the users’ consent to assist law enforcement to connect unidentified DNA recovered from crime scenes to an individual by tracing family relationships and constructing a family tree,” Bronx DA Darcel Clark explained.
DNA Leads to Mother in 1992 Murder of Newborn (Forensic – 9/21/2026)
Last week, Arkansas State Police (ASP) Cold Case Unit Agents and Pine Bluff Police Department (PBPD) officers arrested a Jacksonville woman in connection with the 1992 homicide of a newborn baby boy in Pine Bluff.
Stephanie Amos, 52, was taken into custody without incident after investigators served an arrest warrant charging her with one count of Capital Murder. Amos was transported to the Jefferson County Detention Center, where she was ordered held without bond.
The arrest stems from the June 22, 1992, discovery of a newborn male infant’s body in a ditch in the 1000 block of South Mulberry Street in Pine Bluff.
Newly Identified Suspect in 1982 Murder Died in Prison in 2005 (Forensic – 9/21/2026)
The New Jersey State Police (NJSP), in collaboration with the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, has identified Larry Burney, formerly of East Orange, New Jersey, as the suspect in the 1982 murder of William Jenkins of East Orange. Burney died in 2005 while incarcerated at South Woods State Prison.
On April 20, 1982, members of the East Orange Police Department responded to 244 Halsted Street in East Orange, where officers discovered Jenkins deceased inside his apartment. Jenkins was found lying face down next to his bed with his hands and feet bound and had sustained multiple stab wounds.
The homicide was initially investigated by detectives from the East Orange Police Department and Essex County Prosecutor’s Office. Despite extensive investigative efforts, the case remained unsolved for more than four decades.
Familial DNA Used to Identify Suspect in 1995 Rooftop Rape (Forensic – 9/21/26)
Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez announced on Friday that a Bronx man has been charged with rape, robbery and related counts for allegedly assaulting a 36-year-old woman at gunpoint on the rooftop of her mother’s apartment building in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn in 1995. Advanced DNA technology helped identify the suspect, who was previously indicted as a John Doe.
“The victim in this case endured three decades of trauma and uncertainty following a horrific sexual attack. Technological advances and the persistence of NYPD detectives and our Forensic Science and Cold Case Unit allow us to now seek justice on her behalf. We will continue to use every available tool to investigate and prosecute every crime committed in Brooklyn, no matter how long it takes,” said Gonzalez.
National Forensic Science Week Highlights the People and Systems Behind Evidence (Lab Manager – 9/21/26)
National Forensic Science Week returns September 20–26, 2026, marking its 14th anniversary as a national observance. Organized by a committee of the Consortium of Forensic Science Organizations, the week promotes awareness of forensic science and encourages laboratories, educational institutions, government bodies, professional organizations, and communities to participate. The consortium brings together organizations representing crime laboratory directors, forensic scientists, toxicologists, identification specialists, coroners, and medical examiners, reflecting the range of disciplines involved in forensic work.
Forensic science often reaches the public through courtroom testimony or television portrayals, but those snapshots rarely show the systems behind a defensible result. Evidence must be received, secured, analyzed, reviewed, reported, and retained under controlled conditions. Each step depends on qualified personnel, validated methods, reliable instruments, complete documentation, and effective quality practices.
For lab managers, National Forensic Science Week offers a timely opportunity to recognize that work while helping employees and stakeholders understand how the laboratory supports the justice system.
In a DNA Breakthrough After 200 Years, Thomas Jefferson’s Hair Links Him to Sally Hemings’ Children (Today – 9/21/26)
The Smithsonian and a team of researchers say they have the most definitive proof yet about whether former President Thomas Jefferson and a woman he enslaved, Sally Hemings, had children together.
The new book “History by a Hair: Thomas Jefferson, Sally Hemings & Solving a 200-Year-Old Mystery,” which will be released Sept. 22, aims to shed light on one of the biggest controversies involving the author of the Declaration of Independence.
40 Years Later, DNA Evidence Leads to Arrest in 1986 Cold Case Homicide in Baltimore (CBS News – 9/22/26)
An arrest has been made in a 1986 homicide involving the shooting of a woman whose body was found in Baltimore’s Druid Hill Park.
David Alexander Williams, 67, was charged in the cold case murder of 23-year-old Teresa Ann Houck, the State’s Attorney for Baltimore City announced Monday. Williams was charged with first-degree murder and related charges.
Celebrating National Forensic Science Week 2026 (Forensic – 9/23/26)
National Forensic Science Week, held Sept. 20-26, provides an annual opportunity to recognize the forensic scientists, crime scene investigators, technicians, educators and other professionals whose work helps turn evidence into investigative information.
Across the country, forensic laboratories and law enforcement agencies are marking the week with laboratory tours, educational events, career programs and a look at the technologies and techniques vital to the field. For many members of the public, it’s a learning experience and a chance to have their eyes and ears on something not typically open for public consumption.
Seminar Strengthens Regional Collaboration on Unsolved Cold Cases (Forensic – 9/23/26)
Attorney General John M. Formella and New Hampshire State Police Colonel Mark B. Hall, on behalf of the New Hampshire Cold Case Unit, announce the successful conclusion of the 2026 New Hampshire Cold Case Seminar, an initiative led by the New Hampshire Cold Case Unit that brought together cold case investigators from all six New England states to share investigative strategies, exchange expertise, and strengthen regional collaboration on unsolved cases.
Hosted at the Pembroke National Guard Readiness Center on Friday, September 18th, the one-day seminar focused on strengthening the vital cross-border collaboration necessary to advance complex, long-term unsolved cases. Governor Kelly Ayotte and Attorney General Formella provided opening remarks and a keynote address, emphasizing the state’s unwavering commitment to securing justice for victims and their families.
University Unveils New Criminal Justice Training Facility (Forensic – 9/23/26)
New England Institute of Technology (NEIT) officially opened its new Criminal Justice training facility Tuesday, unveiling more than 4,000 square feet of dedicated learning space designed to give students hands-on experience in real-world public safety environments.
NEIT leaders, students, faculty and members of Rhode Island’s public safety community gathered at the university’s East Greenwich campus for a ribbon-cutting ceremony and tours of the new facility, which includes two forensics labs, a firearms simulation lab, courtroom and mock crime scenes.
The new space significantly expands experiential learning opportunities for students preparing for careers in law enforcement, forensic investigation, corrections, legal and court services, and other areas of public safety. Students will be able to apply concepts learned in the classroom through realistic scenarios that build practical skills in areas such as evidence collection, forensic investigation, courtroom procedure and decision-making.
When Scientists Become Accidental Detectives (NIST – 9/23/26)
Painter Bob Ross taught us that “happy accidents” can make for beautiful art. Happy accidents also happen in science, when experiments take research in unexpected directions. Probably the most dramatic example is Sir Alexander Fleming’s accidental discovery of penicillin.
Not all unexpected scientific developments are quite that impactful, but our NIST researchers have found similar unexpected applications for their work. (Maybe they’re accidental detectives!)
“The need to be able to use scientific evidence in court means forensic scientists sometimes have to reach out to other technologies and fields to be able to develop things in more detail,” said John Butler, NIST fellow and special assistant to the director for forensic science. “And NIST has played a role in many developments in forensic science going back to the 1960s, when automatic fingerprint technology was initially developed at NIST.”
In this post, we’ll discuss ways in which forensic science has progressed with help from unexpected places.
New Forensic Nurses to Help Victims of Rape and Sexual Assault (BBC – 9/24/26)
Specially-trained nurses will now be able to carry out examinations on victims of sexual assault to help gather evidence of crime.
Previously, only doctors could gather forensic evidence that could be used in Scottish courts. This caused issues including delays due to a shortage of qualified medics, having to travel to be assessed, and limited access to female doctors.
After a pilot, the Lord Advocate – who is Scotland’s top law officer – approved the rollout in March and now nurse sexual offence examiners can support and examine survivors of sexual violence while providing trauma-informed care.
Public health minister Maree Todd said the introduction of the nurses was a “significant milestone”.