ISHI On-Demand: Forensic Investigative Genetic Genealogy (FIGG): Frameworks, Case Triage, and Responsible Implementation
Coming Soon!
Forensic Investigative Genetic Genealogy (FIGG) is often discussed in terms of its investigative potential—but successful, defensible use depends far more on how agencies structure, govern, and integrate the work than on any single technology or case.
This ISHI On-Demand module focuses on building a functional framework for FIGG, drawing on real-world experience from forensic scientists, investigative genetic genealogists, and policy contributors. Through detailed case examples and expert discussion, the module examines how agencies move from interest in FIGG to responsible practice—by establishing clear decision-making processes, case triage criteria, documentation standards, and lines of communication between laboratories, investigators, genealogists, and prosecutors.
Rather than presenting FIGG as a standalone technique, the module emphasizes its role within a broader forensic and prosecutorial ecosystem. Topics include selecting appropriate cases, choosing and sequencing technologies, coordinating with vendors and partners, managing disclosure and oversight, and ensuring that genealogical leads are translated into STR-based confirmation suitable for court.
This module is designed to help forensic laboratories and justice system partners understand what needs to be in place before FIGG is used, how to align stakeholders throughout the process, and how to build workflows that support scientific rigor, legal defensibility, and public trust.
Featured speakers include:
- Nana Lamousé-Welch – DNA Specialist, Office of the Bronx District Attorney
- Cristina Servidio – Chief Operating Officer & Technical Leader, DNA Labs International
- David Gurney – Director, Investigative Genetic Genealogy Center, Ramapo College
- Cairenn Binder – Assistant Director, Investigative Genetic Genealogy Center, Ramapo College
- Colleen Fitzpatrick – President & Founder, Identifinders International
- Lisa Graaf – Forensic DNA & Kinship Analysis Expert, Netherlands Forensic Institute
Total Video Time: 2 hours 24 minutes
Module-Level Learning Objectives
After engaging with this ISHI On-Demand module, participants will be able to:
- Explain why FIGG requires a defined framework, rather than being added ad hoc to existing forensic workflows.
- Identify the core components of a FIGG framework, including case authorization, triage criteria, documentation practices, and roles across laboratories, investigators, genealogists, and prosecutors.
- Describe how agencies assess whether a case is appropriate for FIGG, considering evidentiary status, investigative context, resource constraints, and likelihood of meaningful outcomes.
- Recognize how technology selection fits within a broader framework, including how SNP testing approaches are chosen based on case needs rather than treated as one-size-fits-all solutions.
- Explain how FIGG workflows are structured to preserve STR confirmation as the evidentiary anchor, with genealogy serving as an investigative lead rather than courtroom evidence.
- Identify governance, policy, and oversight considerations that support responsible FIGG use, including third-party testing, data handling, disclosure, and compliance with guidelines.
- Describe strategies for maintaining alignment among labs, investigators, vendors, and prosecutors, including communication practices that prevent case drift or defensibility issues.
- Reflect on how public trust, transparency, and ethical considerations shape FIGG frameworks, and why these elements are essential to sustainable adoption.
Video 1: Pursuit of Justice for Cold Cases in the Bronx
Speaker:
Nana Lamousé-Welch (Office of the Bronx District Attorney)
Description:
In this presentation from ISHI 2025, Nana Lamousé-Welch provides a detailed case-based foundation for why forensic investigative genetic genealogy became a necessary next step in Bronx cold case prosecutions. Drawing on work funded through a Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) COLD grant, the presentation examines decades-old homicide and sexual assault cases—many preserved through early 2000s John Doe indictments designed to toll statutes of limitation.
Nana outlines how thousands of sexual assault kits were processed through large-scale interagency collaboration, resulting in widespread CODIS uploads, prosecutions, and ultimately statutory change in New York State. With many John Doe profiles remaining unmatched in CODIS for more than twenty years, the Bronx District Attorney’s Office revisited these cases using familial search and FIGG under DOJ interim policy guidance.
The presentation focuses on how cases were triaged, evidence located and evaluated, samples selected for additional testing, and vendors chosen within an evolving FIGG landscape. Anonymized SNP testing outcomes are shared to illustrate both successes and limitations, including the first FIGG-based indictment in a New York sexual assault case. Together, the presentation establishes the legal, scientific, and operational context that frames the rest of the module.
Video 2: The Bronx District Attorney’s Office: A Prosecutorial Framework for FIGG
Speaker:
Nana Lamousé-Welch (Office of the Bronx District Attorney)
Description:
Building on the case context introduced in the opening segment, this interview explores how a prosecutor’s office evaluates, selects, and manages cases for FIGG. Topics include case readiness, evidence review, sample quality thresholds, vendor selection, coordination with laboratories and investigators, discovery and disclosure considerations, and the role of STR confirmation in prosecution. The discussion highlights FIGG as a structured, multi-agency process rather than a standalone technique.
Video 3: No More Mister “Nice Guy”: A Look at Three Different SNP Technologies to Crack Your Cold Cases
Speakers:
Cristina Servidio (DNA Labs International)
Description:
In this presentation from ISHI 2025, Cristina Servidio examines how forensic laboratories triage cases for SNP testing after traditional STR analysis and CODIS searching fail to generate investigative leads. Using three cold homicide cases with distinct evidentiary challenges, the presentation illustrates how sequencing-based approaches can provide new investigative pathways when STR testing reaches its limits.
The discussion focuses on how analysts evaluate evidence prior to SNP sequencing, including considerations such as DNA quantity and quality, degradation, bacterial contamination, mixtures, and prior testing history. Cristina explains how these factors guide decisions between targeted sequencing, SNP array testing, and whole genome sequencing, emphasizing that no single technology is appropriate for every case.
Rather than promoting a universal solution, the presentation highlights a structured triage approach that matches technology to evidence, illustrating how different SNP strategies were selected across the featured cases. The segment reinforces the importance of deliberate decision-making in FIGG workflows and demonstrates how appropriate technology selection can contribute to meaningful investigative outcomes.
Video 4: Choosing the Right Technology: Laboratory Perspectives on SNP Testing
Speakers:
Cristina Servidio (DNA Labs International)
Description:
In this interview, the discussion expands on laboratory decision-making in FIGG, including how evidence is reviewed prior to SNP testing, when additional extraction or screening may be needed, and how limitations such as mixtures or degraded samples influence technology selection. The segment also addresses collaboration between public laboratories and private vendors, accreditation considerations, and the importance of realistic expectations regarding timelines, cost, and outcomes.
Video 5: How a Multidisciplinary Missing Persons Investigation Brought a Dutch War Hero Home
Speakers:
Lisa Graaf (Netherlands Forensic Institute)
Description:
In this presentation from ISHI 2025, Lisa Graaf presents a decades-long missing persons investigation centered on Ernst Moltzer, a Dutch resistance member who disappeared while attempting to cross the North Sea during World War II. The case illustrates how complex identifications can be achieved through sustained, multidisciplinary collaboration rather than reliance on a single technique.
The presentation traces how genealogical research, conducted in partnership with an investigative journalist and Dutch police, led to the identification of potential relatives and the use of the Dutch Missing Persons Database to establish an initial link to unidentified remains. Subsequent investigation expanded across multiple countries, integrating autosomal STRs, Y-chromosomal and mitochondrial DNA analysis with forensic anthropology, dental findings, archival records, and law enforcement information.
Rather than focusing on technology alone, the case highlights the importance of structured workflows, pedigree construction, evidentiary restraint, and cross-disciplinary coordination. While distinct from U.S. criminal casework, the investigation provides valuable perspective on how framework-driven approaches and long-term collaboration can support identification, evidentiary confidence, and family closure.
Video 6: Building the Framework: From Policy to Practice in FIGG
Speakers:
David Gurney (Ramapo College), Cairenn Binder (Ramapo College)
Description:
This segment focuses explicitly on the structural foundations required to adopt FIGG responsibly. The speakers discuss why FIGG cannot be added informally to existing workflows and outline key framework components, including case authorization, prioritization, documentation, communication, and oversight. Resource constraints, pilot program design, and long-term sustainability are addressed, with emphasis on aligning laboratories, investigators, genealogists, and prosecutors throughout the process.
Video 7: Policy, Guidelines, and Public Trust in FIGG
Speaker:
Colleen Fitzpatrick (Identifinders International)
Description:
This interview explores the evolution of FIGG policy and practice, including the development of guidelines intended to promote transparency, accountability, and public trust. Topics include data stewardship, third-party testing, informed consent, disclosure boundaries, and the distinction between investigative leads and courtroom evidence. The discussion highlights ongoing challenges as FIGG continues to mature within regulated forensic environments.
Video 8: Policy, Guidelines, and Public Trust in FIGG
Description:
In this closing segment, contributors offer concise reflections drawn from their experience implementing, overseeing, and evaluating FIGG. Advice centers on building structure before scale, selecting cases thoughtfully, maintaining documentation and communication, and remaining attentive to ethical and societal implications. The segment reinforces FIGG as a powerful but demanding tool that requires careful governance to remain effective and defensible.