May 02 2022

The “Maryland Mystery Lady”: an Interview with Ivy Cheung, DNA Labs International

Ivy Cheung of DNA Labs International tells Travis about the “Maryland Mystery Lady.”

Archaeologist Julie Schablitsky and her team discovered dozens of graves left behind during their cemetery relocation project in the abandoned Simon Hill Cemetery located in Hyattsville, Maryland. One of these graves held an airtight metal casket that contained a perfectly preserved female body. With major improvements in forensic DNA analysis in recent years and new technology like genealogy, DNA Labs International was able to assist the Maryland Department of Transportation in identifying the female body as Elizabeth James Williams, who died in 1938 at age 51. Elizabeth James Williams was the only individual that was able to be identified from the Simon Hill Cemetery.

They also discuss challenges that forensic labs faced during the pandemic, her first time at ISHI, and the songs they play while working in the lab.

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