Othram in
the news.

29 May, 2025

Othram and CDAA will host the 2025 Cold Case Symposium October 27–29, 2025, at the Island Palms Hotel & Marina in San Diego, California.

22 May, 2025

A bill co-authored by Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) would increase funding for advanced DNA analysis with the hope of helping to solve cold cases. The Carla Walker Act, introduced to the U.S. Senate on Thursday, is named for a 17-year-old Fort Worth native who was killed in 1974, but whose case went unsolved for more than four decades due to a lack of analysis technology.

16 May, 2025

MANCHESTER, N.H. — Police have identified a man who died of natural causes in Florida nearly 20 years ago under an assumed name. David D'intinosanto, who was born Sept. 12, 1958, died at his home in Apopka, Florida, in 2006, according to a report from Othram. He had been living under the name of “Steven A. Mason” for at least 10 years before he died.

15 May, 2025

Remains unearthed from a clandestine grave in the Santa Fe National Forest in Sandoval County in 2001 have been identified. The former John Doe was identified as Hawaiian Keeble Wofford Sr., also known as Kimo Mahi, a wrestler and actor from the 1950s, according to Othram, a DNA lab in Texas. "People should know that it doesn't matter how old a case is or whether it was hopeless in the past; there is technology here today that is able to bring answers to families like in this case," said Kristen Mittelman, chief development officer for Othram, the company that analyzed the DNA.

15 May, 2025

In October 1986, a 29-year-old nurse at Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center in Polk County named Teresa Scalf was found brutally murdered in her home. There were no obvious suspects to the crime. That is until 2022 when the Polk County Sheriff's Office engaged Othram, a national leader in the burgeoning investigatory field of forensic genetic genealogy to see if advanced DNA testing could help develop new leads in the case. “We are extremely grateful for the assistance from Othram, who provided us with the missing element in this investigation, and ultimately enabled this case to finally be solved,” said PCSO Sheriff Grady Judd.

15 May, 2025

Four decades after 18-year-old Christine Gallegos was beaten, assaulted, shot and stabbed to death, Salt Lake City police say they have identified a likely suspect in the case. Police credit Othram, a company focused on forensically solving cold cases, with making the forensic discovery.

9 May, 2025

Part of a human skull discovered on a Northern California beach more than 32 years ago was just identified as a woman who went missing five years earlier, authorities said. Over three decades later and with funds allocated by U.S. Rep. Jared Huffman last year, the sheriff's office said it partnered with forensic genealogy firm Othram to help clear up a backlog of unidentified human remains cases. Using forensic genetic genealogy, the company managed to build a comprehensive DNA profile that determined the remains belonged to a woman named Kay Josephine Medin, who went missing in 1987.

8 May, 2025

A man who was found dead in Cordes Junction nearly 40 years ago has been identified decades later thanks to a partnership between Yavapai County and the laboratory Othram.

8 May, 2025

Spanish language reporter Deysy Rios on technology that revolutionizes and solves criminal cases through deep DNA analysis. Reportando desde The Woodlands. Tecnología que revoluciona y resuelve casos criminales por medio de análisis de ADN profundo.

30 April, 2025

A 10th victim has been recovered from Fox Hollow Farm, where suspected serial killer Herb Baumeister lived in Indiana. "This identification is a significant development in our ongoing efforts to provide answers to the families of those who went missing," Jeff Jellison, Hamilton County coroner, said after Halloran's remains were identified. "We are grateful for the expertise of Othram and the advances in forensic science that made this possible."

28 April, 2025

Nearly 40 years after an unidentified man was found bound and executed in St. Lucie County, sheriff's investigators with the help of DNA technology learned the remains are those of 39-year-old Blaine Louis Brown, Jr., the Sheriff's Office announced. Early DNA results weren't sufficient for forensic genetic genealogy until March 2024, when the Florida Department of Law Enforcement approved grant funding for advanced testing by Othram, a lab in Texas that specializes in DNA identification from degraded remains.

27 April, 2025

Investigators dredged a teenage girl's bones from a Santa Cruz riverbed in 1995. In Santa Rosa, skeletal remains of a homeless man were found three years later. Part of a skull was pulled from a ditch in Placer County in 2001. In each case, Othram, a forensic lab in Texas, developed DNA profiles from the remains that helped law enforcement agencies track down each victims' relatives.

23 April, 2025

New York authorities on Wednesday announced the identification of a woman previously only known as "Peaches" and her toddler, whose deaths have been looked at in connection to the Gilgo Beach serial killings case on Long Island. Authorities identified the mother as Tanya Denise Jackson — previously only known as "Peaches" because of her distinctive peach tattoo — and the baby as Tatiana Marie Dykes. DNA evidence in Jackson's and her daughter's cases was submitted to Othram in 2020. Scientists with the forensic genetic genealogy lab based in Texas were able to build a comprehensive genetic profile using existing data for the then-unknown woman and ultimately found her identity.

17 April, 2025

A New Haven man was arrested on Tuesday after police say DNA revealed he sexually assaulted his 23-year-old stepdaughter. Othram, a company based in Texas, specializes in Forensic Genetic Genealogy agreed to work with investigators. The DNA sample was compared to multiple samples submitted to genealogy companies, and investigators were able to create a family tree and identify a suspect, Delienne Moncrieft.

16 April, 2025

After nearly 25 years, a woman's remains have been identified by the Placer County Sheriff's Office. The sheriff's office said Zania Williams disappeared around Christmas of 2000 and was last seen at her home in Sacramento. In 2024, the sheriff's office sent a DNA profile obtained from the remains to a forensic lab in Texas called Othram to generate a sample for genetic genealogy. The skeletal remains of Williams, who was 34 at the time of her disappearance, were found on Driver's Flat Road in Foresthill on March 20, 2001.

9 April, 2025

More than 52 years after he vanished, siblings of a Kansas City, Kansas, teenager recently learned he died of homicide. Officials said the testing was conducted by Othram, a Texas-based company that specializes in using forensic genetic genealogy to try to uncover family relationships to identify any living relatives of deceased people.

9 April, 2025

Law enforcement is investigating a nearly 30-year-old homicide after the remains of Laurie Krage were identified. Advanced DNA testing linked the remains to Krage, who was last seen alive in 1996. In late 2023, the Pierce County Sheriff's Office partnered with Othram, a forensic lab in Texas, to extract and analyze degraded DNA from the remains. "The DNA was not easy to work with," said Michael Vogen, Othram's director of Case Management. "You have to collect thousands of DNA markers to get a profile that shows a clear relationship."

8 April, 2025

Often referred to as the Benton County Three, comprised of John Doe, Lake Man and Bone Woman, the case represents a remarkable effort by Arkansas law enforcement to return their identities back to them. In 2021, the privately funded Texas lab Othram was proving that its cutting-edge technology could get results even in the most challenging of cases. Thus the bones of Bone Woman, Lake Man and John Doe made a trip south, a trip that would return them to their real names.

5 April, 2025

After nearly 50 years unsolved, a murderer has been identified in a Aptos cold case through DNA evidence. DNA technology continues to crack decades-old crime mysteries. In the last 30 days, the company Othram has solved five California cases; three of them are from the Bay Area.

2 April, 2025

On April 2, 2025, the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office announced the identities of two bodies discovered in separate incidents in 1998. In 2022, the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office partnered with the California Department of Justice and turned to advanced DNA technology with Othram.

1 April, 2025

Remains of a Jane Doe recovered in North Toledo in 1987 have been identified as Tammy Lowe with the help of DNA testing, police announced Tuesday. In October, the Porchlight Project announced that the Toledo Police Department had requested its assistance in identifying the remains. The Porchlight Project elected to fund further genetic genealogy DNA testing through Othram of Woodlands, Texas. Through Othram's testing, a possible relative was located in Michigan. Further follow-up by detectives from the Ohio Bureau of Investigation, Toledo Police Department, and the Lucas County Coroner's Office located the possible family members near Detroit.

31 March, 2025

Knox County officials announced forensic teams identified the remains of a woman found in a wooded area near North Knoxville's Fourth and Gill neighborhood nearly three years after the discovery. A passerby discovered the remains on Aug. 16, 2022. In March 2023, the forensic center contacted Othram, a company specializing in solving cold cases using DNA analysis and genealogy. The Texas-based company has helped the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation solve several similar cases.

31 March, 2025

Skeletal remains found in the 1990s in California have been finally identified as a New York teenager who went missing 20 years earlier, police announced last week. Although the remains went unidentified for decades, investigators picked up clues along the way thanks to DNA and a partnership with Othram, a company specializing in forensic genetic genealogy, the sheriff's office said.

30 March, 2025

Officials have ascertained the identity of a woman whose remains were found nearly 60 years ago — finally giving closure to her family members, who had been searching for her since she vanished. In 2022, the Marin County Sheriff's Office, working with the California Department of Justice, submitted evidence to Othram Labs in Texas, which used advanced DNA testing to build a profile and identify relatives of Vaillancourt, according to a statement from the lab.

26 March, 2025

About three decades after partial skeletal remains were discovered in a Santa Cruz County riverbed, authorities have finally identified the victim. In an Instagram post on Tuesday, the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office said the remains belonged to Laura O’Malley, a 13-year-old girl from Queens, New York. "We are deeply grateful for our partnership with Othram and the use of forensic advancements that have provided long-awaited answers to Laura’s family," the Instagram post said. Othram is a Texas-based company specializing in forensic genetic genealogy.

24 March, 2025

The remains of a Gilmer County homicide victim were identified 39 years later, but the search for his killer continues. Last year, the GBI Regional Investigative Office in Cleveland and the GBI Cold Case Unit partnered with the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council and Othram, Inc. to use DNA testing to help identify the remains.

19 March, 2025

A body that was found on a Tiburon cliff in 1966 by a hunter was recently identified after six decades of mystery. The red-haired woman, who was called “Marin County Jane Doe” while her identity was unknown, was wearing a red cotton dress and a white trench coat when she died, according to DNASolves.com. Using advanced DNA testing and samples stored by the Marin County Sheriff’s Office, investigators at Othram’s laboratory in Texas determined that her name was Dorothy Jean Williams.

18 March, 2025

After more than 45 years, authorities have solved a murder thanks to advancements in DNA technology. The Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD) and the FBI announced in a news conference that 82-year-old Rodger Zodas Brown has been arrested and charged in the 1979 murder of Kathryn Donohue, a 31-year-old woman from Arlington, Virginia. PGPD credits its partnership with the FBI’s Investigative Genetic Genealogy Team, Raleigh Police Department, and Othram Inc. for making the arrest possible.

13 March, 2025

Using new advances in DNA testing, authorities have identified the partially decomposed skeletal remains found in a wooded lot in Monroe County in 1986. Othram is able to extract the DNA from bones and can also do forensic genealogy. DNA collection and analysis has advanced significantly in the past 10 years, according to an Othram official. In the past, DNA in CODIS consisted of only 20 markers. Using current technology, Othram is able to create up to 1 million data points for a single piece of DNA.

13 March, 2025

A forensics investigation lab based in The Woodlands is inviting super sleuths from the public to join a new cold case research project. Through cutting-edge DNA testing and innovative software, Othram works with local, state and federal agencies to crack cases once thought impossible to solve. Since 2019, the forensics lab has identified hundreds of victims and suspects in homicides across the United States.

12 March, 2025

In May 1983, authorities discovered a charred body inside a burned car, initially believing it to be the remains of Edward L. Cates, a disgraced city commissioner with mounting financial troubles. In 2025, forensic scientists at Othram, an investigative lab specializing in DNA sequencing, have taken on the daunting task of identifying the victim. Through DNA testing and genetic genealogy, Othram hopes to generate fresh investigative leads that could finally reveal the true identity of the man whose life was so tragically cut short.

11 March, 2025

Human remains found on a Washington state beach almost 17 years ago belonged to a teenager from British Columbia, police confirmed Tuesday, though the circumstances surrounding his disappearance and death remain unknown. Othram says the case underscores how forensic genealogy is advancing to remove barriers between investigators across international borders. “As more agencies leverage this technology, the ability to solve cases is not only improving but accelerating, as each new agency that joins the effort strengthens the collective capability of forensic investigators worldwide,” said Michael Vogen, a case management director with Othram.

8 March, 2025

From a man dead for decades whose body was found weighted down in a Montgomery County lake to a young man's body found on the beach in Galveston more recently, the previously unidentified are given back their names, and a lab in the Woodlands is behind the breakthroughs.

7 March, 2025

Now a state-of-the-art forensic lab near Houston, Texas -- which is focused solely on partnering with law enforcement on cold case investigations -- is gaining attention for its ability to use powerful DNA testing technology to help crack seemingly unsolvable cases. Othram, Inc. has been linked to some of today's most talked about criminal investigations, including the Gilgo Beach serial killings and the Idaho college student murders.

6 March, 2025

An investigation into a 40-year-old homicide continues after the victim was identified Thursday. Last year in March, the ASP Cold Case unit began looking into McDaniel’s case again, submitting his remains to the Othram, a specialized DNA and genealogy testing facility in Texas.

6 March, 2025

A renewed effort in Pueblo is being aided by a forensic DNA lab to help identify the burned remains of a man who was found after a grass fire in Pueblo in 2017. Now, the Pueblo County Coroner’s Office and the Pueblo Police Department have partnered with Othram, a forensic DNA lab near Houston, to identify the man.

5 March, 2025

A 27-year-old woman living in Mexico has been identified as a child who was abducted from her father in New Haven in 1999, officials say. New Haven police made the announcement with help from Othram, an accredited forensic laboratory in Texas. The lab uses forensic genomic techniques to help solve murders and disappearances and to recover human remains.

5 March, 2025

The body of a man that was discovered in the woods of Pearl has now been identified. A sample was also submitted to Othram in Texas, which has been instrumental in other DNA cold cases solved for the Rankin County Coroner’s Office.

5 March, 2025

Nearly 26 years after a toddler was abducted from New Haven, Connecticut, she's been located more than 2,600 miles away in Puebla, Mexico. To confirm her identity, New Haven PD worked with Othram, an accredited forensic laboratory in The Woodlands, north of Houston. They specialize in cutting-edge forensic-genomic techniques. "Whether it is unidentified human remains, the identity of a suspect in a crime or, like in this case, confirming the identity of a woman who has been missing for decades, we do the same thing every day–we find answers for families," Kristen Mittelman, Chief Development Officer for Othram, explained.

4 March, 2025

A Three Rivers cold case that was solved a couple of years ago will be highlighted as part of an upcoming episode of the ABC newsmagazine “20/20.” On Friday, March 7, the program will be airing a special episode on the forensic genetic genealogy center Othram, and how its methods and technology were used to help solve two cold case murders, one of them being the murder of 19-year-old Cathy Swartz of Three Rivers in 1988.

2 March, 2025

A man who went missing in the 1980s has been identified as the victim of an execution-style killing in Northern California that was accidentally uncovered by tree trimmers. In 2023, the sheriff’s department sent evidence to Othram, a private forensic lab in Texas. The profile they developed was sent to the FBI, which used genetic genealogy to search for possible familial matches.

26 February, 2025

A cold case spanning over two decades has finally been solved with the positive identification of skeletal remains found in 2002. Othram, Inc. conducted the analysis, which led to the identification of potential relatives across the country. Investigators then traced these leads back to Moneyham, confirming his identity through additional testing.

25 February, 2025

Othram officials announced that the biotechnology company based in The Woodlands has partnered with the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs for an operation initiative to help solve cases of missing and murdered Native Americans and Alaska Natives. "Answers are now possible for everyone, regardless of circumstances, historical origins, geography or time period," Othram CEO David Mittelman said. "We are honored to assist the Bureau of Indian Affairs in leveraging advanced forensic technology to resolve long-standing cases and deliver justice."

24 February, 2025

Nearly 14 years have passed since human remains were found near Cheney, and now authorities may be closer to identifying who they belonged to. On April 29, 2011, a property owner was digging out a creek bed in the 10000 block of S. 343rd St. West when they found a human skull. Forensic analysis determined that it belonged to a woman, likely of African-American descent., a Texas-based lab is offering help solving the mystery of the woman’s identity. Othram Labs has been helping law enforcement nationwide with cold case identifications.

24 February, 2025

Law enforcement officials hope that a Texas DNA lab can be the key to identifying the remains of a woman found in Moss Landing back in 2023. The Monterey County Sheriff-Coroner's Office has asked Othram, a DNA lab in The Woodlands, Texas, to identify a woman whose remains were found by fishermen on the beach of Moss Landing.

20 February, 2025

A partnership between a forensic laboratory in The Woodlands and the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs aims to help solve the mysteries surrounding missing or murdered Native Americans. Othram, the laboratory, announced the partnership as part of the initiative known as “Operation Spirit Return.”

20 February, 2025

The program seeks to identify unknown human remains that have been located within or close to Indian country and that are believed to belong to American Indian or Alaska Native persons.

17 February, 2025

The remains of a woman found dead on a reservation in southwestern South Dakota in January has been identified as Michelle Elbow Shield, a Sioux woman who went missing more than a year ago. Elbow Shield's body was discovered on the state's Pine Ridge Reservation in January, according to the forensics laboratory that helped solve her case and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The Sioux woman from Pine Ridge went missing in September 2023 and the BIA created a profile for Elbow Shield in the wake of her disappearance.

16 February, 2025

A California woman who has been missing for years was just identified as a Jane Doe found dead in a pond in 2018, forensic genealogy lab Othram announced.

14 February, 2025

The human remains found in Jackson County in January have been confirmed to be the remains of a missing Pine Ridge woman, the Rapid City Police Department announced Friday. According to the RCPD, Michelle Elbow Shield was reported missing in December 2023 after last being seen in Rapid City in October 2023. In October 2024, the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the RCPD issued a $5,000 reward for information regarding Elbow Shield’s disappearance.

13 February, 2025

The remains of a 22-year-old Florida man have been identified by deputies after 28 years. The Volusia County Sheriff's Office has identified the man as Ryan L. Stone, who was last seen by his family in 1994. The remains were found in 1997 in a wooded area of DeBary.

10 February, 2025

For more than four decades, a woman who was murdered in Palm Beach County remained known only as the “Jeweled Mom.” But that changed on Monday, Feb. 10. A company specializing in forensic genetic genealogy announced that DNA testing had unveiled her true identity. According to Othram, Inc., the murder victim was identified as 37-year-old Leona Jean Keller.

7 February, 2025

Ronald Ackerman had a layover at Pearson International Airport before catching a connecting flight. Rolling out the red carpet for the 50-year-old Gander, Newfoundland man were detectives from the Toronto Police Service’s cold case unit. On Wednesday night, Ackerman was arrested and charged with first-degree murder in connection with the March 9, 1998 sex slaying of prostitute Donna Oglive. In 2022, the TPS submitted forensic evidence to Othram in The Woodlands, Texas. Scientists there built a comprehensive DNA profile for the suspect. That DNA profile was transferred to Toronto so that a forensic genetic genealogy search could be conducted. This search resulted in new leads narrowing the investigation down and finally, leading to Ackerman’s arrest.

30 January, 2025

More than 40 years ago, a body was discovered along the side of a dirt road near Lake Dorr in Altoona. Beginning in 2023, the Lake County Sheriff's Office started working with Othram, a DNA lab doing genetic testing out of Texas, to identify “Judy Doe.” Othram worked alongside the LCSO for a year, conducting genetic genealogy testing. The two entities narrowed down the identity of Judy Doe to match that of a missing Arkansas teenager, Rebecca Sue Hill. Her body was found on April 18, 1984, off a dirt road near Lake Dorr in Altoona.

24 January, 2025

A man whose partial remains were found in a vacant apartment building in Detroit in 1998 has been identified as Robert Booker Jr. In the meantime, a murdered man whose body was found in downtown Detroit in 1981 has been identified as Jerry Tate. Booker and Tate were the 12th and 13th cases, respectively, cases in the state of Michigan where identification was made using the resources of Othram laboratory in Texas; and publicly announced by DNASolves.

9 January, 2025

A woman, who was found dead in an abandoned house 18 years ago, has been identified and linked to a serial killer. ‘Jane Doe’ has now been revealed as a woman named Darylnn Washington. Her cause of death was ruled as a homicide according to a press release from the Detroit Police Department and Othram Inc, a Texas-based forensic genetic genealogy firm specialising in advanced DNA testing.

7 January, 2025

DNA continues to solve even the coldest of cases with experts in the industry hopeful for more resources and support in 2025. Othram has played a critical role in providing answers in more than 30 Washington cases.

3 January, 2025

In July 1979, the remains of an unidentified individual were found in a debris pile at a dead end road in Covert Township near Interstate 94. In 2022, the Michigan State Police enlisted Othram for advanced DNA testing and genetic genealogy to identify the man as Robert L. McDaniel.

28 December, 2024

The skeletal remains of a missing girl have been identified nearly a decade later thanks to advancements in DNA testing. Remains that were shown to belong to Mary Sue Fink – who was between age 2 and 6 years old at the time of her death – were found in Hawaii in June 2014, nearly six decades after she died. Fink’s remains were sent from Honolulu to Othram Labs for further DNA testing in August 2024, when investigators were able to build a DNA profile from existing evidence to identify a possible relative – which led to a match.

20 December, 2024

In June 2023, skeletal human remains were found in the desert outside of Pahrump. After the Clark County coroner and medical examiner's office said they couldn't determine who the remains belonged to, detectives requested help from Othram. That is a Texas lab that uses Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing to build a genealogical profile and can be used to develop new leads. Using information provided by Othram, detectives were able to confirm the remains belonged to Daniel Core, who was last seen in August 2022.

19 December, 2024

An arrest has been made in a nearly two-decade-old cold case in Westport, according to the Bristol County District Attorney’s Office. 62-year-old Simao Farias of New Bedford was arrested for the murder of 42-year-old Suzanna Alvarado. Othram, a Texas-based forensic genetic genealogy testing laboratory, has been working with the DA’s office to solve Alvarado’s murder since 2022.

17 December, 2024

A body found in a creek bed more than four decades ago has been identified as a missing Nevada man, California deputies say. With help from new technologies, including forensic genetic genealogy, the body found in 1980 was identified as Donald Gene Horecka, 25, of Las Vegas. The Solano County Sheriff’s Office partnered with Othram Inc., a forensic genetic genealogy company.

9 December, 2024

In February 1994, the partial remains of an unidentified individual were discovered near Big Water, Utah. Investigators say that by using funding from the Utah Department of Public Safety, the Kane County Sheriff's Office teamed with Othram in hopes of identifying the man through advanced DNA testing and forensic genetic genealogy.

5 December, 2024

On April 20th, 2021 a human skull and another small bone was found along a wooded creek on agricultural property in the southwest area of the City of Salina. An old tent and debris from a makeshift campsite were also found in the area. In the summer of 2024, after hitting several roadblocks the Saline County Sheriff’s Office reached out to Othram to see if their advanced DNA testing could assist in the identification of human remains that were found southwest of Salina in 2021. DNA confirmed the remains are of Kenneth Frances Reitcheck who was reported missing to the Salina Police Department in 2019.

27 November, 2024

Nearly 40 years ago, police found the charred remains of a woman's body in a pile of tires along the side of Interstate 95 in Westport. Now, though, with advancements in DNA analysis, investigators have been able to give the Fairfield County Jane Doe a name: Barbara Heyward Manners, according to Othram, a Texas-based lab that worked with the Connecticut Office of the Chief Medical Examiner to identify the woman.

26 November, 2024

Human remains discovered in 2012 in Mendocino County have been identified as a Washington man last seen in 1986. A forensic laboratory identified the remains of Warren David Hawkins through DNA reconstruction and comparison along with genealogical research. He was identified based on family ties discovered by Othram, a Texas laboratory that helps solve cases by completing DNA profiles through genome sequencing.

22 November, 2024

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) and the Sullivan County Sheriff's Office (SCSO) have indicted and arrested a Tennessee man in connection to the 1997 murder of James Hutson. In 2023, SCSO detectives reopened the case with the TBI Cold Case Initiative. As they reviewed the evidence, DNA collected in 1997 was given to Othram, Inc., a private lab in Texas, for forensic genetic genealogical (FGG) DNA testing. Othram was able to identify George Robinson, 60, as a potential suspect.

21 November, 2024

A man who passed a polygraph test over the 1979 murder of a 17-year-old girl in California has now been identified as her suspected killer. On Wednesday, Nov. 20, the Riverside County District Attorney’s (DA) Office confirmed in a release that Lewis Randolph "Randy" Williamson had been identified as teenager Esther Gonzalez's rapist and killer more than 45 years after her body was found dumped in a snowpack off Highway 243 near Banning on Feb. 10, 1979. She was killed the previous day. In 2023, members of the cold case homicide team sent various items of evidence to Othram, Inc. in Texas, initiating a Forensic Investigative Genetic Genealogy investigation, in hopes of developing additional leads. With the assistance of the Broward County Sheriff’s Office, the sample was sent to the California Department of Justice (DOJ). DOJ recently confirmed that Williamson’s DNA matches the DNA recovered from Esther’s body.

18 November, 2024

After three decades and all leads seemingly exhausted in the 1991 cold-case murder of an unidentified woman in Ocean Breeze — there was a breakthrough. The was identified as 29-year-old Christine Belusko, of Clifton, New Jersey. In 2019, investigators now under the direction of District Attorney Michael E. McMahon submitted a blood sample from the victim to Othram. It was through innovative forensics at Othram Inc., and old-fashioned police work, that investigators were able to identify Christine

16 November, 2024

On July 16, 1980, a Markham, Ont. resident discovered human remains near a wooded area on Eleventh Concession, between 14th and Steeles avenues. Unbeknownst to them, the remains belonged to William Joseph Pennell, a convict who had escaped a Kingston prison a month earlier. Othram, a Texas-based forensics company assisted police in making the identification.

12 November, 2024

DNA evidence has solved a more than 65-year-old cold case involving missing 7-year-old Michigan boy Markku Jutila, born as Chester Breiney. A child's skeleton was found in a culvert on Oct. 4, 1959, in the city of Mequon, nearly 20 miles north of Milwaukee. In July 2024, investigators sought assistance from Othram, the DNA lab that eventually helped identify the victim.

7 November, 2024

On Nov. 10, 2017 remains were found in South Louisiana's Big Branch Marsh National Wildlife Refuge. Who the remains belonged to was a years-long mystery. Othram assisted in identifying the man as Gary A. Maggio, who went missing from Slidell, LA in 2016.

6 November, 2024

A man who was found burning in an abandoned boat in a field has been identified three decades after his death, Weber County Sheriff's Office announced in a Monday, Nov. 4 video. Kevin Lynn Capps, 30, was identified as the man who died of “suspicious circumstances” on April 16, 1992, in a field near I-15 in Ogden, Utah. Ogden is 40 miles north of Salt Lake City. The Utah Department of Public Safety funded the assigned detectives' partnership with Othram Inc., a forensic genetic genealogy company, to implement advanced DNA testing.

1 November, 2024

Arizona authorities recently identified a missing Michigan man through bones discovered near the Hoover Dam 15 years ago. The Mohave County Sheriff's Office learned in October that bones construction workers had found on Highway 93 belonged to William Herman Hietamaki, of Trout Creek in Interior Township, Michigan. Evidence was sent to Othram Inc. to trace the sample to living relatives using forensic genetic genealogy.

26 October, 2024

Investigators were met with decades of dead-end leads when attempting to identify a man whose body was found decades ago. After sending a sample of the man’s DNA to Othram, leads were generated that led to north-central Ohio, where a nephew identified the man. With this information, the man is now confirmed to be Leo Michael Murray, a resident of Ohio who was 61 years old when he died.

25 October, 2024

Louisiana authorities have finally identified a woman whose body was found floating in Lake Pontchartrain near the Interstate 10 Twin Span bridges close to Slidell, Louisiana. Scientists at Othram successfully developed a DNA extract from evidence and built a comprehensive DNA profile for the woman. The woman has now been identified as Pamela Lee Hupp, also known as Deborah Gail Justice Hupp, who was born in April 1958, was pregnant at the time of her death, and her last known residence was in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, authorities said. For years, she was known only as "Lake Lady Jane Doe."

24 October, 2024

The skull of a teen from the 1800s was found more than 45 years ago during a home renovation project in suburban Chicago. Othram officials built a DNA profile for the teen and located her living relatives. Officials contacted the woman's great-great grandson, 69-year-old Wayne Svilar, and he submitted his DNA for testing. Svilar's sample was a match and the teen is now identified as Esther Granger, who died during childbirth in 1866.

23 October, 2024

In collaboration with the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Toledo police Detective Jason Mussery approached Porchlight Project earlier this year seeking funding for new DNA testing and genetic genealogy to help identify a body found in 1987. The Porchlight Project has agreed to fully fund the initiative and will contract with Othram, a Texas-based firm that specializes in forensic genetic genealogy to resolve unsolved murders, disappearances, and identification of unidentified bodies.

22 October, 2024

On Aug. 27, 1994, two men were hiking on Lake Mead Boulevard when they discovered a woman's body placed in a washed area near the recreation area entrance. Police identified the woman as 27-year-old Melanie White who was dragged from a car into the washed area, strangled and killed by blunt-force trauma. The Las Vegas Justice League funded DNA testing at Othram, and almost 30 years later, police identified the suspect as Arthur Lavery.

22 October, 2024

For nearly four decades, state police in Bowling Green have grappled with a cold case that offered few leads and even less information about a mystery lingering since 1984. Othram was contacted by Kentucky State Police to analyze the bones, which had been tucked away in evidence for years. Using advanced DNA technology, Othram was able to develop a DNA profile from the remains. After developing a comprehensive DNA profile, Othram searched a genetic genealogy database and found distant relatives of the woman, who is now identified as Patricia Armentrout.

21 October, 2024

On December 3, 1994, a deceased infant boy was found dressed and wrapped inside a blanket. At the time, his cause of death could not be determined, but the pathologist was able to discern that the infant, known as "Baby Garin," was not stillborn and was a few days old when he died. Othram developed a DNA profile suitable for forensic genetic genealogy, resulting in new leads in the case, and ultimately the arrest of Baby Garin's mother, who is now charged with his death.

15 October, 2024

On December 21, 1993, a newborn baby was found dead on I-10 near the Lorraine Road exit in Gulfport. The child's manner of death was ruled a homicide. Investigators couldn’t find the mother at the time, and the case went cold. In 2023, forensic evidence was sent to Othram. Othram's forensic genetic genealogy team worked to develop new leads in the case. A follow-up investigation resulted in the identification of the infant's mother in October 2024.

11 October, 2024

Douglas Laming was found guilty in the 1980 murder of 21-year-old Karen Umphrey. Karen's body was discovered in November of 1980. The person responsible for her death went unidentified until December of 2023. Othram returned the investigative leads to the Michigan State Police and they worked with St. Clair County Sheriff Department investigators to continue the investigation. Michigan State Police forensic science laboratories and Othram, a company specializing in forensic genetic genealogy, were key in the case, he said. Genetic material was located on Umphrey’s clothes at the time of the incident and evidence was uncovered linking Laming to Umphrey. Douglas Laming is one of two men arrested and charged with Karen Umphrey's murder.

9 October, 2024

In July 2010, the partial skeletal remains of an unidentified individual were found by a group of hikers in the Bitterroot National Forest near Stevensville, Montana. Identifying characteristics for the individual, including biological sex, ancestry, and age, could not be determined. The individual’s remains were found at St. Mary’s Mountain along with several items typically carried by a hiker. In 2023, the Missoula County Sheriff's Office submitted forensic evidence to Othram in The Woodlands, Texas to determine if advanced DNA testing could help identify the individual. A follow-up investigation was conducted leading investigators to potential relatives of the man. This investigation led to the positive identification of the individual, who is now known to be John J. “Jack” Spratt, born March 4th, 1952 and originally from Illinois.

8 October, 2024

The Nez Perce County Sheriff's Office and Idaho State Police forensic services have identified a teen who was found dead in the Snake River 42 years ago. The law enforcement agencies teamed up with Othram Inc., a Texas-based forensic genetic genealogy company to make a positive ID. DNA from the case was shipped to Othram in 2023. Scientists there were able to extract DNA and use genome sequencing to build a genealogical profile for the body. That information was then compared to other DNA profiles, to find potential family members. This was how the body was identified as being Dewayne Surls, born in 1965.

5 October, 2024

The Monterey Police Department, in conjunction with the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office Cold Case Task Force are working with Othram to identify a man, whose leg was found on a beach in Monterey County more than a decade ago. Police ask that anyone who may be related to the man submit a DNA sample to assist in identifying the man. This will help police determine how the remains ended up in Monterey Bay and the circumstances surrounding the man's presumed death.

3 October, 2024

In 1985, 61-year-old Hokie Shepherd, a teacher from Kinston, North Carolina, was brutally murdered. Working with Kinston Police Department, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, and the FBI, Othram developed a DNA profile which ultimately led to the identification of a suspect in the case after almost four decades.

2 October, 2024

Othram assisted in the identification of Leola Etta Bryant, a victim of notorious serial killer Samuel Little. Bryant, who disappeared in 1974 and whose remains were found in 1977 in South Carolina, had remained unidentified for nearly 50 years. In 2022, forensic evidence was submitted to Othram so that a comprehensive DNA profile could be developed. The FBI's forensic genetic genealogy team used this profile in a genealogy search to generate new leads in the case. The Berkeley County Sheriff's Office conducted a follow-up investigation, leading to Bryant's identification.

1 October, 2024

Working with the Alma Police Department and Arkansas State Police, Othram played a critical role in advancing the investigation of Morgan Nick's 1995 abduction by using Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing® to develop a DNA profile from evidence found in a vehicle once owned by Billy Jack Lincks. This profile was then compared to the DNA profile of Morgan’s mother. The comparison provided direct evidence connecting Lincks to her disappearance, nearly 30 years after the case went cold.

23 September, 2024

As part of this collaboration, the two companies will focus on developing tools and standards that ensure that maximum insight can be gleaned from forensic DNA profiles.

23 September, 2024

The Knox County Regional Forensics Center is using Othram Labs to help identify ten unidentified remains, a service costing about $10,000 per case. Previously funded by taxpayer dollars, a $117,000 grant from the Department of Justice will now cover these expenses. With the Knox County Commission’s approval, the center aims to resolve all current unidentified remains cases within the next year or two.

19 September, 2024

The Collin County Medical Examiner's Office has identified a Jane Doe buried in Highland Cemetery, Melissa, Texas, since 2004 as Lisa Jaqueline Mellay, a 47-year-old from California. Mellay, who led a transient lifestyle and used multiple aliases, was difficult to identify until DNA testing confirmed her identity, providing closure to her family after years of searching. This discovery is part of Collin County's "Unidentified Project," which aims to solve cold cases involving unidentified individuals. Valerie Alvarez, a death investigator, played a key role in piecing together Mellay’s identity, while Othram, a forensic lab specializing in advanced genome sequencing, partnered with the county to help identify her and other victims at no cost. The project seeks to bring similar closure to other families of unidentified individuals in the county.

17 September, 2024

A woman's identity remains a mystery more than 50 years after her body was found in Will County, Illinois, in 1968. Discovered in heavy brush near I-55, she had been strangled and suffered a head injury, with no belongings except a butterfly tattoo, leading officials to call her "Madame Butterfly." Her skeletal remains were recently exhumed and sent to Othram, a Texas-based company specializing in advanced DNA analysis, in hopes of identifying her through genealogy. Othram has previously helped solve other cold cases in the area, raising hopes that her case may finally be closed.

17 September, 2024

Nashville police have identified 65-year-old Steven Allen Yantz, from Vermont, as the man found dead in a makeshift shelter on a cliff in 2018. Yantz, who had mental health issues and had lost contact with his family years before, was discovered on January 25, 2018, near I-24 East. No foul play is suspected. In 2023, a bone sample was sent to Othram Lab for genetic genealogy research, which led to his identification. The Davidson County Medical Examiner and MTSU Anthropology Department assisted in the investigation.

11 September, 2024

Nashville police have identified Donald Elden Verhalen, a 56-year-old man from Wisconsin, as the individual who died from a fall at the Church Street library in 1993. Verhalen, who had lost contact with his family and was homeless at the time, sustained a fatal head injury after falling from a high wall. Genealogical research using a bone sample, conducted by Othram Lab, helped confirm his identity 31 years later. His death was ruled an accident by the medical examiner's office.

9 September, 2024

Melissa Jean Allen Avila, 55, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of her newborn, whose body was found in a Riverside dumpster in 1987. The case was reopened in 2020, and DNA analysis by Othram, Inc., funded by the nonprofit Season of Justice, identified Avila as the mother. Avila, 19 at the time, was arrested in August 2023. No motive has been disclosed, and authorities believe the baby’s father was not involved. Avila is free on her own recognizance, with a settlement conference set for January 31, 2024.

9 September, 2024

After 23 years, the remains of a man found wrapped in carpet and a blanket in Jackson County, Mississippi, have been identified as John "Johnnie" Allen Gallegos, born in 1966. Discovered in 2001, the unidentified man had distinct physical features, including scars, tattoos, and a possible gunshot wound. Despite early DNA testing and a forensic sketch, the case went cold. In December 2023, the Mississippi State Medical Examiner’s Office turned to Othram Labs for advanced DNA testing. Using Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing and forensic genetic genealogy, Othram developed new leads that led to Gallegos' identification. This marks the 29th case in Mississippi solved using Othram's technology.

8 September, 2024

Othram Labs, a forensic laboratory based in The Woodlands, TX, is revolutionizing cold case investigations with their advanced Forensic Grade Genome Sequencing technology, which can solve cases that traditional forensic methods like CODIS cannot. By analyzing complex, degraded DNA evidence, Othram has helped solve numerous high-profile cases, including unidentified victims and cold cases, such as a newborn found in a ditch in 2001 and the recent murder of Rachel Morin. Their technology, recognized as court-admissible, has solved many cases both in the U.S. and beyond, and the founders, Dr. Kristen and David Mittleman, envision expanding this technology to state labs nationwide to ensure that no victim remains unidentified and criminals are caught sooner.

3 September, 2024

Human remains found 31 years ago near Indianapolis have been identified as Michael Benjamin Davis, a man from South Carolina, thanks to DNA testing and genealogy work. Davis' family lost contact with him in the late 1980s. In 1993, children discovered his remains in a field near Interstate 65 in Greenwood, Indiana, now a golf course. Initial investigations, despite efforts, could not identify him, and the case went cold. Decades later, DNA analysis by Othram, a lab specializing in human identification, confirmed the remains as Davis, who was in his mid-20s at the time of death. Although suspected to be a homicide, the cause and manner of death remain undetermined. Davis' family plans to retrieve his remains and address the media.

28 August, 2024

Over two decades after a body was found in the water near Ryer Island, California, it has been identified as Craig William Ott, of Sacramento, thanks to DNA testing. The Solano County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call about a body found in Miner Slough in March 2001. Despite efforts, the man's identity remained unknown, and he was buried without a name. In 2023, investigators reopened the case and exhumed the body, turning to forensic genetic genealogy. Othram Inc. created a genealogical profile, leading investigators to Ott's relatives, whose DNA confirmed his identity. Ott, who was 44 when he disappeared, worked in construction. His daughter, Sheila, expressed how close they were and mentioned that his mother never gave up hope of finding him. The case remains under investigation, and authorities are seeking additional information.

28 August, 2024

After 19 years of uncertainty, Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) identified the body of Tammy Eileen Penner, found in 2004, using advanced DNA technology from Texas-based forensic lab Othram. Specializing in genetic genealogy, Othram's unique methods allow law enforcement to solve cold cases by analyzing even degraded DNA samples. In Penner's case, DNA from her family confirmed her identity, though her cause of death remains suspicious. Othram’s technology has resolved numerous cold cases, including high-profile Canadian cases, offering hope for justice no matter how much time has passed.

27 August, 2024

Almost 30 years after an unidentified man was found dead in a tent near Bearss Avenue and Interstate 275 in Hillsborough County, detectives have finally identified him, thanks to DNA testing. The man was found in April 1995, decomposed, and determined to have died of natural causes, but his identity remained unknown. The case went cold until May 2023, when detectives teamed up with Othram Labs, a forensic genealogy company. In April 2024, Othram identified the man as Christopher "Charlie" Mammana, born in 1918, who disappeared in 1993. Investigators located Mammana's nieces, who provided DNA samples, confirming his identity. Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister praised advances in technology for solving cold cases like this one.

26 August, 2024

Tammy Eileen Penner, a Canadian woman missing since 2005, was identified nearly two decades later using advanced DNA testing by Othram. Her remains, initially known as Rockwood Jane Doe, were found under a sleeping bag at a rest stop in Ontario, 2,500 miles from her British Columbia home. Despite efforts to identify her, Penner remained unknown until 2023, when genetic genealogy confirmed her identity. Investigators still do not know the cause of her death, which remains suspicious, and are seeking information from anyone who knew her to aid the investigation.

20 August, 2024

Luther Marion Ezell disappeared in 1980 while traveling from California to Arkansas to help finish a home his deceased son had been building. After his daughters, Jill and Judie, lost contact with him, they believed he had been robbed and killed. In 2022, bow hunters in Mississippi discovered Luther's remains in a shallow grave, miles from his original route. Othram, a forensic genealogy company, identified his remains through DNA testing, bringing closure to the family after 44 years of uncertainty. The case highlighted the importance of DNA technology in solving cold cases and the need for more funding to support such efforts.

20 August, 2024

In Monterey County, California, partial remains found near the Bixby Bridge in 2008 have been identified as Daniel S. Pyles, born in 1938, following advanced DNA testing. The remains had been known as Monterey County John Doe after no initial matches were found, causing the case to go cold. In 2022, the Monterey County Cold Case Taskforce partnered with Othram to use forensic genetic genealogy. Othram’s team provided new leads that led investigators to identify potential relatives, whose DNA samples confirmed Pyles’ identity. Investigators are now seeking more information about Pyles' life before his remains were discovered.

19 August, 2024

Human remains found in 2003 near Interstate 275 in Knoxville, Tennessee, have been identified as Brian A. Sanderson, originally from Vermont, through genetic testing. Sanderson was 54 years old at the time of his death. His remains were first discovered by a passerby on November 30, 2003, and were examined by the Knoxville Police Department and a University of Tennessee anthropology team. Despite submitting a DNA sample to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System in 2008, identification was not possible until 2022 when Knox County used a federal grant to hire Othram, a private company specializing in DNA analysis. Othram successfully identified Sanderson, bringing closure to the case.

19 August, 2024

Human remains discovered over 20 years ago near a Knoxville, Tennessee, interstate highway have now been identified with genetic testing. The Knoxville Police Department, along with an anthropology team from the University of Tennessee, conducted the initial recovery and examination of the remains. Despite their efforts, identifying the remains proved challenging. The remains, confirmed by genetic testing, were said to belong to Brian A. Sanderson. In 2022, Knox County hired Othram, a private company known for solving cold cases through DNA analysis and genealogy. Othram then successfully identified Sanderson.

13 August, 2024

Authorities have identified the decomposed body found in 1988 near Jupiter, Florida, as John Lee Peppard, a Vietnam War veteran. Using forensic genetic genealogy, they matched DNA from Peppard's remains to a distant relative. Investigators suspect foul play in his death and are now seeking information about Peppard's associates. Peppard, who led a transient lifestyle, had been dead for 2 to 14 weeks when found. The case remains under investigation, and authorities are asking for any tips that could help solve the mystery of his death.

12 August, 2024

The Saline County Sheriff’s Office is raising funds for advanced DNA testing to identify human remains found in April 2021. Partnering with Othram, a forensic technology company, they have raised over $3,500 of their $7,500 goal. The remains, likely of a man who died a year before discovery, are under investigation, and donations are being collected through DNASolves to cover the remaining costs.

12 August, 2024

A woman has been arrested 37 years after her newborn was found dead in a dumpster in Riverside, California. The cold case was reopened in 2020, and with the help of Othram labs and forensic genetic genealogy, authorities identified 55-year-old Melissa Jean Allen Avila as the suspect. Avila, who was 19 at the time of the incident, was arrested in North Carolina and extradited to California, where she faces first-degree murder charges.

10 August, 2024

Carla Walker was just 17 years old at the time of her death in 1974. Now, proposed bipartisan legislation named in her honor will provide federal funding to law enforcement to help utilize the technology that was instrumental in solving her murder.

9 August, 2024

After over four decades of mystery, the identity of "Sahara Sue" Doe, a woman found murdered in Las Vegas in 1979, has been uncovered through advances in forensic genealogy. The woman, now identified as 19-year-old Gwenn Marie Story from Cincinnati, Ohio, was traveling to find her biological father when her life was tragically cut short. Despite this breakthrough, her killer remains unidentified, and the investigation is ongoing. The case has garnered national attention, and efforts continue to bring justice for Gwenn Marie Story.

8 August, 2024

Jacqueline Danette Ebel, missing since December 1988, was recently identified through advanced DNA testing. Her body was found in Perris, California, days after her disappearance, but remained unidentified for 36 years. A cold case grant in 2022 allowed investigators to exhume her remains and use forensic genetic genealogy to match her DNA with relatives. Ebel's death has been ruled a homicide, and while her family now has some closure, the case remains open. Authorities are seeking information about her life before her death, especially her ties to Riverside County.

7 August, 2024

In 2023, partial skeletal remains were found 60 feet underwater in Lawrence, Massachusetts. The Massachusetts Office of the Chief Medical Examiner sent the forensic evidence to Othram, a Texas-based DNA testing company, in 2024. Othram used advanced DNA testing and forensic-grade genome sequencing to develop a comprehensive DNA profile, which was then used for genealogy research. This research led to the identification of the man, though his name has not been released. Othram's work provided law enforcement with new investigative leads, marking the sixth case in Massachusetts where Othram has helped identify an individual using their technology.

5 August, 2024

The Volusia County Medical Examiner’s Office and local law enforcement are collaborating with Othram, a DNA testing lab, to identify human remains found on a DeLand farm in 1978. The remains, belonging to a man aged 21-35, were discovered at the Volusia County FFA Agriculture Farm. Despite initial investigations, the man's identity and ancestry remain unknown. Othram will use advanced DNA testing to develop a DNA profile for forensic genealogy. A DNASolves crowdfund has been launched to raise the $7,500 needed for the case. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office.

1 August, 2024

The Palos Heights Police Department is investigating bones found in a plastic bag hanging from a tree near the Cal Sag Canal in late 2022. Cyclists discovered the bag, which contained both human and animal bones, including two human lower mandibles. The bag seemed to have been thrown from a nearby roadway. To identify the remains, the police are working with Othram, a forensic genetic genealogy company, which will use DNA to trace the individual's family tree. Due to high costs, the department is utilizing crowdfunding to cover expenses.

1 August, 2024

In 1972, the Hernando County Sheriff's Office identified Peggy Joyce Shelton as the victim of a murder after her body was discovered in a wooded area of Brooksville, Florida. The case remained unsolved for decades until Othram Labs used genealogy and DNA testing in 2022 to identify Shelton's remains. The sheriff's office announced that Jerry Lee Fletcher, who married Shelton in 1971, was the suspect. Fletcher, who had a history of violent crimes, including the murder of another woman in Illinois in 1973, died in prison in 2014. Detectives continue to seek information on other potential crimes linked to Fletcher.

30 July, 2024

In Florida, a man found on a sidewalk in 1992 has been identified over 30 years later using advanced DNA technology. The man remained unidentified despite efforts and a composite sketch released in 2008. The case went cold until 2022, when the St. Petersburg Police Department collaborated with Othram Lab in Texas. Othram scientists created a DNA profile that led investigators to potential relatives, identifying the man as Jack Jones, who was 60 at his death. This identification marks the 31st cold case solved in Florida using Othram's technology.

29 July, 2024

A man whose remains were found in Tucker nearly four years ago has been identified using DNA technology. In 2024, DeKalb teamed up with Othram and extracted DNA from the evidence. The investigation led to the positive identification of the man, 18-year-old Josiah Campbell, of Snellville. Deputies said that on Sept. 25, 2020, Campbell left his home to go to a recording studio and never returned.

18 July, 2024

Othram, a start-up whose breakthroughs in DNA technology are helping identify bodies and solve decades-old murders and rapes, helped to solve the decades-old murder of Beaumont resident, Catherine Edwards. Thousands of other cases have resolved using Othram's technology, including assisting in the identification of the man who raped and murdered a fourteen-year-old Las Vegas girl, Stephanie Isaacson, using just 120 picograms of DNA—about fifteen human cells’ worth of genetic material recovered from the crime scene following Isaacson's death.

12 July, 2024

Othram’s forensic DNA testing laboratory has been accredited by the ANSI National Accreditation Board to the ISO/IEC 17025:2017 standards for Forensic Testing and Calibration Laboratories.

11 July, 2024

The Westmoreland County District Attorney’s Office is using grant funding to apply advanced DNA testing to forensic evidence. The $50,000 grant allowed the DA’s office to partner with Othram, a private laboratory that uses genealogical research and technology. “This is a great opportunity to take some older investigations to the next level and use the most current technology and hopefully get justice for our victims,” Chief County Detective Ronald Zona said.

9 July, 2024

Authorities have identified a murder victim whose body was found in rural Palm Beach County more than four decades ago. They hope to find his killer next. Joseph W. Newman disappeared in the early 1980s after traveling from Toms River, New Jersey, to Florida. Investigators extracted DNA from Newman's bones and matched it with that of a distant relative. An investigative genealogist then built out the relative's family tree and found the branch that ended with Newman.

3 July, 2024

A woman has been charged with manslaughter in a 23-year-old cold case in Texas involving a baby who was found dead on the side of a road. County investigators submitted genetic material to Othram. Forensic scientists there were able to build a DNA profile for the baby, and an in-house genealogy team provided law enforcement with new leads. The research led to Shelby Stotts, who was identified as the newborn's mother.

2 July, 2024

A young woman found murdered in downtown Yakima on July 25, 1977, has been identified as Vereta Jon "Joni" Gates. Genetic genealogy — an investigative technique combining DNA extraction and traditional genealogical research to establish relationships among individuals — continues to help identify killers, as well as Jane and John Does who’ve been lost to their families for decades. "We are eternally grateful for the many hours and efforts of the Yakima Police Department and Othram have contributed to the mission of identifying her and notifying us," Gates' family said.

2 July, 2024

In December of 1987 the 70-foot commercial fishing vessel “Midnight Sun” capsized while attempting to enter Humboldt Bay during a storm. A human mandible was recovered after a search of the area. In December of 2022 the HCSO partnered with Othram. In mid-April of 2024 the HCSO received the Othram report indicating the DNA profile may belong to Milton Pellegrini.

2 July, 2024

The Collier County Sheriff's Office said Tuesday it has identified the victim in a decades-old homicide, hoping to find her accused killer. The remains of Joan Shirley Joyce, who was born in 1936, were found in 1978 in a shallow grave. The sheriff's office explained Tuesday that DNA tests have positively identified Joyce. A DNA sample extracted from Joyce was submitted to Othram, a Texas-based lab specializing in forensic genetic genealogy, on a grant for genealogical testing.

1 July, 2024

Biotechnology company Othram launched a new program on May 25 to identify missing and murdered children. The project name commemorates National Missing Children's Day, held each year on May 25. Through Project 525, Othram — along with other local, state and federal agencies, including law enforcement and The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System—is hoping to identify 525 missing or murdered children within 18 months. The only barrier slowing the process down is funding.

27 June, 2024

We are hearing from the people who helped identify a Jane Doe found dead in a rural area more than 20 years ago. The woman’s body was found on Taylor Creek Road in Christmas, Florida in December 2003. It was not until March 2024 that detectives found out who she was. The Texas-based company Othram analyzes forensic evidence to generate human identification. These remains were identified as Holly Rose Garcia.

27 June, 2024

The Marin County Sheriff's Office confirmed earlier this week the identity of a John Doe whose body was found 42 years ago. Sigvard Svensson of San Francisco was positively identified as the decedent after thorough genetic research using DNA from forensic evidence at the scene. Othram scientists developed a genetic profile from the forensic evidence left at the scene. The profile was then used to conduct genealogy research which led investigators to potential relatives of the unknown man. DNA samples were collected from a potential relative and then compared to John Doe's genetic profile. The findings led to a positive identification of Svensson.

26 June, 2024

Skeletal remains found near a western Indiana highway overpass more than a quarter-century ago have been identified as those of an Indiana man who vanished in 1997. The remains are those of Mitchell Preston, an Anderson man who was 47 when he was last seen in that central Indiana city in August 1997. Vigo County Coroner's Office and the University of Indianapolis submitted skeletal remains to Othram, a company that specializes in forensic genetic genealogy. Othram developed a DNA profile from those remains, and state police detectives began contacting potential relatives of the then-unidentified person.

24 June, 2024

Recent advances in forensic DNA testing have made it possible to identify victims and suspects with remarkable success, even decades after a body is found. But these new technologies aren't being used to their full capacity -- because legacy gatekeepers are unwilling to collaborate with private forensics companies that have developed these new tools. Closing cold cases is vitally important. Private companies can help and already do so every day. We would be even more effective at bringing justice to victims and closure to families if forensic science gatekeepers would embrace private sector investment and technology.

21 June, 2024

A woman’s ex-boyfriend has been charged with first-degree murder in the killing of her mother in Maryland 23 years ago, authorities said. Eugene Teodor Gligor, 44, was arrested in connection with the May 2, 2001, killing of Leslie Preer. Gligor was linked to the crime scene through DNA evidence, the MCPD said. The Texas-based forensics lab Othram said that it had teamed with the MCPD in September 2022 to build a comprehensive DNA profile for the then-unknown suspect using blood evidence from the crime scene. Genetic genealogy analysis — which uses DNA databases to construct family history profiles — identified Gligor as a potential suspect.

20 June, 2024

Officials in Lancaster County have identified the remains of a 1990s homicide victim. The Lancaster County District Attorney’s office says remains discovered along the Pennsylvania Turnpike in Clay Township on January 21, 1992, have been identified as Derek Michael Mason of Philadelphia. Samples were sent to a facility in Texas and through interviews with family members, DNA testing positively identified Mason as the victim of a homicide.

20 June, 2024

Cold case detectives with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office say they’ve now identified a woman who was found murdered more than 20 years ago. In 2022, the sheriff’s office sent the remains to Othram for forensic genetic genealogy testing. Genealogists successfully developed a profile from the remains and successfully found a match. According to the sheriff’s office, cold case detectives sent that information to the Orange County Medical Examiner’s Office, who positively identified the victim in March of this year as Holly Garcia.

19 June, 2024

The Harford County Sheriff's Office and the FBI relied on genetic genealogy to track down the suspect wanted for Rachel Morin's murder, Victor Martinez Hernandez. To help find him, investigators enlisted the help of Othram. "All we do here is identify perpetrators and victims from crime scenes," Dr. Kristen Mittelman, Othram's Chief Development Officer, said. They're difficult because sometimes there's only small amounts of DNA left behind, which is usually contaminated or consists of a mixture belonging to both the victim and the suspect. Othram uses a process called "Forensic Grade Genome Sequencing" to sort it out.

19 June, 2024

A decades-old mystery is finally solved. A woman whose remains were discovered nearly 41 years ago by children in Southern California has been identified by authorities. It wasn’t until 2022 that investigators with the Orange County Sheriff's Department submitted a DNA sample to Othram, a genetic genealogy company, to help with the search. The remains, which were discovered in 1983 in California, were positively identified by authorities as Maritza Glean Grimmett.

17 June, 2024

A woman whose remains were found 41 years ago in Southern California has finally been identified, authorities announced Friday. The woman has been identified as Maritza Glean Grimmett. Investigators tried to identify the woman over the years but to no avail. In 2011, they sent a DNA sample off to Othram and came up with a genetic profile. Cold case investigators eventually began working with the FBI’s Regional Genealogy Team to conduct investigative genetic genealogy and found a direct family line for the woman.

13 June, 2024

Police said officers arrested a man from Loudoun County after DNA linked him to sex crimes that dated back more than 25 years. The Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD) said DNA analysis connected Eugene Pottmyer, 58, of Chantilly to three cases. Detectives submitted the DNA to Othram, which used advanced DNA testing techniques, to develop a comprehensive profile that was used for Forensic Genetic Genealogy research. Police said through the process, analysis indicated Pottmyer may be responsible for the crimes.

12 June, 2024

The skeletal remains discovered in Orange County more than 30 years ago have been identified, according to deputies. On October 2nd, 1993, the remains of a person were discovered in a vacant lot on Binion Road near Apopka. An OCSO investigation revealed the person was a victim of homicide, but were unable to identify him. More than 30 years later, OCSO, with the help of Othram, was able to identify the remains as 48-year-old Richard Wick, according to a Facebook post.

7 June, 2024

DNA lifted from a fork discarded 1,200 miles away from the scene of a savage 2009 Ridgewood murder has led to the arrest of the nephew of the victim, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced on Thursday. In June 2022, the laboratory, Othram Inc., used advanced DNA testing to produce a comprehensive genealogical profile from the suspect’s blood left at the scene. An investigation was launched, which ultimately resulted in the identification of Anthony Scalici.

6 June, 2024

A suspected serial killer Herb Baumeister’s Indiana farm with more than 10,000 human remains found in the 1990s is back in the spotlight. Some of the remains are finally being identified. Othram is a Texas-based DNA lab that can build advanced DNA profiles with very little or degraded DNA. They continue to solve cases around the country and are now at the forefront of a law enforcement team working to identify some of the remains found on the businessman’s farm in 1996.

4 June, 2024

Othram, the leading forensic sequencing laboratory for law enforcement, has been selected by AFWERX for a $1.25 million SBIR Phase II contract focused on advancing forensic DNA sequencing technology to address pressing challenges in the Department of the Air Force (DAF).

3 June, 2024

In October 1985, partial skeletal remains were found in a plastic bag in Oxnard, Calif., northwest of Los Angeles. The authorities determined that they belonged to a woman who died when she was between 35 and 50 years old, but nothing else about her was known and, for decades, the trail went cold. Nearly 40 years later, the woman once again has a name. She was Gertrude Elliott-Littlehale, a musician who was born in 1864, and died in 1915. And at one point decades ago, her grave was robbed and her skull was taken, according to Othram, the forensic laboratory that announced the identification of her remains last week.

3 June, 2024

Advances in DNA testing answered the question to a 27-year-old mystery: Who is "Holopaw John Doe?" The skeletal remains of “Holopaw” and a handgun were found in the community of Holopaw, Florida in June of 1997. Last year, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office submitted evidence to a lab in Texas with hopes that advances in DNA testing could identify the man. This investigation led to the positive identification of the man, who is now known to be William Wallace Stabler Jr., born January 23, 1933. Stabler was a figurive, featured on the TV show "America's Most Wanted".

2 June, 2024

When cops finally raided Herb Baumeister’s property, they uncovered some 10,000 pieces of human remains — mostly crushed and burned skeletal fragments of the teenage boys and young men whom he had abducted and murdered in the 1980s and 90s. Nearly 30 years later, authorities are still sifting through the remains. The remaining bones and fragments had been sitting in storage until Hamilton County Coroner Jeff Jellison decided it was time to reopen the case. The Hamilton County coroner’s office along with Othram, and others, are all working to identify the additional remains.

31 May, 2024

Through the use of genetic genealogy, the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary (RNC) has identified human remains found in May 2001. In August 2021, the RNC began working with Othram, a private company specializing in genetic genealogy and forensics. in February 2024, a match was made with a first cousin who was able to connect investigators with immediate family members. DNA testing with a family member has confirmed the identity of Temistocle (Temy) Casas.

30 May, 2024

Skeletal remains found in California in 1985 have been identified as those of a woman who was born during the American Civil War and died over a century ago. Othram scientists developed a DNA extract, the company said, and conducted forensic-grade genome sequencing. The company's genetic genealogy team started conducting extensive research, which provided new leads, allowing police to identify the remains as that of Gertrude Elliott-Littlehale.

30 May, 2024

Niagara police say they’ve solved a 25-year-old murder using DNA and genetic genealogy connecting the death of a Toronto woman to a suspect from Northern Ontario. Homicide investigators say DNA evidence has linked the death of Nadine Gurczenski with a New Liskeard truck driver. DNA evidence of a potential suspect could not be matched with any individual since no profile existed within known crime databases at the time. A dive by investigators into genetic genealogy and open-source databases were able to narrow down a name.

30 May, 2024

In March 2022, DNA was sent to Othram. The company built a genealogical profile for the suspect. That process led the police to Boynton Beach, Fla., and Mr. Anthony Scalici. Fifteen years before, Mr. Scalici’s uncle had been found stabbed to death in a pool of blood in the hallway of his Queens home. Police recovered a fork Mr. Scalici discarded, tested it, and found that his DNA matched the blood from the murder scene.

29 May, 2024

Through the use of genetic genealogy, the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary (RNC) has positively identified human remains found in Conception Bay South in May 2001. In August 2021, the RNC began working with Othram Inc. a private company specializing in genetic genealogy and forensics based in Texas. Othram successfully extracted a DNA profile from the remains. A match was made with a first cousin who was able to connect investigators directly with immediate family members. DNA testing with a family member has confirmed the identity of Temistocle (Temy) Casas.

29 May, 2024

A Georgia native has been identified as the man who was found near Woodland, Washington in the Columbia River on June 2, 2022. In December 2022, Detectives started working with Othram, a private DNA laboratory that specializes in advanced forensic DNA testing, officials said. "Using Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing and genetic genealogy, they were able to identify potential family members for the unidentified subject." Detectives were able to work with the Othram genealogist and family members to construct a family tree, ultimately leading to the identification of the subject as Pierre Pearson.

23 May, 2024

Othram, the leading forensic sequencing laboratory for law enforcement, is proud to announce the launch of a new project focused on the identification of five hundred twenty-five unidentified children. The project name and initial scope commemorates National Missing Children's Day, held each year on May 25.

22 May, 2024

When a woman’s body was discovered in Lake Ontario in the summer of 2017, Toronto police had no leads. Investigators spent years trying to identify the woman using traditional policing methods. Then in 2022, Toronto police received a grant to conduct more advanced genetic genealogy based on DNA evidence. After a seven-year investigation, Toronto police announced the remains were those of a woman who had been reported missing in Switzerland in September of 2017.

21 May, 2024

Othram, the leading forensic sequencing laboratory for law enforcement, is excited to announce the appointment of Bruce Budowle as Senior Scientific and Operational Advisor. Dr. Budowle will leverage his vast expertise to support broader adoption of new applications of forensic genetics that best serve scientific, investigative, judicial, and societal stakeholders.

21 May, 2024

Previously unidentified remains recovered at Fox Hollow Farm in Westfield have been identified as those belonging to one of the known victims of serial killer Herb Baumeister. On Tuesday, Hamilton County Coroner Jeff Jellison announced a positive identification for remains belonging to Jeff Jones.

21 May, 2024

Another set of human remains recovered at the former home of Herb Baumeister has been identified by the Hamilton County Coroner’s Office. The Hamilton County Coroner’s Office identified human remains originally recovered in 1996 from Fox Hollow Farm in Westfield as Jeffrey Jones. Officials said in the release that Jones’ remains were identified through an "extensive forensic genetic genealogy investigation".

21 May, 2024

Detectives have solved and closed a murder investigation that started 52 years ago. Detectives have identified the victim using advanced forensic genetic genealogy, and uncovered the two suspects responsible for the murder, both of whom are dead. "We are extremely grateful for the assistance from Othram, who provided us with investigative leads that ultimately lead to our ability to positively identify Mack Proctor as the unknown 1972 homicide victim," said Sheriff Grady Judd.

20 May, 2024

Using forensic genetic genealogy, investigators recently identified a homicide victim whose skeletal remains were found in a wooded area nearly 45 years ago. The Jane Doe's DNA was submitted to Othram several years later to help identify the victim. Othram scientists developed a comprehensive DNA profile for Jane Doe and sent investigative leads to the sheriff’s office. In April, following additional interviews and DNA testing, investigators identified the victim as Wanda Brewer.

19 May, 2024

Mary Alice Pultz Jenkins disappeared from Winchester, Va. Her remains, unidentified after being discovered on a Florida beach in 1985, are finally named. Mary Pultz Jenkins was identified through the work of Othram, a forensic laboratory outside Houston which launched in 2018 to perform genome sequencing specifically to help police solve cases by completing DNA profiles of victims, and sometimes suspects.

18 May, 2024

Local law enforcement is finally starting to make some headway in several decades-old cold cases in the Northern Nevada region, thanks to recent advancements in genetic genealogy. One of those cases is that of Florence Charleston, who disappeared from Ohio in the 1970s. For another 40 years, she remained a Jane Doe until the Nevada State Police was able to identify her by collaborating with genetic genealogy company Othram.

17 May, 2024

Deputies in Polk County said they have solved a murder investigation that started 52 years ago. Detectives said they identified the victim using DNA testing and found the two suspects responsible for the murder. "We are extremely grateful for the assistance from Othram, who provided us with investigative leads that ultimately lead to our ability to positively identify Mack Proctor as the unknown 1972 homicide victim," said Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd.

17 May, 2024

Cold case investigators in Florida are identifying human remains and perpetrators of crimes faster than ever; and they're getting help from a special lab in Texas. Nearly a dozen cold cases in the Tampa Bay area have been cracked with help from Othram.

16 May, 2024

Earlier this week, remains found in Knox County in 2022 were identified through forensic genetic genealogy. In March, DNA technology helped scientists at Othram, a laboratory well-known as a leader in forensic genetic genealogy, identified the remains as 34-year-old Tony Brown Jr. Brown is the 13th individual in Tennessee that its technology has been able to help identify publicly.

15 May, 2024

A 2020 Prentiss Police cold case has now been solved using genealogy. In June 2023, Prentiss Detective Richard Browning submitted forensic evidence to Othram in hopes that advanced DNA testing could help to name the unidentified male suspect.Othram scientists successfully developed a DNA extract from the forensic evidence and used the profile in a genetic genealogy search to develop new investigative leads in the case. Prentiss Police Chief Richard Browning directed the follow-up investigation, which led to the identification of the suspect.

15 May, 2024

In 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit with such force and fury, with unthinkable impacts. As a result, 67 people were reported missing on the Gulf Coast. Among the missing was 46-year-old Tonette Jackson. For almost 20 years, Tonette’s identity remained a mystery. Just a few months ago, her remains were exhumed, and Othram performed genetic genealogy research, which became the last piece of the puzzle to solve the case of Tonette.

15 May, 2024

Remains found in Florida in 1985 have been identified as a Maryland native who went missing in 1968. In 2023, part of the remains were sent to Othram, a Texas-based lab that specializes in forensic DNA evidence and forensic genetic genealogy. Othram was able to develop a DNA profile for the victim, which resulted in the identification of Mary Alice Pultz.

14 May, 2024

A body found in Knoxville almost two years ago has been identified by the Knox County Regional Forensic Center, Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs announced Tuesday. Forensic center crews worked with Othram, a Texas-based group that specializes in genealogical research, to identify the person as 34-year-old Tony A. Brown Jr.

14 May, 2024

Chesterfield County Police say they have now identified a man whose remains were found in a wooded area of the county 34 years ago. In June of 2022, Chesterfield Police teamed with Othram, a private DNA lab that specializes in advanced forensic DNA testing. Using genome sequencing technology, the company was able to identify the man as Robert L. Harris.

13 May, 2024

Human remains dug up four decades ago on a Florida beach have finally been identified as those of Mary Alice Pultz, who went missing in 1968. Investigators had no leads on who the victim was until bone samples were sent to Othram, to develop a DNA profile. That later matched Pultz through a genealogy database to her son in Arizona and sister in Virginia.

12 May, 2024

Nearly 40 years ago, human remains were found on a beach in St. Johns County, Florida. This week, authorities identified those remains as a woman who was last seen by her family in 1968. A big break was discovered after the remains were sent to Othram, a lab in Texas specializing in forensic genetic genealogy. With the help of advanced technology at the lab, authorities were able to positively identify the remains as Mary Alice Pultz.

9 May, 2024

A private lab called Othram has agreed to help the St. Louis Medical Examiner’s Office identify unidentified remains through forensic genealogy. The company built a crowd-funding site to raise the $7,500 it takes to do the research on each case it selects. So far, the company has helped identify more than 300 people and generated leads on numerous cold cases.

8 May, 2024

A woman whose remains were found down a steep cliff off Highway 1 nearly 60 years ago has been identified. After efforts to identify her were unsuccessful, Jane Doe was laid to rest at the County of Sonoma Cemetery. In 2009, her body was exhumed with the assistance of anthropology professor Dr. Mark Griffin from San Francisco State University. Early last year, the Jane Doe’s DNA was analyzed by Othram, a forensic genetic analysis company. Through DNA analysis, Othram identified the Jane Doe as Lillian Marie Cardenas.

3 May, 2024

DNA tests have helped solve the identity of a Jane Doe found in the California 30 years ago. In March 1994, hunters discovered human remains that had washed up. In 2021, the Riverside District Attorney's Office submitted forensic evidence to Othram, who used Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing to generate a DNA profile for the woman. The profile was delivered to the Riverside DA's Cold Case Team, who used it to perform a genealogical search to develop new leads in the case, which led investigators to identify the woman as Clare Antonia Dvorak, who was born in 1907.

3 May, 2024

On Thursday, the remains of a woman found 35 years ago was identified. Forensic genetic genealogy was the practice that made this finding possible. The CEO of Othram Inc. that did the forensic testing in this case, David Mittelman joined 12 News at 4 to discuss how this process works.

2 May, 2024

Authorities are praising advances in DNA testing for helping to identify the dismembered victim of an unsolved homicide in western Massachusetts in 1989. Constance Holminski Bassignani, 65, was identified by authorities as the victim in the decades-old case on Thursday. Othram, a private forensic laboratory based in Houston, Texas, performed the genetic testing that led to the identification of Constance Bassignani’s remains, authorities said.

1 May, 2024

A man found dead in Reno decades ago has been identified with the help of forensic genetic genealogy. The Washoe County Regional Medical Examiner’s Office says 46-year-old Robert Smithcamp was ultimately positively identified by DNA after a family took an at-home genetic test. "This is the fourth unidentified person from a cold case that we have been able to identify due to this partnership and the generosity of members of the public," Washoe County CME and Coroner Dr. Laura D. Knight said. "We are thankful to be able to identify Mr. Smithcamp and give his family closure after nearly 40 years."

30 April, 2024

For four decades, the identity of the person who killed Gayla McNeil and dumped her nude body in a canal west of Boynton Beach has eluded investigators. Now, Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office detectives said they have a “very strong belief” that they know who killed her, thanks to recent DNA testing. Othram’s genetic investigation linked the DNA profile to James Henderson, according to Capt. Laurence Poston of the Violoent Crimes Division.

30 April, 2024

The Webster Groves Police Department began tracking the remains of an unidentified individual in Deer Creek in July 2020. The St. Louis Fire Department recovered the remains when they entered the River des Peres near Wabash Avenue. The St. Louis Office of the Medical Examiner has teamed up with Othram in hopes that advanced DNA testing and genetic genealogy will help to identify the John Doe.

26 April, 2024

A cold case has come to a close after investigators used the DNA from cigarette butts to positively identify a suspect in the beating death of a 58-year-old man in 1988. Officials submitted the DNA from the cigarette butts to Othram the following year. Othram scientists then used genetic genealogy to develop a comprehensive genealogical profile and found possible relatives of the unidentified suspect. The sheriff’s office used the leads to identify the suspect.

23 April, 2024

Detectives believe they may have had a crack in a cold case where a woman was found dead in a canal back in 1983. Investigators gave updates on a cold case about a 30-year-old woman named Gayla Ann McNeil. Through advancements in technology, detectives were able to use forensic evidence to identify James Henderson, 34, as the alleged murderer.

22 April, 2024

A man struck and killed by a vehicle along Cedar Bluff Road in Knoxville in 1993 has been identified after more than three decades using DNA analysis. Using forensic genetic genealogy, Othram scientists were able to develop information about potential relatives connected to the man. Othram’s scientists confirmed that the unidentified man was Elbert Louis Brown.

22 April, 2024

The Texas-based forensic genetic genealogy lab Othram, Inc. is crowd-funding to solve a 1993 cold case murder of an unidentified woman found charred in Bridgeport. Othram, working with the medical examiner, is looking to crowd-fund the cost of developing a forensic genetic genealogy DNA profile to compare against DNA submitted by potential family members to commercial genealogy websites.

17 April, 2024

The skeletal remains of a homicide victim found in Florida in 1985 have been identified as a woman from Maryland who last spoke to her family over a decade before. St. Johns County Sheriff's Office submitted evidence from the remains to Othram. Scientists at the private lab developed a DNA profile and searched genealogical records to find investigative leads. Those leads were given to the sheriff's department, which launched a follow-up investigation that led to possible relatives of the victim. The investigation soon identified the victim as Mary Alice Pultz of Maryland.

17 April, 2024

At Othram, forensic professionals help identify human remains and resolve missing persons cases, focusing on cold cases at a local, state and national level. With a team built of genomic scientists, forensic scientists, researchers and law enforcement, Othram builds profiles for previously unidentified crime victims. Genomic scientists study and analyze genetic systems and specialize in building DNA profiles. Developed by Othram, the company uses Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing to overcome previously impenetrable forensic DNA barriers and close unsolved cases.

15 April, 2024

Othram, the leading forensic sequencing laboratory for law enforcement, is excited to announce that Paul Holes has joined the team as a Forensic Investigator. In his new role at Othram, he will focus on leveraging this expertise to assist law enforcement agencies across the nation in resolving active and longstanding cold cases.

11 April, 2024

The remains of a man were discovered on May 24, 1985, close to Adamsville Road in Gibsonton, in a forested area. For nearly forty years, nobody would know who he was. In 2023, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office partnered with a lab in Texas that specializes in forensic genetic genealogy. Using DNA extracted from a skeletal sample of the unidentified remains, the lab created a comprehensive genealogical profile for the unknown man. Thirty-nine years after his death, the identity of the unnamed man was uncovered.

10 April, 2024

A teen girl found dead in an Inland Empire vineyard nearly 45 years ago was finally identified this month thanks to advances in DNA technology. "Othram Inc. scientists developed a suitable DNA extract and used forensic-grade genome sequencing to build a comprehensive DNA profile," which allowed for a genealogical search. Investigators followed up on leads and finally identified the victim as 17-year-old Karen Marie Heverly.

10 April, 2024

The latest episode of APB Cold Case spotlights the groundbreaking revelation in Bethlehem’s long-standing mystery. After 41 years of speculation, Franklin Feldman’s identity was unveiled, marking a historic milestone in forensic investigation. Feldman’s DNA profile was submitted to an FBI office in Melville in 2020, leading Othram Inc., a Texas-based forensic genealogy corporation, to develop a genealogical profile. This revealed potential family members, which ultimately led to the identification of Feldman.

5 April, 2024

The remains of a young woman, who was known as "Lincoln County Jane Doe" and found about 46 years ago in the Mississippi River near Elsberry, Mo., have finally been identified via the latest advancements in DNA technologies, authorities announced. Despite the challenging condition of the evidence, Othram’s established Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing aided in the successful extraction of DNA. A comprehensive genealogical profile was built and Othram’s genealogy team was able to generate new leads.

4 April, 2024

A body, now known as the "Callaway County John Doe," was found in the river without any clothing back in 2019 near Tebbetts, Missouri, close to Jefferson City. Callaway County sheriff's announced that they had entered the man's case into NamUs), and no leads have come to light. The recent identification of Helen Renee Groomes reignited the urgency to identify the Callaway County John Doe. In a similar fashion to how Groomes's body was identified, the Callaway County Sheriff's Office has recently teamed with Othram to leverage advanced DNA testing and genetic genealogy in hopes of giving leads to identify the body.

3 April, 2024

Investigators exhausted all leads attempting to identify the victim and the case went cold. In 2023, however, San Bernardino County officials sent the victim’s DNA samples to Othram for processing. Othram scientists developed a suitable DNA extract and used Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing to build a comprehensive DNA profile, and Othram’s in-house forensic genetic genealogy team used the profile in a genealogical search to produce investigative leads. Those leads produced the name of Heverly,who ran away from her parents’ Jersey Shore, Pennsylvania, home in 1979.

3 April, 2024

A Missouri cold case that puzzled investigators for nearly half a century has been partially solved. Investigators have identified a body floating in the Mississippi River in 1978 as Helen Renee Groomes, a 15-year-old girl from Ottumwa, Iowa. Southeast Missouri State University students sent samples to Othram, a forensic genealogy company based in Texas. Othram scientists created a full DNA profile and led the coroner’s office to Kevin Groomes, whose DNA confirmed Helen’s identity.

2 April, 2024

A man has been identified 23 years after he was found dead in a California creek, according to a forensic genetic genealogy company. The remains were identified as Paul James Jepson. Six years after he was found dead, the company said the case was added to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System. Though efforts were made to identify the man, his identity remained a mystery. Last year, Ventura County's medical examiner’s office turned its efforts to forensic genetic genealogy, partnering with Othram.

31 March, 2024

Police are hoping to identify the decomposed body of a man found in a vacant Lowe Street house in 2022. Officials with the state Office of the Chief Medical Examiner are working with Ortham lab in Texas to generate a forensic genetic genealogy DNA profile of the man to compare with DNA uploaded on commercial family history websites.

31 March, 2024

The badly decomposed body of a man was found in a Norwalk house that was under renovation in October 2022. Detectives tried every avenue they could, including checking missing person reports, to identify the man. Although the investigation has been stalled for more than 18 months, Markert is hoping Othram, a Texas lab that has harnessed modern technology to create forensic genetic genealogy DNA profiles, can help.

21 March, 2024

A suspect has been identified in a 1990 cold case death of Shawna Beth Garber. In March of 2021 with the help of Othram and advancements in technology the McDonald County Sheriff’s Office was able to determine that there was a familial match to DNA that had been extracted from this “Grace Doe”. It was learned that “Grace Doe” was in fact Shauna Garber. Throughout hundreds of conversations, interviews, and statements, Detectives Lorie Howard and Rhonda Wise found themselves ultimately sitting across from evil to find “Grace” had been murdered by Talfey Reeves.

20 March, 2024

A 63-year-old man was convicted Wednesday in the 1995 slaying of a Beaumont fifth-grade teacher in a case that went cold for decades before modern DNA testing and genetic genealogy gave investigators the break they had long-sought. The case sat cold for nearly 30 years until the department enlisted the help of The Woodlands-based Othram, which uses forensic-grade genome sequencing and genealogical data to help law enforcement agencies identify people involved in unsolved cases.

20 March, 2024

Forty-four years after parts of a dismembered corpse were discovered in a grassy area in Barrington Hills, authorities on Wednesday announced they have a name to go with the remains. Investigators used DNA and forensic genealogy to identify the remains as those of 27-year-old Joseph A. Caliva. In 2023, Barrington Hills police sent evidence to Othram, a Texas company that specializes in testing forensic DNA evidence and identifying crime victims. That work led investigators to determine the remains being Caliva.

19 March, 2024

DNA evidence finally led police, nearly 26 years later, to charge Clayton Foreman, 63, with the brutal death of Mary Catherine Edwards.

18 March, 2024

A second suspect has been identified in connection to a 1970 cold case murder of a 16-year-old girl in Anne Arundel County, according to police. Police say 74-year-old Donald Willard is the second suspect in the murder of Pamela Lynn Conyers, who was killed in 1970. With the assistance of Othram, forensic genetic genealogy led police to identify Willard as a second suspect.

16 March, 2024

Skeletal remains that were found in a Nashville creek more than seven years ago have been identified thanks to DNA testing, officials announced Friday. In May 2022, Nashville authorities reportedly teamed up with Othram, a company that provides advanced DNA testing and forensic-grade genome sequencing, to see if the remains could be identified. After DNA reference testing was performed, the man was identified as Kinloch Wilkinson Jr.

16 March, 2024

Nearly 50 years after the skeletal remains of two homicide victims were found in a shallow grave, one of the victims was finally identified, Connecticut State Police announced Wednesday. Linda Sue Childers was one of two people fatally shot in a double homicide on December 31, 1970, according to the release. In January 2024, DNA results helped identify Childers’ sister and later, Childers’ daughter, state police said. DNA from the daughter confirmed Childers’ identity in February 2024.

13 March, 2024

State police have solved a 50-year-old cold case and identified the remains of a woman found dead in a shallow grave in Ledyard in 1974. DNA led police to her family and police have identified the victim as Linda Sue Childers, of Kentucky. In July 2022, samples were sent to Othram for Forensic Investigative Genetic Genealogy, a private company working with the state, and DNA from the remains was extracted, sequenced and uploaded into a forensic investigative genetic genealogy database, leading to the identification of the woman.

12 March, 2024

More than four decades since the remains of a murder victim were discovered in northern Florida, authorities have now been able to identify him as a Vietnam veteran, William Irving Monroe III. The case went cold, but in 2023, the investigation had a serious breakthrough when samples were given to Othram for testing. Those tests allowed authorities to find Monroe’s brother, Richard Monroe, who agreed to a DNA test that eventually led to the confirmation of his identity.

10 March, 2024

A Marine and Vietnam veteran who was found in a shallow grave in a wooded area of Pomona Park, Florida, in December 1980, after being “violently murdered” has been identified. Putnam County Sheriff Gator DeLoach said an identification wasn't looking likely due to the "degradation of biological samples that we had. However, Othram labs was continuing to build a workable DNA sample and after a significant amount of work on their part they were able to get a viable sample collected from biologicals we had in evidence."

7 March, 2024

The Senate has cleared legislation aimed at increasing law enforcement capabilities to solve crimes by identifying human remains through genetic genealogy. "In recent years, the scientific barriers to solving cases have been largely overcome, leaving funding as the major obstacle," said Kristen Mittelman, the Chief Development Officer for Othram Inc., a company that processes evidence, including DNA. "This first in the nation dedicated fund designed to harness the latest technology and ensure equity and effectiveness in our criminal justice system will be transformational."

7 March, 2024

Authorities have identified the human remains found nearly seven years ago. In 2022, the Lyon County Sheriff's Office partnered with Othram to determine if advanced forensic DNA testing could help to identify the man. Forensic evidence was submitted to Othram scientists, and then, they successfully developed a comprehensive DNA profile. The profile was used in a genetic genealogy search to develop new leads that were returned to law enforcement. Detectives conducted a follow-up investigation and made contact with a potential relative. Follow-up DNA testing with family members confirmed it was Randy Bruce Clayton.

6 March, 2024

Volusia County deputies are much closer to identifying a man whose remains were found 18 years ago, thanks to modern technology and forensic practices. DNA of a man found in 2006 in Deland has been extracted by forensic genetic genealogy firm Othram, Volusia County Sheriff’s Office detectives said. Othram has been able to successfully identify several dozens of people. Now, Othram is conducting genetic research to successfully identify the man found in Deland.

6 March, 2024

Investigators have identified a woman who had been strangled to death 39 years ago in DeSoto County, the sheriff's department announced. Othram — a Houston-based company that uses various technological advances to help law enforcement agencies process and test forensic DNA evidence in cold cases positively identified the victim as Lori Ann Mealer Pennell.

1 March, 2024

More than two decades ago, a surveyor trekking a California canyon stumbled upon human remains. Now, thanks to forensic genetic genealogy, the remains have been identified. Skeletal remains were sent to an Othram lab, where the company said its scientists developed a "comprehensive DNA profile." This profile was used to create investigative leads that were given to investigators, Othram said. This follow-up led investigators to the woman's potential family members. The remains were identified as Linda Orndorff.

29 February, 2024

Cold cases are the most difficult crimes to solve, and a new statewide cold case investigations unit aims to help local law enforcement agencies bring victims' families the answers they deserve. Hillsborough detectives found the missing link through a state grant using genealogical laboratories at Othram in Texas. Scientists at Othram said their work goes further than traditional DNA testing to fill in gaps for missing family members.

29 February, 2024

The remains of a man who was shot to death have been identified after 43 years, Nevada officials said. Throughout the investigation, police tried to identify the man through interviews, fingerprints and dental records but were unsuccessful. In March 2022, the FBI and police asked Othram, a laboratory that specializes in forensic genetic genealogy for help, officials said. After Othram provided police with new leads, the remains were identified as Albert Matas of Commerce, California, officials said.

23 February, 2024

Forensic genealogists have now positively identified a man whose skeletal remains were found inside an abandoned home last year. Scientists at Othram used genome sequencing and forensic genealogy to create a profile of the man, which ultimately led investigators to relatives of the victim. After collecting and testing DNA samples from family members, Othram identified the man as Gary Lockhart, who was born Jan. 30, 1953.

23 February, 2024

Constantly evolving technology is allowing for DNA extraction from smaller and smaller sample sizes, and scientists are learning how to fill out even partial profiles. Today, even a minuscule amount of DNA from contaminated, degraded remains can lead to positive matches. "It's pretty amazing," said Kristen Mittelman, chief development officer for Othram, a private lab specializing in advanced forensic DNA testing and genetic genealogy research. "I think that we are going to see backlogs of cold cases become extinct."

21 February, 2024

Investigators are getting closer to cracking a nearly 30-year-old cold case in Luzerne County. Pennsylvania State Police provided extracted DNA from the remains, allowing Othram to use advanced testing that wasn’t available at the time of discovery. Scientists created a genealogical profile by using what they call forensic-grade genome sequencing, a process created by Othram that helps them break through DNA barriers. After a DNA comparison, investigators were finally able to confirm the identitiy of remains, but the investigation is far from over.

19 February, 2024

On October 5, 1980, two hunters found a deceased body in the woods, near Highway 26 East. Since then, the Stone County Sheriff's Office, several law enforcement agencies, and other entities have worked together to help identify the victim, whose demise was likely homicide. A DNA profile was extracted and is currently being analyzed by Othram, so we are hopeful their team of genealogists can pinpoint the victim on a family tree.

16 February, 2024

Skeletal remains found near Camp Shelby Joint Forces Training Center in 2022 have been identified as Kimberly Ann Hall, according to the Forrest County Sheriff’s Office. FCSO said they were able to identify the remains through a coordinated effort with Othram, the world’s first private DNA laboratory made to apply modern parallel sequencing to forensic evidence, to find a potential genetic match.

16 February, 2024

Human remains found in a ”gravel pit” in 2008 have now been identified, Nevada officials said. The woman’s remains were unidentifiable, but the body was sent to the medical examiner’s office where an autopsy was performed. The woman was identified as Betty Lou Japel, who was 70 at the time of her death. In 2023, the medical examiner submitted the evidence to Othram’s laboratory in Texas, where a DNA profile was made using the remains, officials said.

14 February, 2024

Skeletal remains that were found in Washington have been identified as a man that went missing in 2022. The Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office partnered with Othram, a company specializing in forensic genetic genealogy. The skeletal remains were sent to Othram in Texas where scientists created a DNA profile from the evidence. After Othram came back to detectives with leads, investigators were able to identify the remains as Barry M. Rezansoff.

11 February, 2024

There's been a second arrest in the case of a woman found shot to death off a Michigan road four decades ago. Investigators have said that Karen Umphrey was found shot in the head twice, but the case went cold as investigators could not identify the person or people responsible for killing Umphrey. Forensic DNA evidence from the crime scene was sent to Othram, who returned investigative leads to Michigan State Police.

9 February, 2024

A Placer County cold case just got a big break thanks to advanced DNA technology identifying a woman nearly 40 years after her death. In 2005, the remains were sent to a California lab to generate new leads, but no family links were found. Then, Othram stepped in. When they took over the case, they found a sibling of the victim living in Oregon. That person had a sister, now known to be Patricia Rose, who went missing around 1980 out of Placer County.

8 February, 2024

Toronto police first saw the potential of investigative genetic genealogy after it was used to help solve the 1984 murder of Christine Jessop. In 2019, Toronto police partnered with Othram to build a suspect profile from preserved DNA evidence. From there, the profile was uploaded to a DNA ancestry database to mine potential relatives. This allowed genealogists to create a family tree that eventually led investigators to Calvin Hoover.

8 February, 2024

A now-dead serial rapist and murderer has been identified as a suspect in two brutal East Bay killings from the 1970s, according to law enforcement officials. Police in both Newark and Hayward said modern DNA testing technology enabled them to identify the suspect in the rape and deaths of Nellie Hicks and Theresa Pica. The Serological Research Institute in Richmond, Othram in The Woodlands, Texas, the FBI and Astrea Forensics in Santa Cruz all contributed to the investigation.

7 February, 2024

The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, working with a forensic genetics genealogy company to resolve unsolved cases, identified the skeletal remains of a woman found in Royal Palm Beach in 1987. In an email Tuesday, deputies said the woman has been identified as Pati Rust. PBSO's Cold Case Unit partnered with Othram of Woodlands, Texas, where the victim was identified.

6 February, 2024

Human remains found in a remote area of southeastern Orange County in 1998 have been identified as those of a 54-year-old Bellflower man, Donald Raymond Loar. Investigators submitted forensic samples from the victim to Othram to create a DNA profile of the victim. Using genetic databases, investigators were able to begin working on genealogical research in hopes of identifying the man.

6 February, 2024

The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office, working with a forensic genetics genealogy company to resolve unsolved cases, identified the skeletal remains of a woman found near Royal Palm Beach in 1987 as Pati Lisa (Loguercio) Rust. Last year, the Cold Case Unit was awarded a grant from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to use Forensic Genetic Geneology for these cases. The unit partnered with Othram of Woodlands, Texas, where the victim was identified.

5 February, 2024

After a DNA extract from skeletal remains found in 2022, the deceased has finally been identified as Kevin D. Cochran. In 2023, forensic evidence was submitted to Othram, where scientists developed a DNA extract and used genome sequencing to build a DNA profile. Othram's in-house genealogy team used forensic genetic genealogy to produce new leads, which were returned to investigators.

3 February, 2024

The search for America's missing has evolved - and changes in technology, law enforcement approaches and involvement of civilian investigators are making a difference. Othram has used a method called "forensic-grade genome sequencing," which is used by federal authorities and law enforcement agencies around the country to identify victims and perpetrators. Kristen Mittelman, chief development officer for Othram told Newsweek, "...we saw the urgency in creating technology that was purpose-built for forensics, so that every case can have the maximum chance of success."

3 February, 2024

An upcoming documentary is set to unravel the twisted story of a mysterious hiker dubbed 'Mostly Harmless' who was found dead in the woods. He was found with no wallet, phone or ID and it took more than two years for Collier County detectives and amateur internet sleuths to crack the case. Natasha Teasley organized a fundraising effort to bring in Othram, a Texas-based DNA lab, into the case that found he had Cajun ancestry. He was eventually identified as former tech worker Vance Rodriguez.

1 February, 2024

Using genetic genealogy technology, investigators recently identified a homicide victim whose skull was found near an apartment complex nearly 24 years ago. Forensic evidence was sent to Othram in August 2022, and they extracted DNA from the remains. Othram used forensic-grade genome sequencing to create a DNA profile and developed investigative leads, which were sent back to investigators. Investigators identified the victim as Paul "Larry" Rougeux Jr.

31 January, 2024

Skeletal remains found in the early 1950s launched a near 16-year effort by local law enforcement to learn the identify of the remains, a fruitless endeavor followed by 54 years of anonymity—until Christmas Eve, 2023. When a Houston-area forensic lab, Othram, began crowd-funding last year to pay for cutting edge DNA testing on the bones, it was simply a matter of time before a name emerged.

31 January, 2024

Ronald James Edwards, charged with non-capital murder in connection to a 48-year-old cold case has been ordered to stand trial. Edwards is accused in the murder of Pauline Brazeau. In 1976, her body was discovered outside Calgary, yet her killer remained unknown. RCMP's Historical Homicide Unit sought aid from Othram, who helped bring closure to the case.

23 January, 2024

Investigators have identified the last known remains linked to the Green River Killer, one of the most prolific serial killers in American history, concluding a decades-long effort to identify each of the 49 women and girls he was convicted of killing. DNA testing recently helped investigators confirm that they belonged to Tammie Liles. Othram, a laboratory in Texas that specializes in DNA forensics, helped to identify her.

23 January, 2024

Partnership is a force multiplier for forensic investigations, combining Gene by Gene’s genetic genealogy database for law enforcement, with Othram’s purpose-built forensic analysis tools.

22 January, 2024

Four decades after he terrorized the Seattle region, the last known set of remains linked to the Green River killer have been identified, completing a longstanding effort to identify each of the 49 women and girls he killed. The remains, known as "Bones 20," belong to Everett teenager Tammie Liles. Othram, a Texas-based genetic genealogy company that specializes in forensic DNA work ran the DNA profile against a DNA database to search for matches, resulting in Liles' identification.

22 January, 2024

Hernando County detectives asked for the community’s help in solving a 1972 cold case murder. In a Monday release, the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office said they were looking for answers in the deaths of Peggy Joyce Shelton of Kentucky. Shelton’s identity or origins were unknown for decades until Detective George Loydgren learned of a possible name after getting a tip from Othram, who later positively identified Shelton as the victim a month.

16 January, 2024

Las Vegas Metro police have identified a woman found dead in a shallow grave as a mother who was last seen alive in the 1990s. Linda Sue Anderson, who was about 38 at the time of her death, was known only as “Jane Tropicana Doe” for 30 years. Police sent Anderson’s remains to Othram in early 2023. The company identified Anderson through forensic genetic genealogy.

14 January, 2024

For more than 40 years it seemed like Karen Umphrey's death would forever remain a mystery. Though DNA was recovered from the crime scene, a suspect could not be identified, and the years passed on without any answers. Othram, the company that assisted in the investigation of Umphrey's death, has been part of a growing movement to use genetic genealogy to solve cold cases that once seemed unsolvable.

12 January, 2024

Investigators have positively identified a set of skeletal remains that were found about 43 years ago, Kentucky State Police announced Friday. With the help of Othram, a DNA and forensic testing company, KSP have managed to confirm that skeletal remains found in two different places belonged to Louisville man Kenneth Linville.

10 January, 2024

A mix of shock and gratitude met with news Christmas Eve that a set of remains discovered in Millard County in 1958 were officially identified as belonging to a long-missing North Carolina man. Othram, a Houston-area forensic lab, announced it had made a positive DNA match for Robert Holman Trent, a Reidsville, Rockingham County native whose family hadn’t heard from since 1946.

9 January, 2024

A set of human remains found at Berry Summit in California in 1968 have now been identified using newer DNA technology, the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office announced. The remains belong to William Toller, born in 1927. Modern DNA matching by forensic laboratory Othram uncovered a child of Toller still alive in Louisiana. Her sample confirmed the identity of the bones.

8 January, 2024

Toronto police say they have identified the person who allegedly killed a Scarborough man more than 40 years ago. Investigative genetic genealogy testing began in 2022 and in August of 2023, a suspect was identified. Police said Edmonton, Calgary and New York State Police were involved in the investigation, alongside private science lab Othram.

8 January, 2024

A couple remodeling their rented home in Batavia 45 years ago found human bones in their walls. “Ultimately, our goal in this case and others is to deliver investigative leads to law enforcement that they may not otherwise have had,” Michael Vogen, Othram’s director of account management said.

3 January, 2024

A Carroll County sheriff is now speaking out about the recent identification of the 20-year-old remains found in Galax last year. The sheriff's office identified the remains as a 5-year-old, Logan Bowman. Sheriff Kevin Kemp said when they reached a dead end in determining who the remains were, they turned to the specialized forensic company, Othram.

1 January, 2024

In 2022, the Tennessee General Assembly approved $100,000 in funding for a DNA cold case initiative. The TBI then submitted a portion of skeletal remains of the victims in 10 cold cases to Othram Inc., a private lab based in Texas, for testing. Through a DNA extraction and sequencing process, scientists were able to identify possible relatives in six cases and ultimately determine the identities of those victims.

31 December, 2023

The search for a killer has new momentum after nearly four decades. The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office over the years exhausted all traditional DNA testing methods without finding the name of the victim. After sending evidence to Othram — a company that performs forensic genetic genealogy and DNA sequencing for law enforcement — in April 2022, the victim was identified as Terry Ketron.

28 December, 2023

A specialized DNA testing agency is helping Kentucky law enforcement agencies close cold cases. This week, Kentucky State Police announced they closed a forty-year-old cold case with the assistance of Othram. Othram uses a process called forensic-grade genome sequencing, where they extract DNA from evidence left at crime scenes and find relatives of the victim or suspect(s).

26 December, 2023

The new collaboration will amplify efforts to bring critical attention and resources to cases that require financial and community support.

24 December, 2023

Kentucky State Police investigators have identified a man whose bones were found on the banks of the Ohio River on two separate occasions more than 40 years ago. DNA tests conducted in 2023 helped investigators identify the man as Kenneth Linville, an Ohio native who was around 40 years old at the time of his death.

22 December, 2023

Human remains found in Galax last year have been identified as a 5-year-old boy, who went missing 20 years ago and whose mother was convicted in connection with his death. Carroll County Sheriff’s Office sought help from Othram Inc., a private Texas-based forensic genetics company that “was able to develop a full DNA profile” for the remains. Othram used “two direct DNA comparisons of family members to identify the remains” as Bowman’s.

19 December, 2023

Roger Dale Parham was arrested in late 1998. The crime was alleged in Arkansas, where a court released the 52-year-old on bond. Soon, he was gone, “thought to have left the area to flee prosecution”. An unidentified body was found in Lake Barkley. Advanced genealogy DNA testing of these remains by the private lab, Othram, yielded a link to a relative of the unidentified body, police said. Investigators connected the dots and were able to “identify the remains,” they said: The body belonged to Roger Dale Parham.

19 December, 2023

A body discovered in an open field in 1979 near what is today a busy intersection of the Las Vegas Strip has been identified as a teenager from Ohio who had left home that year in search of her biological father, authorities announced Tuesday. Othram, which specializes in forensic genealogy analysis, said in a statement Tuesday that its scientists built “a comprehensive DNA profile for the woman,” leading authorities to possible relatives who provided DNA samples that confirmed “Sahara Sue Doe” was the missing Ohio teen.

19 December, 2023

Officials arrested a 70-year-old man over the weekend on suspicion of killing a woman whose body was found in a wooded area in 1980. On the morning of Nov. 2, 1980, Karen Umphrey was found dead in the State Game Area in Beards Hills. More than four decades later, in 2022, officials from the Michigan State Police reportedly sent forensic DNA evidence from the crime scene to Othram, a company that utilizes forensic genetic genealogy to identify human remains and help solve cold cases.

15 December, 2023

Thirty-eight years after the remains of a slain Metro Detroit woman were found buried in a shallow grave in Superior Township, her identity has been confirmed, the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office announced Friday. Cheryl Lynne Coates, who was 25 at the time of her death, was identified through forensic DNA. In May 2021, investigators began working with Othram, a company that specializes in the identification of human remains through forensic DNA, police said.

11 December, 2023

The Montgomery County Sheriff's Office has identified the victim found submerged in a lake, weighted down by two cement blocks, and shot multiple times in a decades-old cold case. The victim has been positively identified as Clarence Lynn Wilson, born on February 8, 1952, with a last known address in Texas City, Texas. In October 2023, Othram confirmed a familial match between the unknown remains and a family member in California.

9 December, 2023

The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office has used genetic genealogy to identify a man whose body was found by a fisherman 20 years ago in the Atlantic Ocean. He was found on Sept. 7, 2003, about 5 miles from the Boynton Beach Inlet. The man's DNA was entered into the FBI's Combined DNA Index System database, known as CODIS, in which no match was found. Advancements in forensic investigative genetic genealogy facilitated by Othram Inc. led to a breakthrough in this case.

9 December, 2023

Chester Weger, who was released in February 2020 after six decades behind bars following the infamous Starved Rock Murders, will know by the end of the year if a strand of hair found at the scene of the crime can be tied to a suspect in a case. Weger's attorney Andy Hale told The U.S. Sun how advanced genetic genealogical testing developed by the Othram lab in Texas has given fresh hope for the now 84-year-old to have his conviction quashed.

6 December, 2023

Shively Police hope a new partnership will help them solve an eighteen-year-cold case. In 2005, construction crews found a woman’s remains while trying to clear a vacant lot. "We partnered with Othram because they have this forensic genetic genealogy that can be utilized to determine the identity of the victim through the testing of the remains and comparing them to a larger database than we had a decade ago," Det. Sgt. Brown said.

6 December, 2023

Several body parts that washed ashore near Seattle nearly seven years ago have been identified. The Seattle Foundation said the remains were discovered in the area of Four Mile Rock near Seattle's Discovery Park in December 2017 and January 2018. Forensic scientists with Othram have identified the human remains as 33-year-old Paul J. Bossart Jr., according to a Monday news release from DNA Solves.

5 December, 2023

Since 2005, the Natchitoches Parish Coroner’s Office has attempted to identify the remains of this subject which was located near Clarence, discovered in a drum encased in cement. Despite the normal methods of identification such as DNA, facial reconstruction and dental comparisons it is still unknown who this gentleman is. Utilizing a new method, the Coroner’s Office has teamed up with Othram to aid in generating new leads using advanced DNA technology and forensic genetic genealogy.

1 December, 2023

Since 1987, the Roane County Sheriff’s Office and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation have been trying to determine the identity of a woman who had been burned and left by a dumpster. After decades of not knowing the answer, Othram was able to provide insight by using cutting-edge DNA testing to come up with a profile after analyzing the remains. With the help of TBI and the sheriff’s office, Othram determined Jane Doe to be Betty Lou Wisely.

1 December, 2023

Modern DNA technology helped identify a missing Cedar Rapids teenager, nearly 50 years after he was killed. The body of Michael Schlicht was found in 1974. The Orange County Sheriff’s Office says new DNA testing was needed to finally confirm his identity just last month. Othram is a private forensic biotechnology company that specializes in helping to identify, formerly unidentified people in many different cases. In Michael Schlicht’s case, they were able to take a more in-depth look at his DNA.

29 November, 2023

Orange County Sheriff's Department investigators have managed to identify a man whose name was a mystery for 49 years and was thought to perhaps be a murder victim of serial killer Randy Kraft, authorities said Tuesday. The victim was identified as Michael Ray Schlicht. Tissue samples from Schlicht were sent to Othram so a DNA profile could be worked up. The sheriff's cold case team received the profile in February and uploaded the information into a genealogy database to build his family tree.

28 November, 2023

Florida deputies have given new insight into identifying the victim of a four-decade-old cold case. After years of unanswered questions, the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office Cold Case Unit decided to submit the victim’s bones to Othram. Othram gave the sheriff’s office information that suggested the victim was mostly of African origin. With this new information at hand, FCSO asked the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Forensic Imaging Unit to complete a facial reconstruction using the information provided by Othram.

22 November, 2023

Human bones were discovered in 1958 somewhere near Kanosh. In 2020, it was suggested that the bones belong to Everett Ruess, a man at the center of an enduring mystery that has captivated lovers of Southwest art since the poet vagabond went missing in 1934. The case was taken to the state’s cold case review board, where a member suggested the captain contact a Houston-area testing company named Othram, which he did last December. Considering Othram’s track record, identification is imminent.

20 November, 2023

David Mittelman, CEO of Othram lab in Texas talks about his work on the 1973 murder of Arminda Grangela Rodrigues da Silva Ribeiro found dismembered in San Diego Bay.

20 November, 2023

It’s been nearly four decades since a man’s skeleton was found on the side of the highway. Bristol County District Attorney Thomas Quinn III said detectives decided to send the unidentified remains to Othram, a forensic genetic genealogy laboratory based in Texas. It wouldn’t take long for the lab to trace the skeleton’s DNA back to Keith Olson.

13 November, 2023

The GBI has identified the remains of a small girl found near Millwood in Ware County on December 21, 1988, as Kenyatta “KeKe” Odom, of Albany, Dougherty County, Georgia. Kenyatta was 5 years old when she was found. During this investigation, the GBI Regional Investigative Office in Douglas worked with many different partners to assist in identifying Kenyatta, including Othram.

8 November, 2023

A 43-year mystery has been solved and a family is finally getting closure thanks to a partnership between the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office, the California Department of Justice and Othram. In 1980 possible human remains were located near Trinidad. The DOJ sent Othram a DNA extract from the unknown woman’s remains. Othram scientists used Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing to build a comprehensive DNA profile for the woman. In August of 2023, the HCSO identified the woman as Denise Gail Cruz.

8 November, 2023

RCMP have laid a murder charge against an Alberta man in the death of a young mother 47 years ago. Pauline Brazeau, a 16-year-old single mother from Saskatchewan relocated to Calgary in 1975 with her daughter. Months later, her body was found west of the city. In 2022, the RCMP sought the assistance of Othram. This led to a suspect and the arrest of 73-year-old Ronald James Edwards.

7 November, 2023

A murder victim whose body was found in Northern Orange County more than 40 years ago was recently identified, officials announced Tuesday. Lonnie Raymond Thomas was identified as the man deputies discovered in May 1980. Othram, a private forensic biotech company, developed a DNA profile, and submitted it to the FBI. The FBI then found who they believed to be Thomas' mother, a woman living in Compton. Comparing DNA samples, the FBI was able to positively ID Thomas' body after 43 years.

7 November, 2023

Since 2019, Woodlands-based forensics lab Othram has identified hundreds of victims and suspects in homicides across the United States. The lab uses forensic-grade genome sequencing and geneological data to help law enforcement agencies identify people involved in unsolved cases, according to spokesperson Kristen Mittelman. It has solved 112 cases using this method in the last 10 months. Cases range from hundred-year-old homicides to identifying serial killers and drowning victims that washed ashore.

2 November, 2023

Human remains located in March 2021 on timber property near the end of Raubuck Road in Winlock have been identified, the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office announced Thursday. DNA reportedly confirmed the remains belong to Glen Michael Rudge. A contracted private company, Othram, was able to extract suitable DNA from evidence found at the scene and utilized genealogy research to identify the remains, according to the sheriff’s office.

2 November, 2023

Brenda Sue Black was found April 1981 in New Lenox. Donald Rozek was found November 1974 in Channahon. Marie R. O’Brien was found May 1997 in Rockdale. Webster Fisher was found July 1980 at the Lockport Lock. All four were identified by the Will County coroner’s office cold case unit using Othram, a company that uses forensic genetic genealogy to help identify missing people, victims and the perpetrator of a crime.

31 October, 2023

A tissue sample was sent to Othram, which uses genome sequencing to extract DNA and compare it to known databases. Investigators found that a man entered his DNA into a database in an effort to track down his biological family, after being adopted at birth. He shared the same DNA as a John Doe, whose body was found in the Spokane Northside Landfill. The unknown man who died 34 years ago was no longer John Doe: his identity was revealed to be Clifford Wayne Bippes.

31 October, 2023

The man found dead at the Spokane Northside Landfill in 1989 finally has a name: Clifford Wayne Bippes. Bippes, 45, was identified through forensic genetic genealogy. In July, the medical examiner sent a tissue sample to Othram, a company that uses forensic-grade genome sequencing to analyze degraded DNA. Bippes’ biological son had entered his DNA into a genetic genealogy database, giving investigators a match.

27 October, 2023

A Woodlands forensics lab has identified a woman found wrapped in plastic inside a trash bin in a Georgia cold case 35 years ago. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation hired The Woodlands-based Othram to identify Chong Un Kim, a South Korean woman who was 26 when she was found. As the first forensics lab of its kind, Othram uses forensic-grade genome sequencing and geneological data to help law enforcement agencies identify people involved in unsolved cases.

26 October, 2023

A 30-year-old cold case is heating up after genetic genealogy helped police identify the victim. Othram said its scientists were able to develop a DNA extract from the remains sent to them and created a DNA profile. This helped Othram develop new leads for Heflin Police Captain Scott Bonner to look into, which helped investigators trace down possible family. Bonner said last week he got confirmation from Othram that the remains found in 1990 belonged to Clara Kopp Reynolds.

21 October, 2023

The remains found off of Divide Road on the Uncompahgre Plateau in October of 2011 have been identified as Michael John Alonzi. The Mesa County Coroner’s Office partnered with Othram to determine if advanced forensic DNA testing could help establish an identity for the man or a close relative. Othram scientists developed a DNA extract from the forensic evidence and then developed a comprehensive DNA profile for the man. Using the new leads generated by Othram, the Mesa County Coroner’s Office investigators reached out to a potential family and eventually confirmed the unknown man was in fact Alonzi.

20 October, 2023

San Diego police have finally identified the victim in a homicide case that had been considered “cold” for nearly 50 years. Using DNA profiling technology, investigators were able to identify the Jane Doe in a 1973 homicide as Arminda Grangela Rodrigues de Ribeiro. Othram — a private, forensic biotechnology company — was able to develop a DNA profile. The profile led to Ribeiro’s identification.

19 October, 2023

An important link between the California Department of Justice and a genealogy lab dedicated to law enforcement investigations helped to close a decades-old cold case and bring closure to the family of Rodney Rumsey of Sacramento. A hiker found Rumsey's body near Natural Bridges State Park in Santa Cruz County in October 1982 with investigators determining his death was likely homicide. For 41 years, the case remained cold until an important partnership along with emerging Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing was done by Othram.

18 October, 2023

Police have identified the killer of a Florida woman who was slain almost 37 years ago by linking the killer’s DNA to a child from an “illicit affair” in the family, WFLA reports. Teresa Lee Scalf, a 29-year-old nurse, was “brutally murdered” in her Lakeland, Fla., home in October 1986, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement on Monday. Police worked with Othram, Inc., a private lab for forensic genetic genealogy, to narrow down the pool of suspects. They followed the information they discovered, which led them to Douglas’ son, who cooperated with a blood sample which was then used to connect Douglas to the case.

11 October, 2023

Authorities said Tuesday that they have finally identified the remains of a California man "found in the vast desert" of northwest Arizona in 1982. Mohave County Sheriff's officials said advanced DNA testing concluded that the remains were those of Virgil R. Renner. A DNA sample was sent to a Othram, a genetic laboratory in Texas, that was able to identify Renner using advanced testing, forensic-grade genome sequencing and forensic genetic genealogy.

10 October, 2023

Human remains found in the Arizona desert 41 years ago have just been identified, deputies said. Virgil R. Renner, of Humboldt County, California, went to Nevada to search for gold in the 1970s, the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office said in an Oct. 10 Facebook post. However, his remains ended up in the Arizona desert near Kingman on Sept. 9, 1982, deputies said. But for decades, no one knew who the remains belonged to. No one had any luck identifying the remains until a sample of his DNA was sent to Othram, a lab in The Woodlands, Texas, that specializes in forensic genetic genealogy.

10 October, 2023

A longtime “John Doe” case in Cape Girardeau County in southeast Missouri has been solved thanks to DNA testing. In collaboration with the Cape Girardeau County Sheriff’s Office, Dr. Jennifer Bengtson and her students submitted skeletal remains to Othram, a private DNA library, in 2020. Othram used Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing® to develop a comprehensive DNA profile for the unknown man. The matches in the genealogy databases were distant, but Othram’s in-house forensic genetic genealogy team was able to return actionable leads.

6 October, 2023

Nearly a year after the remains of an unidentified man were discovered, advanced DNA testing has revealed the identity of the deceased. The breakthrough came in July 2023, a year after the initial discovery. With the application of Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing®, Othram scientists achieved a comprehensive DNA profile from the skeletal remains. As the investigation proceeded, a potential relative of the unidentified man provided a DNA sample. Upon comparison, the familial relationship was affirmed, thus leading investigators to positively identify the remains as belonging to Mr. Antonio Juanes Gaspar.

5 October, 2023

The last known victim of "Happy Face Killer" Keith Hunter Jesperson has been identified nearly three decades after her remains were discovered in Florida. The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office announced that skeletonized remains found in 1994 belonged to Suzanne Kjellenberg. The woman was identified after the District One Medical Examiner’s Office sent samples to Texas-based company Othram, which specializes in forensic genetic genealogy. The company was then able to create a genealogical profile to assist in Kjellenberg's identification, thanks to funding from the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System.

2 October, 2023

The Wichita Police Department says it has identified a suspect in the 1989 murder of Krista Martin. But they say the suspect died in a car crash in Tennessee in 1999. It was 34 years ago Monday that Martin was found beaten to death in her apartment in the 500 block of S. Osage. She was 20 years old. The WPD collected DNA evidence at the crime scene, but technology at the time could not solve the case. Othram is one of the partners in Martin’s case that helped build the suspect profile. Dr. Mittelman said the lab started in 2018 and is the first in the world purposely built to identify victims and perpetrators from crime scenes.

29 September, 2023

A woman murdered more than 30 years ago in the Daytona Beach area has been identified, according to the Volusia Sheriff’s Office. The remains of Roberta “Bobbie” Lynn Weber were found the woods on April 23, 1990. She was 32. The Volusia Sheriff’s Office Major Case Unit this year worked with Othram Laboratories, a forensic genetic genealogy lab in Texas, which reconstructed the victim’s family tree using information from public genealogical sites. That led investigators to a Missouri woman believed to be a sister. Detectives contacted the woman in Missouri, who said she hadn’t seen her sister Roberta since 1989.

27 September, 2023

The Perry County District Attorney and members of the Pennsylvania State Police announced murder charges stemming from the discovery of a body in 2014. Perry County District Attorney Lauren Eichelberger and members of the State Police revealed the identification of the John Doe victim, the arrest of a suspect, and murder charges stemming from that body discovery. Officials say that the body found on May 27, 2014 in Rye Township was identified as Michael Holober. Authorities were able to identify the body by extracting DNA in 2022 that was sent to Othram, a lab in Texas for forensic genealogical DNA testing.

22 September, 2023

It was a gruesome discovery 34 years ago off the side of a rural road in Warwick, Massachusetts, itself a tiny town on the New Hampshire border: the dismembered remains of a person, eventually identified as a woman. Today, the identities of the woman and the person who killed her are still not known. A sample of the remains were sent to Othram, a cutting-edge lab in Texas to see if forensic genetic genealogy can be used to identify if not the woman herself then someone in her family. The technology compares a DNA sample against databases of people who have agreed to have their DNA profiles shared with law enforcement, and can make a match not only to individuals but to relatives, even distant ones.

21 September, 2023

Over the last few months, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has had success in identifying human remains from cold cases across the state. But there are still cases the agency would like to close and remains to identify, and they’re working with private sources to get closer to doing so. The TBI identified 14 potential cases involving unidentified human remains that initially met the criteria for the initiative. In December 2022 the agency submitted 10 of those 14 to a private laboratory in Texas, Othram, Inc., which has conducted the DNA extraction and sequencing process. Othram was offered the contract after the public bid process was completed, according to the TBI.

20 September, 2023

In September 1985, the body of a man was found by two kids riding their bicycles along Buttermilk Road off Interstate 40 in Lenoir City. Authorities at the time were unable to identify him after exhausting all leads. Now, nearly four decades later and thanks to modern genetic testing, investigators know his name but the search for his murderer continues. Back in December, TBI agents submitted a sample of his remains to Othram, a private lab based in Texas, for forensic genetic genealogical (FGG) DNA testing; according to the TBI, scientists provided information about possible relatives connected to the man.

19 September, 2023

A true crime fan who used to spend weekends poring over police files and sharing theories in online message boards put up the money for private DNA testing — and actually helped solve a 40-year-old cold case. After she donated to fund the investigation, Jeanne Ayotte learned last month that the remains of Francis Patrick Fitzpatrick were finally identified. Ayotte spent all day at Othram, touring its lab and meeting scientists and a genetic genealogist. Depending on the quality of the remains and the amount of genealogical research required, the company's process can cost $5,000–$10,000. Citizen sleuths who want to help can donate money via DNASolves.

17 September, 2023

A man who drowned more than 50 years ago in the Spokane River was recently identified, thanks to forensic genetic genealogy. A marina employee discovered the body, now identified as Bruce Frank Sherman, in 1971. In 2022, the office sent a sample of Sherman's remains to Othram to analyze the man's sample. A report of Sherman's genetic network and geographical origins was returned to the office and the DNA profile was uploaded to genealogy databases. Investigators used the resulting leads to contact the man's relatives, eventually reaching a brother and cousin. A DNA sample from the brother was compared to a sample from Sherman, confirming his genetic relationship with Sherman and officially identifying the man as Sherman.

15 September, 2023

Four decades after a murder trail had gone cold, a man identified as the killer of Christine Castiglione in 1983 is now a suspect in 16-year-old Kimberly Louiselle's 1982 murder. DNA samples were tested at Othram Inc., a private forensic laboratory in Texas, and in 2022, three separate familial DNA comparison tests identified Charles David Shaw, 26, as the suspect in Castiglione's killing, the sheriff's office said. In June 2023, investigators found DNA from evidence in the Louiselle case and it matched the DNA found in Castiglione's case – and to Shaw.

14 September, 2023

A body discovered in 2020 in a shallow grave in Boyd County, Kentucky has been identified. Boyd County Coroner Mark Hammond confirmed on Thursday the John Doe has been identified as Zachary Taylor Pearson, who was from St. Albans, West Virginia. The coroner tells WSAZ.com a company called Othram, which is based out of Texas and runs a website called DNASolves.com, reached out to investigators and helped identify the victim.

13 September, 2023

Human remains that were found in the Arizona desert 27 years ago have been identified as those of a Los Angeles man and U.S. Army veteran, authorities said. The body of Sherman George was identified using advanced DNA testing, according to Othram, a lab in Woodlands, Texas, that assisted in George’s case and uses forensics grade genome sequencing to solve similar cold cases. In February, Sheriff’s Office investigators sent forensic evidence to Othram’s lab, which established a detailed DNA profile of the man and helped identify him as George.

9 September, 2023

Days after 16-year-old Krisann Baxter ran away from home, her body was found in Spokane County, Washington. It was 1978, and police would spend the next three years running down every lead they could think of. In 2006, detectives had the evidence retested with improved technology, but there was no match in a nationwide DNA database known as CODIS. Eight years later, the profile was entered into another database called NDIS with the same disappointing result. In 2020, a detective sent the suspect’s genetic profile to a private lab called Othram, which determined the killer was a direct descendent of a certain deceased woman. Further genetic sleuthing yielded a name: Keith Lindblom.

7 September, 2023

A Florida man has been convicted and sentenced to life in prison for stabbing an unarmed convenience store clerk 73 times. Using DNA evidence linking him to the crime scene, a jury found Kenneth Stough Jr. guilty in August of murdering Terrance Paquette. A Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) analyst uploaded a DNA profile into CODIS, but no matches were ever made. In 2021, FDLE contracted with Othram, a forensic genetic genealogy laboratory in The Woodlands, Texas. Through that partnership, Kenneth Stough Jr. was identified as a suspect.

7 September, 2023

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has identified a murder victim whose skeletal remains were found more than 40 years ago in rural East Tennessee. Kenneth Levall Thompson, of Detroit, Michigan, was named as part of the TBI's Human Remains DNA Initiative, the agency announced Wednesday. In December, TBI agents submitted a sample of Thompson's remains to Othram Laboratories in Texas for forensic genetic genealogical DNA testing, and scientists provided information about possible relatives.

6 September, 2023

It's been more than five years since a pet dog brought its owner the remains of a newborn infant and still the case hasn't been solved. But local and state law enforcement authorities have not forgotten about it. "We have sent other evidence to a lab in Texas to see if they can help us, too" Chandler said. The lab is named Othram and is based in The Woodlands, Texas. "They have pulled up familial DNA to figure out who other relatives might be to trace the baby’s foot back to in this case," Chandler said. The case remains active and ongoing, Chandler said.

3 September, 2023

A grisly discovery near Butte in 2012 when two hikers found a pair of human legs in a trash bag. The Montana State Crime Lab performed an autopsy, but the case went cold in 2013 with no hard leads. Six years later the State Department of Justice turned to a Texas lab with new technology. Scientists at Othram Labs collected DNA from the victim's legs and built up a DNA profile. Finally, 11 years after the legs turned up, officials identified the victim as 46-year-old Michael Wayne Canada.

30 August, 2023

Othram is now helping solve cold cases that once seemed unsolvable by using genetic DNA testing. It’s a tool that’s so effective one Texas Senator is trying to pass legislation that would provide funding, so law enforcement agencies can clear old cold cases. "This sort of technology is critical to solving crime and protecting public safety," says Senator John Cornyn. So Senator Cornyn will be proposing the Carla Walker Act which will provide federal grants to law enforcement to pay for the test.

30 August, 2023

In Texas, you'll find the most powerful DNA lab in the world, solving the biggest cold cases in the nation, and we got unparalleled access inside for the first time. Othram’s work is now in headline after headline. In 2019, Othram made five identifications in total. Now in 2023, they’ve made more than 1,200 identifications, sometimes five a day. Now Othram has gone worldwide, making identifications in Canada, Australia, the UK, and other places in Europe. Not only are victims getting their names back, but suspects are getting caught faster than ever.

28 August, 2023

Cape and Islands District Attorney Robert J Galibois announced Monday that the investigation into the death of Ruth Marie Terry, also known as the Lady of the Dunes, has officially been closed. Her skull was placed in police custody and was never sent to the cemetery for burial with the rest of the remains. Over the years and with the development of technology, portions of the skull had been tested for potential DNA testing. In 2021, a portion of the jaw was tested by Othram, and a DNA profile was finally able to be obtained leading to the identification of the Lady of the Dunes as Ruth Marie Terry.

25 August, 2023

Dennis Rader was sentenced in 2005 after pleading guilty to killing 10 people between 1974 and 1991. Investigators are looking into whether Rader is linked to the strangulation death of Shawna Beth Garber. Investigators sent DNA from her remains to NamUs, but there wasn't a positive match in CODIS. In 2020, the McDonald County Sheriff's Office contacted Othram and worked with them in the hopes of positively identifying her or at least finding a living relative by creating a DNA profile and family tree. Othram positively identified Garber in March 2021.

23 August, 2023

A body — too decomposed to recognize when found last year in the Cowlitz River — has been identified. Using advanced forensic DNA testing, the Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office announced earlier this week they identified the body as Bryan M. Heinrich, Sr., 55. The Cowlitz County Sheriff's Office collaborated with Texas-based business Othram, a private company specializing in forensic DNA testing.

18 August, 2023

A homicide victim has been identified 26 years after his body was found in Flagler County. The victim was unidentifiable until 2021, when his bones were submitted to Othram, a private forensic genetic genealogy corporation. With the help of their genetic genealogy team, the victim was identified as Robert Bruce McPhail, who was 58 at the time of his death.

17 August, 2023

Brandon Elkins, who is a special agent with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, said it was in October of 1981 when hunters found skeletal remains of a young girl at an old landfill off Highway 249 in Ashland City. Investigators couldn’t identify the young girl. A DNA profile was developed and entered into CODIS and NamUs. “Unfortunately, there were no matches,” said Elkins. The TBI submitted this and 10 other cases to Othram in December 2022. Four decades later, they finally had a name – Linda Sue Karnes.

9 August, 2023

The collaboration leverages state-of-the-art DNA testing and forensic genetic genealogy to resolve unsolved human remains cases.

9 August, 2023

A hiker stumbled upon human remains in a wooded area in 2014. DNA testing identified them as Randall Reed Priborsky, the Pend Oreille County Prosecutor’s Office said in an Aug. 7 news release. An advanced DNA profile was sent to Othram, a lab that specializes in forensic genetic genealogy. Othram genealogists and the Spokane County Medical Examiner’s Office found a potential relative to a DNA reference test. The remains were officially identified as Priborsky’s by the Pend Oreille County Coroner.

4 August, 2023

Suffolk County police and the FBI turned to a company specializing in cold case victim identification to figure out who Jane Doe No. 7 is. Suffolk County District Attorney announced Friday that the "Fire Island Jane Doe" who went missing in 1996 was Karen Virgata. Othram tells News 12 that normal DNA profiling uses 20 markers to identify a person. They say their technology used hundreds of thousands of markers.

4 August, 2023

A skull that was found in 2011 near Gilgo Beach on Long Island has been identified as that of a troubled 34-year-old woman. The skull of Ms. Vergata, who investigators said had worked as an escort, was discovered on Tobay Beach around the same time that investigators discovered the remains of 10 other people along the stretch of the South Shore. In August 2022, officials developed a DNA profile from the remains. In October, the F.B.I. confirmed they were hers, thanks to genetic material from a relative who provided a sample.

28 July, 2023

On Thursday, the Bastrop County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) held a press conference announcing they had identified the body of a 1979 Jane Doe, the victim in a 44-year-old cold homicide case. It was Othram, a DNA testing lab in The Woodlands, Texas, that linked the exhumed remains to missing person Kathy Ann Smith. BCSO connected Smith’s death to deceased serial killer Henry Lee Lucas, who they said had confessed to her murder in 1984.

27 July, 2023

A family now has closure after their loved one who was killed over 40 years ago was finally identified. In a press conference on Thursday, the Bastrop County Sheriff's Office gave an update on Kathy Ann Smith who was found dead in Elgin back in 1979. The Sheriff's Office worked with Texas-based company Othram to process the DNA pulled from Smith’s body. Othram has helped law enforcement on thousands of cases and their work has led to 200 being solved since 2018.

20 July, 2023

Four decades ago, a part of a human skull was discovered on a California beach. In 2022, the Benicia Police Department partnered with Othram to identify the skull, according to Othram. Othram said it created a “comprehensive DNA profile” for the unknown woman and worked with police and the FBI to generate new leads using forensic genetic genealogy. Benicia police contacted a potential family member who helped confirm the woman’s identity as Tomye Ross Smith, Othram said.

17 July, 2023

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) has identified human remains found in a Cook County pond in March 2019. The body found was Jeremiah Garretson, 36, of Nashville. In late 2022, the GBI began working with Othram, a company that uses DNA testing to help solve cases. In 2023, the GBI sent forensic evidence to Othram. Based on DNA, a genealogical search produced investigative leads that led to Garretson being identified.

12 July, 2023

Investigators have learned the identity of a man who was found dead late last year in Mohave County. He’s been identified as 50-year-old Brandon Ray Parlanti of Kingman. The sheriff’s office sent a sample of the remains to Othram Inc., a company that specializes in forensic genealogy. Parlanti was positively identified this week.

12 July, 2023

Remains found in Golden Valley 10 months ago have been identified as belonging to a man reported missing in 2019. The Mohave County Sheriff's Office on Tuesday said that the remains were those of Jordan Victor Carvalho, a Golden Valley man reported missing by a family member on Sept. 30, 2019. Mohave County Sheriff's Office detectives enlisted the assistance of Othram Inc., a genetic forensic company, to perform advanced DNA testing and genome sequencing.

11 July, 2023

Skeletal remains found by hunters in a remote area of a Montana national forest have been identified as an Army veteran, reports say. Using DNA technology, the remains were identified as Michael Moler, 63 of Midland, Texas, the Stillwater County Sheriff’s Office said in a July 10 news release. The man was between 50 to 70 years old when he died, according to Othram Inc., the forensic genealogy company that helped identify the remains.

5 July, 2023

Her disappearance was a mystery for 53 years, until last month when investigators used DNA technology to positively identify remains found in 1979 in West Haven as those of Sarah Tatham Abbott. In the West Haven case, police obtained a DNA sample from Abbott’s sister, which Othram then used to confirm Abbott’s identity, according to West Haven police Detective Tammy Murray.

3 July, 2023

Marcus Wright was 24 years old when he vanished from Joliet in 2013. On Monday, Will County Coroner Laurie Summers announced that two bones found in late March in the Will County Forest Preserve are those of the missing Joliet resident. One bone was sent to Othram Inc. in Texas, along with a DNA swab from Wright's mom. Othram Inc. has partnered with the Will County Coroner Office on several occasions these last two years, resulting in the resolution of four other cold cases.

30 June, 2023

On May 2, 2022, a young girl’s body is found in a Rosedale dumpster. Police have no idea who she is or where she’s from. On June 29, 2023, she’s identified as Neveah Tucker, aged four, of Toronto. The advanced genetic testing company, Othram Inc., explained how it constructed a detailed genetic profile that aided investigators and ultimately led them to a positive identification.

28 June, 2023

An advanced DNA test was recently used by Texas Rangers to help solve the mystery of a Jane Doe found near Amarillo, 24 years ago. Othram created a genetic profile to generate investigative leads for the case that was returned to investigators. The Texas Ranger's Unsolved Crimes Investigation Program submitted DNA collected from the body for a test that confirmed she was Brenda Sue Guessler.

28 June, 2023

Using DNA technology, the St. Tammany Parish Coroner's Office identified a body found in 1993 as Joseph Lee Muniz of Burnsville, Minnesota. The Coroner's Office worked with a private DNA lab company called Othram Inc., with funding from Season of Justice, a nonprofit organization that funds investigating agencies to help solve cold cases.

27 June, 2023

A child's skull found in 1991 in the California wilderness has been identified as belonging to a 4-year-old boy who went missing that same year. Little Derrick Burton was 4 when he vanished in San Bernardino County and his mother reported him missing, according to the local sheriff's department. Late last year, investigators sent the skull to Othram Inc., a forensic genealogy company, for DNA testing.

26 June, 2023

The body of a woman, who was found with significant trauma along Highway 60 in 1996, has been identified through genetic genealogy. Juana Rosas-Zagal, 41, of the Los Angeles area was identified as the victim 27 years after her body was found. Authorities were able to identify Zagal through the state's Missing and Unidentified Persons System. The county uses the company, Othram, in Texas to analyze the DNA.

23 June, 2023

A woman's body found near train tracks in Elizabeth in 2020 has been identified, Union County Prosecutor William A. Daniel announced Friday. Through both detectives’ investigative efforts and DNA testing through Othram Labs, the victim was recently identified as 23-year-old Jasmine Featherstone, of Elizabeth, previously from Middletown, Connecticut, said Daniel.

14 June, 2023

Police have announced that the remains of a woman found 45 years ago in a garment bag in Nevada have been identified as those of a Cleveland woman. The Nevada State Police - Investigation Division and NamUs reached out to Othram, a company specializing in forensic genealogy, to perform advanced DNA testing on the female remains and do a genealogy search.

13 June, 2023

Several people have been positively identified in three separate Charlotte cold cases using forensic genetic genealogy, CMPD announced. A bone sample was sent to Othram Labs in Texas where advanced DNA testing was performed.

8 June, 2023

A confessed serial killer told investigators he had murdered four women, including one whose torso had been found in a stream known as Ryan Slough in 1997. Across those years, one mystery has endured: Who was this woman? Although police had her DNA and ran it through databases periodically, they never got an identity match. That changed when California justice officials teamed up with the private lab Othram, who led them to a potential close relative of the victim, confirming the victim was Kerry Ann Cummings

7 June, 2023

A Claiborne County homicide victim classified as a 'John Doe' for over 30 years has now been identified. The skeletal remains of a man found in the Caney Valley area of Claiborne County on August 24, 1986, have now been identified as Jerry Harrison of Little Rock, Arkansas. TBI agents submitted a sample of his remains to Othram Inc., a private lab based in Texas, in December 2022 as part of the Unidentified Human Remains DNA Initiative.

5 June, 2023

Skull fragments found in the Spokane River have been identified as belonging to Bret Robert Snow, a 32-year-old Spokane Valley man who was murdered in 2015, the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Monday. Spokane County Medical Examiner’s Office sent both fragments to Texas-based Othram Inc., a company that specializes in extracting DNA from small or degraded samples.

2 June, 2023

Spokane police and investigators with the Spokane County Medical Examiner’s Office have identified a body found more than 40 years ago. A body found in a railroad tunnel under East Trent Avenue in Spokane in January of 1980 was identified as Donald Leroy Pearson, born in 1924. DNA was sent to Othram, who provided viable leads of potential relatives of the victim.

1 June, 2023

New evidence has helped law enforcement identify the remains of a man from a 1970 cold case death investigation in San Bernardino, officials announced on Thursday. The charred remains, burned during a brushfire, were found by a hiker near Little Sandy Creek. Authorities sent remains to Othram, a forensics laboratory in Texas that specializes in genome sequencing and human identification. Othram reported a possible DNA match to two relatives of the deceased man, who was identified as James Hollowell Harvey.

31 May, 2023

A woman who was dubbed “Trunk Lady” after being found dead in the Florida woods on Halloween night more than 50 years ago was finally identified this week. Sylvia June Atherton was confirmed to be the woman whose strangled corpse was discovered in the woods 53 years ago, according to the St. Petersburg Police. Police sent the victim’s hair and skin taken during the original autopsy to Othram Labs in Texas for advanced DNA testing that helped determine Atherton was the slain woman.

29 May, 2023

Genetic testing has allowed the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office to identify two people whose skeletal remains were discovered separately more than 30 years ago. The remains were sent to several laboratories in an effort to obtain a DNA profile necessary for identification. In one case, representatives of Othram, a forensic genealogy company in Texas identified the body as that of Richard Paul Sargent.

25 May, 2023

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has submitted samples from 10 unidentified skeletal remains to an organization to assist in finding out who they are. The TBI published the information on their website, sharing that the remains were submitted to Othram, a private lab based in Woodlands, Texas, to conduct DNA extraction and sequencing processes in December as a part of the Unidentified Human Remains Initiative.

24 May, 2023

A private lab in Texas helped to identify Macon's Jane Doe nearly 50 years after she was killed. The Bibb County Sheriff's Office and Georgia's Criminal Justice Coordinating Council announced the victim's name is Yvonne Pless. Othram, based in Woodlands, Texas, uses forensic genetic genealogy - a combination of DNA sequencing and genealogy.

21 May, 2023

The woman who tied up her newborn infant in a plastic bag and threw her into the woods to die back 2019 in Forsyth County, Georgia, has been identified and arrested, the sheriff’s office said in a press conference Friday. The sheriff’s office worked with Othram Labs to identify the baby's birth parents so detectives could ultimately investigate the case and make an arrest. Othram Labs “uniquely offers in-house processing of evidence, from DNA extraction, enrichment, and repair, to sequencing and genealogy.”

18 May, 2023

RCMP have identified human remains found in 2021 with help from Othram, a forensic genealogy firm. Sask. RCMP Major Crimes determined the remains were that of Kassandra Jorquera. In 2022, investigators had enlisted help from the forensic genealogy firm from Texas. Othram scientists used Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing to develop a comprehensive DNA profile for the woman. Othram's in-house genealogy team used the profile to develop investigative leads that were returned to the law enforcement investigators.

18 May, 2023

Othram is one of several labs using forensic genetic genealogy to try and solve cold cases – murders, rapes and other violent crimes, or even just identifying human remains. More traditional DNA testing hit a limit if there was not a known person in a DNA database against which to compare the sample, but forensic genetic genealogy can match a DNA sample to people in the suspect's family tree, so long as a relative is in one of the DNA databases being checked. It can even be a distant relative.

17 May, 2023

Jennifer Kashuba was indicted Wednesday on charges relating to a man's death in 2022 in Lexington. Advanced decomposition made identifying the man difficult. The coroner's office collaborated with Othram to use advanced forensic DNA testing to identify him as Jimmy Medlock. After Medlock was identified as the victim, he was linked to Kashuba through public assistance housing records.

16 May, 2023

Forty-one years ago, a young woman’s body was pulled from the Milwaukee River in Wisconsin. There was no evidence of foul play, and her death was ruled an accidental drowning. But her identity has remained a mystery. With all leads exhausted, the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Office reached out to Othram in 2022 with the hope of identifying the woman or a relative who could identify her.

16 May, 2023

More than 30 years after her body was discovered in the bushes at a rest stop in Lincoln County, officials say they have identified the female homicide victim as Melinda Lou Barnhouse of Maryland. Othram’s in-house genealogy team then leveraged a profile they built to conduct extensive genetic genealogy research, ultimately providing investigative leads to law enforcement.

11 May, 2023

Martin Motta was arrested for the 1976 murder of an 81-year-old World War I veteran, George Clarence Seitz. My office sought the assistance of the FBI and Othram, a private forensic laboratory in Texas, to generate leads as to the unknown victim's identity. This was the first successful prosecution of a case using forensic genetic genealogy in New York City.

9 May, 2023

Cold cases, some decades old are being cracked in Houston because of technology at Othram, a first-of-its-kind lab in the world that was purposefully built to identify perpetrators or victims from crime scenes. The technology is capable of testing evidence with degraded or trace amounts of DNA. To date, Othram has returned investigative leads in more than 1000 cases.

1 May, 2023

A suspect now faces charges for the killing of a young mother in her Three Rivers apartment more than three decades ago. For nearly 35 years, who killed 19-year-old Cathy Swartz has been a mystery. But now investigators say they have an answer: Robert Waters. Forensic genetic genealogy, which pairs DNA analysis and genealogy research, brought the list of suspects down to a single family and then, finally, Waters.

17 April, 2023

Investigators have finally identified the body of a man found washed ashore on Galveston Island nearly three years later. Galveston police identified the body as 26-year-old Calvin Mbwambo, an exchange student from Tanzania. Galveston Police Department partnered with Othram to see whether DNA testing and forensic genetic genealogy would lead to the identity of the young man.

17 April, 2023

Detectives say human remains found near Kingman over two years ago have now been identified as a missing man. The Mohave County Sheriff’s Office said the remains found were 56-year-old Brian Crain, who lived in Golden Valley. Detectives then contacted Othram, a corporation specializing in forensic genealogy, which was able to identify Crain using advanced DNA testing and genetic genealogy.

13 April, 2023

Skeletal remains found 42 years ago near the town of Sandy, Oregon, have been identified, Oregon State Police announced Thursday. They are identified as belonging to Illya “Ella” Wilkins. In July 2022, a bone sample was submitted to Othram, a private DNA lab that specializes in advanced forensic DNA testing.

13 April, 2023

Known merely as “John Doe” and “Huck” for the past 24 years, a man found dead in the Santa Cruz Mountains more than 24 years ago has been identified. The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office’s forensics services team, utilizing forensic genetic genealogy techniques, paired with Othram to reveal the man’s identity as Eric P. Cupo, authorities announced in a social media post this week.

11 April, 2023

The Carlsbad Police Department said new evidence, mainly DNA analysis, helped solve a 36-year-old cold case. In July 1987, the body of Donna Sue Hyatt was found at her home. On April 11, 2023, investigators with Carlsbad Police announced that they suspect Michael Ruff Wigley had committed the murder. Detectives worked with Othram to test DNA collected from the crime scene against DNA collected from the exhumed remains of Wigley.

10 April, 2023

Human remains found in rural Northern Nevada have been identified as those of a slain 19-year-old woman who went missing more than 30 years ago, authorities said Monday. Othram, a Texas lab that partners with law enforcement to solve cases, extracted DNA from the remains and used genetic genealogy to identify the woman.

31 March, 2023

The Pend Oreille County Coroner's Office has identified the remains of a person found in 1982 in Washington. According to the Coroner's Office, the woman is Mildred Christine (Allison) Hubertz. Hubertz was reported missing in 1968 from St. Ignatius, Montana. In 2022, the Spokane County Medical Examiner's Office invited the Pend Oreille Coroner's Office to collaborate with Othram, a company specializing in degraded DNA.

29 March, 2023

The remains of a person found in Troy, Missouri, in 1984 were linked to a man that disappeared in 1982, detectives announced Wednesday. Jack Langeneckert of Florissant was the victim of a homicide, forensic scientists determined. Detectives teamed up with Southeast Missouri State University to solve the case. A group of anthropology students sent data to Othram labs and found a match.

29 March, 2023

With the help of DNA and genetic genealogy, Spokane police last month identified a woman found dead along the Spokane River nearly 40 years ago. But while investigators now know her name was Ruth Belle Waymire, another mystery remains: Who killed her? Last fall, not long after genetic genealogy helped solve the cold case killing of Candy Rogers in Spokane, Spokane police Sgt. Zac Storment sent DNA to Othram Inc. for analysis.

27 March, 2023

The body of a woman found in 1978 that was dumped at an illegal landfill in Mississippi's Rankin County has been identified, investigators said. Using DNA testing on the remains of the body, the Rankin County Coroner's Office positively identified the victim as Tonya Lea Wills Mullins, who was 22 years old when she disappeared, according to a Thursday news release from DNASolves, a database that helps law enforcement solve cold cases.

24 March, 2023

One of East Tennessee's oldest cold cases has now been solved after remains nearly 50 years old have been positively identified thanks to the help of Othram Labs in Texas. According to the Gatlinburg Police Department, Charlotte Roberta Henry was missing since August of 1974 after Henry’s sister told investigators she was last seen at their father’s funeral. After getting the case in 2021, Dr. Kristen Mittelman with Othram Labs said they were able to positively identify the remains as Henry using an extensive process.

23 March, 2023

Almost three decades after her remains were found in the woods behind a hotel outside Atlanta, a woman who police suspect was the victim of a violent killing in 1993 has now been identified. Her name was Rebecca "Becky" Burke. Burke was eventually identified through forensic genetic genealogy, an advanced form of DNA testing that involved the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System and Othram, a company that specializes in forensic genealogy to help solve cold cases.

23 March, 2023

The mother of a newborn baby boy found fatally stabbed at a University of Georgia dormitory building decades ago has been identified as the killer, authorities said. The case languished for years until 2021, when DNA testing led investigators to the baby's parents. "I am appreciative of the dedication of all of the personnel involved in this effort – both those who work at the UGA Police Department and our partners, such as the scientists at Othram," University of Georgia Chief of Police P. Daniel Silk said in a statement.

22 March, 2023

For almost 30 years, detectives knew her only as the Scorpion Girl. But a vial of her blood and her tissue that was kept by the medical examiner’s office helped police in New York and investigators in the F.B.I. and Richmond County district attorney’s office finally figure out who she was: Christine Belusko. Her blood and tissue were sent to a laboratory in the Woodlands, a suburb of Houston, around 2019, and the results were run through DNA databases.

21 March, 2023

Investigators in Will County say DNA findings have helped identify a man found dead nearly 43 years ago. In 2021, the coroner's office – under new Coroner Laurie Summers – partnered with Othram, a private lab for advanced DNA testing. On Feb. 16, 2023, Othram found possible relatives of the victim – whom they believed to be a man named Webster Fisher.

21 March, 2023

It took years and thousands of dollars for Maury County detectives to identify a woman they found in the woods. Detectives with the Maury County Sheriff’s Department say a big family tree made it difficult to figure out the remains belonged to Amanda Newcomb. They found her skeleton in a remote area of Maury County off Hood Road. Lt. Sam Voss says they didn’t have a clue who it was when they found the body in 2020, so they sent the remains to a private lab in Texas.

10 March, 2023

Detective Rhonda Johnson reopened the investigation of a newborn girl whose body had been found in a garbage bag that was tossed into a dumpster in 1992. With the help of the Mississippi Bureau of Investigations, the Louisiana State Police and genetic genealogy work by the Othram Labs in Texas, authorities say they've identified the people who killed the infant just minutes after she was born — her parents. Othram analysts created a DNA profile for the baby that genetic genealogists used to place the baby in a family tree and identify possible relatives. They found Baby Doe's grandparents.

9 March, 2023

A cold case over 30 years old was solved with the help of advanced forensic DNA testing company Othram in Texas. The victim’s name was Etus Thomas “ET” Romero. In 2022, the Mesa County Sheriff’s office sent Romero’s DNA to Othram’s lab to create a DNA profile. The profile was used by the sheriff’s office to then match the DNA with a surviving family member. It confirmed a sibling relationship. Romero was a veteran, just 26 when he was stabbed to death.

8 March, 2023

Detectives in northern Kentucky say they’ve solved the 1976 rape and murder of a teenage girl using DNA technology. Carol Sue Klaber was last seen leaving her parents’ home on June 4, 1976, after dropping off her bike and getting into a car driven by a man with sandy blonde hair. For years, Carol Sue’s murder went unsolved. In 2017, the Boone County Sheriff’s Office cold-case detectives, Coy Cox and Tim Adams gave the case a second look. Last fall, Cox and Adams contacted Othram Labs, a genetic genealogy company that assists law enforcement with investigations. They sent the evidence to the lab and obtained funding for the testing from Season of Justice.

8 March, 2023

In 2021, a skull from an unknown female was discovered in the Gulf of Mexico in Biloxi, Harrison County, Mississippi. In November 2021, the Mississippi State Medical Examiner’s Office teamed with Othram to use Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing to help generate leads that might identify the unknown female or a family member. The skull was sent to Othram’s laboratory, and Othram scientists developed a suitable DNA extract and built a comprehensive DNA profile to enable genealogical research. Mississippi native and philanthropist Carla Davis executed the genealogical research necessary to generate investigative leads for the agency. Investigators used the leads to complete their investigation and confirm that the unknown female was a teenager from Clinton, Mississippi.

8 March, 2023

The Racine Police Department has announced an arrest and charges in the 23-year-old cold case homicide of Linda Fields. DNA evidence allowed them to arrest Lucas Alonso, 66, of Zion, Illinois. The medical examiner at the time of her death concluded she had been strangled. But the DNA from a sole male, according to police, did not trigger any matches in state and national DNA databases at the time. About 20 years later, with the help of Othram, investigators found a DNA match after expanding their search to include family members of the DNA profile.

7 March, 2023

Authorities in Massachusetts have identified the tragic victim of an unsolved 1978 homicide case. Patricia Ann Tucker was 28 when she was shot in the head and died in the woods outside Granby, Mass., a press release from the Northwestern District Attorney obtained by PEOPLE revealed Monday. It wasn't until about two years ago, the press release said, that authorities in Mass. began working with a Texas-based private forensic laboratory called Othram, which was able to analyze Tucker's DNA profile. Using forensic genetic genealogy, a female relative living in Maryland was identified.

5 March, 2023

After more than a quarter of a century, skeletal remains found in a Will County landfill have been identified as those of a missing Aurora woman. Marie R. O'Brien, who had not been seen or heard from by family since 1984, was identified through DNA testing following an investigation by the Will County Coroner's Cold Case Division, the county sheriff's office and a private laboratory, officials said. In 2021, Coroner Laurie Summers partnered with Texas-based Othram Inc., which developed a DNA profile of the remains and submitted it to a family tree database, which narrowed down leads, authorities said.

3 March, 2023

As a father and son were boating on a California river in search of driftwood 25 years ago, they spotted [human remains] in the water. The sheriff’s office said it recovered the body, but despite decades of investigation, the man’s identity would remain a mystery. Twenty-five years after he was found, the man has regained his name — Jeffery Todd Sydow. In December, the sheriff’s office said it partnered with Othram, a forensic genealogy company, to see if “advanced forensic DNA testing” could be used to identify the man. A DNA sample from the remains was sent to Othram, which “used forensic genome sequencing to build a comprehensive DNA profile for the man,” the sheriff’s office said. From there, the company turned to forensic genetic genealogy for leads.

3 March, 2023

Even his family still has many questions about the man in the red checkered shirt, who was nameless for 44 years. After years of genealogical research and four decades of advances in DNA technology, investigators have finally answered an important question that could lead to more: his identity. He was Gary Lee Haynie, born under another name in Topeka, Kansas. Snohomish County investigators now have only three such cases left to solve in the county. Othram has helped Snohomish County investigators with several other remains cases in the past, extracting genetic profiles to upload to ancestry databases. That way, a genealogist can build the unnamed person’s genetic family tree, find his family and ultimately figure out his name.

28 February, 2023

The body of a man found dead in rural Ward County in October has been identified. According to the Ward County Sheriff’s Department, 63-year-old Manly Bacon’s body was found along Highway 83 south of Minot on Oct. 1. The department said he was likely dead for six weeks at the time. The Sheriff’s Department hired Othram, a private forensic lab located in The Woodlands, Texas, to develop a DNA profile from the remains, which was then matched to a sibling of Manly Bacon.

28 February, 2023

“It was 17,000 days ago to this day exactly — 46 years, six months and 15 days, Aug. 13, 1976 — that a missing report was filed on Youngstown John Doe,” Capt. Jason Simon of the Youngstown Police Department said Monday of when Robert “Earl” Sanders, 23, was reported missing. Simon said Monday advanced DNA testing from Othram Labs of Texas and genetic geology from the Ohio organization Porch Light Project was used to identify Sanders. According to Simon, the investigation into the cause and manner of Sanders’ death is just beginning.

27 February, 2023

Lexington Police say a woman was arrested and charged Monday for a 2022 homicide. 35-year-old Jennifer Kashuba was arrested and charged with murder, abuse of a corpse, and tampering with physical evidence. On February 17, 2022, at around 9:30 p.m., police and LFD responded to the 2000 block of Cambridge Drive for reports of a dead body. They located the body near a dumpster. The Fayette County Coroner's Office identified the victim as 40-year-old Jimmy Lawrence Medlock. His cause of death was a laceration/stab wound to the chest. Advanced decomposition made identification difficult. The coroner's office collaborated with Othram DNA Laboratory to use advanced forensic DNA testing to identify Medlock.

23 February, 2023

For almost three decades, she was known only as "the lady in the fridge." Now, she finally has a name. The San Joaquin County Sheriff's Cold Case Unit investigators on Thursday identified the mysterious homicide victim, found stuffed lifeless into a refrigerator, as Amanda Lynn Schumann Deza. According to DNA laboratory Othram, who partnered with the department to solve the puzzle, forensic genetic genealogy was used to produce investigative leads, which eventually led to contact with what was thought to possibly be Deza's mother and daughter. When they provided their DNA sample to compare, the match led to a confirmation of Deza's identification.

22 February, 2023

Christina Castiglione, 19, of Redford Township was reported missing by her mother on March 21, 1983, and her body was found eight days later in Deerfield Township in Livingston County. Forty years later, police believe that Charles Shaw was responsible for Castiglione's death, officials said during a news conference Wednesday. The Livingston County Sheriff Office's Cold Case team had been working on Castiglione's case for several years, but advanced genetic testing helped them pinpoint Shaw. The Sheriff's Office sent the DNA evidence to Othram in May. Othram scientists were able to build a family tree using Shaw's uncle, and the Sheriff's Office obtained DNA samples from his son and brother. Analysis by Othram confirmed that the suspect from 1983 was the father and brother of those samples, leading them to Shaw.

22 February, 2023

A foot that was discovered near a river in northwest Washington in 2021 has finally been identified as a woman who went missing more than five years ago, authorities said. With the help of DNA testing, authorities were finally able to confirm the foot belonged to 68-year-old Jerilyn L. Smith. In 2022, authorities worked with Othram, a private lab in Texas, to see if forensic DNA testing could help identify the woman or a close relative, with crowdfunding used through DNASolves to cover the cost. The lab eventually found a possible ID, with a list of surviving family members linked to the possible identity. Authorities contacted one of the possible family members, who provided a voluntarily DNA sample to the Othram Labs. The lab confirmed a match, identifying the foot belonging to Smith.

8 February, 2023

The new partnership will enable cutting-edge FGG tools for previously tested casework and will also establish a combined workflow for current cases or cases that have not been entered into CODIS yet.

8 February, 2023

A private lab played a significant role in helping identify the suspect in the murder of Mary Davis. The Lexington Police Chief says Othram labs incorporated and used advanced technology to solve the case. A partnership between the Lexington Police Department, the NC State crime lab, the SBI, and key partner Othram, helped put the missing pieces together. "It was the magic piece that needed to seal the deal," Robby Rummage with Lexington Police Chief said on Othram.

6 February, 2023

Monday was a day of closure for the loved ones of two women who were murdered in the 1990s, a pair of cold cases that had remained unsolved until now. At an afternoon news conference, the Metropolitan Police Department announced DNA testing had confirmed the identity of the man who sexually assaulted and killed both women. Police say Eddie George Snowden Jr. killed 31-year-old Lori Ann Perera and 35-year-old Pearl Wilson Ingram in separate instances. “DNA collected during the initial investigation, and DNA collected from the family member of the suspect ultimately identified who he was,” Metro Police Lt. Jason Johansson said. Last year, Metro cold case investigators requested a genealogical investigation from forensics company Othram. Snowden was then identified as the perpetrator.

6 February, 2023

DNA testing recently identified skeletal remains found by a group of rafters in 1989, authorities in Oregon said. The remains were identified as David West Jr., who disappeared during a flood in 1964, the Sherman County Sheriff’s Office said in a Monday, Feb. 6, news release. A DNA sample was created and a profile was added to the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), a DNA database run by the FBI. But a genetic association wasn’t made, deputies said. The medical examiner’s office then sent another sample to Othram, a private DNA lab. The lab used a genome sequencing technique and named two of West’s relatives.

6 February, 2023

Two women were raped and murdered within two years of each other in Las Vegas in the early 1990s. Their killer went undetected for decades — until Monday. In a news conference, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Lieutenant Jason Johansson announced that the department had identified who attacked and killed them. The suspect was identified as Eddie George Snowden Jr. thanks to DNA from a relative. In 2022, a DNA profile was sent to Othram, Inc. a company that has used DNA to solve numerous other missing identity and cold cases.

1 February, 2023

A Florida mom was missing for decades before she was identified as a woman found dying along a Georgia road. On May 14, 1985, an “injured and unconscious” woman was spotted along state Highway 91 in Baker County, north of Newton, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. “The woman was taken to the hospital in Albany, GA, where she died from her injuries on Saturday, June 1, 1985,” officials wrote in a news release. For decades, the woman’s identity remained a mystery. But after DNA helped to provide clues, she was identified as Mary Anga Cowan. Officials said they partnered with the DNA company Othram to look into the woman’s family history and shared their findings with the FBI for “genealogical research.”

31 January, 2023

Officials have positively identified a man whose skull was found on a riverbank in 1986, giving answers to a family who hasn’t seen the victim since 1984. In September 2022, detectives sent the skull to Othram Inc., a forensic DNA lab in Texas, for help in identifying the person. Othram said in a statement that scientists "developed a viable DNA extract from the skeletal remains" and created a "comprehensive DNA profile" using genome sequencing. Then, they reportedly found a "possible match" to someone who used a public genealogy database and identified the remains as belonging to Thomas Richard Alt.

28 January, 2023

A community-funded DNA project has helped detectives identify a murdered woman whose remains were stuffed in a canvas sack and dumped in the Arizona desert more than half a century ago. Authorities named the victim as Colleen Audrey Rice. The identification was made in partnership with a forensic genealogy company, Othram Inc. The Mohave county sheriff’s office put up an initial $1,000 and posted the case to the dnasolves.com website last year, which helped raise the money in only five days. A sheriff’s office Facebook post dated 24 January said its cold case investigators worked with Othram “to determine if advanced DNA testing and forensic-grade genome sequencing could help give insight into the identity of this woman and the circumstances surrounding her untimely death”.

26 January, 2023

In 1971, hunters discovered a woman dead in the Arizona desert. She lacked identification. Her file sat in the Mohave County Sheriff's Office for decades until investigator Lori Miller pulled it out in the summer of 2020, determined to finally solve the mystery. She quickly exhausted all of her options, and decided a genealogical test was her final option in May and contacted Othram. Othram's tests work by building a “comprehensive” genetic profile using DNA extracted from remains, founder David Mittelman said. Miller and an Othram genealogist searched through family trees, eventually finding a strong match in Ohio. Colleen Rice now has a name.

25 January, 2023

Advances in DNA testing allowed state troopers to solve a 35-year-old cold case — identifying a woman who died in a crash in 1987 on the Pennsylvania Turnpike in Somerset County. Investigators said the woman, Linda Jean McClure, 26, of Indiana, Pa., was a passenger in a tractor-trailer that crashed in 1987. Over the years, multiple attempts were made to identify her — including a DNA laboratory test in 2019 — "but it didn't provide good enough results" to help investigators close the case. An evidence sample was tested by Othram Inc., a private forensics-focused lab that helps law enforcement officials across the U.S. solve cases. The results provided enough details to link the woman to western Pennsylvania. McClure's brother submitted a DNA sample for comparison that confirmed the match.

20 January, 2023

The Clallam County Sheriff's Office is asking the public for donations to pay for a DNA analysis of a foot still in a shoe that washed ashore near the mouth of the Elwha River in Port Angeles in 2021. In 2022, the Clallam County Sheriff's Office partnered with Othram to determine if advanced forensic DNA testing could help establish an identity for the woman or possibly a close relative. A DNASolves crowdfund has been created to cover the cost of the testing and casework. DNASolves works exclusively with law enforcement to facilitate fundraising for Othram's services.

19 January, 2023

After more than a decade of searching for the identity of a young girl whose skeletal remains were found in an Opelika trailer park, authorities now know who she is and have arrested her father and his wife. Opelika Jane Doe, also known as Baby Jane, who investigators long suspected was abused, neglected and likely the victim of homicide, has been identified as Amore Joveh Wiggins. Investigators were able to put the pieces together with the help of Othram Inc., a Texas-based company that uses highly-specialized DNA sequencing and genomics to advance biometrics and human identification.

15 January, 2023

The Bastrop County Sheriff's Office is trying to solve a decades-old cold case with the help of advanced DNA testing technology. They're trying to identify the body of a "Jane Doe" discovered in 1979. The Sheriff's Office is partnering with the company Othram to see if advanced DNA testing can help identify the woman. Othram founder and CEO David Mittelman says their lab is the only one of its kind in North America. "We can access information from evidence that's been previously considered unusable or unworkable," he said. The lab does forensic-grade genome sequencing to make a digital profile. “We're in a constant state of iteration, and I think that'll continue as this technology becomes more robust," Mittelman said. As for Jane Doe, the hope is there will be answers soon.

12 January, 2023

“The State of Biotech” was a celebration of innovation, emerging technologies, and clinical successes, as well as an appraisal of the headwinds and challenges facing the industry. “There are so many ways to do good in the world,” David Mittelman, PhD, founder and CEO of Othram said. “Othram uses DNA testing and advanced genomics not in biomedicine—but in this really interesting field of forensics.” Othram’s crime-solving technology—based on advances in next-generation sequencing, informatics, and genealogy—has been critical in helping police departments solve a string of high-profile cold cases, some dating back decades.

4 January, 2023

Human remains found in November 2008 in a remote area of the Yakama Reservation have been identified as those of a Yakama woman missing since late summer 1987. Yakima County coroner Jim Curtice said Wednesday the remains found on Nov. 26, 2008, west of White Swan have been confirmed by DNA analysis as Daisy Mae Heath, 29, who grew up in White Swan as Daisy Tallman and was living there when she disappeared. She was reported missing on Oct. 29, 1987. Testing was completed by Othram Laboratories, a private DNA laboratory in Texas known for identifying people whose remains have been unidentified for decades.

20 December, 2022

The Kentucky State Police (KSP) Forensic Lab partnered with Othram Inc. using advanced DNA testing to establish an identity for a victim in an unsolved case. Recently, KSP positively identified a “Jane Doe” recovered along a roadside in rural Owen County from 1988 as Linda Bennett. In May 1988, a couple from Owenton spotted an unresponsive woman while on a walk, which resulted in KSP opening an investigation. Detectives determined that her death was a homicide; however, they were unable to identify the victim. The case has remained open throughout the years, in hope that someday the victim may be identified as technology progressed. KSP detectives partnered with multiple groups to solve the case. Othram provided recovery, enrichment, and analysis of human DNA that was able to match Bennett.

16 December, 2022

A boy who was found dead on a Los Angeles street more than 40 years ago has finally been identified as a runaway teen who was never reported missing. For 44 years the unidentified body of Williams was only known as 'John Doe' despite several generations of Long Beach homicide detectives making attempts to identify the 15-year-old. It wasn't until the boy's skeletal remains were used for Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing that the identification process led to a close relative match, narrowing the search to a family member. Badly degraded and chemically damaged skeletal evidence was sent to Othram's lab in The Woodlands, Texas. This skeletal evidence failed prior attempts to make a match, but Othram was able to develop a suitable DNA extract for testing.

15 December, 2022

More than four decades after police found the body of a teen boy on a Long Beach street, investigators have now learned his identity, all with the help of advanced DNA technology. The boy, who was found dead on June 3, 1978 along Division Street near Corona Avenue, was identified as Kenneth Nevada Williams, a 15-year-old who had run away from his home in La Puente. To help in its investigation, the FBI reached out to Othram, a lab in Texas that specializes in forensic genealogy to solve unsolved murders. "We sequenced that DNA and we were able to get a profile uploaded to the genealogical databases that led to a close family match that led to the identity of Kenneth," said Dr. Kristen Mittelman, a chief development officer at Othram.

13 December, 2022

A new collaboration between Humber College and Othram will measure social and criminal justice impact and develop tools to support law enforcement and the development of programs to educate future forensic professionals.

2 December, 2022

In December 1993, a land surveyor found a woman’s skeletal remains among the trees. The Fairfax homicide unit worked the case for years, just trying to figure out who the woman was. The rapidly evolving science of genetic genealogy has provided an answer: Sharon Kay Abbott Lane, a mother of two who was raised in northwest Indiana, and lived for a time in Big Stone Gap, Virginia, was the homicide victim. The Fairfax police again turned to Othram, a forensic lab based out of The Woodlands, Texas, to identify a woman who had been nameless for nearly three decades.

29 November, 2022

Montana authorities said Tuesday that human remains found in Carbon County about 18 years ago have been identified as those of a Wisconsin hitchhiker who left his home state to flee legal trouble. The Carbon County Sheriff's Office said the remains of Rogers Lee Ellis were identified after state and federal agencies launched an extensive genealogy investigation this year. The investigation included sending skeletal remains to Othram, a private DNA lab in Texas, which used its technology to build a DNA profile that ultimately helped identify the remains.

28 November, 2022

A violent, homicidal maniac who viciously sexually assaulted and stabbed 22-year-old career girl Erin Gilmour and 42-year-old single mom of four Susan Tice during a four-month period in 1983. And then, as quickly as he emerged, he faded into the shadows. On Monday, Toronto Police cold case detectives announced that they finally had a suspect. Joseph George Sutherland, 61, was arrested. Toronto investigators used the genetic testing company Othram, which built a family tree of the suspect’s nearest relatives, which led them to Sutherland.

12 November, 2022

For nearly 50 years, the Lady of the Dunes case was shrouded in mystery and legend. In 1974, the body of an unidentified woman was found near Provincetown’s Race Point. Without a name, she became the Lady of the Dunes. In 2022, everything changed when Special Agent in Charge Joseph Bonavolonta made an announcement: “We have identified the oldest unidentified homicide victim in Massachusetts, known as the Lady of the Dunes. She is Ruth Marie Terry.” All of it made possible by the work from a private DNA lab called Othram. “We work with evidence that most people would say DNA can’t be read from,” said Kristen Mittelman, Othram’s Chief Development Officer. Mittelman explains that Othram has developed a technique that can develop a DNA sequence from even the most difficult and degraded samples.

10 November, 2022

Spencer Fuentes, a farmer in Silvana, had found a body in the Stillaguamish River in July 1980. The man had likely been dead for months. Forty-two years later, he was finally identified. It was a case cracked by advances in DNA technology, paired with forensic genealogy research. In 2021, the medical examiner’s office began working with Othram, Inc. to obtain a DNA profile that could be used for genetic genealogy. Authorities confirmed the man’s name was Othaniel Philip Ames.

9 November, 2022

The Maine State Police arrested 56-year-old Jason Follette on Wednesday in connection with the sexual assault of a now 47-year-old woman in Hancock that has gone unsolved for more than 25 years ago. The arrest was made possible by genetic testing equipment that was not available to law enforcement in 1996 at the time of the assault. The DNA sample was tested by Othram Inc. The results of that DNA test, along with further investigative work by MSP, identified Follette as the woman’s attacker.

2 November, 2022

Earlier this year, skeletal evidence was sent to Othram's lab in Texas, which specializes in conducting forensic genealogy for unsolved murders and missing persons. Various chemical treatments from past attempts to extract forensic evidence of the remains had thwarted earlier efforts to build a DNA profile of the victim. Othram eventually derived a usable sample, despite the chemical damage and some microbial contamination. The FBI used the resulting DNA profile to search genealogical databases and eventually located a close relative.

1 November, 2022

After nearly 50 years, investigators have finally confirmed the identity of the “Lady of the Dunes.” Othram, a forensic genealogy company based in Texas, received the remains earlier this year. Now the FBI will continue its search for Terry’s killer.

28 October, 2022

More than 40 years after a murder victim’s remains are found in Cape Girardeau County, a family in Texas can finally grieve and say goodbye. The man convicted of killing Travis died in prison years ago, but they never knew what really happened to him - until now. It took skill, luck and a southeast Missouri college professor working alongside her students to find the answers, piece by piece.

26 October, 2022

The AFP will have access to specialised forensic DNA testing, not currently available in Australia, to identify human remains and develop new leads for unsolved crimes, by partnering with a world-leading forensic genomics laboratory.

25 October, 2022

In October 1986, a hunter in Oneida County found the skull of an unknown victim 400-500 yards away from where partial remains of two teenage girls from Pocatello were found in 1981. This unknown skull was initially identified as a third victim, possibly of mixed-race descent according to experts in the 1980s. For years, the public wondered and speculated as to her identity. Last year, members of the Idaho Cold Cases Facebook page donated $5,000 towards the forensic identification of this skull by Othram Labs in Texas. The skull has been 100% positively identified as that of Patricia Campbell.

25 October, 2022

Benton County Sheriff Shawn Holloway, prosecuting attorney Nathan Smith, and Benton County Lt. Hunter Petray held a press conference Tuesday, Oct. 25, to give an update on three cold cases. Sheriff Holloway said genetic genealogy and the county's partnership with Othram, Inc. helped identify the victims in cold case murders from 1981, 1990 and 1996. Investigators say these are the only unidentified bodies that the sheriff's office had in Benton County. What made the identification of two victims particularly difficult, Lt. Petray said, was that only one of the victims was reported missing. The other two were not reported missing, and none were in any national missing person's database.

21 October, 2022

In July 1980, Will County investigators found a man's body in a wooden crate in the Sanitary and Shipping Canal near Lockport. Decades have passed with no leads, but a DNA extraction and research company is giving investigators new hope. "They don't know who he is. All they have is skeletal remains," said David Mittelman, CEO of Othram, a forensic DNA testing company based in Texas. Various leads over the years have led nowhere. So why is this team from Will County — 42 years later — suddenly optimistic they'll solve the case? The short answer is: they're two-for-two working with Othram, which extracts DNA from skeletal remains, then creates a DNA profile by doing a genealogical search of public databases.

19 October, 2022

DNA has been used to identify homicide 38-year-old victim Steven Gabbard of Louisville, Kentucky, according to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office. The MCSO released the following Monday: “The [MCSO] has made positive identification of skeletal remains found in 2004. [MCSO] investigators recently obtained funding for a forensic genealogy DNA examination through Othram. [...] Through the years, attempts to identify these remains was made by entry of DNA into a federal database; facial reconstruction through forensic computer programs and modeling clay methods; and numerous press releases requesting assistance had been conducted. In 2022, [...], Othram requested a DNA comparison with Steven Gabbard’s nephew with the remains from 2004.

18 October, 2022

A Queens man pleaded guilty Tuesday to killing an 81-year-old World War I veteran in a stunning cold case that spanned 45 years and five U.S. states before it was smashed open by DNA evidence. Investigators first compared the DNA profile to local, state and national databases, but that was a dead end. In 2020, the Queens District Attorney’s Office and NYPD began working with the FBI and Othram Laboratories, to generate new leads. In 2021, Othram used advanced DNA testing to produce “a comprehensive genealogical profile from the skeletal remains,” Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said. The profile was sent to the FBI, which generated new leads that were turned over to the DA’s office and the NYPD. Investigators were able to confirm the remains were those of George Clarence Seitz.

16 October, 2022

In a case that made headlines more than eight years ago, DNA evidence has revealed the body of a woman found in the Snake River below the Perrine Bridge to be that of a San Diego resident, police say. "Jane Doe" was identified last month as Cynthia Gunnerson (aka Sash Ergateage). In December 2021, the Idaho Cold Case Advanced DNA Methods Working Group (ICCADM) contacted the sheriff 's office to offer assistance. In April, the group submitted a DNA sample from the unidentified female to labs at Othram Inc. of Woodland Texas, which generated a lead through forensic genetic genealogy testing. Results of tests gave deputies the information they needed, and they contacted the identified parents who submitted their DNA for further testing.

14 October, 2022

Human remains found in 1994 beneath a central Indiana bridge have been identified through DNA testing as those of an Ohio woman last seen by relatives earlier that year, officials said. The long-unidentified remains are those of Doreen M. Tiedman of Cleveland, Ohio, the Hancock County Sheriff's Department announced Wednesday. Detective Ted Munden with the sheriff's department worked with the Indiana State Police Laboratory, which used genetic genealogy to develop investigative leads. As part of the forensic detective work that led to the remains' identification, scientists at Othram Inc., a private forensic laboratory, built a comprehensive DNA profile for the woman.

13 October, 2022

Human remains discovered in 1974 near a northeastern Illinois creek have been identified through forensic DNA testing as a suburban Chicago man who vanished in the early 1970s, officials said. The remains are those of Donald M. Rozek of Harvey, Illinois, and Rozek's cause of death remains undetermined. The coroner’s office and the Will County Sheriff’s Office worked with Othram Inc. — a private laboratory that conducts advanced forensic DNA testing — to identify Rozek’s remains. After additional DNA profiling and genealogy work, Othram narrowed the search to an Illinois resident who was a possible nephew of the unidentified man.

5 October, 2022

Remains found a decade ago have been identified as 14-year-old Joan Marie Dymond of Wilkes-Barre, who vanished in June 1969. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children released a likeness of the girl based on facial reconstruction images. Investigators sent the victim's DNA profile to national databases but got no matches. Othram, Inc. provided troopers with possible family members, including the family of Dymond, who provided DNA samples.

27 September, 2022

Othram, the leading forensic sequencing laboratory for law enforcement, and the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs), a national information clearinghouse and resource center for missing, unidentified, and unclaimed person cases, today announced their partnership to develop and deploy forensic DNA testing tools to help reconnect missing and unidentified persons with their families.

26 September, 2022

Veronique Duperly spent most of 1975 plastering posters of her younger sister’s high school yearbook picture onto street corners all around Fairfax County. Next to the photo, she typed: “Missing 17-year-old Choubi Gildawie.” Using forensic genealogy testing, detectives with the Fairfax County Police Department linked remains found 21 years ago to Gildawie. Police said potential leads about the female victim’s identity fell through for decades until they teamed up with forensic laboratory Othram Inc. — a company which they have used in the past. Othram scientists created a DNA profile for the victim that matched Duperly’s family tree.

26 September, 2022

In 1979, the Alachua County Sheriff's Office (ACSO) says a state employee found a skeleton and a noose in the woods. Deputies say there was no way to identify the remains except through DNA. Several labs were unable to identify Doe through DNA testing. The victim remain unidentified until August of 2022. “My hope is to live in a world where the evidence is preserved until science can solve all of these cases, and give everyone answers,” Chief Development Officer for Othram Inc. Kristen Mittleman said. ACSO recruited the Texas based lab in 2021. “DNA testing is destructive and every single time you test evidence, you actually destroy the DNA and that evidence. People are still consuming evidence with techniques that don't work most of the time, and that's unacceptable,” Dr. Mittelman said.

26 September, 2022

A headless and handless body found in Fishkill 42 years ago was identified several months ago as a missing New York City woman. New York State Police say investigators had been working for the last 42 years to identify the body but were unable to do so due to technological and forensic limitations. However, an identifiable DNA sample was obtained by the FBI’s Investigative Genealogy Team, “in partnership with Othram, a private lab that specializes in cutting edge forensic DNA analysis.” On May 26, the victim was identified as Anna L. Papalardo-Blake. She was 44 at the time of her death.

8 September, 2022

Kristen Mittelman with Othram said the company uses DNA sequencing and genomic technology to help identify victims and perpetrators for law enforcement. "You need a very small percentage of the population in order to be able to identify everyone. That small percentage of the population is already in these databases. If you left DNA at a crime scene, [...] you'll probably get caught." Othram's CEO, David Mittelman, welcomed ABC13 onto their campus earlier in April. There, he the cartridges used in their sequencer to build a DNA profile, which is taken from evidence often worn down with time or too tiny to extract with traditional methods.

8 September, 2022

In 1988, a young woman's body was found about five miles from the Alabama state line. Her identity and that of her killer would remain unknown for nearly 34 years. Now, with information from forensic genealogy testing, the authorities believe the victim to be Stacey Lyn Chahorski. They have also identified the killer, in a rare instance in which investigative genetic genealogy was used to identify both the victim and the killer in the same case. The use of genetic or forensic genealogy has grown in recent years. "The method has increasingly been used to solve violent crimes as the technology has been fine-tuned", said David Mittelman, the founder and CEO of Othram, the lab that built the profiles used to solve Ms. Chahorski's case.

1 September, 2022

A mystery is slowly being solved, and it's taking a multi-team effort. “The fact that no missing persons that matched the description were reported in the area, that also makes it difficult,” TBI Special Agent Brandon Elkins said in 2020. But after nearly four decades, remains were found of the missing teen, Tracy Sue Walker. “The difference between Tracy being unidentified versus identified was that we were able to combine the generosity of a philanthropist and cutting-edge genomic science,” Dr. David Mittelman, founder and CEO of Othram said.

30 August, 2022

It's been over 37 years since the remains of an unidentified young female were found in Tennessee. Thanks to genetic genealogy performed by Othram, the child has now been identified as 15-year-old Tracy Sue Walker. Investigators say the teen was reported missing from Indiana in 1978 — nearly 400 miles from where her body was found. “The case faced technical challenges and failed testing before it came to Othram, consuming evidence and funding,” said Kristen Mittelman, Chief Development Officer for Othram. “Fortunately, we have the [...] best-in-class testing at Othram to build a profile that helped investigators solve the case.”

22 August, 2022

Othram is pleased to announce the appointment of Carla Davis as Chief Genetic Genealogist. Mrs. Davis will lead efforts to scale Othram's domestic and international genealogical research operations. Mrs. Davis joins Othram after a year-long collaboration in which she led genealogical efforts to restore names to unidentified persons in Virginia, Alabama, and her home state of Mississippi.

11 August, 2022

When Leslie Kaufman walks through the forensics lab at N.C. State University, she sees a space that is sterile and clean — and filled with human remains. The room is filled with boxes of bones, each tagged with numbers — not names — of people who were discovered dead but unidentified. Kaufman is a co-founder of the North Carolina Unidentified Project. The project works to give names and identities back to the state's 130 unidentified bodies. To analyze the person's DNA and match them with a family tree, they work with Othram Labs to extract the DNA sample which is then given to Kaufman to match through DNA databases.

8 August, 2022

Fairfax County Police in Virginia have been working with Texas-based Othram, which is now crowdfunding help to identify a woman who was found dead in Fairfax County nearly 30 years ago. Even today, there isn’t a lot that police know about the woman, whose remains were found in 1993. “What has us stumped is who she is,” said Major Ed O’Carroll with Fairfax County police. While her remains were discovered in 1993, “we do think that they were there for maybe one to as many as six years,” he said. Othram is crowdfunding for this case and others around the country, trying to help police departments cover some of the cost and still get the answers they’re looking for.

1 August, 2022

Mary Hague Kelly was found strangled to death at her home in 1989. In 2004, DNA testing yielded no results. The Dallas County DA's Office enlisted the help of Othram in 2021. Othram used forensic-grade genome sequencing to develop a profile of the suspect, which led to an arrest - more than three decades after Kelly's murder. The work of Othram was praised in a statement. "In the last 33 years, countless people have put in hundreds of hours of investigative work on the Mary Kelly cold case murder, but at the end of the day, it was Othram that solved this difficult case. [...] The case does not get solved without them."

7 July, 2022

Many mysteries remain about the woman found dead in a Fairfax County cemetery in 1996, but one has just been solved: her identity. For a quarter-century, the unidentified woman in Pleasant Valley Memorial Park was known as 'the Christmas Tree Lady,' because she had placed a small Christmas tree on a blanket next to her. Fairfax police tried for years to identify the woman. In recent years genetic genealogy has blossomed as a law enforcement tool, in which forensic analysts try to match one person’s DNA profile with another, and comb through the family tree for connections. So in January, Othram Inc. took on the 'Christmas Tree Lady.'

28 June, 2022

Columbia Police announced arrests have been made in connection to an infant, Samone J. Daniels, found dead in 2019. The preliminary autopsy could not determine any identifying information about Samone, but CPD says Samone's parents have been arrested. "We are indebted to the community," said Police Chief Geoff Jones. "Samone had a lot of people pulling for her." Jones also said he was thankful for all the other agencies that supported the investigation, including the forensic genealogists at Othram labs.

6 June, 2022

With the rise of genealogical databases and family trees linking suspects to past crime scenes, one company is taking DNA technology a step further and aiming to end cold cases for good. Over the last few years, Othram has also developed a solid reputation for working with skeletal remains — even identifying a victim from 1888. In another case, the company worked with the equivalent of 15 human cells from a sexual assault that occurred 32 years ago.

3 June, 2022

The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office has identified human remains that were found nearly 50 years ago with the help of genealogy testing. Poole's remains were identified following genealogy testing by Othram, a private forensic laboratory that utilizes genome sequencing to build DNA profiles.

2 June, 2022

After nearly five decades, Palm Beach County detectives announced Thursday they've identified a teen girl whose skeletal remains were discovered tied to a tree in 1974. Late last year, the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office sent the unidentified remains to Othram, a Texas-based forensics DNA lab that builds DNA profiles using genealogy. The lab identified the deceased as Poole and helped investigators locate her parents and siblings.

29 May, 2022

An ongoing partnership between the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office, North Carolina Unidentified Project, and Othram Inc., has led to the successful identification of a victim from a 46-year-old murder case. The NC Unidentified Project worked with Othram Inc. to employ Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing to build a genealogical profile from skeletal remains. Ultimately, a DNA link to the 1976 case led investigators to a family member of the victim who identified the deceased subject as Jimmy Mack Brooks.

27 May, 2022

The fire along Oak Drive in south Atlanta in January of this year left the man found inside unrecognizable. A new technique called forensic genome sequencing gave the family some closure. It all started with a cotton swab after DNA testing of a family member showed a close relationship to the victim.

20 May, 2022

It was a Sunday afternoon not far from the launch ramp at Hemenway Harbor. As the lake levels dropped, a decaying barrel emerged onto the shore. Inside were human remains. "When you have remains that have been exposed to the elements, it makes it incredibly challenging to get an ID," Clark County Coroner Melanie Rouse said. However, a lab in Texas that specializes in advanced DNA testing using genealogical data believes they have the resources to help.

17 May, 2022

Jean Ponders vanished from Roswell in 2012 — the same year a decomposed body was found near the Talladega Speedway in Lincoln, Alabama. Detectives called her Grandma Doe. Even though her death was officially ruled as natural from lung cancer, Lincoln knew it was still a crime. Ultimately, Lincoln City Council and private donors paid for new DNA techniques through a Texas company called Othram.

12 May, 2022

On Sept. 27, 2001, a woman was found dead near a drainage ditch on the 1500 block of Lincoln Circle. Police had ruled it a homicide, and then, the case went cold for 20 years. Othram is working on the Jane Doe case. Mittelman says they were able to fully crowdfund the case within two days. This will allow the lab to start testing, with the hope of bringing detectives one step closer to closing her case — and finally, bring this long chapter to a close for her family.

11 May, 2022

Margaret Ann Sniegowski Jr. was 17 when she went missing. Known as Maggie, she was the youngest of eight siblings, enjoyed dancing and played trombone in her high school marching band. Her family might have never known what happened to her if it weren't for investigators from the Boone County Sheriff's Office, a Lebanon criminology hobbyist and a DNA-testing company in Texas.

29 April, 2022

Founded by entrepreneur and philanthropist Justin Woo, the Vegas Justice League (VJL) utilizes a fast-growing approach to reopening unsolved cases by donating funds to help local law enforcement. Donations raised by the VJL are put toward advanced investigation techniques, including the use of genealogical research and other DNA testing performed by leading genetic experts like Othram.

27 April, 2022

A new partnership has helped the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office identify human remains found in 2006 and led them to reopen an investigation of an unrelated 1984 murder. The sheriff's office said they worked with Jennifer Bengtson of the anthropology program of Southeast Missouri State University to identify the remains through DNA analysis. With the help of her students and genome sequencing company Othram, Bengtson was able to "provide investigators with information pointing them to the path leading to an accurate identification."

25 April, 2022

The young woman’s skeletal remains were discovered in 2001, near a drainage ditch behind an apartment complex in what’s now known as Tysons, Virginia — and Fairfax County police still have far more questions than answers.“We’re baffled by this case, so we’re anxious to get this case moving forward toward finding out who she was, and ultimately, who’s responsible for her murder,” O’Carroll told WTOP in announcing a partnership with Othram Inc, and DNASolves.

15 April, 2022

One Texas-based genomics lab, Othram Inc., was used by the Toronto Police Service in 2020 to accuse Calvin Hoover in the 1984 murder of nine-year-old Christine Jessop in what was arguably Canada’s best-known cold case. As recently as last month, Othram used such familial DNA technology to identify three Jane and John Doe remains in a single week. But these tools are being used very sparingly by police in Canada to identify offenders in cold cases where conventional or “legacy” DNA technologies have failed.

14 April, 2022

For three decades, she was known only as Jane Doe, ever since her body was found dumped on the embankment of an interstate highway in Indiana in May 1992. Investigators said that they had tried several times to identify Ms. Sniegowski’s body without success. In February 2021 they sent the remains to Othram, a forensic laboratory that specializes in using forensic genetic genealogy to help solve older crimes. By September, they had successfully obtained enough DNA to begin building a profile and search for her living relatives.

13 April, 2022

It's been over four decades since a woman's decomposing remains were found in New Lenox. Thanks to modern DNA technology, she's been identified as Brenda Sue Black — a missing woman from Ohio. The Will County Coroner's Office hired Othram Incorporated to analyze the DNA evidence last year.

11 April, 2022

The Idaho County Sheriff's Office (ICSO) confirmed the identity of the remains found near an abandoned camp in Colt Killed Creek in 1984. The remains, found 37 years ago, were those of Brian Bennett, 26, "Mr. Bones," from Oklahoma. ICSO personnel started calling Bennett "Mr. Bones" after they felt he deserved some unique personalization. ICSO investigators continued researching and working to find the identity of "Mr. Bones" over the years. In 2022, NamUs decided to fund genetic genealogy testing and samples of Mr. Bones that were sent to a private laboratory in Othram, and they found a potential family match.

1 April, 2022

For 25 years, the Fairfax County police have tried and failed to identify “the Christmas Tree Lady,” so named because she placed an 8-inch Christmas tree with gold balls and red ribbons on the clear plastic sheet she put on the ground. Her case has become an enduring mystery on the Internet, and she is the only person to die by suicide in Fairfax whom authorities have been unable to identify, before or since. Enter Othram Inc., a forensic laboratory outside Houston.

31 March, 2022

A private laboratory in The Woodlands is becoming known nationwide for identifying victims and possible suspects in cold cases. The company, Othram, uses new DNA technology to identify victims, find missing persons, and reveal possible perpetrators of crimes. Over the last several weeks, they’ve helped solve numerous cold cases across the United States. "The work that Othram lab is doing [gives] hope to law enforcement [and] families," said Jim Walker. "It should make a bad guy shutter in his shoes."

26 March, 2022

Members of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation contacted the FBI again several years later about using investigative genealogy methods to help solve the case. For this effort, they enlisted Othram, a Texas-based laboratory that works with law enforcement and has been credited with helping solve a lengthy list of other cold cases. "Without the advancements in DNA technology, we wouldn't have been able to be of assistance and have this success so we're grateful for that and for the work Othram did," FBI Special Agent Tim Burke said in Thursday's news conference.

25 March, 2022

The remains of a Michigan mother who vanished more than three decades ago were found in Georgia at the time and finally identified using DNA technology this month. Othram Inc., a Texas-based DNA lab, was brought in by investigators to assist on the cold case. Using Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing, a DNA extraction was performed on Chahorski’s skeletal remains, resulting in an “comprehensive genealogical profile.” FBI agents in Atlanta and Baltimore subsequently constructed a family tree and traced Chahroski’s distant relatives through extensive genealogical research using the new forensic profile, which ultimately identified her.

22 March, 2022

A man found dead in Jackson County nearly 40 years ago has finally been identified. His remains were located by divers, who were searching the river after a female toddler was found deceased in the area days earlier. His identity remained a mystery for 40 years, until Jackson County investigators, with assistance from Othram, were able to identify a close relative of the young man.

18 March, 2022

Vermont State Police investigators used advanced DNA sequencing techniques to identify a sample found as part of their investigation into the 2004 disappearance of a 17-year-old girl in the town of Montgomery, police said Friday. The state police sent samples to Othram, a Texas-based forensic sequencing laboratory that has set up a fundraising page for the investigation. But investigators say identifying the source of the DNA found near the abandoned car of Brianna Maitland does not mean they have identified a suspect in her disappearance.

15 March, 2022

n 2021, the Yavapai County Sheriff's Office partnered with Othram, a Texas-based laboratory that works exclusively with law enforcement, to see if advanced DNA testing could help solve the mystery of "Little Miss Nobody." That girl now has a name, thanks to advanced DNA technology. Othram received the case in December 2021 and returned the identity to authorities in February 2022, Dr. Kristen Mittelman, Othram's Chief Business Development Officer, told CNN.

11 March, 2022

The story of Carla Walker, how technology solved her 1974 murder and the conviction of her killer will be featured in an episode of “Forensic Files II” on Sunday. The episode airs March 13 at 9 p.m. and features Assistant Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney Kim D’Avignon, according to the episode description. D’Avignon will explain how a team of detectives, forensic scientists and Tarrant County district attorney officials solved the 46-year-old murder case and convicted McCurley.

10 March, 2022

Metro Police has identified the remains of a homicide victim who died more than 25 years ago using “forensic-grade” DNA sequencing funded by a private party, officials said today. The remains of Richard Guarro, who was reported missing after he failed to return from a trip to Las Vegas in November 1996, were positively identified by analyzing the DNA of his biological sister. They were sent to Othram Labs in October for “forensic-grade genome sequencing” at the request of cold case detectives, police said in a release.

10 March, 2022

An old cigarette butt and other DNA evidence led Seattle-area police to a breakthrough in the case of a woman killed 27 years ago. The Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office reopened the investigation in 2018, pursuing leads based on a rough sketch of the killer and DNA evidence. They sent the forensics to a DNA lab in Texas, Othram Labs, which built a suspect profile.

9 March, 2022

Patricia Lorraine Barnes, 61, was found dead in 1995 when her body was dumped on a rural South Kitsap County road. Deputies at the time documented 130 evidence items but still could not identify a suspect. It was not until April 2018 when deputies reopened the case and four years later, evidence was sent to Othram labs in The Woodlands, Texas. Othram then went forward with genome sequencing and forensic genetic genealogy to make a DNA profile for the suspect.

4 March, 2022

A Texas-based private laboratory has helped find a man who has been missing from Everett for more than four decades. The lab, Othram Inc., identified Ronald David Chambers, 28, as the person whose remains were found nearly two years after he went missing. Chambers, from Rome, Georgia, was reported missing in 1979, he had not been seen since he was at a SeaTac motel on Dec. 17, 1978.

4 March, 2022

"We should not be putting our hand out to the public to fund what is the core responsibility of government," stated Senator Baker, reacting to recent cold case investigations in which the public can donate funds to help pay for expensive but necessary testing such as DNA testing. Investigators say the effort will speed up the investigation rather than wait for the state’s budget process to move forward the effort raised $5,000 in several days but senator baker insists.

22 February, 2022

A year ago, nobody knew whose body was buried under a headstone marked Beth Doe in the Laureytown Cemetery near Weatherly. Now we know it's the grave of 15-year-old Evelyn Colon and her unborn baby girl, who was killed in 1976. Othram, a Texas-based DNA laboratory, helped identify Evelyn and her alleged killer through DNA profiling. Now the lab is looking to help solve a case in Luzerne County–Baby John Doe, an infant found in a Larksville landfill in 1980.

22 February, 2022

After raising an $18 million Series B funding round last year, forensic genetics firm Othram Inc. is expanding in The Woodlands. The company is using proceeds from its $18 million Series B funding round, led by Austin-based venture capital firm Gigafund, to build out a roughly 25,000-square-foot office and lab space about a mile away. Othram aims to move into its new lab in March.

18 February, 2022

More than 30 years after a teenager’s skull was found near a road in Stafford County, Virginia, officials say the late teen has been identified through DNA analysis and genealogical research. Human remains found in 1990 are those of Timothy Alan Mangum, the Stafford County Sheriff’s Office said Friday. A Texas lab called Othram conducted genealogical research and in November 2021 gave the sheriff’s office Mangum’s name and information on his family members.

16 February, 2022

Investigators are taking another step in their efforts to solve a cold case involving the homicide of a baby boy. Baby Boy John Doe was found in a landfill in Larksville in 1980. Because of advances in technology, in 2016, a DNA sample was collected from the remains. While other attempts to determine the baby's DNA have failed, state police believe a company called Othram Inc. from Texas has the technology to identify it.

2 February, 2022

Advancements in DNA testing have helped bring an end to cases that have remained opened for decades. “We’re able to do lots of things — including use genealogy to make long range relationship determinations,” Mittelman said. With that information, detectives are now increasingly able to connect once-useless DNA with relatives of crime victims or perpetrators of violence.

29 January, 2022

Friday night on KPRC 2, an episode of “Dateline NBC” featured a case out of Texas - the murder of Carla Walker. When a Houston company stepped in and helped identify the suspect with its cutting-edge DNA technology, the cold case was cracked. Othram uses a very sophisticated system for testing DNA samples, some that would normally be untestable -- either because they are too small or contaminated.

27 January, 2022

Othram, the leading forensic sequencing laboratory for law enforcement, is pleased to announce the appointment of Brendan Belair as Chief Strategy Officer. In addition to serving on the executive team, Mr. Belair will lead Othram’s state and federal government advocacy engagements. Mr. Belair, an attorney and seventeen-year Capitol Hill and political campaign veteran, most recently served as Staff Director and Chief Counsel for the House Judiciary Committee.

27 January, 2022

Since 2004, investigators in Haywood County have tried to identify the body of a man they found dead along a rural road. Othram, a private laboratory based in Texas, uses forensic-grade genome sequencing; the company uses small trace amounts of DNA to create a profile of John or Jane Does. Captain Cope of the Haywood County Sheriff’s Office said he believes the assistance from Othram is a step in the right direction for the case.

27 January, 2022

Five months after her killer was sentenced in a Fort Worth courtroom, Carla Walker’s story will be featured on an episode of NBC’s Dateline on Friday night. Her family waited for answers for decades until DNA technology and a dogged police investigation led to the conviction of McCurley. A DNA profile was created and analyzed by Othram, a forensic genealogy lab based in a Houston suburb. The DNA profile was eventually matched to a DNA sample police obtained.

25 January, 2022

David Mittelman’s company, Othram, is revolutionizing DNA sequencing and, in the process, greatly reducing the number of “unsolvable” cases. I called David to learn more about how the new technology works, what it means for the future of crime-fighting, and maybe get some fascinating stories out of the bargain too.

24 January, 2022

Othram is pleased to announce the appointment of industry veteran Andrew Singer as Chief Commercial Officer. Mr. Singer will lead efforts to expand Othram’s operations throughout North America, delivering on the company’s mission to enable justice for all victims and their families. Mr. Singer joins Othram after a successful 14-year tenure at Bode Technology, most recently serving as the Vice President of Operations Sales and Global Marketing.

20 January, 2022

Authorities are still looking for help to identify the remains of a young girl found in the desert in 1960. The girl was estimated to be between the ages of 3 and 6 years old. The case remained stagnant until 2018 when her body was exhumed to obtain a DNA sample. A DNASolves® fund has been set up by Othram, Inc to help raise the remaining funds to have the DNA tested.

13 January, 2022

After more than nine years after her body was found in Lincoln, a woman’s remains have been identified. The remains, found on May 5, 2012, are those of Jean Turner Ponders of Roswell, Georgia. Lincoln Police said if not for assistance from Othram, Inc., located in Texas, which is a forensic sequencing laboratory for law enforcement and a forensic genetic genealogist named Carla Davis, this would be a cold case.

13 January, 2022

The large brown accordion folder that Commander Adam Hornick has been filling for nearly a decade is labeled “John Doe” in black capital letters. John Doe now has a name: Franklin D. Feldman. Feldman died in Bethlehem in 1981. The body was never identified — until now. Bethlehem Police partnered with the FBI Melville Office Investigative Genetic Genealogy Unit, which in turn partnered with Othram Inc. to develop a genealogical profile, which led to potential family members.

12 January, 2022

Authorities said Wednesday they have positively identified the remains of a man that were unearthed in 2003, the Isanti County Sheriff's Office announced, thanks to meticulous DNA analysis. Last year, the Sheriff's Office was referred to Othram, a lab in Texas that uses a newer technology to build DNA profiles from skeletal remains. In October, Othram extracted a viable DNA sample and built a comprehensive DNA profile that was sent to Rae-Venter and the Isanti County Sheriff's Office.

3 January, 2022

A Bellflower woman whose remains were unearthed near Thousand Palms almost 30 years ago was positively identified based on a DNA match, authorities said Monday. Investigators were able to track down a potential DNA match to the woman -- Cavallaro's son, whose identity was not disclosed. He provided a DNA sample that was processed by a private laboratory, Woodlands, Texas-based Othram Inc.

16 December, 2021

Human remains found more than three years ago were identified as a missing 27-year-old University of Michigan student, according to the Saginaw County Sheriff’s Office. Detective Sgt. Simmons was told Othram Inc. in The Woodlands, Texas could help with a genealogy study of the remains to help find a possible identity. Othram told Simmons the remains belonged to an Asian man.

10 December, 2021

Human remains that were found in Northampton County nearly three decades ago have been identified as those of a World War II veteran. In September 2019, portions of the skeletal remains were sent to Othram, Inc. in The Woodlands, Texas, for further advanced technological DNA processing, which was funded by the Northampton County Sheriff’s Office. On February 11, 2021, a match was found in a genealogical database: Orlando Harper of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

7 December, 2021

Human remains that were found in the town of Vinland in 2015 have been identified, the Winnebago County Sheriff's Office announced Tuesday night. In 2019, the sheriff's department submitted the evidence to a laboratory in Virginia with the hopes of producing a computer-generated image of what Klug looked like. Klug was ultimately identified with the assistance of Othram Inc., a private DNA laboratory in Texas, the Tuesday news release said.

6 December, 2021

Community leaders have come together to form the Vegas Justice League, a group that offers support, funding and scientific resources to help the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department solve previously “unsolvable” crimes. The Vegas Justice League partners with Othram Inc, a forensic sequencing laboratory, to offer the latest advancements in DNA testing. The group is involved in several cold cases and helped police solve the 32-year-old murder of Stephanie Isaacson and the 42-year-old murder of Kim Bryant.

6 December, 2021

Las Vegas Metro Police have announced solving another cold case murder. The case involves the murder of 22-year-old Diana Hanson in 1983. Police have now identified Johnny Blake Peterson as the person who killed Hanson. Police say the case was solved with the help of Texas-based forensic sequencing laboratory Othram Inc.

1 December, 2021

On July 24th, 1989, human remains were found on the northwest shore of Fire Island, west of Anchorage. All efforts by AST to identify the victim were unsuccessful. In 2021, the Alaska Bureau of Investigation (ABI) Cold Case Investigation Unit reopened the investigation. Bone samples from the victim that had been retained by the State Medical Examiner’s Office were sent to Othram Inc., a private forensic DNA laboratory in Woodlands TX.

30 November, 2021

Advanced DNA testing and genome sequencing helped Las Vegas police crack the case of a 16-year-old girl who was found dead 42 years ago, investigators announced Monday. Police "investigated this case for years without being able to identify a suspect," Spencer said noting multiple LVMPD detectives had worked to gather new leads. "Ten days ago we were notified that the genological profile built by Othram labs, based on sperm recovered from the body of Kim Bryant at autopsy, revealed that Johnny Blake Peterson was the person that kidnapped, sexually assaulted and murdered Kim Bryant," Spencer said at the news conference.

29 November, 2021

The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department announced Monday that a cold case homicide from 1979 has been solved thanks to a donation from a local philanthropist. As recently as 2021, the LVMPD lab ran the limited DNA from the case with no luck. However, things changed when they were given the opportunity to take the DNA to Othram's lab. The evidence linked 19-year-old Johnny Blake Peterson as the suspect in Bryant's death, police said.

29 November, 2021

In May of 2019, [Detective] Smith heard about a two-week seminar at the Ontario Police College featuring a session on forensic genealogy. He knew little about it other than the fact that it had been successfully deployed a year earlier by detectives in the case of the Golden State Killer. This would be the first time the techniques were taught in Canada. A few months later, someone from Othram Inc., a Texas-based genetic testing start-up, got in touch. The company had heard about Smith and knew he was interested in the process.

24 November, 2021

Othram - a Texas-based laboratory that specializes in Forensic-grade Genome Sequencing - played a key role in solving a 62-year-old cold case in Spokane. The case had went gone than six decades without being solved. But then, Othram stepped in and performed DNA testing. The process the lab specializes in allows the to test small - and oftentimes, damaged - DNA samples from crime scenes.

17 November, 2021

Jackson County Investigators have identified the skeletal remains found in a wooded area near East Street in Moss Point close to the Escatawpa River. Once the remains were found, they were collected by the Mississippi State Crime Lab, who sent samples to Othram in The Woodlands, Texas for analysis. Othram then conducted genealogical research and identified a possible relative in Michigan. The remains were confirmed to be 54-year-old Aaron McGraw, a man reported missing in May 2015.

16 November, 2021

Othram, the leading forensic sequencing laboratory for law enforcement, and Discovery Life Sciences™ (Discovery), the biospecimen and biomarker specialists, today announced their partnership to pair Discovery’s innovative forensic genomic research capabilities with Othram’s human identification tools and services for law enforcement.

13 November, 2021

In the summer of 2020, a utility maintenance worker discovered the fully dressed skeletal remains of a man in a wooded area behind Holmes Avenue. Investigators tried conventional approaches to determine the identity of the skeletal remains, but were unsuccessful. Othram used the recovered bones to build a DNA profile to identify the remains and potential family members. Since 2019, Othram has identified four people from remains shared by the Mississippi crime lab.

12 November, 2021

EastPark John Doe was found July 18, 2020, in a shallow grave on a piece of hunting property just off the Industrial Parkway in Boyd County. Since discovering the body, troopers and Boyd County Coroner Mark Hammond have been at a dead end attempting to identify the man; authorities are closer to identifying the EastPark John Doe, after the Medical Examiner’s Office has confirmed samples from the body have been sent to Othram, a Texas-based lab that conducts genetic tests and genealogical research into the deceased.

9 November, 2021

There was little viable evidence for forensic genealogical testing. Much of the victim’s skeletal remains had decayed over the decades and had been repeatedly tested by other labs, which had stripped away almost all usable genetic material. It wasn’t the first time Othram’s scientists had run into such a challenge. They rarely have the luxury of working with high-quality genetic samples. They’re typically left to scrutinize specimens that are far older, far smaller, and far less intact than those yielded by at-home DNA testing kits. But the lab’s proprietary technology was designed to recover and enhance miniscule quantities of degraded forensic evidence.

8 November, 2021

A partial human skull found in East Idaho in 1986 that investigators believe belonged to a teenage girl has yet to be identified. Now, more than three decades later, a forensic lab is raising funds to conduct testing that could help identify it. The Oneida County Sheriff’s Office and Samantha Blatt of the Idaho State University Anthropology Department reached out this year to Othram, a private forensic lab, with the hope that the lab might be able to help identify the remains using advanced DNA testing.

8 November, 2021

Saliva on his discarded beer cans has led to the arrest of a Florida man accused of stabbing a store clerk more than six dozen times in the winter of 1996. Sheriff’s Office officials said the case is the first for the agency solved using genetic genealogy. Othram Inc., a Texas-based private laboratory that specializes in the method, assisted in the process.

3 November, 2021

George Clarence Seitz went missing Dec. 10, 1976, and was last seen leaving his home in Jamaica on his way to get a haircut, prosecutors said. But his whereabouts were a mystery until March 12, 2019, not long after a woman told police she remembered a body buried in plastic bags in the backyard of a home. Police went digging and found remains under concrete — enough for a DNA profile. In February, the DA’s office and the NYPD enlisted a private company, Othram, to produce a comprehensive genealogical profile, which they handed over to the FBI, prosecutors said — and that led to a match.

26 October, 2021

A News 3 investigation is detailing arrests in the death of a baby 30 years in the making. On April 4, 1991, a town sanitation worker found the baby boy's remains in a trash can rack on East Tides Drive. After decades of chasing leads, investigators chose to send a rib bone from the remains to Othram, a private genetic testing lab based in Texas. Othram was able to pull DNA from the rib bone to conduct a genealogical profile leading to a North Carolina family.

24 October, 2021

The CEO of a laboratory in Texas that is performing groundbreaking work in DNA science says that the technology they are using could one day completely wipe out serial crime. With the right funding and a significant upscaling of operations, Othram could make serial killing a thing of the past, as well as helping thousands of families find out what happened to their loved ones and solve decades-old cold cases.

23 October, 2021

A Woodlands forensic lab’s work in helping identify the man responsible for a 1974 cold case murder has inspired a milestone episode of “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” as detectives investigate whether the perpetrator is a North Texas serial killer. On social media, the “Law & Order: SVU” showrunner and the series’ main star, Mariska Hargitay, both acknowledged Othram’s work as the NBC series’ 500th episode aired Thursday night.

22 October, 2021

When officers showed up at Edward Fetterolf’s job and said they wanted to talk about a murder investigation, he knew exactly what they were talking about. They showed him a photo. “As soon as I saw it, I immediately knew it was her,” he said. Detectives told Fetterolf that after 45 years they finally figured out who the “Woodlawn Jane Doe” was — his sister.

13 October, 2021

The Ector County Sheriff's Office and the Texas Rangers have identified human remains found in a pasture back in 2019. After working with the Texas Rangers Unsolved Crimes Investigation Program and Othram Inc. to conduct DNA analysis, ECSO finally were able to confirm that the remains were those of Timothy Daniel Gomez.

6 October, 2021

The Charleston County Coroner’s Office has identified a deceased individual almost a year after their foot was discovered in Charleston Harbor. On June 21st, the coroner’s office sent a sample to a Texas-based lab, Othram Inc. where they were able to obtain a genealogical profile and compare it to DNA databases where individuals had uploaded their DNA.

30 September, 2021

In August 2020, a utility maintenance worker found the fully-clothed skeletal remains of an unknown man in an area behind Holmes Avenue in Jackson. Crime lab professionals sent the remains to Othram so they could generate a comprehensive genealogical profile for the unknown man, in hopes that it would help identify him or a close family member.

23 September, 2021

In September of 2002, a local resident found what appeared to be a human skull at the Palisades Reservoir between Big Elk and Blowout Canyon and contacted the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office. Since 2002, Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office investigators have applied new technology and advances in DNA identification to this case attempting to identify who the bones belonged to. Until recently those efforts did not result in answers as to the identity of this man.

21 September, 2021

After 40 years, skeletal remains known only as "Escatawpa Jane Doe" have been identified through DNA. The woman’s name was Clara Birdlong, and Jackson County Sheriff’s investigators believe she was murdered by serial killer Samuel Little, a news release from the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office says. Little confessed to more than 90 murders throughout the southeast.

21 September, 2021

Clark County honored a local philanthropist who helped solve a cold case from 1989 on Tuesday. The breakthrough was made possible thanks to Justin Woo, the founder of Vegas Helps. He donated $5,000 to help investigators send the evidence to [Othram]. Clark County brought Woo and Othram CEO Dave Mittelman together for the dedication ceremony.

20 September, 2021

When they used forensic genealogy testing to solve Carla [Walker]’s case, Bennett and cold case Detective Leah Wagner knew they needed a way to fund this form of testing in more cases. Not every case is able to draw the kind of attention Carla’s received. And like every department at FWPD, the Fort Worth cold case unit has a budget. Many people have already asked how they can contribute to cold case investigations, Bennett and Walker said. Most of those wishing to donate are not directly connected to an unsolved case — they just understand the impact those cases can have on a community.

17 September, 2021

Unidentified remains found in 1982 in the woods near Stone Mountain have finally been identified, according to Gwinnett Police. In March 2021, Det. Dorminy with Gwinnett Homicide Unit shipped the skull to Othram Labs to have them generate a DNA profile. "It was always a question in the back of my mind," said Adams. "We were always told that our mother left us at Piedmont Park. She just went with some guy. No one knew what happened."

16 September, 2021

Othram is pleased to announce that it has raised an $18 million Series B funding round to further develop the breakthrough technology that is helping investigators crack these unsolved cases. The round was led by Gigafund, a venture fund known for its large investments in companies like SpaceX. With the new funding round, Othram will accelerate the development of its genetic testing platform and expand operations throughout North America.

16 September, 2021

For more than four decades investigators tried to identify her remains and find her killer. Sketches of her led to no productive leads. Her case was featured on America's Most Wanted in 2010. Then in 2015, with the assistance of The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, pollen testing led Baltimore County detectives to believe that she may have been from the Boston area. But the big break came with genetic genealogy this year.

14 September, 2021

The remains of Theodore Frederick Kampf, 46 -- formerly of Camden County -- were found in a wooded area near the North Fork Dam and Dempster Highway in Yukon Territory in 1983, Royal Canadian Mounted Police announced. In the fall of 2020, Texas based Othram Inc. was contracted to conduct advanced forensic analysis. This led Yukon Investigators to begin working with the Oaklyn Police Department and New Jersey State Police on on a missing person case from their jurisdiction.

1 September, 2021

A hiker came across the remains in the summer of 2014 in the Welcome Creek Wilderness. Sheriff Dunkerson says the remains could not be identified despite a thorough investigation. Earlier this year, with the help of Granite County Sheriff’s Office funding as well as DNASolves® Crowdfunding and a contribution from Audiochuck, the Granite County Sheriff’s Office and the Missoula County Sheriff’s Office Cold Case Squad partnered with Othram Inc., a Texas DNA laboratory.

24 August, 2021

A 78-year-old Texas man on trial for the abduction, rape, and murder of a teenage girl in 1974 abruptly changed his plea during court proceedings Tuesday, to confess. ‘I believe this could be the first time the tech was used in court,’ David Mittelman, founder of Othram, a modern parallel sequencing lab that helped lead police to the killer, told DailyMail.com. ‘It’s a huge milestone.’

24 August, 2021

McCurley’s guilty plea Tuesday, August 24, to kidnapping and killing Walker is believed to be a groundbreaking outcome, according to detectives, prosecutors and geneticists who worked on the case. They believe it is the first time forensic genealogy has been presented as evidence in a criminal trial, resulting in a conviction. The outcome could encourage the funding and use of the testing in other criminal cases, and possibly close some of the more than 250,000 unsolved murders across the country.

12 August, 2021

The quest to find the identity of Michael Kirov, the man previously known only as “John Doe” who died on a Regina railway 26 years ago, relied on advanced DNA technology and painstaking genealogical research. David Mittelman, CEO of the Texas-based Othram Inc., told reporters on Thursday how his lab helped crack the case.

12 August, 2021

After 26 years, the Saskatchewan Coroners Service announced on Thursday that it had identified Michael Kirov, originally from Winnipeg, as the victim in a John Doe case who had been killed by a train in Regina. ... Kirov's identity was verified in early August this year with assistance from Othram Inc., a Texas company that specializes in the recovery and analysis of human DNA.

9 August, 2021

The Will County Coroner's Office announced Monday that it is trying to pursue advanced DNA testing in hopes of identifying the body of a man found near Channahon during the 1970s. Coroner Laurie Summers said her staff has partnered with Othram as part of an effort to bring Will County's 1974 mystery to an end. According to the website DNASolves.com, hunters came across the man's skeleton in a creek head for a partially wooded area in November 1974.

7 August, 2021

The body of a man found in the Snohomish River in 1980 was finally identified this month thanks to specialized DNA Laboratory Othram and the Snohomish County Medical Examiner's Office. The man that detectives referred to as "Jetty Doe" for decades has been named and the family finally has some answers.

2 August, 2021

Othram, the leading forensic sequencing laboratory for law enforcement, has announced a joint initiative with the DoeNetwork, a global volunteer organization that advocates for cold cases involving missing and unidentified persons. The collaboration aims to raise awareness, funding, and other resources to help solve cold cases. DNASolves® and DoeNetwork will work together to educate the public on the power of advanced DNA testing and forensic genetic genealogy, and cross-promote cases being solved with this powerful new approach. This will further the common mission at DNASolves® and DoeNetwork of helping reconnect the missing and unidentified to family.

29 July, 2021

Othram, the leading forensic sequencing laboratory for law enforcement, has announced a joint initiative with the DoeNetwork, a global volunteer organization that advocates for cold cases involving missing and unidentified persons. The collaboration aims to raise awareness, funding, and other resources to help solve cold cases.

26 July, 2021

July marks the 90th anniversary of the arrival of the ‘Mad Trapper of Rat River’ to Canada, who's widely known as a mysterious trapper that shot three RCMP officers during the largest manhunt in Canadian history. Despite photos being sent out and thousands of tips from the public, the Mad Trapper’s identity has never been established. To help aid in the investigation, Mittelman is opening it up to the public, asking individuals to submit their DNA to help track down the Mad Trapper’s ancestors.

23 July, 2021

The 1989 murder of a 14-year-old girl in Las Vegas has been solved by using what experts say is the smallest-ever amount of human DNA to crack a case. Stephanie Isaacson's murder case had gone cold until new technology made it possible to test what little remained of the suspect's DNA: the equivalent of just 15 human cells. This year, police were able to pick up the case again after a donation from a local resident. They turned over the DNA samples left to Othram, a Texas-based genome-sequencing lab that specialises in cold cases.

22 July, 2021

At Wednesday's press conference, authorities explained Stephanie's case was chosen specifically because of the minimal amount of DNA available. "The equivalent of 15 cells was submitted for this testing," said Kimberly Murga, director of laboratory services with LVMPD. For reference, Mittelman explained getting a DNA swab for companies like 23andMe gather around 750 to 1,000 nanograms of DNA. This case was 0.12.

21 July, 2021

Using a mere 15 cells of DNA evidence, Las Vegas police have identified a suspect in the 1989 slaying of a 14-year-old girl, officials announced Wednesday. Kim Murga, head of the Metropolitan Police Department’s forensics lab, said the sample used to identify Darren Roy Marchand as the man suspected of sexually assaulting and strangling Las Vegas teen Stephanie Isaacson more than 30 years ago now holds the world record for the smallest amount of DNA ever used to help solve a crime.

16 July, 2021

A brother and sister were looking for their long-lost sibling. A police department was trying to identify a murder victim. It took 30 years - but a revolution in forensics using DNA and ancestry websites finally connected the dots. The police had called her Grace, because it had been said that "only by the grace of God" would anyone find out who she was. But thanks to a revolution in DNA tracing - one that is changing how cold cases are being solved throughout America - a 30-year-old mystery might finally be solved.

30 June, 2021

The 44-year mystery around the identity of a man whose scorched body was found in a septic tank has been solved. The infamous cold case made headlines throughout the decades as investigators tried to gather leads. RCMP sent biological samples last year to Othram Labs in Texas to develop a DNA profile that could be searched against public DNA databanks in Canada and the U.S. that track ancestry. As a result, they were able to develop a family tree with several possible relatives — one of whom turned out to be Sanderson’s sister, Joyce Sanderson, who had lost track of her brother.

30 June, 2021

It’s a case that has haunted Toefield, Alta. for more than 40 years, but now there are finally some answers. As Sarah Komadina reports, a man known as ‘Septic Tank Sam’, has now been identified as Gordon (Gordie) Edwin Sanderson.

29 June, 2021

Forty minutes north of Houston in The Woodlands, Texas, Dr. David Mittelman has built a very special lab. It’s the first and only fully in-house private laboratory in the United States or Canada to use the power of genomic sequencing in a forensic setting. The mission is “Justice Through Genomics,” and the idea is to democratize justice in the same way that genetic health testing has been made accessible over the last several years. “On any street corner you can get your DNA tested and find out if you have a risk for a certain disease,” says Mittelman. “But what street corner can you go to solve a crime?”

25 June, 2021

RCMP and Yukon's coroner have identified the man whose body was found in Lake Laberge, solving a mystery that had stumped them for years. Police said at the time that they had no idea who the deceased man was, where he came from, or how he ended up in the water. Searches of the area, fingerprint analysis and missing person reports offered no clues. DNA samples ultimately helped investigators track down Hines's family. Police say they worked with Othram, Inc., a private, Texas-based lab that specializes in DNA analysis.

14 June, 2021

The young woman who mysteriously drowned in the Ropers Motel pool in 1966 might have remained anonymous forever, if not for cutting-edge genetics, old-fashioned genealogy—and the kindness of a small West Texas town. [..] The investigation appeared to have hit a dead end. Then, out of the blue, Tarango received a call from Othram. Vogen offered the lab’s services, telling her that the case could probably only be solved through forensic genetic genealogy, a relatively new investigative method that combines advanced DNA analysis with traditional genealogical research.

10 June, 2021

A woman whose body was found 30 years ago in Mississippi has finally been identified thanks to DNA and the persistence of cold case investigators. In March, Othram identified a possible brother of the victim. Cold case investigators talked with him and he confirmed that he had a sister named Kimberly, also known as "Star," who went missing in 1990. DNA swabs were collected from him and sent to Othram for comparison. Tests confirmed that the DNA was a match and Kimberly Ann Funk was officially identified as the Jane Doe.

4 June, 2021

David Mittelman, CEO of Othram Inc, spoke on Friday to a crowd at the CrimeCon 21 in Austin about some of the challenges of DNA evidence. "I think it’s helpful to think of forensic casework as an iceberg," he explained, classifying the "tip of the iceberg" as the crimes where there are plenty of available DNA and evidence. He pointed to cases like the Golden State Killer, in which DNA and genetics led to the serial killer’s capture decades later. Mittelman said that cases like that, where there were dozens of crime scenes and chances to collect evidence, are rare.

28 May, 2021

The Office of the Attorney General of Texas is launching a Cold Case Unit. "In Texas [there] are around 19,000 cold cases and you think about the faces behind those cold cases you can’t afford not to do something," said Mindy Montford, who serves as senior counsel. David Mittelman is CEO of Othram Labs, a private laboratory that uses cutting-edge technology to solve cold cases. He told FOX 7 Austin: "What’s missing and what law enforcement needs is technology and centralized resources to bridge the cold case gap. The reason we need a statewide resource is it would allow us to leverage common tools and pool our knowledge on how well things do and don't work for different kinds of cases. And then we can combine efforts to support cases and share information."

13 May, 2021

The authorities in Montana said this week that they had used a DNA sample to identify human remains that were found more than three decades ago as those of a woman from Washington State whose family had last seen her in 1983. From a molar, Othram, a private lab that works with law enforcement, was able to create a genetic profile that was compatible with genealogy databases, said David Mittelman, Othram’s chief executive.

12 May, 2021

For five years, the identity of a woman whose remains were found stuffed in a plastic container inside a storage unit in North Carolina has remained a mystery. "It was being cleaned out after the death of the person who was renting the unit," Sgt. Quincy Tate said. While authorities have not yet identified the cause of Poitra’s death, Tate said it is being treated as a homicide and remains a priority for the department.

10 May, 2021

After more than three decades, the remains of a woman found in the Montana Wilderness have been identified. Earlier this year, Missoula County’s cold case unit partnered with private genetic lab Othram Inc, with financial assistance from the Montana Department of Justice’s Sexual Assault Kit Initiative program, to undergo a forensic genetic genealogy investigation. Now investigators want to know if she was murdered by a suspected serial killer.

10 May, 2021

On Jan. 13, 1995, a young Beaumont second-grade teacher arrived home from school after a long week, walked her dog, and then poured a glass of wine and settled in for the evening. She called her boyfriend. The phone call was likely the last one she ever made. [..] At first, investigators thought they might solve the case quickly. But every line of inquiry came up blank. The crime sparked a lengthy investigation by the Beaumont Police Department, the Texas Department of Public Safety and the DA’s Office. They enlisted the help of Othram Inc., a private forensic lab based in The Woodlands that does specialized DNA testing for law enforcement.

10 May, 2021

An arrest that was made in a Texas teacher's murder brought a surprising twist. "We always suspected it was someone who was known to the family, but we would have never thought it’s going to be a person that’s in your wedding," said Brandon Bess, a Texas Ranger with DPS's Unsolved Crimes Investigation Program. Bess said trash collected from Foreman’s home matched DNA from the crime scene. The DNA was discovered through advanced testing by Houston-area lab, Othram.

7 May, 2021

Five years after a body was found in Yukon's Lake Laberge, police say they still have no idea who the man was, where he came from, or how he ended up in the water. The deceased man was wearing three layers of clothes, a pair of insulated, steel-toed work boots, and had a sheathed knife on his belt. Investigators have found some clues to the man's identity, with help from Othram, Inc., a private, Texas-based lab that specializes in DNA analysis.

6 May, 2021

An Ohio man has been charged with the sexual assault and murder of one of his then-wife's friends 26 years ago. Cold case detectives managed to link Foreman to the case in April last year when they submitted DNA evidence found on Edwards' body to a lab. Texas Rangers worked with the Houston-based DNA lab Othram, which has the ability to extract, digitize and apply their own process known as "Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing" to identify the source of DNA through distant relatives.

26 April, 2021

In this article, I focus on an important piece of data that you should be getting from DNA evidence – ancestry. Properly inferring the historical origins of unknown persons provides valuable clues to identity. This is true for unidentified remains but also for unknown suspects in crimes. How do you seek justice for unidentified persons without first knowing who they are?

26 April, 2021

Welcome to "Mind Over Murder." In this episode, co-hosts Kristin Dilley and Bill Thomas talk with David Mittelman, CEO of Othram, a Texas-based DNA lab that is solving missing person and murder cases across North America using their unique Forensic-Grade Genomic Sequencing method. This is part 2 of 2 episodes with David Mittelman.

19 April, 2021

Welcome to "Mind Over Murder." In this episode, co-hosts Kristin Dilley and Bill Thomas talk with David Mittelman, CEO of Othram, a Texas-based DNA lab that is solving missing person and murder cases across North America using their unique Forensic-Grade Genomic Sequencing method. This is part 1 of 2 episodes with David Mittelman.

15 April, 2021

On Wednesday, state police revealed new details in a news conference about how this cold case was cracked. [..] "We mostly received tips, followed tips on different missing persons and attempted to identify them as Ms. Colon. All of them were discounted after investigation," said Lt. Devon Brutosky. For decades, investigators tried to find answers, entering her information into numerous missing person databases and even exhuming her body in 2007 to extract DNA. Late last year, those DNA samples were ultimately sent to Othram.

12 April, 2021

The Laramie County Sheriff’s Office said on Monday, April 12 that they are requesting assistance from the community with a cold case investigation to help identify a newborn child found deceased in a culvert in February 1988. Ruling the death a homicide, law enforcement investigators thoroughly pursued all available leads hoping to identify the infant or his family. Detectives canvassed regional hospitals, schools and the Air Force Base, but 30 years later, the case remains unsolved.

1 April, 2021

In September of 2002, a man and his dog walking near Palisades Reservoir came upon what appeared to be part of a human skull. The remains were substantially weathered, suggesting they may have been in the reservoir for 15 to 20 years prior to their discovery. Although this accidental drowning has been a focus of the investigation, Deputies haven’t ruled out the remains belonging to victims of a separate crime or incident.

31 March, 2021

A couple walking on a rural road in Southwest Missouri discovered the decomposed remains of a young woman. Grace Doe was found restrained with six different types of bindings: nylon and lead ropes, coaxial and telephone cables, paracord, and clothesline. The Sheriff’s Office followed up on all leads and used dental records and DNA testing to exclude possible matches from all over the country. In Jan 2021 the Sheriff’s Office received information from Othram Inc. that there were candidate relatives identified for Grace Doe.

31 March, 2021

In 2020, the McDonald County Sheriffs Office partnered with Othram Forensic lab to identify remains found by a couple who discovered a body that had been hogtied and dumped behind a rural farmhouse in December of 1990. The remains were identified as an unknown woman in her mid to late '20s. Even with 220 inquiries, the missing woman's case went cold after several leads did not pan out during the original investigation.

15 March, 2021

The victim was a young, Black man who had been shot nine times. Detectives wondered if his murder was connected to the Black Panther Party. The Porchlight Project, a local nonprofit dedicated to solving Ohio cold cases, has agreed to completely fund the DNA tests and genetic genealogy that could lead to finally identifying this victim. Last week, the Medical Examiner’s office shipped a piece of the victim’s bone to Othram, Inc., a one-stop-shop for DNA testing and genetic genealogy in Texas.

25 February, 2021

In October 1988, Saginaw Police responded to the call of an unidentified body in the northeastern part of the city. When they arrived on scene, they found the body of a young African-American man who had died only hours prior from a gunshot wound. A thorough investigation by the SPD revealed that the young man was likely from the Detroit area. Despite the hard work and efforts, investigators were unable to unearth his identity, and to date, no one has come forward with information.

22 February, 2021

For over four years, the body of a man found in a reservoir in The Woodlands remained unidentified. Forensics services attempted to identify the man using fingerprints, dental records and DNA. The department ran press releases with pictures of his belongings and uploaded the information to a national database, the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System, known as NamUs. Nothing generated leads. In late 2020, Montgomery County Forensic Services contacted Othram.

12 February, 2021

A kayaker on the late afternoon of Oct. 7, 2016 found the body of the man now identified as James Edward St. Peters in the Bear Bench Reservoir. Late last year, The Woodlands-based Othram, Inc. partnered up with the Montgomery County Forensic Services to identify St. Peters. Othram’s research team generated a new lead after finding a genetic match to the man reaching beyond second cousin status and scouring Mennonite and French Canadian family records.

3 February, 2021

The legend goes: A beautiful young woman in her early 20s checked into the Graham Springs Hotel, in the 1840s. That night, as music played in the ballroom, she came downstairs and began dancing with various partners. She danced passionately and at the end of the evening, her final partner realized that, to his horror, she had literally died in his arms. [Todd Matthews] is optimistic that through advanced technology this almost 180 year old mystery could be solved.

20 January, 2021

More than 50 years later, a teenager who was mysterious found dead inside a Texas motel pool has been identified, and her family in Kansas will finally be able to lay her to rest alongside her parents’ graves. In 2018, law enforcement officials and DNA experts began working on finding her name — which was revealed at a press conference as Jolaine Hemmy. The Pecos Police Department and DNASolves® raised money for the laboratory work through crowdfunding, at which point the teen’s remains were extracted at Othram and then they built a genealogical profile.

12 January, 2021

The body of a hiker had been found in a tent in Florida in the summer of 2018, but scores of amateur detectives, and a few professional ones too, couldn’t figure out who he was. Everyone knew that he had started walking south on the Appalachian Trail. He met hundreds of people on the trail, and seemed to charm them all. They all knew his trail name, but no one could figure out his real one. The puzzle was formally solved today, when Othram confirmed that the DNA of the hiker matched that of Rodriguez’s mother.

11 January, 2021

Othram, the leading forensic sequencing laboratory for law enforcement, has announced a new priority service, KinSNP®, which enables rapid confirmation or exclusion of candidate relationships between an unknown subject and potential relatives in support of forensic genetic genealogy applications. The entire process is performed offline and there is no interaction with genealogical databases, maximizing privacy and security.

11 January, 2021

Contractors working along a mid-central Mississippi creek in Sharkey County in January 2014 found a skull in a drainage canal. Investigators believe the boy, who was between 5 and 7 years old, may have been dead for several years. The Mississippi state Medical Examiner’s Office teamed with DNA testing company Othram and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children to use advanced DNA testing to reveal more about the boy’s identity.

4 December, 2020

Catherine Serbousek, an audiobook editor and mother of two young children, told Oxygen.com that a particular unsolved crime struck a chord with her while she was growing up in Arkansas. [Serbousek] was experiencing some existential dread around her birthday and didn’t feel like taking the big birthday trip she'd saved for. Instead, she decided to use the money to contribute to assisting unsolved crimes. For her, it was no question: Dawn had to be the first case she wanted to see movement in.

4 December, 2020

Serbousek had been reading how genetic testing, and the growing popularity of genealogy testing databases were helping law enforcement solve cold cases – if someone would pay for it. That’s when it hit her: That’s how she’d use her birthday money. [..] The genetic information led to a woman in Joplin, Missouri, Theresa Spencer. [..] DNA testing by Othram confirmed that they had found Spencer’s niece, Alisha.

2 December, 2020

Less than five miles from Talladega Superspeedway is where this mystery begins. [...] "Pretty much every lead you could think of that we ran down was a no-go, we had nothing at the end of it so it was just sitting here, a cold case." Then, this summer, someone reached out to a lab in Texas after reading about the mysterious case on NamUS. Othram is a private DNA laboratory built specifically to solve cases like this one.

1 December, 2020

For the last 42 years, the [Rutherford County Sheriff Office] has combed through leads and hit dead ends as detectives have worked to uncover the identity of Doe, a man found shot and burned at the Poole Knob Campground near La Vergne. [...] That's why the department is connecting with Othram, a Texas-based private laboratory that will attempt to build a DNA profile for Doe and use genealogy to hopefully find a relative.

2 November, 2020

It’s usually easy to put a name to a corpse. There’s an ID or a credit card. There’s been a missing persons report in the area. There’s a DNA match. But the investigators in Collier County couldn’t find a thing. [...] Othram called up the Collier County Sheriff’s Office and offered to help. [...] Soon a small piece of bone from the hiker was on its way west from Collier County to the Othram labs.

28 October, 2020

What does it take to solve a cold case nearly 50 years old? When key DNA evidence is scare and degraded, typical forensic tests won’t reveal much. That’s where Othram comes in. "Most of the cases that come to us, they’ve been through other processes," David Mittelman explained. "They’ve attempted other methods and nothing has worked." Mittelman is the CEO of Othram, a DNA sequencing laboratory that assists with cold cases all but abandoned.

27 October, 2020

Advances in DNA led to the case’s closure. Othram used DNA extract from the crime scene to produce a genealogical profile which in turn led to Davis’ identification. "It is critical to solve these sexual assault cases to secure justice for the victims, but also to identify other possible victims," David Mittelman, CEO of Othram, told Oxygen.com. "If CODIS does not yield an answer then we have to use other forensic DNA tools to help solve a case."

23 October, 2020

A body that was found in a rural area of Harvard a year and a half ago has been identified through genealogy testing as a 50-year-old Ingleside man. [...] The coroner’s office collaborated with Othram Inc. in late June to conduct genealogy testing and analysis. Additional leads were developed in early October as a result of the genealogy testing and possible relatives of the man were identified.

22 October, 2020

The McDonald County Sheriff’s Office announced Friday it is working with Othram to use advanced DNA testing and forensic genealogy in an attempt to identify the victim or find the closest living relatives to the decedent. The woman was nicknamed “Grace Doe” by Detective Lori Howard in the 2000′s. Around that time, an autopsy revealed that she had been raped and strangled approximately two months prior to her discovery.

16 October, 2020

Toronto police investigators submitted the DNA sample to the U.S.-based lab Othram Inc., which is accredited with law enforcement agencies. David Mittelman, CEO of Othram, said in an interview that the lab began working with the Toronto Police Service last year. "There was DNA evidence but the DNA had not been used fruitfully in other approaches," he said. "So we took on the project."

16 October, 2020

[...] the investigation into nine-year-old Christine Jessop’s death had become as sprawling as a family tree: hundreds of boxes containing countless names, more than 300 potential suspects examined and ruled out, DNA submissions from dozens of people. The head of Toronto’s Cold Case Squad, Stacy Gallant, realized last year that the only hope of finding a signal in all that noise was the emerging forensic field known as genetic genealogy, a technique that has been used to crack a number of high-profile cold cases in the United States but remains a rarely used investigative tool in Canada – for now.

15 October, 2020

Toronto police say a cutting-edge piece of DNA analysis technology not yet used in Canada led them to solve a 36-year-old cold case involving the rape and murder of a 9-year-old girl north of Toronto. [...] Officers from the Toronto police cold case squad asked the Americans to run the DNA through an emerging mode of analysis known as genetic genealogy, which develops a whole family tree of individuals, rather than a single match.

10 October, 2020

After in-house testing during a little more than a month this summer at Othram, researchers at the lab located off New Trails Drive in The Woodlands generated a genetic profile using DNA that another group extracted from the victim’s bra. Othram’s lab team narrowed down their genealogical findings to a couple with three sons. [...] Unknown to Othram during its work, one of those sons was filed as a person of interest early on in the murder investigation.

5 October, 2020

In 2005, the quiet town was shaken, when a human skull was found in one family's basement. A workman made the gruesome discovery while cleaning a basement fire pit in the house. [...] Now with the help of groundbreaking forensic technology, a lab in Texas hopes to help find answers.

30 September, 2020

Vermont State Police are partnering with a Texas company to complete a new analysis of DNA evidence in the 2004 disappearance of 17-year-old Brianna Maitland, the agency announced this week. [...] The agency announced that its Major Crimes Unit would be collaborating with Houston-based business Othram, which specializes in forensic testing and "works on the cutting edge of DNA and scientific techniques to help identify victims, locate missing persons and uncover perpetrators of crime," according to a news release.

24 September, 2020

The Columbia Police Department announced that it is partnering with Othram, a private lab, to solve an investigation into the remains of an infant, known as Baby Doe, found last year. Othram is known for forensic genealogy testing, according to a release from the department. Police said the lab's technology could potentially help identify the infant remains.

23 September, 2020

"There just wasn’t enough information at the time," said Fort Worth detective Leah Wagner at press conference Tuesday announcing the arrest. Last year, she reopened the case with detective Jay Bennett of the cold case unit. They ran Walker's clothing through Othram, a private DNA lab, where it was tested with technology not available at the time.

23 September, 2020

DNA evidence recovered on clothing and a bra worn by Walker during the attack was sent to private lab Othram Inc., which was able to create a full DNA profile of a suspect, according to KXAS-TV. That, in turn, led investigators to McCurley, who was already named as a possible suspect in Walker's case file.

23 September, 2020

"We’re the first lab in the U.S. to do the entire process from evidence all the way to genealogy and ID completely in house," said Dr. David Mittelman, CEO of Othram. "We know from genetic analysis that it’s very likely that the young man is not African American, that he is actually African, and we think he might belong to an ethnic group called Bantu."

22 September, 2020

NBC 5 learned on Tuesday that DNA evidence recovered from clothing and a bra worn by Walker on the night she was killed was sent to Othram, a private lab in the The Woodlands which uncovers genetic identities "through DNA, rootless hair and decades-old bones." Using a new process, detectives said the company was able to develop, for the first time in this case, a full DNA profile of a potential suspect.

17 September, 2020

Forensic Genomics addresses how advances in genetic testing and genomic analysis can enable investigators to break through previously impenetrable forensic DNA barriers. Our goal is to accelerate the validation and adoption of new methods to support investigations that would be otherwise stall with traditional forensic testing methods.

10 September, 2020

David Mittelman, CEO of Houston, Texas-based Othram, which specializes in using next-generation sequencing and genetic genealogy to identify human remains and to solve cold cases, said that the field is certainly trending towards adoption of higher-resolution technologies, which is necessary, as there are specific issues with using STRs that make detecting complex relationships hard.

1 September, 2020

Two years after Ben’s body was found, conventional investigative tools—fingerprints, witness statements, and missing persons reports—led nowhere. And Ben’s DNA samples, which prompted searches through the usual databases, failed to yield any hits. At this point, Florida authorities announced that they had partnered with a new company, Othram, a DNA laboratory in Texas that provides forensic genealogy services.

1 September, 2020

Pecos investigators have partnered with Othram, a forensics lab that specializes in analyzing degraded remains. Pecos PD sent the girl’s remains to the lab where they’ll extract DNA and then genealogists will use that data to connect her to a family tree.

13 August, 2020

At the time the unidentified remains were discovered, it was clear the man had been in the water “for a significant period of time,” according to the Snohomish County Medical Examiner’s Office. [...] The lab was able to obtain one-fifth of a nanogram of DNA — that is, one-fifth of a billionth of a gram. About 98% of the sample was bacteria.

12 August, 2020

Efforts to identify the body, including through sketches made by the medical examiner's office, failed for more than two decades. But investigators this year enlisted a Texas-based DNA sequencing company, Othram Inc., to develop a genealogical profile from a degraded DNA sample extracted from the victim's tooth.

15 July, 2020

Detectives have partnered with [Othram] to identify the man using a new technique in forensic genealogy and handles the process in-house. The partnership comes after detectives determined that they had exhausted DNA searches through national missing person’s databases in March of this year and following national developments in DNA privacy.

13 May, 2020

Forensic Genomics, a dynamic new peer-reviewed journal, will launch its preview issue at the annual International Symposium on Human Identification (ISHI) in September 2020. The Journal will focus on the use of the latest DNA testing technologies, algorithms, artificial intelligence, and genealogical research methods to support human identification using inference tools and inductive reasoning.

1 May, 2020

Advances in DNA testing and genetic genealogy have been steadily helping forensic professionals close a growing number of seemingly “unsolvable” cases.

27 April, 2020

In this episode, hosts Bill Thomas and Kristin Dilley discuss advanced forensic DNA testing with Dr. David Mittelman, founder and CEO of Othram in Houston, Texas.

25 April, 2020

After more than 40 years, an identification has been made in a cold case involving burned, unidentified human remains recovered on a farm near Charleston, Missouri. [...] Through modern DNA testing of the unidentified remains, a full genome sequence was produced by Othram Inc., a private DNA laboratory in Texas specializing in recovery, enrichment and analysis of human DNA from trace amounts of degraded or contaminated materials.

21 April, 2020

Houston-area's first-privately held forensic sequencing laboratory has partnered with The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center to create an academic program that will provide forensic training to genome scientists that will help them crack previously unsolved criminal cases.

20 April, 2020

In this episode, hosts Bill Thomas and Kristin Dilley discuss advanced forensic DNA testing with Dr. David Mittelman, founder and CEO of Othram in Houston, Texas.

16 April, 2020

This is an exciting time in the world of cold case investigations where advances in DNA testing are helping investigators break through previously impenetrable forensic DNA barriers. Investigators now have the chance to take new steps to solve cold cases that they just can’t let go—cases that were deemed unsolvable. The next question becomes, where do I begin?

6 April, 2020

Othram, a forensic DNA sequencing laboratory for law enforcement, has announced a program agreement with The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and its School of Health Professions to provide training for Molecular Genetic Technology (MGT) graduate students in the field of forensic genomics. [...] The MGT program is a three-semester, highly intensive course of study offered by the School of Health Professions. This unique learning experience integrates classroom lectures, laboratory demonstrations and technical experience to prepare each student for national certification as a molecular genetic technologist.

11 March, 2020

DNASolves, a new database launched in November by Houston forensic genomics company Othram, was designed with these people in mind. Unlike GEDmatch and FamilyTreeDNA, the site is specifically meant to aid in criminal investigations. Unlike GEDmatch and FamilyTreeDNA, the site is specifically meant to aid in criminal investigations.

4 March, 2020

Idaho cave first discovered in 1979, but the body remained unidentified for 40 years. We were the lab that basically took the material and produced a genome sequence from it. The twist to the story is that we produced a genome sequence and then these two genealogists discovered that the body belonged to someone who is over 100 years old.

14 February, 2020

Othram, the leading forensic sequencing laboratory for law enforcement, is working with an anthropologist from Southeast Missouri State University to use forensic genealogy to help identify human remains found on a farm in Charleston, Missouri, in 1979.

14 February, 2020

Othram uses advanced DNA sequencing and proprietary software to enable human identification applications from degraded and often scare forensic DNA evidence. The company has built the first and only private laboratory to apply the power of modern genome sequencing in a forensic environment.

8 February, 2020

The City Council this week authorized the expenditure of up to $10,450 from the African Burying Ground Trust to conduct the DNA sequencing project, which is already underway in partnership with Othram, a Texas-based laboratory that applies cutting-edge genomics to forensics to deliver full genome insight from degraded and low-input DNA samples.

23 January, 2020

Project: Cold Case, Forensic Genealogy and Southeastern Homicide Investigators Association (SHIA) are providing free DNA testing kits at its 5th annual Year of Hope fundraiser on Saturday. The group is asking for people to participate in the testing and upload their results to DNASolves® or another public database for agencies to compare to DNA in unsolved cases. Several members of law enforcement are pledging to do the same.

12 January, 2020

My close relatives aren’t criminals, I think, but who knows what my third cousins twice removed might be involved in? I’m happy to upload my DNA to a secure database and opt in for law-enforcement searches. You should be too. Privacy scolds should pipe down. The benefits of a safer society far outweigh the risks. With enough publicity, crimes that leave physical evidence, especially murder and rape, should become a lot less common.

9 January, 2020

Othram, a new forensic genomics laboratory with in-house next-generation sequencing capabilities, introduced DNASolves.com to solicit users of consumer genomics services to upload their data for the expressed desire to help law enforcement solve cold cases. "Family Tree DNA is doing the opt-out model [with regards to law enforcement], GEDmatch is doing opt-in," said Othram CEO David Mittelman. "I thought there should be another model," he said. "Since we do nothing but law enforcement, there is nothing to opt out of."

7 January, 2020

Researchers from the Texas-based Othram Inc. lab managed to extract genetic material from one of the leg bones—so remarkably preserved that an accompanying sock remained intact—and uploaded a DNA profile to several databases to search for a match. Within months, they had their man.

1 January, 2020

As the years went on, improved technology uncovered some details about the body, such as a relative age and height. But without a head, the case went cold — until last year. Authorities in Clark County, Idaho, turned to the DNA Doe Project and experts from Othram, a tech company that sequences DNA. Genealogists then built a “genealogical tree,” which led to a huge breakthrough.