DNA Solves Cold Cases/Parabon Nanolabs & GED/Match.

[Legally Bland]

WS thread for Linda Slaten:

FL - Linda Patterson Slaten, 31, Lakeland, 4 Sept 1981 *Arrest*

 

[lisette]

DBM...wrong thread

 

[lisette]

I love reading about these cold cases that are being solved! I bet there are a lot of undiscovered perps "shaking in their boots", who thought they got away with it, but now know that more and more are being discovered every day. It's great!

 

[Legally Bland]

Apologies if already posted, a search of the perp's name didn't give any results.
________________

Martinez, left, Bunney, right.

JAN. 24, 2019

For more than 12 years, police searched for a killer, one who had ambushed and repeatedly plunged a sword into a La Mesa man, likely as soon as the man had walked into his own apartment.

Police found blood from an unknown source — possibly from the killer — at the scene. But leads in the June 2006 slaying of Scott Martinez ran dry. Searches of DNA crime databases yielded no matches.

Then last fall, armed with the crime scene DNA data, a team of four genetic genealogists working with Parabon Nanolabs took on the case. It took about a weekend of digging for them to come up with the name of a suspect: Zachary Bunney.

On Thursday, La Mesa police announced they had arrested 39-year-old Bunney in the death of 47-year-old Martinez. They did not discuss a motive and declined to go into details about the investigation. Bunney has not yet been arraigned in El Cajon Superior Court.

Police: Genetic genealogy leads to arrest in 2006 fatal sword stabbing
________________


NOV. 13, 2019

An Oregon man pleaded guilty on Wednesday to killing a La Mesa man in 2006 by using a sword — a crime he was linked to years later through DNA.

Zachary Bunney, 39, agreed to accept a 12-year state prison term when he is sentenced on Dec. 18 for killing Scott Martinez, Deputy District Attorney Brian Erickson said.

Guilty plea in 2006 slaying in La Mesa; victim was killed with a sword

________________

DEC. 18, 2019

A man accused of using a sword to stab a La Mesa resident more than 30 times at his home in 2006 was sentenced Wednesday to 12 years behind bars.

Zachary Bunney, 39, of Hillsborough, Oregon, was arraigned in a San Diego courtroom in January for the killing of Scott Martinez, 47.

Bunney was extradited from Oregon to San Diego earlier this year after the La Mesa Police Department announced that cutting-edge DNA matching technology had linked Bunney to the slaying of Martinez, a case that had long grown cold.

[...]

In September 2018, Gremillion consulted with Virginia-based DNA tech company Parabon NanoLabs, which offers genetic genealogy services and something called DNA “phenotyping” – the process of using unidentified DNA evidence left behind at a crime scene to predict someone’s ancestry.

That process matches DNA against a database called GEDMatch, which includes about 1.2 million DNA samples.

The following month, once the DNA analysis was completed, Milton said Gremillion had zoned in on a name for a potential suspect in the cold case: Bunney.

The DNA of one of Bunney's extended relatives, likely a second or third cousin, was in the GEDMatch database and was traced back to Bunney.

Suspect in 2006 La Mesa Cold Case Sword Killing Sentenced

 

[Legally Bland]

Kevin Patrick McNamee, 59, has been charged with first-degree burglary, second-degree rape, second-degree sex offense, and second-degree kidnapping.

[...]

In November 2019, testing performed on collected evidence through the 2019 Sexual Assault Kit Initiative grant and use of genealogical research identified McNamee as a person of interest, police said.

An additional investigation confirmed a match of McNamee’s DNA with the collected evidence, and warrants were issued for his arrest on December 12. He was taken into custody that day, police said.

CMPD is investigating his potential involvement in other similar cases in the area.

'Bound and sexually assaulted': Charlotte cold case cleared through DNA after nearly 30 years, police say

 

[Legally Bland]

This one is a bit different, a newborn stolen from hospital has been identified 55 years later:

CeCe Moore, a genetic genealogist who helped unraveled the mystery, told WGN she always believed the real Paul Fronczak would be identified.

“I always knew this day was going to come because I never believed that the real Paul Fronczak was kidnapped to be killed. I always thought he was kidnapped to be raised by somebody, to be sold, whatever. Someone wanted a baby, not to murder a child. S,o it was always my hope that one day he would be found,” said Moore, whose organization, DNA Detectives, helps people resolve long-standing family mysteries.

DNA Detectives scours the four major consumer genealogy databases to help families trace their roots — AncestryDNA, 23andme, FamilytreeDNA and Myheritage .

“For those people out there who haven’t been able to solve their family mysteries or their identity questions, the power of genetic genealogy should be able to get those answers in time, and the vast majority of people can get those answers now.”
MI man stolen as baby in 1964 coming to grips with news

WS thread:
Baby boy,Paul Fronczak,kidnapped in Chicago,1964,found living in Michigan.

 

[Niner]

View attachment 221023

New DNA technology leads Lakeland Police Department to arrest in 1981 murder of 31-year-old Linda Patterson Slaten. In custody is Joseph Clinton Mills, who was a youth football coach for one of Slaten’s sons.

[...]

New DNA technology offered by Parabon Nanolabs matched Mills’ DNA through a genetic genealogy report in June, according to a police report.

Lakeland police make arrest in cold case murder

Here's the thread if anyone wants to follow the case:

FL - Linda Patterson Slaten, 31, Lakeland, 4 Sept 1981 *Arrest*


Edited to add: OOPS - I should have read the next page.... sorry Legally Bland - didn't see your post with the link...

 

[watcher9]

View attachment 221023

New DNA technology leads Lakeland Police Department to arrest in 1981 murder of 31-year-old Linda Patterson Slaten. In custody is Joseph Clinton Mills, who was a youth football coach for one of Slaten’s sons.

[...
New DNA technology offered by Parabon Nanolabs matched Mills’ DNA through a genetic genealogy report in June, according to a police report.

Lakeland police make arrest in cold case murder

Wonder why they didn't get a match on the fingerprints back in 1984. It's amazing how much easier it is on LE when they know where to start looking. More info on how LE gathered evidence to confirm finding by Parabon Nanolabs.

'The company released a report in June supporting the case that Joseph Mills was a likely suspect, saying genetic connections were found to both sides of his family tree, the newspaper said.
Detectives started monitoring his residence to collect DNA using cotton swabs, adhesive patches, colostomy bags and a plastic spoon. Authorities also found that fingerprints taken from Slaten's window were a match to Mills' prints taken after an unrelated arrest in 1984.'

New DNA testing in 1981 murder leads Florida police to coach

 

[Legally Bland]

Nice interview with Barbara Rae Venter:

NZ born genetic genealogist cracking cold cases across America

 

[watcher9]

This case was added to our thread on post #534 by Legally Bland but I forgot to link it.
Fascinating to read how the case evolved over the years to finally reach an arrest..

“It always comes back to haunt you.”
That’s what Union County Sheriff Brad Whitehead says of crime in general, after his office helped detectives in Colorado arrest a suspect, at last, in a 40-year-old rape-murder case.
On January 16, 1980, Helene Pruszynski – a 21-year-old radio intern – was raped and murdered in a vacant field in Douglas County, Colo. Her body was found the next morning.
Finding a suspect would take much longer.
“It was a combination of DNA, existing technology that was available, but then the dogged police work,” 18th Judicial District Attorney (CO) George Brauchler said at a press conference almost 40 years later, upon the arrest and formal charging of James Curtis Clanton, now 62.

'I think murderers ought to be scared to death of it...' Genetic genealogy leads to arrest of Florida man in 40-year-old cold case murder

CO - Helene Pruszynski, 21, Castle Rock, 16 Jan 1980 *Arrest*

 

[JerseyGirl]

After exhausting all leads, investigators said they were connected with the DNA Doe Project -- an all-volunteer organization using forensic genealogy to help law enforcement and medical examiner/coroner offices identify their John and Jane Doe cases.

Officials said the DNA Doe Project was able to contact a woman who said her half-brother Terrance “Terry” Deggs was unaccounted for.

“This sibling had done a previous DNA test at AncestryDNA, which she uploaded to GEDmatch and ultimately matched at the half-sibling level to the Mill Creek Shed Man,” officials said.

After reviewing the findings provided by the DNA Doe Project, the Snohomish County Medical Examiner’s Office formally identified the remains as Nathaniel Terrance “Terry” (Davies) Deggs .

Human remains found in Mill Creek shed in 2015 identified

Identified! - WA - Snohomish Cty, Male UP 13502, 50-65, Jan 2015, Mill Creek Shed - Nathaniel Terrance Deggs

 

[Legally Bland]

Canada are now using investigative genetic genealogy.
_______________

The head of Toronto’s cold case squad is spending his last full day on the force canvassing for help solving the 1998 homicide of a young pregnant woman.

Donna Oglive was strangled in a parking lot in downtown Toronto on March 8 of that year.

Det.-Sgt. Stacy Gallant believes the 24-year-old sex worker was killed by a client sometime between midnight and 7:12 a.m.

“We have his DNA, we just need a name,” Gallant said in an interview Monday.

[...]

Gallant, who’s spent the last 15 years of his career in homicide, said in addition to the traditional approach of matching DNA evidence to known offenders, the cold case unit is now using genealogy testing to investigate several other files.

In those cases, police run DNA through various open-source genealogy websites in the hopes of finding the perpetrator “through the back door,” Gallant said.

“They take a long time to do unless something pops out right away,” he said.

“You have to have genealogists involved to trace things through those ancestry trees and find people that way. You’re going through second and third cousins.”

Toronto police looking for tips to solve 1998 homicide of pregnant woman

 

[Legally Bland]

^^^Thread for Donna Oglive:
CANADA - Donna Oglive,24 (4 months pregnant)Toronto (Jarvis/Carlton)8 March 1998

 

[JerseyGirl]

here's an very old case that was recently solved through DNA if anyone is interested in reading:

Identified! - ID - Dubois, WhtMale Skeletal UP13310, Buffalo Cave, Aug 1979 - 1870-1916 Joseph Henry Loveless

 

[Owutatangledweb]

here's an very old case that was recently solved through DNA if anyone is interested in reading:

Identified! - ID - Dubois, WhtMale Skeletal UP13310, Buffalo Cave, Aug 1979 - 1870-1916 Joseph Henry Loveless

OMG. I went down that rabbit trail and can't stop reading about it!!!

 

[PaulaDC]

Things dna can be used for, lol
Seminole County apartment complex uses doggie DNA to track pet waste pickup

 

[Owutatangledweb]

Things dna can be used for, lol
Seminole County apartment complex uses doggie DNA to track pet waste pickup

LOL. Unbelievable!!!

 

[margarita25]

California police have positively identified the remains of a teen who was found murdered 43 years ago as a 14-year-old missing girl.

The body was discovered by a man walking his dog in the Lake Merced neighborhood of San Francisco on Oct. 1, 1976, after the man saw the girl's hand protruding from the sand, according to a news release by the New Jersey State Police.

Investigators could only determine that the victim was a young Asian female who had a gold chain and owl pendant necklace in her pocket, but she was not identified as Judy Gifford until recent weeks, police said.

BBM
Remains of teen murdered in 1976 identified as 14-year-old missing girl

Identified! - CA - San Francisco, AsianFem 1273UFCA, 15-25, buried at Lake Merced, Oct'76 - Judy Gifford

Found Deceased - CA - Judy Gifford, 11, San Francisco, January 1, 1974

(Amazing contributions to these threads—I highly, highly recommend reading both of these thread threads to anyone who hasn’t already.)

 

[margarita25]

(Amazing contributions to these threads—I highly, highly recommend reading both of these thread threads to anyone who hasn’t already.)

(Thank you @Wi11s, you may actually appreciate this DNA thread here as well. Thank you for your awesome contributions about Judy and your family.)

 

[margarita25]

Official announcement on DNA Doe Project fb page:

DNA Doe Project Case Announcement: Marion County Jane Doe – Lincolnville, Kansas (1987)

Status: SOLVED

The woman known as Marion County Jane Doe, who was found by a rural road near Lincolnville in 1987, has been positively identified as Michelle Evon Carnall-Burton.

See Kansas Bureau of Investigation's post regarding this case:
https://www.facebook.com/KBIKansas/posts/1168965789975384

Anyone who believes they have relevant information on this case should contact authorities directly:

KBI at 1-800-KS-CRIME, or submit a tip to https://www.kbi.ks.gov/sar.

We are grateful for all the hard work by our volunteer genealogists, and also want to express our appreciation to, FTDNA, GEDmatch.com, and Kansas Bureau of Investigation for entrusting us with this case. We also thank family members for their assistance and cooperation. Our sincere sympathies go out to them for their loss.

Links to More Information:
http://dnadoeproject.org/case/marion-county-jane-doe-1987/
DNA Doe previous post: https://www.facebook.com/DNADoeProject/posts/2393136310945140


Direct link to the announcement - DNA Doe Project

Announcement on Kansas police fb page:

Today, with assistance from the DNA Doe Project, we have identified the remains of a previously unidentified homicide victim who was found in 1987 in Marion County, Kansas.

On September 21, 1987, a county road crew discovered human remains off 290th St., a rural road near Lincolnville, Kan. The investigation revealed the female victim had been murdered. Typical identification methods were unsuccessful since the remains were badly decomposed. At the time of the discovery, the Kansas State University Anthropology Department examined the remains and created a physical profile of the victim. It was determined she was a white female between 20-35 years, who had likely died two to three months prior to her discovery.

In February 2019, KBI agents and forensic scientists, with assistance from the DNA Doe Project, worked to identify the woman using DNA testing and forensic genetic genealogy searching. During this search, a distant cousin was identified who had submitted DNA to an online service. A family tree was constructed and it was determined that the victim was closely related to the Carnall family from Cherryvale, Kan.

KBI agents were then able to connect with Leonard (Bud) and Donna Carnall of Corpus Christi, Texas, who had a missing daughter, Michelle. In October, the Carnalls voluntarily submitted DNA so that we could test it against the woman’s DNA. That testing recently confirmed that the remains found in Marion County back in 1987 belonged to their missing daughter.

We have identified the victim as Michelle E. Carnall-Burton. At the time she was killed, Carnall-Burton was 22-years-old and lived in Wichita. In 1986, she had left her home in Cherryvale, and lost touch with her family.

Carnall-Burton was a white female, 5 ft. 7 in. tall, and weighed approximately 140 lbs. She had brown hair and hazel eyes. She had a small cross tattooed on her lower left forearm.

The KBI is pursuing leads in this case and asks anyone with knowledge of Carnall-Burton’s whereabouts in June or July of 1987 to contact the KBI at 1-800-KS-CRIME, or submit a tip to https://www.kbi.ks.gov/sar.

Kansas Bureau of Investigation

Thread link:

Identified! - KS - Lincolnville, WhtFem UP2422, 20-30, Pachuco Cross tattoo, Sep'87 Michelle Carnall Burton