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

[RosalindaA]

Apologies if already posted, I am just catching up again with this thread. Although there are not many details about exactly how DNA/genetic genealogy lead to this arrest, the FBI are stating it played a part:
FBI says DNA helped crack cold-case rape, murder of Indiana woman 31 years ago
Indiana man charged with murder, rape in 1988 cold case | Daily Mail Online
I couldn't see a thread for this lady, the victim, Colleen Callahan, but this may be my poor searching. At the time of her murder, Colleen was only 23 and already a mother of four. It must be incredibly difficult to suddenly have the person who took away your mother before you really even had the chance to know her, unmasked, but I hope it gives Colleen's family and friends some comfort to see that her case has not been forgotten.
Will be interesting to see if there was indeed a connection between Colleen giving testimony against some burglars in a trial and her rape/murder as was suspected at the time. My "suspicion" is that this is just another sadistic killer who raped and killed because he wanted to. I admit to being a bit of a cynic when all these complex theories and reasons are spun around cold cases, some a lot more ridiculous than this one admittedly which is of course possible. We shall see....

 

[Niner]

I too searched for Colleen Callahan - nothing here....

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Apologies if already posted, I am just catching up again with this thread. Although there are not many details about exactly how DNA/genetic genealogy lead to this arrest, the FBI are stating it played a part:
FBI says DNA helped crack cold-case rape, murder of Indiana woman 31 years ago
Indiana man charged with murder, rape in 1988 cold case | Daily Mail Online
I couldn't see a thread for this lady, the victim, Colleen Callahan, but this may be my poor searching. At the time of her murder, Colleen was only 23 and already a mother of four. It must be incredibly difficult to suddenly have the person who took away your mother before you really even had the chance to know her, unmasked, but I hope it gives Colleen's family and friends some comfort to see that her case has not been forgotten.
Will be interesting to see if there was indeed a connection between Colleen giving testimony against some burglars in a trial and her rape/murder as was suspected at the time. My "suspicion" is that this is just another sadistic killer who raped and killed because he wanted to. I admit to being a bit of a cynic when all these complex theories and reasons are spun around cold cases, some a lot more ridiculous than this one admittedly which is of course possible. We shall see....

I too searched for Colleen Callahan - nothing here....

I see y’all came across this case too:

The FBI's Gang Response Investigative Team secured the charges against McKee after newly submitted DNA evidence linked him to the crime and several witnesses who previously were reluctant to talk came forward, records show.

Gary police found Callahan's nude body after receiving a call from "Mr. Smith" that there was a "man down" at the residence, Lake Criminal Court records show. She bled to death from multiple blunt force injuries.

Callahan had cocaine in her system, was six weeks pregnant and had been sexually assaulted, records state.
Judge appoints public defender to represent man in 1988 cold case murder

 

[imstilla.grandma]

The charges against McKee are the culmination of work by the FBI Gang Response Investigative Team (GRIT) who began re-investigating the case in 2018.

“With the advances in technology, especially DNA, increased resources and once reluctant witnesses now willing to come forward to provide information years later, cases that once did not have enough evidence to charge now become cases that can be prosecuted,” said Detective Sergeant Nicholas Wardrip, Hobart Police Department, GRIT Task Force Officer.

This is the sixth cold case GRIT has re-investigated and charged a suspect(s) since 2018: See more @ provided link:

“We are actively investigating a number of other cold cases and hope to bring several of them to resolution in the near future,” Wardrip said.

GRIT investigators are asking anyone with information on a cold case to call 219.942.4899.

FBI Arrest Merrillville Man for 1988 Murder and Rape of Gary Woman — FBI

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Oh wow. Wow! I think I’ve just found my people. How did I get so side tracked? I remember this thread now. Skimmed a couple of pages. I love this kind of stuff. Following. Definitely...starting anew with page one.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

I don’t know what to do with this article. I’ve only begun to read the thread pages and not followed through the details on any individual cases. It’s a lot. It’s gonna be a lot. The genesis of this tool has only begun to spark. The detailed article focuses on April Tinsley as an igniting activator of sort. I’m just gonna throw it out here for now as a sort of marker for me as I begin to explore the thread. Thanks so much Niner. You rock!


FORENSIC GENEALOGY MAY STILL BE in uncharted, unregulated territory, but as applied to crime-solving, it looks to be as paradigm-changing as DNA testing was to forensic science—like a light switch flipped on what was previously thought of as of as permanent darkness. But the technique is new enough that the serious concerns already lodged about ethics and privacy should not be ignored. We want crimes to be solved, but at what cost? Is the excitement of resolving a long-unsolved murder worth the price of ever-increasing police surveillance, or falling into entrenched racial biases, or prioritizing arrests over community, prison over rehabilitation?

Thinking about these questions tempers my own excitement about genealogy’s present and future role in law enforcement. The quest to understand our ancestral roots is filled with the landmines of unintended consequences. Because, as genealogists well know, DNA is a shared experience. One DNA upload by one person curious about their ancestry leads to the arrest of a killer in a decades-old case. That DNA upload comes from a specific individual, yes, but each generational remove creates a community. It’s not just your DNA, or mine. It’s all of ours, flying out of that Pandora’s box, and we have no real idea where it may lead next.
How Forensic Genealogy Is Cracking Decades-Old Cold Cases

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Parabon NanoLabs News & Events

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Police were cracking cold cases with a DNA website. Then the fine print changed.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Direct link to audio:
https://21393.mc.tritondigital.com/..._and_Why_Would_Anyone_Object.mp3?t=1572915150


In the year after the arrest of the Golden State Killer, a single lab, Parabon Nanolabs, joined law enforcement and a genetic genealogist in investigating 200 cold cases through Genealogical DNA Analysis and the effort resulted in 55 more arrests nationwide. That is a staggering statistic, considering the majority of the cases were long cold with little hope for resolution.

The technology is still in its infancy, and you can bet it will become more effective as investigators hone their technique. It stands to be the most important development in criminal investigation since the advent of DNA as an investigative tool.
What is gDNA and Why Would Anyone Object?

 

[imstilla.grandma]

At the event titled "Emerging Issues of Privacy, Trust, And Societal Benefit from Consumer Genomics," attendees included representatives from the FBI, Gene by Gene (the parent company of FamilyTreeDNA), Parabon NanoLabs, GEDmatch, Identifiers International, and the ACLU.

"Genealogists and law enforcement have never been very comfortable with each other," Fitzpatrick said. "Now there is a compelling reason why these groups have to work with each other."
https://www.buzzfeednews.com/articl...enetic-genealogy-serial-killers-case-gedmatch

***personal note: the above statement brings about memories of being taught in LEA conferences and such certified training:***Intelligence and the FBI don’t make good bedfellows until common equalizing grounds are sought.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Suspect in Colorado Murder Case from 1981 Identified Through Genetic Genealogy

DNA proves man is guilty of homicide in 35-year-old cold case, Ozaukee County Sheriff's Office says

Cold case solved after 31 years

"A piece of me is really missing": Nalani Johnson's mother speaks about daughter's death

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Fingerprints and Other Biometrics | Federal Bureau of Investigation

 

[bluenoser]

There should be a weekly show about who they've "caught each week or month". I love reading these stories because karma is sweet

 

[imstilla.grandma]

There should be a weekly show about who they've "caught each week or month". I love reading these stories because karma is sweet

Karma Quotes About What Goes Around & Comes Around In Our Life

 

[imstilla.grandma]

An update is planned for 2 p.m. Tuesday. According to Larimer County Court records, a woman named Jennifer Katalinich was arrested Tuesday on a charge of first-degree murder-victim under 12. Those court records list the offense date as Aug. 21, 1996.

Two young boys found the infant on the shores of the reservoir on Aug. 24, 1996. An investigation revealed she was suffocated after being wrapped in a plastic garbage bag, according to the cold case file from the Colorado Bureau of Information (CBI). They believe she was born alive two days earlier and classified her death as a homicide.

Investigators have never been able to determine the infant's identity or that of her parents, but said in 2006 that they planned to retest the baby's DNA with the hope that new technology would help them find a match.

A funeral was held for her around the time of her death, and while no one at the service knew Baby Faith, many came to say goodbye.

'Baby Faith' Case: Update expected in 1996 murder of Fort Collins infant

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Genetic genealogy experts said that until now, the law enforcement community has been deliberately cautious about approaching the consumer sites with court orders: If users get spooked and abandon the sites, they will become much less useful to investigators. Barbara Rae Venter, a genetic genealogist who works with law enforcement, described the situation as “Don’t rock the boat.”

FamilyTreeDNA permits law enforcement searches of its database of two million users for certain types of crimes.

Ancestry.com did not respond to a request for comment on the Florida search warrant. A spokesman for 23andMe, Christine Pai, said in an emailed statement, “We never share customer data with law enforcement unless we receive a legally valid request such as a search warrant or written court order. Upon receipt of an inquiry from law enforcement, we use all practical legal measures to challenge such requests in order to protect our customers’ privacy.”
‘Game-Changer’ Warrant Let Detective Search Genetic Database

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Speaking about the case Sheriff Justin Smith said, "This case serves as a great reminder that LCSO is determined to solve all cases despite the amount of time that passes after the commission of the crime. It often takes just one citizen to come forward with information to spark new life into a cold case."
Colorado mom charged with murder 23 years after two boys found newborn girl wrapped in plastic bag

 

[meanmaryjean]

I stepped away for a month because of reasons you all probably understand. How refreshing to come back and find this thread back on track!

*clicks 'watch thread' again

 

[imstilla.grandma]

It appears to be the first warrant of its kind. Orlando Police Department Detective Michael Fields disclosed its existence during the International Association of Chiefs of Police conference in Chicago last week, according to The New York Times.

Judge Says Police Can Search Company's Entire DNA Database | HuffPost

 

[imstilla.grandma]

For years, SDPD officials argued there was no value in testing the roughly 2,000 sexual assault kits sitting on its evidence room shelves. The department believed its approach — investigate a case first to determine whether the kit will be a useful piece of evidence — was smarter and more efficient.

But many victims-rights groups, the city attorney and members of the City Council disagreed. In June 2017, the Council allocated $500,000 to the department to test backlogged kits. Results from those kits suggest the investigate-first approach might not have been the best.

Between late 2017 and November 2018, the department screened 313 backlogged kits, according to information Voice of San Diego obtained through a public records request. Of those kits, 121 yielded a viable DNA profile that was uploaded to CODIS, the federal database. Thirty-eight of those profiles matched to one already in the database.
Dozens of Rape Kits From SDPD's Backlog Have Yielded DNA Database Hits - Voice of San Diego