DNA Ancestry and Criminal Investigation

Some criminal investigators are now mining DNA data collected through genealogy websites to solve criminal cold cases.  This article states that Darold Wayne Bowden was arrested for a series of rapes that happened over a decade ago.  Agencies are sending unknown DNA samples to a company based out of Virginia, the samples are then entered into an independent database called GEDmatch.  It is then compared to the DNA that is voluntarily uploaded by individuals and matched with people who share segments of identical DNA.  The company is then able to “construct a family tree to narrow down their search.”

This is also how the Golden State Killer was allegedly identified and arrested after murdering 13 men and women over 30 years ago.

To read more, click here.