How Your Agency Can Solve Cold Cases Using Investigative Genetic Genealogy*Paid Advertisement* Investigative genetic genealogy, also known as forensic genetic genealogy, combines the use of crime scene DNA and SNP-based relative matching with genealogical research to predict where a suspect or unidentified person may fit in a family tree. Crime scene DNA samples are converted to SNP files by an independent lab and the SNP files are uploaded to two DNA databases—GEDmatch and FamilyTreeDNA. These two DNA databases offer users the ability to opt in for law enforcement access, and law enforcement SNP files are only compared against users who have opted in. Investigative genetic genealogists then build family trees using the match lists to determine how a suspect or unidentified person is related to their matches. Determining how different genetic networks or clusters of relatives connect can oftentimes narrow the search down to a small number of family members or to a specific person. These investigative leads are then given to the law enforcement agency, who must then confirm the leads with DNA STR testing by a government forensic lab.
Steps for investigative genetic genealogy submission:
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