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Police Release Name, Image of 10-Year-Old Arrested for School Shooting Threat
May 31, 2022
In an unusual move, law enforcement in Florida released the name and image of a 10-year-old boy who was arrested over the weekend and charged with making a written threat to conduct a mass shooting. read more
Othram IDs Home Fire Victim from January
May 31, 2022
The severity of the injuries made it challenging to initially determine biological sex or other details about the home fire victim that might identify him. read more
University, Police Partner to Investigate Cold Cases
May 31, 2022
Forty years after her murder, a Michigan State Police detective began going through boxes of cold case files. He made the innovative decision to partner with the School of Criminal Justice at Michigan State University to develop a new Cold Case Unit. read more
Paper Explores Ethical Challenges of Collecting Biological Data from Indigenous Communities
May 31, 2022
A human rights activist and a group of anthropologists and human biologists are casting a critical lens on the way that microbiome research is conducted with Indigenous peoples. read more
Comparison and optimization of two qPCR DNA quantification assays to improve STR analysis workflow efficiency
May 31, 2022
Analysts in forensic labs routinely perform DNA profiling analyses, including STR analyses, as part of their casework investigations. In many labs, including the Forensic Science Laboratory of the French Gendarmerie (IRCGN), the STR analysis workflow consists of DNA extraction and purification, followed by STR amplification, for all samples that are received. In cases where amplification fails, an appropriate rework strategy must be determined based on the resulting STR profile data. This review is time-consuming and reduces the efficiency and throughput of DNA labs. However, forensic labs can save time and resources by performing a DNA quantification step between the purification and STR amplification. This quick additional step allows analysts to pre-select which samples to amplify and optimize the PCR amplification with a normalized amount of input DNA. read more
Genealogy Helps ID Both Victim and Suspect in 1980 Homicide
May 30, 2022
After 42 years, members of the Pennsylvania State Police, utilizing DNA testing and genealogy methods, identified the victim, Edwin Rodriguez, and accused, Nestor Quintanal, in a 1980 homicide cold case. read more
Genealogy, Familial Testing Gives Mississippi Jane Doe Her Name Back
May 27, 2022
Burned skeletal remains found in 2018 have now been identified as Juanita Diane Roxy Coleman, who had been missing since 2016. read more
DA Creates New Unit for Mentally Ill, Homeless Offenders
May 27, 2022
The unit will seek treatment, rehabilitation, and accountability, for non-violent defendants suffering from mental illness and drug addiction who end up cycling in and out of the criminal justice system. read more
Scientists Create New Method to Kill Cyberattacks in Less than One Second
May 27, 2022
Artificial intelligence that can detect and kill malware on the fly could help protect laptops, computers and smart devices in our homes. read more
Pompeii Bone Analysis Yields Insights for Forensic Proteomics
May 27, 2022
Working with the remains of victims of Mt. Vesuvius in Pompeii and Herculaneum, Italian researchers have conducted the first proteomic analyses of bones exposed to eruptive conditions. read more
Lunch Between Retired Detectives Leads to Break in 1974 Cold Case Homicide
May 27, 2022
With this new information, detectives requested the Salt Lake City Police Department’s Crime Lab to conduct forensic testing on two latent fingerprints collected at the scene from 1974. read more
Drones, Live Streaming Up the Ante on Search and Rescue Missions
May 25, 2022
In two separate studies, research teams from Australia and Canada recently debuted their upgraded search and rescue technologies specifically focused on tracking through the wilderness and other dense forest environments. read more
NC Unidentified Project, Othram ID 1976 Homicide Victim as an Army Veteran
May 25, 2022
The young man, murdered almost a half-century ago and unidentified until now, was an Army veteran who had been stationed at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. read more
Ex-forensic Official Loses Bid to Toss Corpse Abuse Charges
May 25, 2022
A Delaware judge has refused to dismiss corpse abuse charges against a former state forensic investigator accused of improperly handling two bodies on separate occasions. read more
N.C. Sheriff's Office Awarded Internet Crimes Against Children Grant
May 25, 2022
The funding was awarded for the ICAC Unit to add an additional forensic workstation, purchase mobile forensic equipment and software, and attend advanced training. read more
Executive Order Addresses 'Accountable' Policing
May 25, 2022
Today, President Joe Biden will sign a historic executive order (EO) to advance effective, accountable policing and criminal justice practices that will build public trust and strengthen public safety. read more
DA’s New Assistance Dog Helps Win Child Rape Conviction
May 23, 2022
A new assistance dog at Bristol County District Attorney's Office helped a 10-year-old girl testify against her 44-year-old abuser, ultimately leading to his conviction for aggravated rape of a child. read more
Rapid DNA Identifies Woman Missing Since 2020
May 23, 2022
The Kentucky State Police (KSP) has utilized the ANDE Rapid DNA Identification System, a technology that generates DNA identification from forensic samples in less than two hours, to positively identify a woman who went missing in 2020. read more
Lacking Full-scale Lab, Arizona Sheriff’s Office Turns to Rapid DNA
May 23, 2022
Yuma County currently does not have a full-scale forensic DNA analysis lab requiring cases to be sent to the state crime lab. read more
Auditor Corruption Case Exposes Weaknesses in State's Cyber Forensics Capabilities
May 23, 2022
A judge has chastised prosecutors for failing to turn over information to the defense in a criminal corruption case against Delaware’s state auditor, issuing a ruling that also exposed weaknesses in the state’s cyber forensics capabilities. read more