Author Profile

Tree DNA Helps Convict Washington Timber Thief After Fire
July 21, 2021
A federal jury has convicted a timber thief who authorities said started a large forest fire in Washington state, a case that prosecutors said marked the first time tree DNA had been introduced in a federal trial. read more
Watchdog Report Says Algorithms Strengthen Forensic Analysis
July 19, 2021
A new report from the Government Accountability Office, the audit institution of the U.S. federal government, has found that—despite internal and external challenges—algorithms strengthen forensic analysis, overall. read more
New Information Jolts Case in Mollie Tibbetts' Slaying
July 19, 2021
Prosecutors in May dismissed a defendant’s testimony that he was framed by two masked men for the kidnapping and killing of an Iowa college student. But to two listeners outside the courtroom, Bahena Rivera’s shocking story rang at least partially true. read more
Forensic Scientist Gets $140 K Grant To Study Time of Death
July 19, 2021
One of Alabama State University's most acclaimed scientists has again been awarded a substantial grant to further the study earlier begun by her and her research partners that creates a cause-of-death model to assist in death and homicide investigations. read more
Journalists, Activists Among Spyware Targets of Israel-based NSO Group
July 19, 2021
An investigation by a global media consortium based on leaked targeting data provides further evidence that military-grade malware from Israel-based NSO Group, the world’s most infamous hacker-for-hire outfit, is being used to spy on journalists, human rights activists and political dissidents. read more
Microsoft Exchange Hack Caused by China, U.S. and Allies Say
July 19, 2021
The Biden administration and Western allies formally blamed China on Monday for a massive hack of Microsoft Exchange email server software and accused Beijing of working with criminal hackers in ransomware attacks and other cyber operations. read more
Study Highlights Need to Replace 'Ancestry' With Something More Accurate
July 16, 2021
A new study finds forensics researchers use terms related to ancestry and race in inconsistent ways, and calls for the discipline to adopt a new approach to better account for both the fluidity of populations and how historical events have shaped our skeletal characteristics. read more
Marijuana Legalization Linked to Temporary Decrease in Opioid-related ER Visits
July 16, 2021
States that legalize recreational marijuana experience a short-term decline in opioid-related emergency department visits, particularly among 25- to 44-year-olds and men. read more
Indigenous Children’s Remains Turned Over from Army Cemetery
July 16, 2021
The disinterred remains of nine Native American children who died more than a century ago while attending a government-run school in Pennsylvania were headed home to Rosebud Sioux tribal lands in South Dakota on Wednesday after a ceremony returning them to relatives. read more
Genetic Genealogy Solves 1976 Rape, Murder of 19-year-old Nursing Student
July 16, 2021
The 1976 rape and murder of a 19-year-old Garden Grove nursing student has been solved by the Orange County District Attorney’s Office and the Garden Grove Police Department through the use of investigative genetic genealogy. read more
A Tip on Tips: Small is the Next Big Thing in Automated Forensic Separations
July 16, 2021
With budgets already stretched thin, every bit of savings adds up. However, here are two tips to save money that can actually strengthen quality and efficiency at the same time. read more
Study Suggests Digital Forensic Experts are Prone to Bias
July 14, 2021
In the first study designed to specifically explore reliability and biasability in digital forensics, renowned cognitive bias expert Itiel Dror and co-author Nina Sunde have illustrated that examiners’ observations are biased by contextual information, and consistency between the experts is low. read more
1987 Army Cold Case Solved, Suspect Convicted
July 14, 2021
More than three decades after the body of a female Fort Carson Soldier was found, justice has finally been served. read more
Bode to Provide DNA Testing to NamUs, Expand Missing Persons Program with Baltimore Police
July 14, 2021
Since initiating the partnership in 2017, Bode and BPD have provided more than 20 putative identifications and entered more than 300 unidentified persons profiles into the FBI’s Combined DNA Index System (CODIS). read more
Study: Interactive Police Lineups Improve Eyewitness Accuracy
July 14, 2021
A team of researchers developed and tested new interactive lineup software that enables witnesses to rotate and view lineup faces from different angles. read more
Ecologists Develop Novel Forensic Tool to Detect Laundering of Critically Endangered Cockatoos
July 14, 2021
Ecologists have applied stable isotope techniques to determine whether birds in the pet trade are captive or wild-caught. read more
Study Reviews Current Sample Preparation Methods for Forensic Toxicology
July 12, 2021
Responding to advances in complementary technologies, researchers have authored a study review of current sample preparation techniques and considerations for different sample types that are typically encountered in forensic toxicology cases. read more
Cleveland's Genetic Unit IDs Suspect in 1999 Rape
July 12, 2021
The Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office’s (CCPO) G.O.L.D. Unit (Genetic Operations Linking DNA) has identified the suspect, Bart Mercurio, 50, in a 1999 rape that occurred in Cleveland. read more
With 20 Years of Policing and Master's in Forensics, Detective Trains the Next Generation
July 12, 2021
Dadio was involved with many high-profile cases, including that which became known as the case of the "East Coast rapist." read more
GBI Crime Lab Recognized for Implementing National Science Standards
July 12, 2021
The GBI is proud to announce that the Organization of Scientific Area Committees (OSAC) for Forensic Science has recognized the GBI Crime lab for implementing nationally recognized standards for its forensic laboratory system. read more