Author Profile

Government Executes Man Convicted of Killing Texas Teen
November 23, 2020
Hall was put to death for abducting and killing the teenager, Lisa Rene. His was the eighth federal execution this year since the Trump administration revived a process that had been used just three times in the past 56 years. read more
DNA Cracks 1995 Cold Case Murder of California Nurse
November 23, 2020
Christine Munro was attacked while jogging on the south side of the Sacramento River Trail on June 24, 1995. read more
Professor Takes the Lead in Addressing Domestic Violence in Latin@ Communities
November 23, 2020
In her role, Macias collaborates on research that aims to enhance Latin@ communities and organizations, while working as part of a multidisciplinary team to help address the many disparities facing Latin@ and other marginalized communities in the United States. read more
2,500 Cases, Forensic Lab Called into Question After Arrest of Analyst
November 23, 2020
San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin released a spreadsheet of 822 criminal cases that may be impacted by the recent arrest of a veteran forensic analyst with the Office of Chief Medical Examiner (OCME). However, the DA’s office estimates that is only a third of the cases. read more
Mexico Uncovers 10 More Bodies from Mass Grave in Sonora
November 23, 2020
Forensic scientists in the Mexican state of Sonora have recovered 10 more bodies from mass graves near a beach town, raising the total number of bodies and skeletons found in the area since October to 52. read more
AAFS Statement in Response to Diversity Opinion Article
November 20, 2020
The Academy’s BOD voted to dissolve the Anthropology Diversity and Inclusion Committee in order to ensure a broad, coordinated approach to fostering diversity and inclusion. read more
Texas: Arrestee DNA Collection Solved Over 250 Cases in One Year
November 20, 2020
What do a 17-year-old cold case strangulation, a 25-year-old murder and a 4-day crime spree have in common? These cases, in addition to about 250 others, were all solved by Texas investigators this year thanks to the enactment of the Krystal Jean Baker Act in September 2019. read more
DNA Links North Carolina Man to 1992 Rape, Attempted Murder
November 20, 2020
Authorities in North Carolina say that a man has been arrested on charges of attempted murder and rape nearly 30 years after police say the crimes were committed. read more
Idaho Body Found in 1984 to Undergo DNA Analysis
November 20, 2020
Authorities in Idaho have accepted an unresolved case from 1984 as part of a genetic genealogy study that could help police identify a body found 36 years ago. read more
Augmented Reality App Lets Public Explore Famous Crime Scenes
November 20, 2020
For the first time ever, police and detectives can revisit a murder scene without any distractions or time limitations. read more
Missing in Lockdown: New Report Reveals the Vulnerable are More At Risk
November 20, 2020
The number of people who went missing during the first national lockdown in England fell by over a third. However, a new report shows that those who did go missing were deemed more vulnerable and at higher risk. read more
Study: DNA From Romani People Used Inappropriately in Databases
November 18, 2020
In both ethical and scientific respects, Roma population groups are treated inappropriately in DNA databases and in genetic studies – potentially with consequences for investigations that draw on forensic genetic databases. read more
Veterinary Forensic Pathologist Seeks Justice in Animal Abuse Cases
November 18, 2020
Learning what really happened to these animals and bringing justice to possible animal abusers is a focus of Adam Stern. Two new programs Stern started this past year aim to do just that. read more
DNA Match Leads to Arrest in 1984 Sexual Assaults
November 18, 2020
A Connecticut man has been arrested in connection with four armed sexual assaults dating to 1984 thanks to information from a genealogy database, prosecutors announced Tuesday. read more
Survey: STRmix Has Been Used in 220,000 Cases Worldwide
November 18, 2020
Demand for forensic software remains high due to the role it plays in helping solve crimes and excluding individuals wrongly associated as the source of crime scene evidence. read more
New Toolkit for Capturing How COVID-19 Impacts Crime
November 18, 2020
To better understand how responses to the COVID 19 outbreak affected crime patterns, Borrion and colleagues drew on resilience theory, which considers the ability of systems to adapt and survive in the face of perturbations. read more
Investigators Hope Updated Image Will Help ID 1997 John Doe
November 16, 2020
The Orange County Sheriff’s Department Coroner Division has released newly updated images in hope to identify a John Doe found in Trabuco Canyon nearly 24 years ago. read more
Kansas City Police Solve First Case Using Genetic Genealogy
November 16, 2020
Sixteen-year-old Fawn Cox was killed in the bedroom of her home at 9th and Van Brunt while the rest of the family slept on July 26, 1989. Someone climbed up and broke into her window, sexually assaulted her and killed her. read more
Man Suspected in 1972 Murder Kills Self Before Jury Convicts
November 16, 2020
An Edmonds man on trial for the 1972 killing of a 20-year-old woman killed himself just before a jury convicted him of murder, police said. read more
Surge in Violent Injuries During Stay-at-home Orders
November 16, 2020
Researchers examined Philadelphia's urban trauma center, finding evidence that shows penetrating injuries reaching historically high levels during the COVID-19 pandemic. read more