Author Profile

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
Professor Develops First-ever Forensic Genetic Genealogy Certificate, Sets Sights on Future Center
November 13, 2020
Claire Glynn had been working with forensic DNA for 15 years but when she spit in a tube in 2016 to get a better idea of her ancestry, even she couldn’t envision the impact genealogy was about to make around the world. More specifically, in her world—in forensics. read more
University Opens First-ever Sexual Assault Health Care Program
November 13, 2020
A new Michigan State University program this week will begin offering free and confidential medical care 24 hours a day to individuals who have experienced sexual assault and seek care within a five-day period. read more
Missouri Police ID Remains of Woman Missing for Almost One Year
November 13, 2020
The Bates County Sheriff’s Office received a call of an article of clothing that was found near a bean field in rural southwest Bates County. The article of clothing potentially had human remains with it. read more
Student Spotlight: First-gen Student Dreams of Becoming a Medical Examiner to 'Bring Closure' to Families
November 13, 2020
“For some people to be reconnected with their families after they die, first you have to find out who they are. I can help create those reunions and bring closure to lives and families.” read more
Study: Demolishing Abandoned Houses Does Not Reduce Nearby Crime
November 13, 2020
A researcher decided to study the matter after hearing Kansas City's former police chief in 2016 touting a $10 million plan to demolish 800 dilapidated, abandoned homes to help reduce crime. read more
Genetic Genealogy Confirms Story of Alex Kurzem, the Nazi’s Little Jewish ‘Mascot’
November 13, 2020
After 11 long years, genetic genealogist Colleen Fitzpatrick has provided DNA evidence that Alex is in fact Jewish, from Koidanov, Latvia as he said, and is very closely related to a Jewish family currently living in Canada. read more
Who is Better at Face Recognition- Algorithms or People?
November 11, 2020
Since 2018, NIST researcher Jonathan Phillips and his multi-institutional team have been delving into the accuracy of super recognizers, forensic examiners and facial recognition algorithms. read more
California Police Make Arrest in 25-Year-Old Sexual Assault Case
November 11, 2020
Twenty-five years ago in October 1995, an 18-year-old female victim was walking in the 8800 block of Indiana Avenue when a stranger attacked her. read more
Mental Health Workers to Replace Police in Some NYC 911 Calls
November 11, 2020
Mental health workers will replace police officers in responding to some 911 calls next year in New York City, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Tuesday. read more
Trauma Hospitalizations Fall in Philly During COVID-19, But Gun Violence Rises
November 11, 2020
Philadelphia hospitals saw a drop in overall trauma cases once Pennsylvania enacted a COVID-19-related stay-at-home order in 2020, but gun violence remained a significant problem. read more
Grant Establishes, Extends SANE Programs in Texas
November 11, 2020
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) recently received a grant that will help support and empower sexual assault survivors and victims. read more
Drug Screening: Targeted GC-MS Method Shows 135% Increase in Retention Time
November 09, 2020
In collaboration with the Maryland State Police, NIST is developing a novel, targeted GC-MS method for drug screening that shows enhanced separation of isomers and increased sensitivity compared with traditional methods. read more
DNA Doe Project Working to ID Victims of California's Deadliest Wildfire
November 09, 2020
Before the fire was fully contained 17 days later, 85 lives had been lost. Conditions had conspired to cause an intensely hot firestorm. Recovery and identifications of the victims proved difficult. read more
Well Excavated in Search for Remains of Missing Woman from 2001 Cold Case
November 09, 2020
Remains found during an excavation connected to a cold case in Watertown have been sent to a forensic lab for analysis, according to investigators. read more
New Initiative to Reduce Law Enforcement Driving Risks
November 09, 2020
Imagine you are an officer en route to a critical call for service. You look down for a moment at your mobile data terminal for an important message from dispatch, and immediately return your focus on the road. In that split second, a civilian motorist crosses into your travel lane and forces you to react. read more
Whitey Bulger’s Family: Prison System Did Not Protect Him
November 09, 2020
Family members of Boston crime boss James “Whitey” Bulger Jr. have filed a lawsuit against the Federal Bureau of Prisons and 30 unnamed employees of the prison system for failing to protect Bulger, who was beaten to death at a West Virginia prison. read more
Opinion: The Forensic Sciences Have a Diversity, Inclusion Problem
November 06, 2020
A recent decision by the Executive Committee of AAFS to eliminate an important and productive diversity committee—and my consequent resignation as Chair of the AAFS Diversity Outreach Committee—has sparked intense discussions in the forensic community. read more