In May 1986, a call was received about a fire at 24th and Elm Street in Minneapolis, Minnesota, just east of downtown between I-35W and Highway 280. When fire department officials arrived at the scene, they found a retired railroad boxcar engulfed in flames. The bodies of two individuals were discovered inside of the boxcar, which had caught fire due to a charcoal grill.
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In December 2021, the remains of an unidentified individual were found inside of an abandoned residence on Wolfe Street in Brunswick, Georgia. Brunswick is a small town with a population of approximately 15,000 residents located just south of Savannah near the Turtle River.
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Law enforcement’s use of DNA evidence to find perpetrators of violent crimes has led to breakthroughs in dormant investigations, giving hope to victims’ families while raising privacy concerns.
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In June 1978, the remains of an unidentified individual were discovered in a shallow grave half a mile south of Alligator Alley, located in Collier County, Florida. Alligator Alley is a stretch of I-75 that spans 80 miles cutting through the Everglades between Naples and Fort Lauderdale.
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In February 1991, the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) responded to a report of human remains found at Houda Point near Trinidad. A human mandible was recovered after a search of the area. An STR profile was developed from the mandible and entered into state and national DNA databases.
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In July 1977, the remains of an unidentified individual were discovered in Yakima, Washington. Yakima is situated approximately 140 miles southeast of Seattle. An employee who worked at a hardware store contacted police after noticing a distinct odor coming from a parked vehicle in a parking lot adjacent to the hardware store.
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A collaboration between law enforcement and Othram has resulted in the identification of a 1982 cold case victim found in the Muir Woods National Monument. Utilizing modern genetic genealogy, the team created a geological profile of the victim ultimately providing new leads to law enforcement.
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The Virginia Court of Appeals announced today that it issued a writ of actual innocence to Marvin Grimm, who was wrongfully convicted of murder, abduction, and sodomy in Richmond City Circuit Court in 1976. The Court agreed with the Office of the Attorney General and attorneys for Mr. Grimm that modern DNA and toxicology evidence excluded Mr. Grimm from any involvement in the death of the three-year-old victim.
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Montgomery County Police Department Teams with Othram to Identify the Suspect in 2001 Murder of Leslie Preer
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In December 2003, the remains of an unidentified individual were discovered in a wooded area that is frequented by hunters in Christmas, Florida. Two garbage men made the discovery while working their normal route off of Taylor Creek Road in the small community located just east of Orlando. The Orange County Sheriff's Office responded to the scene. It was determined that the remains were that of a white female who was estimated to be 5’3” tall and between 24 and 29 years old. She had brown hair and wore two clear stone post earrings, one gold-colored ring, and two bracelets. An investigation led by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office ruled the woman’s manner of death as homicide, and she became known as Christmas Jane Doe.
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