Genetic Genealogy

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. read more

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. read more

A man, whose partial remains were discovered by two hunters in Orange County, Florida, has been identified as 48-year-old Richard Wick. read more

After 27 years, a man whose remains were discovered in a wooded area in St. Cloud, Florida, has been identified as 63-year-old fugitive William Wallace Stabler Jr., born January 23, 1933. read more

Despite Elliott-Littlehale having died nearly 110 years ago, Othram scientists were able to successfully extract DNA from these skeletal remains, build an ultra-sensitive DNA profile, and perform the genealogical research to identify Elliott-Littlehale's displaced remains. read more