Investigative genetic genealogy (IGG) has officially outgrown its box, and a new team of experts is ready to work with the forensic community to advance IGG from the “OMG Era” to the “Investigative Intelligence Era.”
Announced this morning during a virtual presentation at the 31st annual ISHI conference, genealogist Colleen Fitzpatrick and like-minded professionals have teamed to create the Operational Casework Implementation of Investigative Genetic Genealogy, or OCIG for short. OCIG seeks to create a streamlined approach to the use of IGG in law enforcement, essentially creating a framework for the popular technique to more effectively find its place in the forensic workflow.
The beginning
Fitzpatrick cites the identification of the Golden State Killer on April 24, 2018 as the beginning of the “OMG Era” of investigative genetic genealogy—and she’s right. Since that case, IGG has been used in thousands of investigations, solving hundreds upon hundreds of cold cases—and it’s also been marveled at by pretty much everyone, from the forensic community down to lawmakers, media and even Hollywood. (After all, Fitzpatrick has a dramatized show about her life.)
“This was the case that changed the world,” Fitzpatrick said during her live ISHI presentation. “This was the case that made us realize genetic genealogy could be used for forensic identification.”
Since IGG burst onto the forensic landscape so quickly and in such a mainstream way, it was developed, for the most part, outside of the conventional framework of the forensic community. While that may not have been a problem formerly, as the technique only grows in popularity, Fitzpatrick thinks it is time to reassess how things are done.
“We need to understand where we are going and the practicalities of how IGG can be implemented,” the genealogist, one of the first in the world to work with law enforcement, explained.
It is this path forward that Fitzpatrick and OCIG want to help pioneer as both society and the forensic community move beyond the OMG Era of IGG toward the “Investigative Intelligence Era.”
The present
In the old days of two years ago, law enforcement followed a well-established CODIS pipeline when it came to DNA testing—send it to the crime lab, see if there is a CODIS hit or familial match, obtain a crime scene or reference sample, prosecute. With the inclusion of genetic genealogy, however, the pipeline becomes increasingly complex. That’s why Fitzpatrick and OCIG suggest merging the CODIS pipeline and Genetic Genealogy pipeline to create a combined, simplified version that leads to a unified decision-making process.
“Today, [IGG] addresses a lot of old and cold cases,” Fitzpatrick explained. “The decision to use IGG is made after the CODIS pipeline is exhausted. Only then do investigators look to IGG in help closing the case. As we look into handling more recent cases, we need to look into making the decision to use IGG upfront, incorporate it at the earliest stages of case submission.”
Integrating the two pipelines would qualify the possibility of using IGG immediately upon case submission. The traditional CODIS pipeline can commence, but specific questions should be asked keeping IGG in mind as a possible route, including:
- Is the candidate suspect/Doe identified already?
- Is it a qualifying offense?
- How much DNA is available?
- What is the degradation index of the DNA?
- Is there evidence that will produce a complex mixture or single source?
If there is no CODIS hit or familial match, the case qualifies for IGG. While CODIS relies on capillary electrophoresis (CE) and next-generation sequencing (NGS), IGG currently uses microarrays and whole genome sequencing. However, it is likely NGS will replace microarrays and WGS in the near future, meaning law enforcement agencies can bring IGG completely in-house.
“Agencies will need to establish a systemic exchange of information,” Fitzpatrick said. “The detective is going to have to follow the case throughout the entire pipeline and monitor the investigative intelligence that is being developed. It’s going to be important for agencies to be in touch with one another to learn what works and doesn’t, what information is being generated and share success stories.”
The future
Fitzpatrick urged anyone involved with IGG to join the discussion on the OCIG website, provide feedback and comments, contribute to the site’s library and list themselves in the professional directory.
“Be accessible to other people in the community,” she said.
The OCIG website is, first and foremost, an online community and forum for unbiased discussion.
“We have to understand this is a learning curve for everyone. Ask questions—this is a new era we are in,” Fitzpatrick said.
OCIG founding members include:
Colleen Fitzpatrick, Founder/CEO, Identifinders International
Cydne Holt, Chief Scientific Officer, Verogen
Danny Hellwig, Laboratory Director, Intermountain Forensics (the nation's first non-profit forensic lab)
Erin Ehlert, Deputy Prosecutor, King County, WA Prosecutor's Office
Kevin Kellogg, Cold Case Criminalist, Santa Clara Crime Laboratory
Due to COVID-19, the ISHI conference switched to a virtual format that will run through the remainder of the week. As of Monday morning, Promega said a record-setting 2,200 people are set to “attend.” Forensic will continue live coverage of ISHI all week.
Photo: This partial diagram shows aspects of the CODIS decision-making pipeline compared to that of IGG. In her talk, Colleen Fitzpatrick suggested how the existing pipelines can be simplified and combined to create a unified decision-making process in the future. You can download a FULL copy of the diagram from the OCIG website.