Two days ago, 1,108 of the 2,753 victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks remained unidentified. Yesterday, that number decreased as the New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) confirmed two new identifications—the first since October 2019.
As part of the largest and most complex forensic investigation in the history of the U.S., Dorothy Morgan and a man whose name is being withheld at the request of his family have been identified through DNA analysis.
According to OCME, Morgan is the 1,646 person identified, while the unnamed man is the 1,647. The identifications occurred just days before the 20th anniversary of the tragedy.
The identification of Morgan was confirmed through DNA testing of remains recovered in 2001. The identification of the unnamed man was confirmed through DNA testing of remains recovered in 2001, 2002, and 2006.
All WTC identifications have been made using STR technologies, said Mark Desire, assistant director of forensic biology at OCME and manager of the 9/11 WTC identification team. But, STR technology in 2001 looks much different than STR technology in 2021. Thus, as the technology has advanced, Desire’s team has been able to make additional identifications.
Initially, 22,000 remains were collected and transported to the OCME lab. All of these remains have been tested at least one, most multiple times. Several years ago, Desire’s team wanted to go back and re-test a select 6,000 bone samples, of which they only have about 2,000 left to process.
“We were using the most modern technology of its time in 2001 and every year since then, but it wasn’t good enough given what the victims went through. They were exposed to everything possible that destroys DNA—diesel fuel, water, fire, sunlight,” said Desire, who is the only remaining member of the original 2001 team.
Desire and the OCME team have renewed hope for the 1,106 WTC victims that remain unidentified as the office was just approved last week to employ next-generation sequencing.
“I believe we will make new identifications based on [NGS],” said Desire. “For the last 20 years, every time we have advanced a technology, we’ve been able to make more IDs. That’s what drives us. We know we can make more identifications.”
While most family members are similar to Rosemary Cain, who told Newsday she welcomes “the tiniest little morsel of my son,” a firefighter who perished in the twin towers; OCME understands there may be others who are just looking to move past the tragedy.
OCME DNA analyst Carl Gajewski, who is assigned specifically to WTC and missing persons cases, says he has over 30 DNA profiles for which there are no reference samples, despite the WTC databank of samples being the largest of its kind.
“We know we won’t be able to complete this project 100%,” said Desire. “Some victims we don’t have reference samples for. We have some DNA samples that don’t match anyone at the moment. Some people may have been completely cremated at Ground Zero. But, we run 7 days a week and we won’t stop because we know we can continue to make identifications and return a loved one to a family. That’s the mission.”
The OCME team is the only full-time DNA missing persons unit in the country, operating the largest crime lab of its kind in North America. The 10-person team focuses full-time on WTC identification and missing persons, working on upward of 15,000 cases a year, including sexual assaults. All WTC remains are stored in the ultra-pure, 15-floor facility.
“Everything we have learned pushing the forensics to make more WTC identifications we have been able to apply to other cases in NYC to identify unknowns,” said Desire.
The team has also shared their specially developed protocol with others both in the U.S. and internationally who have had to investigate missing persons or mass fatality events, including Hurricane Katrina.
Photo: The 9/11 memorial taken from the World Financial Center as it appeared in June 2012. Credit: Cadiomals