Gordon Thomas Honeywell Governmental Affairs (GTH-GA) is pleased to announce the seventh annual DNA Hit of the Year – a global program established to demonstrate the power of forensic DNA databases to solve crime and identify missing persons.
GTH-GA encourages crime labs and police departments to submit impactful DNA database hit cases from your jurisdiction. Upon receiving this year’s case submissions, GTH-GA will collaborate with a distinguished international panel of forensic DNA scientists, police, and prosecutors to determine which case will be recognized as the DNA Hit of the Year.
The DNA Hit of the Year will be announced and presented by GTH-GA during the 2023 Human Identification Solutions (HIDS) conference. It will also be showcased globally throughout the year by GTH-GA. Scientific and investigative highlights from other finalist cases will also be discussed.
Listed below are the eligibility requirements and the case submission process.
Eligibility Criteria
- The case must be a “cold hit” case where the criminal suspect was identified due to a match in the database where DNA from an unsolved crime scene was matched to a previously unidentified suspect in the database. Familial searching hits will be accepted, as well as hits that utilized private genealogy websites.
- A missing persons case where a missing person was identified using a DNA database match will also be accepted.
- The cold hit must have occurred between January 1, 2017, and September 2, 2022.
- A case must have received community-wide attention, had significant public safety impact, or had other circumstances making the case unique.
- Cases that were submitted during a previous Hit of the Year call for submissions will not be eligible.
- Jurisdictions may submit more than one case.
Submission Process
Submissions can be done online at www.dnahitoftheyear.com. Applicants will fill out the online form with information including name of submitter, agency, email, country/state/jurisdiction, and web links to media coverage about the case. You will also be asked to write 500 words or less in the “story” box, summarizing the case and explaining what makes the case impactful or unique. Upon receiving the submission, GTH-GA staff will conduct further research about the case and may contact you for additional information prior to the judges’ review.
GTH-GA must receive your submission no later than September 2, 2022 .