Groundbreaking DNA Work Identifies Victims of Killers Like the ‘Scorecard Killer’
Murder
Similar processes led investigators to Bryan Kohberger as the suspect in the University of Idaho murders last years.
Cold Cases
May 30, 2020
Cold Case: DNA solves 50-year-old Colorado rape and murder
DNA evidence has solved the case of a 23-year-old newlywed whose body was found bound, strangled, sexually assaulted, and shot just off a Colorado highway in 1970. Mother of two Betty Lee Jones was last seen on March 8, 1970, after a days-long argument with her husband of nine days, Robert Ray Jones. Robert Jones …
Cold Cases
March 16, 2020
Cold case killer found? Possible suspect identified in horrific unsolved 1982 slaying of 3-year-old Rachael Runyan
The little girl’s body was found hog-tied and nude in a creek
Cold Cases
July 3, 2019
DNA ties ex-prison worker to 3 decades-old rape cases: ‘This is evidence that does not forget’
A former prison employee and college lecturer was arrested Friday in Georgia in connection with three rapes which occurred in California in 1992 and 1994. According to the Davis Enterprise, Mark Jeffrey Manteuffel, 59, was apprehended in Decatur for three attacks in Davis, Sacramento County, and Sacramento. Officials declined to fully divulge how DNA played …
Family Crime
August 18, 2018
[UPDATE] Judge denies defense request for DNA evidence in death of pregnant Shanann Watts and two young daughters
A court order this week denied attorneys’ request on behalf of Chris Watts to obtain DNA evidence from the necks of his murdered young girls. As CrimeOnline previously reported, Watts is accused of killing his pregnant wife, Shanann, and their two toddlers. Defense attorneys previously sought the DNA evidence in an effort to bolster their …
Cold Cases
August 10, 2018
Experts exhume ‘girl in the box’ & other children from graves in effort to solve decades-old cold cases
Law enforcement, along with a team of forensic experts, are exhuming bodies from graves in Philadelphia in an attempt to solve decades-old cold cases, some of which violent deaths. ABC reports that a team led by a forensic anthropologist Erin Kimmerle, are exhuming seven human bodies from the Potter’s Field Cemetery in Philadelphia, then transporting them …
Famous Murder Cases
April 26, 2018
Golden State Killer suspect tracked down through DNA genealogy websites: Cops
New details have emerged regarding the investigation that led to an arrest in the decades-old East Area Rapist case. Investigators in Sacramento, California, say the case hinged on information available through websites used to trace genealogical heritages. According to the Sacramento Bee, detectives began submitting DNA found at a crime scene several years ago to …
Technology and Crime
January 11, 2018
WARNING: Police can obtain your DNA through sites like 23andMe, Ancestry
Genetic testing companies like Ancestry or 23andMe have exploded in popularity in recent years as millions seek to learn more about their family history. Alarmingly, many remain unaware that law enforcement can legally obtain your DNA information from these companies if they obtain a warrant. 23andMe’s self-reported data indicated that American police have sought information about …
Murder
November 18, 2017
Killer sees DNA composite sketch and interrupts church service to confess: Cops
Authorities in Texas say a high-tech mugshot convinced a suspect to confess to a 2016 murder. According to KTAB, the Brown County Sheriff’s Office authorized DNA found at the scene of the crime to be used in creating a composite sketch. That image was then released to the public and is being credited with convincing …
Missing
October 21, 2017
Robyn Gardner’s sister to have human bone found in Aruba DNA-Tested
After experts determined a bone found in Aruba did not belong to missing Alabama teen Natalee Holloway, the sister of another woman who went missing on the island is trying to determine if it might be a lead in that case. As CrimeOnline previously reported, Holloway’s father and a private investigator reported their ongoing investigation …
Violent Crime
March 22, 2017
Revolving door: Vegas man accused of raping woman just after he got out of jail
He left his bright orange prison-issued underwear, with DNA evidence, at the scene