Forensic genetic genealogy has emerged as the most effective and powerful crime-fighting weapon. Investigative genetic genealogy or Forensic genetic genealogy is a new process of evaluating suspects or victims in criminal cases by using genetic data from direct-to-consumer companies. As of September 2021, this method had led to the detection of over 150 murder and sexual assault offenders. Genetic genealogy’s investigative power is based on the utilization of publically accessible genealogical databases like GEDMatch and FamilyTreeDNA. Users can upload their genetic data from direct-to-consumer companies to GEDMatch in the hopes of finding relatives.
This can be done by looking at DNA fragments called identity-by-descent (IBD) that show shared ancestors. In almost 90% of the population, GEDMatch data, which includes genetic profiles from over 1.2 million people, has made it possible to identify a third cousin or a close relative.
Within a publicly accessible genetic genealogy database, this data, together with demographic markers like the place of residence, gender, age is enough for determining anyone who has a third cousin or closer relative.
By uploading crime-scene genealogy data and inferring relatives to prospective suspects, law enforcement organizations have taken advantage of public database access. After that, genealogy professionals assemble family trees and analyse demographic markers. Parabon NanoLabs has been at the forefront of efforts to promote the use of investigative genetic genealogy as a tool for law enforcement. In May of this year, the firm was alleged to be solving cold cases at a weekly rate of one while working on hundreds of other cases.
The History in Criminal Investigations
The first bracket system that had been evolved for DNA evidence in 1982 was known as Galton’s Fingerprints.
This fingerprinting system is essential to acknowledge as Galton was capable of gathering or accumulating a huge specimen of DNA prints, actually producing or generating the first method or fashion to govern the assortment of distinctive, identifying proof that we can collate to the present databases (Friedman, 1999). Proceeding from fingerprinting, DNA testing set off to be progressively ordinary in criminal investigations especially following the decree that gave DNA information evidentiary merit or worth.
Generally, when DNA and investigation are thought of concurrently, what springs to mind are bodily fluid samples or fingerprinting. This type of DNA profiling is distinct when compared to the genetic genealogy profiling method of today since it can only vestige the ancestry DNA. This implies that the DNA can only be traced outlying the parents or another specimen of that specific person’s DNA.
The DNA testing method used earlier to Galton’s Fingerprints in the 1970s-1980s is known as Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP). To clarify, RFLP analysis is the method of “trimming a particular DNA region with enzymes, followed by the DNA fragments separation and deciding or resolving the DNA fragments number and related sizes” (Philips, 2018). The hitch or downside to this method is that it is a time-consuming process and exorbitant. Once the process is completed, the RFLP tests data are compared to match the distinctive data.
The Existing Application of Genetic Evidence
In 2010, a new DNA testing process called Massive Parallel Sequencing or Next Generation Sequencing emerged. The undertone and implementations of this process are making the existing state of criminal investigation so state of the art: this process gave rise to a DNA sequence that is the linear arrangement of nucleotides (A, T, C, and G) that appear in a DNA sample. Since the method enables one to concomitantly begin the sequencing at numerous locations in the DNA that overlap, huge amounts of data can be produced and rebuilt together with suitable bioinformatics programs.
With NGS analysis, detectives eye out databases to run their DNA data against, explore or cast around for relatedness or contingency in the DNA. These outside databases are big players and they include GEDmatch, Ancestry.ca, 23andME, and Genbank, all of which contain DNA information submitted by the public.
The Current Procedure of genetic genealogy
Genetic genealogy is the first step in any genetic inquiry. This comprises a blend of traditional genealogy research and genetic testing. Traditional genealogical research incorporates evidence sources such as vital statistics, church records, obituaries, immigration data, land records, biographies, and more to examine the family history and map family trees.
Using DNA information, the genetic analysis examines how closely two individuals are related. To decipher this, examine aDNA (Ancient DNA), which differs from other genetic markers such as X or Y chromosome DNA in that “aDNA is inherited from all ancestral lines and passed on by both males and females, and hence can be used to compare any two individuals, regardless of how they are related” (Parabon Nanolabs, 2018). Because it is extremely rare for unrelated individuals to have a long stretch of aDNA, genealogists can use vast amounts of DNA to determine if they share a common ancestor.
How can a stretch of DNA from an unknown individual be compared to DNA from other known individuals on a large enough scale to be typical of our current population? The growth of public and private genetic genealogy databases holds the answer. Using databases like GEDmatch, Ancestry.ca, or 23andMe, the unknown DNA can be compared to millions of other people at once to see if there are any shared ancestors (Parabon Nanolabs, 2018).
This method can aid in the identification of both offenders and unidentified or “Jane/John Doe” murder victims. This is how genetic genealogy works and how forensic experts research at the moment. This practice used to be considerably different in the past.
Given the large number of cases that go cold or remain unsolved each year in South Africa, genetic genealogy as an investigative technique is invaluable. Genetic genealogy techniques can aid in the investigation of big crimes and the identification of murder victims, reducing the astounding number of unsolved cases. So, do you need to track down or investigate a cold case murder? We gather the evidence you need to support your case at Investi-Centre. So don’t waste any time. Please contact Investi Center as soon as possible!
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