Latest news with #NamingTheDead
Forbes
02-08-2025
- Science
- Forbes
How DNA And Data Are Solving America's Coldest Cases
Across the United States, more than 50,000 people have died without a name. These are individuals who were never identified, never claimed and often never mourned. But thanks to forensic technology and the growing use of genetic genealogy, that's beginning to change. Naming the Dead, a six-part docuseries from National Geographic, brings this invisible crisis to light. The series follows the DNA Doe Project, a nonprofit using cutting-edge DNA analysis and open-source genealogy tools to solve some of the country's most confounding cold cases. It's a quiet revolution in forensics, powered by algorithms, datasets and persistence. From Data to Identity The process of forensic genetic genealogy begins by extracting DNA from unidentified remains. That data is then uploaded to public databases in search of distant relatives. It might sound simple, but it rarely is. Samples are often degraded, especially if they've been buried or exposed to the elements for years. Sequencing has to be precise. And even when a viable DNA profile is produced, the real challenge starts: building family trees from matches that might be third or fourth cousins, or even more distant. I recently spoke with Jennifer Randolph, director of the DNA Doe Project, about the objective of her and her team, and about this Nat Geo series. She described the work as 'a really large logic puzzle.' She added, 'Our genetic genealogy volunteers really like that kind of a challenge... you get pretty excited because it's that feeling of, you know, you're on the cusp of resolving this puzzle.' That excitement is balanced by the gravity of the work. 'It becomes very bittersweet,' she said. 'We know that some family is going to get a knock on the door and they're going to get not the news they hoped for.' It's resolution, not closure—but it's more than many of these families have had in decades. My Experience with Genetic Discovery A few years ago, I submitted a DNA test through It was mostly out of curiosity, but also with the hope of finding a missing uncle—my mother's brother—who was separated from the family while they were in foster care. We only have one photo of him as a toddler, and for most of my life, I've wondered where he ended up. I didn't find him. But I did find someone else. The results revealed that I had a half-brother I never knew existed. We've since connected. We've met. We've had the conversations you never expect to have in your 40s or 50s. The circumstances are complex, but that's the nature of family sometimes. What's important is that the technology gave us a way to discover one another. That experience helped me understand just how powerful this work can be—especially for families of the unidentified dead. It's not just about science. It's about being seen. It's about making the anonymous known. The Tech Making It Possible The show emphasizes how far the technology has come. Advances in next-generation sequencing have made it possible to work with even the most degraded samples—sometimes from cases that are 30 or 40 years old. That data is then uploaded to public databases like GEDmatch, FamilyTreeDNA and DNA Justice. While private services like AncestryDNA and 23andMe hold the largest databases, they don't allow uploads of profiles from unidentified remains. That limitation means the work of the DNA Doe Project depends on much smaller pools of data—typically between 1.5 and 2 million profiles. That makes each match even more critical. Randolph noted the impact of visibility and public education, saying, 'We've had more than one instance where someone learned about [this technique], had a missing person in their family and decided to upload to GEDmatch. And then—out of the blue—a high match, like a niece, appears. And once you have that, you know you're there.' In other words, awareness is its own kind of technology multiplier. Infrastructure for Justice Behind the breakthroughs is a growing ecosystem of cloud-based collaboration. Investigators, coroners, volunteers and data analysts work across states and time zones using shared digital tools. Case notes, DNA files and potential family trees are securely stored and accessed in real time. What used to be the work of entire agencies can now be supported by distributed teams using pro bono platforms. The DNA Doe Project itself operates as a nonprofit, often covering both the cost of lab work and the countless hours of volunteer research it takes to identify a single person. That's one of the reasons this show matters. Visibility attracts donations, but it also sparks interest from law enforcement. As Randolph explained, 'We want every Jane and John Doe to have the opportunity to be identified, no matter who they are or how tough the case might be. So we do try to get the word out at conferences... and then they learn about us through word of mouth.' Beyond the Lab Naming the Dead doesn't glamorize the work. There are dead ends. Cases stall. Some episodes end with possibilities, not certainty. But the emotional core is steady—this is about restoring dignity, not just solving puzzles. And the tech, as powerful as it is, still relies on human effort and intention. None of this happens without people willing to volunteer time, apply pressure and keep showing up for the forgotten. It's worth remembering that some families have waited 20 or 30 years for answers. That kind of silence can be corrosive. When resolution comes—whether through a second cousin match or a last-minute database upload—it opens the door to grief, remembrance and sometimes, healing. Naming the Dead premieres August 2 on National Geographic and streams the next day on Disney+ and Hulu. New episodes run through September 6.
American Press
02-08-2025
- American Press
DNA Doe Project helping crack cold cases of unidentified John and Jane Does
More than 50,000 bodies remain unidentified — unmourned, unnamed, but not forgotten — across the country. Jennifer Randolph plans to change that. Randolph is the director of the nonprofit group DNA Doe Project, which uses genetic genealogy to help law enforcement crack the their most confounding cold cases of unidentified John and Jane Does. Their efforts have been documented in the new six-part investigative series 'Naming The Dead,' which premieres today on National Geographic's channel and streaming service. Through distant DNA matches, historic census reports and sheer determination, the group of 80 volunteers aims to give these victims a name and a chance at justice. 'Genealogy sort of started out as a hobby for me. I have scientific training in terms of my occupation so getting into this specific area of applying genealogy to these kinds of cases really married that science background with my fascination with genealogy,' said Randolph, who has degrees in anthropology and epidemiology. 'It ended up being a perfect melding of all my interests.' Randolph said the DNA Doe Project accepts cases from law enforcement agencies or medical examiners when other identification methods have been exhausted. As part of the process, DNA is extracted from the remains and sequenced into a digital format that can be used for comparison to other living relatives. That sequence is then uploaded to databases such as GEDmatch and the search begins. If matches are found, the project's volunteers build family trees based on the shared DNA segments, tracing back to common ancestors then narrowing down the list of names until a potential match can be made. Once that match is identified, law enforcement verifies the identity through DNA samples from immediate family members. Randolph said the process is a gripping testament to the power of identity and the people who refuse to let the lost be forgotten. 'Our mission really resonates with our volunteers, who are all genetic genealogists,' Randolph said. 'I would say that many of our genealogists love, well, genealogy of course, but also puzzles and mysteries because you're trying to solve this logic puzzle in a way. I think that kind of challenge is very attractive to them. There's also the ability to restore names to these individuals, give them their dignity back and provide answers to their families, as well.' Randolph said her team does not pick and choose their cases. 'We've been fortunate enough that we have been able to mostly take on any case that comes to us, although with the greater popularity of this technique, the more and more agencies that see how successful it is, our funding has now been outstripped by demand,' Randolph told the American Press through Zoom. 'Sometimes agencies have to wait awhile until we have adequate funds to work their case going through the lab.' DNA Doe Project is a nonprofit humanitarian organization that is funded by donations. 'The more funding we get, the more cases we can take on,' Randolph said. 'We're really hoping this show will be an opportunity to showcase our work and maybe an interest among people who might be donors.' Randolph said some cases have been solved within an hour or two and others have taken as long as five years. 'For the family of the Doe that we're identifying, that's going to be the most important case we ever do,' she said. 'We care about every case. We give 100 percent effort, but there are some cases where we might have some sort of personal connection — whether it be geography or life circumstance — that really resonate with us because we feel we can identify with them. 'For me, the cases that stick with me the most are those cases when we identify someone — usually a female — and we find out that they had children who grew up thinking their mom abandoned them because they did not care only to discover that they were not abandoned and in fact their mother was taken away from them,' she said. 'I just imagine that it is so difficult to put your head around this idea that your mom left and then to suddenly realize no that's not what happened and have to readjust everything. I really feel for those kids, even as adults.' Randolph said the DNA Doe Project has helped solve one Louisiana case so far and two cases are going to be 'up and coming.' If people want to help, Randolph said they can take direct-to-consumer tests like AncestryDNA and 23andMe, download their profile and then upload it to databases the DNA Doe Project is allowed to use — GEDMatch, FamilyTreeDNA and DNA Justice. 'These are very personal decisions so people should always read the terms of service and understand how their information is going to be used before they make this decision, but if they are willing that can definitely help us,' she said. 'They might be that match that we're waiting for to blow a case open.' Randolph said it's the families of the unidentified individuals who fuel her passion. 'I just imagine what it must be like in their shoes,' she said. 'Many of them are going decades without knowing. It's this ambiguous loss; they don't know if their loved one is still living, if they passed away, do they just not care to maintain a relationship. It's a very difficult position to be in and your mind can go in a million different directions.' Randolph said while her team cannot give families the answers they hope for because the organization deals with those who are deceased, they can offer them a resolution. 'I won't say closure because I don't think it's that, but it is a resolution so that they can truly process their loss because now they understand what it is and they can grieve appropriately,' she said. 'In many cases, the remains can be returned so they can bury their loved one as they would want to. It's not the news they want, but at least it's something. These individuals who are identified mattered, they deserve to not just disappear. We want their names recorded and their lives recorded.'
