In the crucial moments spent sifting through thousands of tips and following up on leads, serial offenders may strike again. This urgency underscores the argument of forensic expert David Mittelman, who highlights the role of rapid DNA breakthroughs, as seen in the Idaho murders and Rachel Morin cases, as a transformative tool in crime fighting. Investigative genetic genealogy (IGG) has advanced to the point where it is both swift and cost-effective, suggesting it should be among the first resources investigators utilize, rather than a final confirmation.
Mittelman, the founder of Othram forensics lab, shared with Fox News Digital, “You should be reading the DNA the same way you’re checking the video cameras. The very first question you have is, who is at the scene? So check the cameras nearby, check the DNA, and then start your investigation.”
The current approach in many active investigations treats DNA as a “confirmatory tool,” often reserved for the final stages to confirm the identity of a suspect. Mittelman notes that while this method is common in ongoing cases, DNA and IGG research are more frequently employed in solving cold cases. He advocates for a shift in this practice.
“So DNA goes from being the last step in the process as a confirmatory tool to the first step,” Mittelman explained. “It’s like checking the video feed, except that you’re checking the DNA feed.”
In a visual juxtaposition, Bryan Kohberger, suspect in the University of Idaho student murders, is shown being escorted to his extradition hearing in Pennsylvania, while Victor Martinez-Hernandez, an illegal immigrant, is depicted following his arrest for the rape and murder of Maryland mom Rachel Morin. These images, provided by The Image Direct for Fox News Digital and Jerry Jackson/The Baltimore Sun/Tribune News Service via Getty Images, highlight the cases that underscore Mittelman’s point.
“So DNA goes from being the last step in the process as a confirmatory tool to the first step,” Mittelman said. “It’s like checking the video feed, except that you’re checking the DNA feed.”
Madison Mogen, top left, smiles on the shoulders of her best friend, Kaylee Goncalves, as they pose with Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, and two other housemates in Goncalves’ final Instagram post, shared the day before the four students were stabbed to death. (@kayleegoncalves/Instagram)
In the Idaho student murders and the Maryland slaying of mom of five Rachel Morin, police with few leads turned to Othram for help conducting the IGG, which led them to now-convicted killers Bryan Kohberger and Victor Martinez-Hernandez.
Traditional DNA testing compares a suspect’s sample to a law enforcement database in search of a match, but not all criminals can be identified in this manner, especially if it’s their first offense. IGG testing involves a blend of forensic science and the same methods used to trace a person’s ancestry in order to track down an unknown suspect.
“When IGG becomes as common as fingerprint and digital forensics, it will ensure that other families don’t have to endure the same pain as the Morins,” said Randolph Rice, a Baltimore-area attorney who represented Morin’s family. “IGG should not be viewed as a last resort or a luxury; it should be a standard, front-line investigative tool.”
Cases that benefit from IGG have a readily available DNA sample from the perpetrator and often involve murder or sexual assault, Mittelman said, making them among the most heinous crimes. Under his proposal, he said, they’d be cheaper, faster and easier to solve.
A photo of Rachel Morin is posted to a tree by her family along the Ma and Pa Trail in Bel Air, MD, Thursday, August 10, 2023. She was attacked and killed during a morning run in the area. (Mega for Fox News Digital)
“DNA testing identified him [Kohberger], in a month or in weeks, and the end-to-end cost for that DNA testing was under $10,000,” Mittelman said. “So you can’t even pay the detective for a month for the amount of money it costs to solve that case.”
In the Morin case, Martinez-Hernandez was already an international fugitive and suspected killer connected to another sex assault in Los Angeles.
“When he committed that crime in Los Angeles, they should have immediately put the DNA CODIS, like they did, saw no match, and they should have used this technique and immediately found him,” Mittelman said. “And then Rachel Morin would still be alive. That’s exactly my point.”
