Search

Tag: MUHR
Forensics TTA

DNA Basics: Understanding the Science and Tools Behind DNA Kinship Analysis

This presentation features Michelle Halsing, Assistant Laboratory Director of the Missing Persons DNA Program at the California Department of Justice. It is tailored for non-laboratory criminal justice professionals—including investigators, prosecutors, victim advocates, and program administrators—seeking to strengthen their foundational understanding of forensic DNA testing, with a particular focus on kinship analysis. The presentation offers an overview of the forensic DNA testing process, explains how DNA profiles are searched and compared within the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), and outlines the capabilities and limitations of these tools in both investigative and judicial settings. Viewers are also introduced to the fundamental principles of forensic DNA kinship analysis, supported by discussions of real-world case applications, common testing strategies, and key considerations for interpreting laboratory reports. This resource highlights the critical role of kinship analysis in supporting missing persons investigations, unidentified human remains cases, and other complex forensic scenarios.
February 2026
Forensics TTA

2026 Forensics TTA Calendar of National and Regional Events

The Forensics TTA calendar of events provides a centralized view of national and large-scale regional conferences, trainings, and other events of interest to BJA Forensics Program grantees. This calendar is a downloadable resource designed to assist grantees with effective planning of event attendance when supported by BJA Forensics Program funding. Event entries are color coded by event type – conferences, trainings, and other (e.g., meetings, convenings). Clicking on a color-coded event entry produces a pop-up box which provides information including its name, date(s), and location along with a direct link to the event’s main page for additional details such as the agenda and registration, travel, and lodging information. Questions about applying or utilizing BJA funding to attend any events presented on this calendar should be directed to your assigned BJA Policy and Programs Office representatives. Explore the calendar today and contact the Forensics TTA team via Forensicstta@rti.org with any questions or suggestions for ensuring this resource best fits your needs! 
February 2026
Purple-filled circle with three standing people icons with the middle person having a question mark
Castanet

Remains found in Florida identified as woman last seen in Saskatchewan

In January 1985, skeletal remains of an unidentified woman were found in a densely wooded area in Malabar, Florida. Despite extensive early investigative efforts, investigators were unable to identify her, and she became known as “Malabar Jane Doe”. In 2024, leveraging Bureau of Justice Assistance’s Missing and Unidentified Human Remains (MUHR) Program funding, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), working with the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office and the District 18 Medical Examiner, outsourced forensic evidence to a vendor laboratory for advanced DNA testing. These testing efforts enabled FDLE’s Forensic Genetic Genealogy (FGG) team to conduct a genealogical search, generating new investigative leads into the woman’s possible identity. This investigation ultimately identified the remains as Jeanette Marcotte, a woman originally from Vancouver, British Columbia, who was last seen in Saskatchewan in 1981 or 1982.
January 2026
Purple-filled circle with three standing people icons with the middle person having a question mark
Get the Coast

Skeletal remains found in Miramar Beach identified as Niceville 19-year-old missing since 2015

Skeletal remains discovered in Miramar Beach, Florida in October 2022 have been positively identified as Jacob Lyon, a 19-year-old from Niceville, Florida who went missing in late 2015. The Walton County Sheriff’s Office and Niceville Police Department announced the identification after DNA analysis performed by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) matched the remains to family reference samples obtained from Lyon’s family nearly a decade earlier. Lyon was last seen in late 2015 and officially reported missing by his mother on February 1, 2016, the same day he was entered into state and national missing person databases. DNA confirmation from FDLE came on January 21, 2026, bringing long-awaited news to the family. Investigators emphasized that while the identification provides partial closure, the case is now an active death investigation. Evidence found near the remains will undergo further analysis as part of continued investigative efforts.
January 2026
Forensics TTA

A Guide to Resources for Unidentified Human Remains Investigations

Every year, thousands of unidentified human remains (UHRs) are found across the United States, which poses a challenge for the law enforcement and medical examiners/coroners tasked with identifying these individuals and resolving the cases. UHR investigations are complex and require specialized skills and resources, such as forensic anthropology, DNA analysis, fingerprint record searches, dental coding and comparisons, facial reconstruction, and the use of missing persons databases and investigative resources. However, many agencies lack the necessary training, equipment, funding, or personnel to conduct these investigations effectively and efficiently. As a result, many UHR cases remain unresolved for years or decades, leaving families and communities without resolution and justice. This guide aims to provide agencies with information on federal programs and other organizational resources that offer support to these types of investigations.
December 2025
Purple-filled circle with three standing people icons with the middle person having a question mark
Highlights

Timely Case Entry Leads to Rapid Identification in an Arizona Unidentified Human Remains Case

On March 31, 2025, unidentified human remains were discovered near a campsite in Payson, Arizona (Gila County). Despite a thorough investigation, local law enforcement and the Pinal County Medical Examiner’s Office were initially unable to determine the individual’s identity. 

On May 12, 2025, the Pinal County Medical Examiner entered the case into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs), a national database designed to support the identification of missing and unidentified individuals. The entry included detailed descriptions and photographs of the clothing found with the decedent, including a shirt, sweatshirt, and hat. Within 24 hours of the case appearing on NamUs’ public-facing site, concerned citizens began sharing the information on Facebook. By May 14, 2025, tips were coming in to both law enforcement and the medical examiner’s office — including one from friends of a man who had been living unhoused in the area. They recognized the clothing from the NamUs post and contacted authorities, reporting they had lost contact with him nearly three years prior.

The Pinal County Medical Examiner’s Office obtained dental records for the individual, which were then compared to the postmortem dental records of the unidentified decedent. This comparison confirmed a positive identification, restoring the individual’s name and identity. Next of kin were subsequently located and notified.

While this identification was not directly funded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance’s Missing and Unidentified Human Remains (MUHR) grant to Pinal County, it powerfully illustrates one of the core objectives of the MUHR Program: the rapid entry of cases into databases like NamUs to aid in identification. This case demonstrates the impact of timely data sharing, the value of public engagement, and the critical role of collaboration and accessible tools in helping bring resolution to families and communities.

August 2025
Forensics TTA

Unidentified Human Remains Investigations 101

Facilitated by the Forensics TTA Team, this webinar features guest speakers Lara Newell from the Virginia Office of the Chief Medical Examiner and Senior Special Agent Douglas R. Hubert from the Virginia State Police – Bureau of Criminal Investigation. They provide an overview of how to navigate unidentified human remains investigations from both the medical examiner and law enforcement perspectives. Specifically, the presenters discuss the intricacies of the investigative process, considerations for available evidence, and how to utilize national organizations for assistance. Attendees also examine a case that originated in 1987 and explore how advancements in forensic technology and investigative methods would significantly change the way the case is approached today.
July 2025
Events

3rd Annual BJA Forensics Programs Grantees Meeting

On behalf of the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), the Forensics Training and Technical Assistance (Forensics TTA) Team, led by RTI International, is hosting the 3rd Annual BJA Forensics Programs Grantees Meeting on June 9-10, 2025! 

This year’s virtual meeting will offer a series of educational case studies and sessions, covering key topics of significant interest to grantees across the BJA Forensics Programs. These include the application of forensic genetic genealogy in wrongful conviction investigations, innovative strategies for solving long-term missing and unidentified person cases, the evolving legal landscape for forensic evidence in light of Smith v. Arizona, implementing Rapid DNA technology in accordance with upcoming standards updates, the impact of turnaround times on death investigations, essential grant management practices, and more.

Program-specific breakout discussions will also be featured to provide grantees with a unique opportunity to learn more from respective BJA staff and other grantees. 

June 2025
Purple-filled circle with three standing people icons with the middle person having a question mark
Highlights

Remains recovered in 2007 identified as diver who went missing in Florida, deputies say

Using funding from the Bureau of Justice Assistance’s Missing and Unidentified Human Remains (MUHR) Program awarded to Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), and the work of FDLE’s Genetic Genealogy Investigations team, Volusia Sheriff’s Office detectives were provided a lead in 2025 for an unidentified human remains case that originated in 2007 after a diver went missing while off the coast of Ponce Inlet, Florida. With the help of the Volusia County Medical Examiner’s Office and funding from the MUHR Program grant, the recovered remains were DNA sequenced and databased, after which FDLE’s Genetic Genealogy Investigations team conducted extensive analytical and genetic genealogy research. Their research resulted in an investigative lead that ultimately led to the positive identification of the victim—providing answers in a case that had remained unresolved for nearly two decades.
June 2025